Sunday 1st May 2022

Nearly a decade ago, I set up the Facebook group for Kent orchids so that my photographer friends could come and snap them too, maybe for competitions, or maybe for fun. IN all that time, none took up the invite, and in due course I changed the group to attact orchidists from all over the county and country, and after suggesting for friends for years that they might like to come for a nature walk, our friend, Mary, said she would be thrilled.

So, we arranged for us to pick her up from her house in Folkestone at half eight.

And we left it at that.

We were up in time, had breakfast, and we outside her house at quarter past eight, I left it ten minutes before knocking, and she opened the door in her dressing gown.

She had forgotten!

Oh noes.

But no worry, she was dressed and ready in ten minutes.

We drove out of town to the motorway and headed for the Hythe exit, only I was so into telling Mary about my trip to Rhodes, I drove past the exit, so we had to drive to Ashford, take the final exit from the roundabout and drive back east.

We took the turning and drove noth up Stone Street, taking the turn off to the wood,a nd then down the narrow lane, down the down. We reversed into the parking space, and the morning was ours.

We saw noting remarkable to be honest, just the usual plants, a little bit further on than last time we were here. Many more Fly Orchids out, and Lady Orchids too. As we walked, we pointed out the plants we saw:

Herb Paris (aka One Berry)
Greater Stitchwort
Yellow Archangel
Bugle
Lesser Celandine
Wood Anemone
Bluebells
Wayfairing tree
Cowslip
Primrose
False Oxlip
Wood Sedge
Wood Spurge
Spurge Laurel
Wild Garlic
Hedge Garlic

And the orchids too.

The one thing yu can't factor in is the weather, and it remained pretty cloudy, meaning few butterflies on the wing for me to chase.

Just over two hours later, we walked back to the car, and we took Mary home, as Jen was coming to dinner at ours, and I had roast beef to preare and cook. But we will see Mary again next weekend when I go for a haircut.

Traffic was amazingly light, so we made it back home, ahd a coffee before I seasoned the beef and put it in a hot oven to roast.. Peeled and boiled the potatoes, mixed the Yorkshire Pudding mix and prepared the vegetables.

It was already two in the afternoon and over half the day had gone. How'd that happen?

I bring it all together, Jools pours the fizz, and I carve and dish up.

Delicious.

But it is the final of the world snnoker championship, so Jen leaves for home at four, for an evening in front of the telly, and I watch the West Ham v Arsenal game, and play the age old game of trying to stay awake.

We had buttered crumpets for supper, listen to a Soft Cell special on Radio 6. And that was Sunday, but don't worry, being a bank holiday, there's MOnday to enjoy as yet!