Tuesday 1st August 2017

And already we are onto Tuesday, hurtling towards the end of my last working week of the year. Really.

And the next two days there is other stuff to deal with, but for today there was to be just me, the work computer and the task of beginning to write a contractual document. Yes, this is my life now, me, and a blank Word template, and come the end of the process, fill it with stuff like I know what I'm talking about. It does mean some serious work, no distractions (sound familiar) and certainly no cats bringing in live mice or birds to break my concentration!

Oh no.

It is also the start of a new Month, meaning we could no longer say Tony was here last month, already the weeks are speeding past, getting darker in the evenings, I mean its nearly dark by nine now, and the colours of the flowers in the garden are now more dark reds and golden yellows, full of autumnal promise.

And it being a warm and sunny morning, and while I stand at the back door sipping on my second coffee of the day, bees and butterflies are already at work, gathering nectar and pollen, as busy as I should be really. I snap some shots of the Red Admirals on the buddleia, feeding away, and not having to cling on this time as the wind is barely noticeable.

But work is calling, so with a sigh and with a plateful of oatcakes covered with butter and Seville marmalade, I walk into the living room to eat and begin work.

The morning passes, I work away and make good progress if truth be told. And I am happy with the work I have done, so make myself an early dinner of scrambled egg on toast complete with a huge brew. Brain food I tell myself.

And so into the afternoon, until come three o'clock, with my colleagues finished for the day, I take a pause for a walk. I could have waited, but I hoped to see some more butterflies and more flowers to identify.

I take a camera, or two, and walk to the end of the street, then down the lane, but see no Holly Blues about, then walk out over the fields, spotting a new flower in the undergrowth, and one I nearly get the name of right, Red Bartsia. I see a few spikes of it, but in the butterfly glade, it is nearly carpeted with the red plant, and popular with the Common Blues too.

As soon as I'm in the glade, I see a pair of Common Blues, mating, locked together on a stem of Wild Marjoram. In fact they were still locked together when I left, the female dragging the male around as she tried to disengage, but no luck. Maybe they're still together, all shagged out? At least like that they are easy to snap, just wait for them to be still and snap. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

As I stoop to photograph them, a Wall Brown lands at my feet to bask. The Wall is one of the more tricker butterflies to snap, as it basks on the ground and will take off if it feels footsteps. But here it was at my feet, wings three quarter open. So I snap it good too, and being only the third time I have shots of one.

Nearby there is a newly emerged Small Tortoiseshell, looking so bright and crisp as it basked in the sunlight, I didn't get too close, but close enough for an acceptable shot or ten to be rattled off.

I walk back home, reaching the lane at the end of the street and see a dragonfly hunting along the line of the hedge. I tell myself, why are you bothering, they never settle..

It settled, so I edge closer, reeling of a few shots with each step, until I am within a foot of it, clinging to a fresh spur of ivy. The patterns and colours of it are incredible, and it seems happy enough just to hang there, also basking in the sunshine. That really was the crowning moment of the walk, quite probably the best butterfly hunt I have had in our neighbourhood.

Back home there is pasta salad to make, and nearer to when Jools returns, I go into the garden to cut a courgette which was now marrow sized, the prepare that instead of an aubergine. No idea if it would work, but being free, would give it a go. Turns out to be slightly more watery than the faithful aubergine, and sweeter too, but if cooked until dark golden brown, were very edible indeed.

Later in the evening, as the sun set and the three quarter full moon rose, we went to sit in the shelter, look back at the house and marvel at our luck, living here with the cats and each other. Bats came out, swooping chasing insects.