Safari Sunday.....a little bit early....out tomorrow........

"Frank, come over here, it's Safari Sunday, you need to get cleaned up."

"Coming, oh precious one."

Spiders are plentiful in the garden.....I particularly liked this one........
Britain has 26 species of harvestmen, but only a few are common or widespread.......
The first Red Admiral to visit this year...............
And it was worth the wait......I love this butterfly.......

"I am ready Freda, how do I look?"

"It's too late Frank, she has finished, we will have to wait until next week."

"Oh well.......I may as well go for a swim......be back later Freda."

Enjoy your weekend.....have fun in the sun...........

Poor cold bee.........

I photograph the bee.......I watch him.....the drone does not move........I gently touch him.............he does not move............the bee is cold, and the day is chilly........

I pick the bloom, take it into the shed............and put a small amount of honey on the flower................

I place the bloom gently in a sheltered and warm part of the garden......and wait......the bee starts to feed..............

He is enjoying his breakfast.................

He is energised........

Bye bye bee........................

Have a fun weekend...............and enjoy your bees............

Frog post......

"Hey Frank......come over hear.....I've got some news."

"Coming, my sweet."

"Have you seen the woman pottering about in the flower beds?"

"Yes Freda I have, what is she up to?"

"Pop your head over the side of the pond Frank...take a look."

"Hey Freda, very nice."

"Thats not it Frank.....look over the other side."
"Wow two hibernation units Freda.....we've got it made."

"I think we are going to be very happy here dear."

"Me to Freda, me to."

Morning stroll.......

The old apple tree is laden with fruit, so many, her branches weep.......wasps and hornets have taken a few but there are plenty this year for us all. I look forward to picking the apples, taking them indoors and making crumbles..........the fruits from her are so sweet, you can eat them straight from the tree...............some of the bark has fallen from her trunk this year and there appears to be some little creature storing food inside a large hollow, I suspect a woodmouse......

Elderberries hang plump and ripe, this shrub will become a bonanza. Thrushes will predominate but birds such as the Blackcap can be found picking through the clusters and come nightfall no woodmouse or bank vole in the area forsakes this feast.......
The hips are already being enjoyed by the birds....
plump and swollen they are more than inviting......
Teasels are drying beautifully......finches and other birds will enjoy these as the weather turns colder.....
Blackberries are ripening and are just too tempting for me to pass by. I took a handful today and enjoyed them as I made my way around the garden..........fresh and wholesome....straight from the hedgerow.........

As autumn approaches and the days become colder the lovely humble bee will disappear.....
Bumble bees cannot make enough honey to survive the winter.......the drones, workers and old queen will all die.......
The new queen will find somewhere to hibernate........I have piles of logs placed under the hedgerow, and under shrubs. My hope is that she will stay here, in the safety and protection of the garden........
Sometimes on a warm day in winter you may see the new queen flying around.......will there be winter flowers in your garden for her.............will there be shelter to see her through cold days and nights........our bees are precious, we need to help them....their survival is important to us all..........................I have had an amazing summer with the bumble bee.......hopefully the autumn will be mild and I will have many more weeks to enjoy the quiet drone of the humble bee in my garden................

To blog OR not to blog...that is the question.....

Mr P has been away for the last few days, he comes home this evening.........I have been asking myself recently do I want to continue blogging..........when I started last November I was very much the novice, still am in many ways.........my garden has always been about nature, solitude and serenity. As I took my journey into the blogging world, I found, for me, it became more and more competitive........lovliest bloom, most interesting dragonfly, etc etc.......I was losing sight of the woman I am............first thing in the morning I would stroll my garden enjoying the peace and tranquility of everything that nature gave to me.........now I have camera in hand, looking for perfection, losing those precious moments I had come to cherish......

yesterday I took this photograph of a lovely dragonfly.....I did not upload it on my safari Sunday post because it was too plain, and that for me was the turning point......

whether a butterfly is brown............
and spotted..............
or stunningly blue......................they are all God's creatures and add to the richness of life............they each bring a gift to us, if only we take the time to see it..........

my beautiful native hops show me autumn is coming................is she less beautiful.........

than a colourful bloom
or a poppy that suddenly arrives at the close of summer......
for me no.........they all add to the garden...........
whatever the colour................
or texture...............and so my blogging friends I have decided to complete a blogging year.....sometime in November I will stop posting................I will, of course, visit those of you I call my friends.............friendship is something to treasure, as much as my garden.........I leave you with a quote from a book my daughter gave to me many years ago.................

Only in calm waters can you see your reflection, not in running waters.

Only in tranquillity can you find that resting place which stillness seeks..............

I am so lonely..................I wish I had a friend..................

Hello, when did you arrive......will you be my friend????

Safari Sunday.......

What a lovely welcome......the common blue is back and settled where I was working.......
This lovely dragonfly settled nearby to.....so got this beautiful photograph............

The speckled wood visited .......there are two to four generations a year.....
Caterpillars of the early summer become fully grown in about a month......
Autumn caterpillars live through the winter, feeding during warm spells......
and take eight or nine months to become fully grown........ There were only a few hoverflies in the garden today....I have noticed their numbers are dropping.....
Lots of birds, the majority hiding in the foliage so hard to capture........the great tit stopped for a minute for this photograph.......
Lots and lots of bees.......this one seems to be enjoying the warmth of the sun.........
Well another Sunday safari.....I think there will be less and less to show you as autumn approaches.....it will be interesting to see just what is around.......

Enjoy your day...........