The missus has her birthday today, where a Monday isn't particularly practical. I made her breakfast but left it ready on my side of the bed because she was still asleep and I didn't want to wake her (our morning schedules are different, also to take turns in the bathroom). I also placed a large box with a small bow in plain view, ready to be opened this evening. Other than that it was Monday morning as usual...
This is an Asian Hornet, which has first appeared in our garden this year. They're about a wasp-and-a-half in size; smaller than European Hornets that have sporadically appeared in previous years. My eldest saw an Asian Hornet catch a wasp in mid-flight and carry it off a couple of weekends ago.
hornet - frelon - horzel
wasp - guèpe - wasp
Our neighbours have quite a few maple trees, the seeds of which have their typical propeller blade. A marvel of nature and very attractive, though in springtime the maple saplings need to be weeded out before they grow too much root. From the roof I could take some close-ups.
maple - érable - esdoorn
If yesterday was grey and nippy, today is the total opposite - clear blue skies and around 20°C. Although the sun is a bit lower now, shining through the trees. At any rate it's a lovely day to make the most of!
Weather's all over the place of late, but today it's decidedly grey and colder than before. Time to start enjoying the garden from inside looking out.
Having breakfast inside is nice and cozy too, though!
Although there's fewer of them now, these purple flowers at our gate have been going for weeks and weeks. Cheering us up every time we come home.
Weather forecast indicates it won't be an ideal day to work on the roof. So we're having a nice, quiet day reading and relaxing for a change.
Nice sunset through the clouds and the leaves though!
The buzzard made another appearance this afternoon, where we managed a slightly better picture.
buzzard - buse - buizerd
Evidence of recent strong wind: a small branch complete with chestnut broken off and blown onto our driveway.
chestnut - châtaigne - kastanje
While mowing the front lawn I noticed the rowan tree was full of bright red berries. Seen here using the portrait function of my iPhone to make them stand out. The missus loves the fine leaves of this tree and she's growing a second one in the rear garden, only a foot high at present.
rowan - sorbier des oiseleurs - lijsterbes
The weather forecast for this Saturday had been rainy, but then changed to dry weather until four or so. But then I found my glue gun had become clogged so I couldn't do anything on the roof. So I then decided to finally mow the front lawn, getting it done before indeed the rain came. Quite a different sight!
While working from home today I'm struck by the shadows moving around the work laptop on the tablecloth. It's the leaves of the trees moving in the wind, which somehow provide a serene and peaceful sense to a working day.
There've been relatively very few slugs this year. Previously we'd see some crossing the driveway each morning, always migrating North for some unfathomable reason. The missus would also patrol the garden to catch them and throw them into the woods around us before they eat her plants. But this year they've been few and far between, perhaps because it's been so dry. We'll see if the Autumn rains will bring them out.
slug - limace - naaktslak
We fairly often see a bird of prey circling over the fields on the hill opposite us. It's brown and brown-grey and we think it's probably a buzzard. While on the roof today we saw it twice and my eldest shot some clips.
This time it was followed by a crow (where the relative wingspans help to prove it is indeed a buzzard). Crows often do this, and usually try to chase away the buzzard as well. We're well out of nesting season with no chicks to protect, so I suppose it must be a territorial thing.
buzzard - buse - buizerd
crow - corbeau - kraai
Getting older I wake up in the night to spend a penny. This night there was plenty of moonlight to light my way to the toilet. And on the way there also was a nice shimmering pattern on a door frame from a street light shining through leaves moving in the wind.
