And despite having done a week, on and off, I planned to do more orchiding through the day. In fact, I had arranged a meeting for the group I manage on FB to show those who wanted, to see the tiny but fabulous Musk Orchid.
I still had a cough, but had slept well, although soon as I got up the coughing started all over again.
Sigh.
We went to Tesco to get a few things, and got some cough syrup to ease the symptoms as we were both coughing lots. Before that, we headed to Preston to get some lamb for dinner on Sunday, as Jen is heading back up north next week, and we had not seen her in a week because of our holibobs.
It was a glorious morning, no clouds and light winds, perfect for a day in the Kentish orchid fields. Lamb, sausages and other stuff bought, we returned to Dover to go to Tesco, whisked round the shop, then back home for breakfast of fruit and croissants, putting the shopping away and clearing up.
We also called in at the Council Offices where a small colony of orchids have thrived after I gave them some advice on how to maintain and protect them. Good to see the colony is spreading, and the usual spike, part yellow and part normal, has appeared for what seems like the sixth season at least. I took shots while those heading to the recycling centre must have wondered what I was doing.
Jools decided not to come with me, as there was stuff to do in the garden, so she was going to clear away breakfast stuff, so I was free to go on my merry way.So I drove along to Wigham, through Barham and down the Elham Valley, passing many lycra-clad cyclists out enjoying the day. Lucky for me they were all going the other way, so I cruised along, then turning up the down to the reserve, where there were another large number of folks about, even if the Monkeys were well past their best. In fact most had come to look for the Musks, and I helped two groups find them, one couple had walked past them several times.
I wait until eleven and two of the five who said they were coming, came.
Sigh.
But anyway, even two orchidists is great to have along. SO I showed one the best of the remaining Monkeys, and into the third paddock and Terry finds a colony of nine plants right beside the track, bettering the six I had to show them 50m down the path.
I had promised them both I would show them the spike of Chalk Fragrants, or the two spikes coming out of one set of leaves, but as try as I might, I could not find the plant. Being beside the path, I suspect it got snapped off, or one of the spikes had. Its no more.After we had finished there, Terry and I drove to another site to try to refind the hybrid. I suspected it had already faded away or been removed, so I had low expectations, which, as it turned out, was correct.
Along the path tot he down were three Bee Orchid spikes, which were not there three weeks back, nor any of the visits I made last year, but these were in peak condition, several flowers on each spike open.Lovely.
Using the sat nav coordinated, we located where the hybrid should have been, and although there were suspects, none leapt out as the one did that early morning last month.
We made do with photographing EVERY LSO spike, just in case, and once done, we walked back to the car, as Terry had to head home for a family event, meaning I could drive back home where I would make lunch for us.
Phew, quite a packed day, but that would slow right down now as we lazed the afternoon through.Dinner was chorizo hash, though not with chorizo, but with the butcher's "firecracker" bangers, which did the trick. We had fizz to go with it too, so lording it up until Craig came on the wireless.
Later on, there was football; England v Italy, in a repeat of the Euros final, but played behind closed doors because of the crowd trouble that night in London. It eneded 0-0 and for all the world it looked like a game neither set of players wanted to play.
Can the season just end now?
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