Monday 27th May 2019

Mum's 75th birthday.

Mum in hospital.

Otherwise, situation normal.

And with the weather forecasted to be much better, I hatch a plan to visit two prime orchid sites before lunch, so we can get back home for the Championship play off game.

And it was back up the M2, to the Medway Valley for a visit to the last remaining fresh water-meadow in the county, where, if we were lucky, the county-rae Early Marsh Orchid would be found.

In fact, this is the only site this species can be found in Kent.

The reserve is the other side of the railway, behind an industial estate, and you get to the entrance through a narrow tunnel, then climb over a gate. And before us was an expanse of cut grass and reeds, piles of rotting vegetation lay in piles.

It did not look good.

And at first, no orchids could be seen. But once onto the path, I could see purples dotted around, now not competing with tall grass and reeds, they looked in fine condition.

I looked at each spike in turn, seeing if they displayed Early Marsh characteristics, but the first few didn't. A little further along, one did pique my interest, as the lips on the flowers were thrust backwards, very much in an Early Marsh kind of way, but the colour and patterns were of a Southern Marsh.

Then, from ten metres away, I see a pale pink spike.

No doubt about it, Early Marsh, and a good sized one too.

A little further along I find two smaller ones, so three in total, up from last year's single spike.

I snap them all, then the other orchids, not sure if any are pure blooded or just hybrids.

I will sort them out later once I review the shots. Or just call all of them Marsh Orchids.

Simples.

We walk back to the car, have burritos for breakfast. Again, then drive to the M20 for the short drive down the Leeds then down the A20 to Lenham, where we turn off and climb the downs to Stalisfield, as we were to visit the orchid meadow for the first, and probably only time, this year.

Anyway.

It wasn't yet ten, and here we were, walking over the fields to the woods, slithering down through the trees, then out the other side, once we had clambered over the fence, into the meadow, thick with dozens of Greater Butterfly spikes.

On other sites there are Greater spikes, but only one or two. Yet here there are dozens, maybe not as many as last year, but lots. More than enough to visit a few and find a partially open spike, get a few shots.

Then walk up the down, find some more Fly, snap those, and a Common Blue butterfly.

And we're done.

Phew.

We just have to climb back through the wood to the car, then find our way back to Dover.

And arriving back before midday, jobs done.

When's lunch?

What do you want?

Lets have the lamb.

I cook the small rack of lamb, finishing it off in the oven. Boil some Jersey Royals, do some stir fry and poach two bundles of asparagus in butter.

Serve with two glasses of pink fizz.

Job done.

I just have to be able to stay awake until and through the football from three.

Villa v Derby: a good game, but with so much at stake, not that exciting, but compelling. Villa cruise to a 2-0 lead, and look in control, but Deby get a goal back, so a feisty last ten minutes, but Derby come up short. And I had stayed awake.

Which was nice.

Jools let me beat her at uckers.

And that was the weekend, and just about my holiday, just one day left, and the real world is sneaking back up.