Wednesday 22nd May 2019

So far today, (Thursday) Flickr has been down for maintenance for 16 hours, and no sign of it coming back, so no pictures on this post for now.

I am now sleeping well, so going to sleep just after nine and sleeping through to half five means eight hours, which is enough.

I decided that I did not need the car, so Jools could drive to work alone, and I would do "stuff" at home.

Write, listen to the radio and edit shots. I am taking a lot of shots at the moment, you will not be surprised to hear, so many I can't post them all on Flickr. Butterflies, orchids go on FB, and other wildflowers go on Twitter. But I shoot an incredible number of shots, especially at this time of the year, with it being peak orchid season. Even when I'm not shooting orchids, there's something else to shoot.

But when it got to eleven, I thought I had better put some trousers on and go for a walk.

Back in the day, knowing where to go, when to go, where to look for plants, butterflies and so on, used to be called fieldcraft. Knowing where to go to see just what you want to see is stuff you learn over a number of years.

I guessed, correctly as it turned out, that by now Common Blues and Adonis Blues should be out at Kingsdown Leas. If I was lucky I might see one or the other, or both,. But in the end I saw more than I hoped to.

I carried my camera with macro lens and ring flash attached. It weighs quite a bit, and so had to move it all the time not to put strain on my back. But it was good.

Along the street where two new houses are being built where just one used to stand. The new owners had better be good friends, as the tw houses will be next to each other, and there is very limited garden space.

Oh well.

Over the fields to Fleet House, where a new brood of spotted piglets have arrived, and squeal their delight at a stranger coming by. He might have food! Or not. I scratch one's nose and walk on, the piglets go back to drinking from their metal trough.

I turn down Norway Drove, down towards the Dip, which when I get to the bottom is bone dry, just mud set like concrete. But there are butterflies everywhere. I snap a Brown Argus that is perching on the end of a grass stalk, it looks stunning.

A good start.

Not so good was the Common Blue I chased for 5 minutes that never quite settled.

Of course, from the bottom of the Dip, it is quite a climb up the other side to the road, but I do it well enough, stopping foe shots now and again.

Along the top road, stopping to feed the two horses looking mournful with some fresh grass, then up the path towards the Monument. And along the side of the path I see what I recognise to be a Fumitory (a plant), so I stop to snap that before turning down the little used path towards Kingsdown.

Once through the gate into Kingsdown, where there had been a large cliff fall meaning the path now has to be further inland, the strip of National Trust owned land now getting narrower and narrower.

Further along, the fences end, and that's where the butterflies should be.

I see none.

And then I see some blue.

A vibrant blue. An Adonis Blue.

And it settled. Man, there is no other blue in the sunshine, the blue looks un-natural.

I snap that male and a couple of others, but a sooty blue blur goes by and settles, a tine Small Blue was basking, so I snap him too.

Two great shots and butterfly species in 30 seconds!

Further along I see another blue, a Common Blue, which I also snap.

In twenty minutes I had got what I came for, so turned for home, in the now midday sun.

More like early afternoon sun, but you get the picture. It was hot, and I was thirsty.

But I pressed on. From half a mile away I could hear a loud group of walkers, and they were heading down the path where I was standing. How could these ruin my lovely peaceful walk. As I walked over the brow of the hill, I could hear them laughing and shouting, getting nearer. So I tried to walk quicker, back to the top of Norway Drove, then down. They wouldn't follow me down, will they?

Yes they would.

But by then I was down the bottom and climbing up the other side, past Fleet house and back along the track to the fields and home.

I really could do with a beer, but make a tea instead.

Phew, that was good, but also my legs stiffened up when I sit on the sofa to watch a TV show about botany.

As you do.

Soon it is time to prepare dinner; make a batch of facaccia bread to go with the caprese, and I don't care about the calories, I'll have wine, goddamit.

Jools comes home, we are reunited and the bread is ready, cooling down and crispy, all covered in freshly milled salt and olive oil. Goes so well with the tomatoes and cheese.

And wine.

Did I mention the wine?

And that left us with the radio to listen to for the rest of the evening.

Phew, rock and roll.