Gym, snails and insects – 7 July 2015

For once I did carry through yesterday’s intentions and went to the gym this morning. The gym was hard work, but the pool was mobbed. Why do they allow other people in when I’m there. For heaven’s sake,

DSC_2818- blog--188.jpg

they just crowd the place out.

Picked up my incredible artwork from Fred and got a phone call from the GOMA asking if they could exhibit it if we could agree a fee. Then I woke up and had lunch, and went for a walk in St Mo’s and got some wet photographs of butterflies and damselflies. Weather was wet, dry, sun and wind. Scottish with warm temperatures.DSC_2807- blog--188.jpg

One of those days when not much happens. There are days like that.

A Dragonfly Saturday – 4 July 2015

The thunderstorms through the night seemed to blend in with my dreams as is often the case. When I awoke it was to heavy rain. Not at all like yesterday with its wall to wall sunshine, well, that’s Scotland for DSC_2779- blog--186--185.jpg you. Lazy start to the day and then lunch with June in Bridge of Allen, or is it Allan? I’m never sure. Anyway, lunch was good as it always is in this wee Italian. After lunch we went to Dobbies to get (even) more plants for the garden. I’m always amazed at the number of plants Scamp can cram into our little postage stamp of a garden. Such was the case today. As always, to avoid being infected with the gardening bug, I made a hasty exit … to St Mo’s today, but it could well have been cycling or down the canal, anything to keep me away from horticulture. The weather had cleared up by now as the magic fairies had predicted last night.

Lots of damselflies around today in a variety of colours. Mainly blue as usual, but also red and brown. Then the big surprise, a dragonfly. A stubby little brown dragon, but a dragon none the less. Also a lot of DSC_2792- blog--186--185.jpg butterflies. Can’t remember what the orange one is called, but I remember seeing a lot of them this time last year, so I should be able to find out. No deer to be seen today, but when driving to Hamilton to pick up Jac and Murd, I saw a few beside the motorway. Such a precarious existence they have. The evening was spent comparing cruise notes with Jac and Murd. Much drink was taken. It’s a good job I’m not up and out early tomorrow.

The Hottest Day of the year – 30 June 2015

Today was hot.  Not pleasantly hot, but sticky, clammy, close hot with the threat of rain in the air.  Not a  day for doing the washing, but needs must etc.  So, I although I was up late this morning, I did get the washing OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAinto the washing machine and out on the line.  When Scamp came in she stated her intention to attack the field of grass in the front garden.  Being a non-gardener myself, I took the easier option and went out for a run on my bike.  As I’ve said, today was hot, so it was cycling top and cycling shorts for today’s run.  I went to the usual places and found very few damselflies and no dragonflies, so I started to look for the easier options of spiders.  It was while looking for the spiders I came upon a lacewing dangling from a leaf.  It took a bit of messing around before OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI found the right extension tube configuration for the image, but the result looked interesting.  Too many flies and midges to allow for any more photography here, so I headed home.  Just at the Barrs pond, I found lots of mating damselflies, but unfortunately they were all too far away.  Tried for a few, but without much luck.  The lacewing was the star performer of the day.

Today was hot.  I think I’ve said that before, but it’s worth repeating.  I am in Scotland after all.  Tomorrow is to be hotter.  Is that even possible?  There is the caveat that there will probably be thundershowers, but we’ve survived that in Venice, so it should be a dawdle in Scotland.