A Long Story

I had just settled into a good routine, I was taking photos every day, running several times a week, doing a lot of reading and things were going smoothly except my uncle was ill. Well he went from ill to very quickly more ill and then he died. 

Deaths have a habit of suspending normal service so hobbies took a back seat and life became a lot more about hospital visits and then funeral planning and flat clearing. We're a small family, everyone was very involved.

Now the funeral has passed and normality is gradually returning I will be taking more photos. I'm proud of my 23 days but I won't be trying it again this month, maybe in August. We'll see

Pink Flowers Ahoy

Raindrops keep falling on my head...

Pink Flower - Stokes Croft, Bristol

These Past two days the weather has slumped from dizzying highs to rainy lows and it's oddly cold for may so my pictures reflect that. Both pink plants in the rain.

Pink Fushia with Raindrop

Hopefully there will be a bit more sunshine so I don't fall into a macro/plants rut.

Until Tomorrow

Big Pink Peony

Today is brought to you by this giant pink Peony

Pink Peony

I'm amazed to have made it to 21 photos for 21 days and pleased that photography is back in my life again.

Until Tomorrow

Flowers Flowers

On the 14th I post this photo of a yellow plant that I still need to identify, I will edit when I found out, whenever that may be. 

Anyway, on my way to work yesterday (the 19th) mystery flower was in bloom.

Yellow Flower in Bloom

The star-shaped pods give it a desert feel to me. I'll see what luck google image searching brings.

Today, also on the way to work (I'm actually ahead of myself today) I saw this pink poppy still covered in last night's rain.

Pink Poppy

These are both pictures I took on my phone so the colours are a little off but I'm becoming more accepting of the quality.

Until tomorrow

One More

Additional Chafer photo. Tomorrow will definitely be something different but I couldn't resist this critter on the poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii).

Rose Chafer on Limnanthes douglasii

I find myself thinking of them like Cows of the insect world: they can look big and scary but they're not carnivores and the only way they'll ever hurt you is by crashing into you. Or maybe if you accidentally swallow one whole. 

Until Tomorrow

Chafer, Chafer, Chafer

But wait! There's more!

Rose Chafers don't tend to stick around long. If they survive being an egg and a grub (we gave about 30 grubs to the neighbours chickens: they have feathery predators) and make it into adulthood, they live for a few weeks, if that. So, although they're huge and unpredictable fliers and make a noise like a bug zapper that can really ruin reading in the garden - I like to photograph them while I can.

Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata) Eating

It seems so odd that something so large and noisy would live off of such dainty natural sweets things as pollen and nectar but you shouldn't judge a book by its cover or an insect by its exoskeleton.

Until Tomorrow 

Rose Chafer Returns

I love summer evenings, they just go on and on. I've been for a run, taken photos, watched some tv and it's not even seven. There's still time to have dinner, watch a film or read a book. Time seems more plentiful when the sun is up.

My most popular post ever is this one about Rose Chafers. I assume it's because they're not the most abundant insect and they're not that beautiful so there aren't as many pictures of them around as, say, bees.

Today I bring you more Rose Chafers, Rose Chafers part two. I was photographing bees and I saw a couple on the Tamarix again. One in particular was very still so I got all up in its business. Getting disturbingly close to Rose Chafers so you don't have to.

Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata

I won't pretend I'm not annoyed by the stem in the way but I couldn't move it without disturbing the Chafer. 

As with almost all insects, the Rose Chafer is surprisingly hairy. 

I really like how the Scarab-like Chafer is offset by the delicate pink Tamarix. Tough exoskeleton meet delicate petals.

Until Tomorrow.