Category Archives: Flowers

No Poppy Film

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After breakfast, I collected up all the buckets – I usually leave everyone to get on with eating rather than wait around – and I noticed their big water container was half full or half empty, depending on your perspective in life.

Anyway, while everyone was snoozing as it was a big breakfast, I decided to wait around for the container to fill up.  I had Pepper for company.  She was unhelpful.

Depressingly, the field mud still hasn’t dried up but there’s nothing I can do about that.

Meanwhile, Pepper precariously perched on the wobbly drystone wall that “rumbles” (disintegrates) while you look at it.

At one stage Pepper decided to clamber on my shoulder, which was not helpful either.

Once the container was full and I knew everyone was in the right fields, I went into the house for my breakfast and to decide whether to continue with trying to film the poppies again.  But that choice had been taken away from me.  All the poppies had opened by themselves apparently earlier this morning.  I now officially give up.

So I contented myself with trying to take arty-farty photos of them instead.

So, again, here is a plethora of Monster photos to make up for another day without the poppy-opening film.  And that is that.

Bumble Bee Fail

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i was at Turriefield this morning packing vegetables – salad, onions and spring onions.  Not too onerous so I after lunch, I walked down the hill to the bright yellow flowering kalette plant bed as I was told there was lots of bumble bees there.

I love bumble bees and I really wanted to see my first-for-the-year Shetland bumble bee (Bombus muscorum agricolae), which is a distinct sub-species of the Moss Carder bee.  They have orange bottoms.

Anyway, I didn’t see one and what bumble bees were there were all very busy flying very quickly on and around the flowers – no one wanted their photograph taken.

I tried very hard to take a good photo but honestly, when the heavens opened and it started to rain in great big drops, I gave up and went back up to the shelter of the shed.

So now I can’t even tell what species of bumble bee I saw – possibly the garden one or white-tailed one.

And apologies for the bad photos – but even though it was a brief shower, it was a determined one.

 

 

 

A Bit of Colour

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It was a wet foggy start to the day.

The kind of day where you need waterproofs but then you’re too hot because it’s also warm outside.  Basically dreich (such a good word – a classic Scots adjective used to describe weather that is dull, damp, bleak, and miserable.)

No one felt very inspired to do anything.

(I love how Monster has the bed and Pepper doesn’t and yes, she does mind hugely.)

And a photo of Ted, just in case you think he has been forgotten.

Anyway, after cooking all morning and making my usual hand-felted Shetland sheep this afternoon, I was in dire need of some fresh air – the weather had cleared at lunch time which made everything much brighter.  So I went outside with the dogs for a walk around the ungrazed fields to see if I could find any evidence of our summer flowers.

A happy sight – my first heath spotted orchid.

Some Spring Squill – this was my first sighting in the field.

The marsh marigolds now in full abundance – great swathes of deep yellow flowers everywhere.

The “mayflooer” or Cuckoo Flower or Lady’s Smock – I am ashamed to say I had to look up the name of this as I always forget but it is a favourite in its own quiet way.

So that was me today.  A nice peaceful Sunday.  All we need is the sun to shine and everything will be perfect.

 

The Saga Continues

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When I came outside this morning, I found Lambie was still very much attached to his marsh marigold boutonnière even though it was looking a bit more tired but definitely still attached.

I took a few more arty-farty photos just because I think Lambie looks lovely and very special.

He wears his flower well, I think.

And he found his charming Winning Smile too today (I had to work hard for that)…..

….as well as some other danglements – possibly a few stalks of heather.

(apologies for the photo over-load of one silly looking sheep wearing a flower but it is Lambie and he was smiling today – I have to make the most of that)

After my ridiculous photoshoot, OH and I finished the annual sheep shed muck out and putting down new bedding for another year.  It needed doing and as I type this, I am contemplating which painkiller to take.

Still, it is a job well done and it’s no longer looming over me.

I like to think I have made a lot of progress since my back going in December/January and am nearly back on track.  At the time, I did wonder if I could.

 

Lambie and his Flower and his Biscuits

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OH and I were at a party tonight and have just come home.  Therefore, I was late giving out the ponies’ haynets as well as late getting the sheep in. Everyone was standing at their gates waiting and disaprovingly tapping their watches.

However, I noticed Lambie came in wearing a flower – a delightful marsh marigold.  So beautiful.

I gave the sheep their goodnight ginger biccie and then returned with my camera to try and capture the magic of Lambie wearing a flower.  I think this was possibly my only good photo.

Upon reflection, I can see it is rather a manky flower.

But Lambie was more interested in trying to get another biscuit than the flower he had acquired.

He totally ignored my demands to turn around and look pretty and stomped off into the house.

No biscuits in evidence (quietly hidden by me), he came back outside looking like a devil sheep.

At this stage, I gave up but I will admit I located my carefully hidden biscuit packet and nipped out and gave him a secret biccie because Lambie is my special boy and I luffs him most.  Tell no one.