RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

Come again another day - but a good while off.
The Rosa rubifolia is heavy with water - I mentioned before that it fell over and I was worried it might die as it had come from my Uncle's at Wormleighton Manor, the ancestral home of the Spencers (lady Di and all that)(it was a farm they rented) but it has sent up a strong new shoot from the base.

Having said that when the sun does force its way through the flying flowers come out -

Especially, this year the Painted Lady butterfly - they are everywhere in large numbers. We also have the usuals - ed Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and the large and small white. 

There is one white variation that seems to be in larger numbers this year and that is the green-veined white.

 Bumble bees like this white-tailed bumble bee are also busy.







































But The rain makes it hard for the house martins to feed - they seem to make just as much mess under their nests though. Next year I might discourage them from building right beside the kitchen door.

I have started the scything of the stream edges - a tidy - and a general dead head and weed has been done. But it all depends on the weather. The global wetting goes on and on - and it is mid August with the temperature outside only at 14C!

I am going to have to get some help - I know I have said I never would - but with a new knee imminent (that makes a splendid pair (Thanks mum for the arthritis)) I will be out of action for a while.

Something has dined on R's new lavaterias - not the rabbit I think but more likely slugs. Not seen many this year but . . . 

I have had to stake the big teasel - eight feet tall - and the cardoon is as big. Apparently the young stems are edible, perhaps an experiment for next year? Oh yes, and we have three flowers on our sweet peas, loads of rhubarb (it likes the rain), courgettes and chard. R has eaten her first two plums of the Victoria tree and the surviving damsons are colouring. Wasps are already at the plums and pears.

And Annabelle has collapsed under the weight of the downpours. The flowering heads on the hydrangea are so big the stems are not strong enough to support them.

So we get to Thursday and eat the last of the broad beans and a large potato I dug up accidentally. But tomorrow the rains return - will we dissolve?

Nearly - it is Saturday and the mower almost got bogged down in the sodden lawn. R cut back the alchemillas now they are over and I pruned the big bay outside the kitchen and dead headed some of the buddleia.

And so to the blog and remembering Ron, a brother-in-law who, with his family, had to endure so many years with Parkinson's Disease. At least he suffers no longer.