Sunday 24th March 2020

Day 4 of the 5 day weekend.

Less windy.

More orchids.

We have decided how much nicer life is without the drag of having to work. The previous three days have, if not rushed by, been filled with stuff and/or nothing that makes it feel like time has flown.

And although I have lots of orchiding, I have spaced out the trips, so its not felt like an orchid-obsessed time was enjoyed by a few. But time has slipped by, and already work feels closer than Thursday was.

But it was Sunday, we were up at twenty past five, there were orchids to get out ans snap, so may as well get up and me, for a change, make the first brews of the day.

The early morning cloud cleared, so at seven we were on the road, drving out along the A2 to Braham, then across the downs and through beech woodland to Park Gate.

Park gate is an unimproved meadow, and due to some great work in the 1950s when orchid seeds were scattered, home to the UK's largest (out of three) of Monkey Orchids. And it being peak Monkey season, best get down there before the crowds.

Almost nothing out on the roads, so we made good time the ten or so miles to Barham, turning off and then down onto Gravel Castle Road (I kid ye not), and down into the top end of the Elham Valley, where the Nailbourne is now just a few scattered stagnant pools, rather than the torrent it was four months ago.

We turn off and go up the valley sides, through a wood which the floor of is covered in wild garlic, drifts of white flowers swaying in the breeze.

We stop in the lay by, and I put the ring flash on the camera, and after getting into the site, I climb up the down to check the area for Monkey spikes. I find a few, but they get more frequent nearer to the fence. A volunteer tells me there were 27 spikes in that paddock. I have no reason to doubt her.

I walk onto the second paddock, and there are many more spikes, and no matter how rare they are, pretty much once you have seen one you've seen them all. There was pictures of a spike in France earlier in the season, just green, but no here, not this year

Into the final paddock to look for signs of Musk Orchids, Greater Butterfly and maybe a last Fly. I see no Musk, only one spike of the GBO seems to be viable this year, and that wasn't open, and all Fly bar one were dried as they had come to the end of the season. But one worth snapping, and I get a shot of the double interflorance.

And that was that.

Back to the car, and a short drive to Wye to check on the other colony of Late Spiders. The site nestles in a fold of Wye Down, out of site of the road, you have to know where to stop and climb over the fence.

But I do.

Jools goes looking around while i check on the LSO spikes. A good half dozen now out, though most small. There was one fine double spike, which I have to wait to snap for 20 minutes until the sun came out from behind a cloud.

And it seemed the sunny day we were told to expect had other plans, and I looked north and saw nothing but clouds.

Maybe we should go home?

We shall.

We drive down Stone Street, back to the motorway, then along back through Folkestone, along over Shakespeare and into Dover. And home.

All this spare time we seem to have, the garden is looking fabulous too.

I make brews.

Outside the winds blows hard again and the cloud grows thicker. In a sign I don't want to go out again and happy with that choice, I take my socks off.

We fritter away the afternoon, including start the second half of the cheesecake. I say start the second half, we have a quarter between us each day of the holiday, tomorrow it will be all gone.

The afternoon ploughs on.

I cook dinner early; salmon, creamed spinach, curried rice and sweet chili stir fried vegetables. A good and fairly healthy meal, but a lot of flavours going on.

It is another triumph, but won't win any beauty contests. And there is wine.

Always wine.

And that is it.

More Twittering in the evening, posting pictures of plants and orchids I have snapped. Simple stuff.

And that is it.

We end the day on the patio looking at bats hunting for insects. Day done.