Ooh, the excitement today – spotted and snapped one of the first few moths of the year on the old moth wall.  I think this is a lime-speck pug moth, but I could be wrong.

Hopefully this bodes well for the coming summer.  I’ve been thinking lately about putting out a moth trap in the garden to see what I can attract… can anybody recommend the best low-cost trapping technique?

Spotted on the way home yesterday, a variety of bee orchids by the roadside. It’s amazing what you see when you are on your bike instead of blasting around in your car.

I’ve not been very prolific of late. There are reasons which I won’t go into here, but regardless to say I’ve been busy and it’s all been good… really, really good.

Thx,

lesleyb

From the tree that gave me one tasty pear last year, here’s some beautiful blossom.  It was actually a nice day today, sunny enough to pop out at lunchtime and get some snaps.  There were even a few wee beasties on the moth wall… might show you some of those next.

I think they might be about to paint this tree though, as there is going to be a royal visit next week, and everything else on site has been freshened up.  I also think that  I need to warm up my writing skills a bit… not got nothing more to say!

A little something I snapped a few weeks ago.  I think it was in Shaldon.  I was out for a wander today and spotted some flowers on the verge, and while looking them up (sweet violet, in white) I recognised these little babies from my photo archives.

That’s all.  Nothing more to add.  Spring is springing, the new life has begun.

My writing skills might be a bit rusty – do excuse me…

We’re having some wild weather here in Devon today. I seem to have slept through the wind in the night, and as my bin was still in the upright position this morning I can only assume that either it wasn’t too strong or it is quite sheltered here in the close. More blustering forecast for later, but I have had the chance to pop out into the garden and snap away at one of my bushes. It suddenly erupted in yellow flowers last week. No leaves, just bare twigs and flowers.  UPDATE: it’s forsythia.

I’m hoping that insect season is going to begin soon. There was a sneak preview at the weekend. I was up in London having a fabulous time and spotted a beautiful beetle. Sadly my camera was on the other side of London, otherwise you’d be witnessing it first hand. Oh well…

It’s probably a bit early to declare that spring has sprung.  For the first time in a long time I popped out with my camera today, down the coast to Shaldon.  The wind was very cold, and the sea was crashing up against the wall across the water at Teignmouth.  Someone or something had stirred up the mini-monkeys at the wildlife trust, but the wood was quiet when I took a slow trundle through it.

Flower of the moment must be the daffodil.  I’ve got a few popping up in my garden, but these two were spotted in Shaldon.  Also seen, but not snapped, were some allium triquetrum – oh how I love allium flowers.  No danger of any popping up at work now… not since they ravaged the wild garden, put in some pot plants and then let them all die…

The last day of 2007 – out for another walk in some wet woods!  Seems to have been the story of the year – avoiding the muddy puddles and trying to ford the streams across the path.  Hopefully 2008 might be a dry one.

We popped out to Dunsford for today’s stroll.  I didn’t see any slime mould but there were plenty of fungi – including King Alfred’s cakes – dotted around the place.  I’m in the mood for butterflies and flowers though, so didn’t snap any small dark wet-looking things.

Come on sun… you can shine once more!

Another day, another beach.  This time, Dawlish Warren.  Don’t you just love that gaping gap between Christmas and the New Year?  Usually there is something to watch on the TV, but not this year.  I was just thinking that we could really do with moving Christmas to June or July, that way we can have a nice long week off sitting in the garden in the sunshine with a glass of beer or rosé wine…

Here’s a snap I took on the beach at Paignton yesterday.  There were lots of rock pools, and most of them contained empty shells.  Christmas and New Year seems to be a time we spend on beaches.  Not your hot, sunny, bikini variety… no, this would be your cold, windswept, bleak-but-never-the-less beautiful variety.  The forecast gives wet and windy weather today, so it is touch and go whether we see the sea or not.  At least we can see the estuary from the window… far away, and only visible in winter when the trees lose their leaves.

It’s been rather cold of late, and there hasn’t been much action on the moth wall.  Not much insect action at all in fact.  Popped out today to Sidmouth and saw some flowers and fungi, but no camera with me so no new snaps.  Hopefully we’ll get out and about over the holiday period and normal service will once again commence.