Apricots

While most of my fruit trees have produced little or nothing because of the severe late spring frosts one apricot tree is loaded with fruit. It is in a very sheltered position and was not touched by the frost. Now the apricots are beginning to ripen. The trouble is that they colour up well before ripening and the birds pick exploratory holes. Then earwigs enter the holes and take up residence in the small cavity between the fruit and the stone. Since the fruit is bite-sized, by the time I cut out the bird picks and clean out the earwig doings there's very little left for me. Enlarge to see the pick holes

This photo was taken with the toy camera option on my camera. It messes with the colours a bit, and adds a vignette.

It was another gloomy day. This morning the mountains were briefly visible. Comforting to know they are still there.