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This had better be a short journal entry – it’s so late it’s almost next week, and I need to get some sleep so I’ll have the energy to spend the next 24 hours furiously fretting about the possible outcome … Continued

I had wanted to go on a butterfly hunt today, but the morning was overcast and chilly, which didn’t encourage me to drive for half an hour and then walk a couple of kilometres from the car park to the … Continued

My name is Myathropa florea, and I have anger management issues. Things that make me cross include: Flies Other hoverflies Other Myathropa florea Humans Humans with cameras Humans with cameras and big, blowy hair. I deal with the human with … Continued

Butterfly wings are extraordinary when you look at them closely – and I got the chance to do that today because this Small Tortoiseshell landed on the patio and stayed there long enough for me to creep up on it. … Continued

If you’ve followed my meanderings for any period of time you’ll know that this is one of the Banqueting Houses at Chipping Campden Manor, which have been a minor passion of mine for a number of years, but which I’ve … Continued

This morning R discovered that he had a sudden, urgent need to go to Surrey to buy a guitar. If you’re raising an eyebrow at the word “need”, you’ve obviously never been tutored in the equation by which guitarists calculate … Continued

Her name is Chrysotoxum cautum, and she’s a hoverfly – but if your first reaction was “Bleurgh – wasp!”, don’t feel bad: that’s what she wants you to think. It’s what I thought too, when I first startled her and … Continued

It was raining so hard that the Bachmen didn’t dare go out for fear of being washed away, and they were bored and spoiling for mischief. They decided to see what happened if they drilled into a banana – fully … Continued

Despite the fact that it has rained for most of the day, I did manage a couple of hours in the garden, much of it working on the pear tree bed with R. I also did a photo walk and … Continued

Things that make me smile include such diverse elements as: My family My dog (even though he’s suddenly turned into one of the Old Gits) Other people’s dogs (especially if they happen to be dachshunds) Raindrops on roses Whiskers on … Continued