In and around

Friday, March 27

Imagine my apprehension when the surgery phoned on Wednesday to instruct me that I had to attend an INR test on Thursday morning. When I questioned the safety of it, I was told that I am in the 'at risk' group. Doh.  As though I didn't know. So, after over two weeks of self-isolation with no people contact at all (Pam isn't 'people'), I went to the surgery for a 10.10 appointment, donned plastic gloves and found the door locked. I hadn't got my glasses so I couldn't read the notice. The broken English speaking 'guard' sent me around the side of the building. Making my way towards a small window along a thin plastic matting laid down on very uneven grass, I was told to return to the door and ring the bell.

I did so. 

A receptionist appeared between the two outer doors, asked for my name and purpose and unlocked the door. After sanitising my gloved hands, I sat in an isolated chair, along with at least three others, one of whom was a chemo patient I guess from her scarf wound head. 

Twenty minutes later, I was called by a nurse, who was masked and gowned I was pleased to see. They need protection. 

The reading was a little high. I have to go back next week. Normally I have to have a test every six weeks. This is the most 'at risk' thing I have experienced. We're even wiping the porch door handles after postman, newspaper delivery etc.

We're very well off for provisions, with thanks to various neighbours and a local shop/gardening Centre - Meale's - who has started a delivery service for named villages. Useful for fresh fruit and veg, milk, bread, and bacon.

Trying to keep to my walk around the garden at least once a day routine, I took a DSLR plus 100mm macro lens with me yesterday. Our garden faces due south. This means that the east and west sides of the area are sunlit at different times of day. Our beautiful Acacia tree's myriad fluffy blossoms are starting to brown off, yet it still looks glorious.

 A selection of the photos I took after parking my Rollator in various locations.

Pam's 'dead' - that's what I call it - grass

Pheromone Lure trap - Emperor Moth lure in plug on lid. They're flying at the moment, but not in our garden.

One of Pam's People

A Dark-edged Beefly Bombylius major on Grape Hyacinths.

Dark-edged bee-flies are sneaky critters with devious yet admirable behaviours. They are bee mimics, meaning they resemble small bumblebees yet are actually flies.

Their larvae are parasitoids of the larvae of mining bees which usually nest in colonies in soil such as woodlands or even your flower beds and lawns. Female bee-flies hover a few inches above mining bee nesting areas and flick eggs onto the ground with a rapid twist of the body. They actually collect fine dust in a little chamber at their rear end just prior to this, as the eggs need to be dust-coated before they are laid.

Once a bee-fly egg hatches the larva crawls into the underground nest cell of a host bee. Once the host grub is sufficiently large, the bee-fly larva attaches itself and starts to suck out the body fluids of the host species!

Digging bees are a common host species for large bee-flies.

The Robinson 125 volt math trap in situ. The white sheet enhances the light source and works as a resting place for the moths - often at the back of it.

Camellia buds, a little frost marred

Victoria plum tree blossom

Container plus nesting material for birds.

A hungry Blue Tit, he chittered at me

This is a small pond I constructed several years ago.
The bird is Icarus, so called because he icks up the water when his beak is full. He was one of two imported from eastern Europe for a special show. and I couldn't resist him. 
Merlin is one of Pam's People. 
The lovely Hellebores making a show at the back are also a specialty of Pam's.