EPISYRPHUS BALTEATUS ON ECHINOPS RITRO

It’s such a shame that it wasn’t Flower Friday yesterday because we were invited for lunch by our friends, Jenny & Dave.  We had a lovely lunch - in fact, we didn’t eat for the rest of the day - and then I had a walk round their cottage garden, which is looking beautiful.  

Of course, I took lots of photographs, but for me, blipping is about taking a photograph (or in my case about 50) a day, ON the day, then uploading one of them to Blip and writing my journal, so although I could have cheated, I haven’t.  

This morning after a lovely lie-in and a leisurely shower, I was out in our garden in my pink robe and slippers looking for a flower (didn't realise that rhymed!) 

I was quite disappointed last year because my Echinops or Globe Flower, hardly flowered, but we cut it right back and this year there are several flowers.  I love the head before the flowers actually bloom, and there are about five, but on one of them the flower has just started to appear.  It was a bit difficult to get to, but I managed - then the bonus was this hoverfly.  With Mr. HCB’s help - and I couldn’t manage without him - we found out that this hoverfly is Episyrphus Balteatus or marmalade hoverfly - and there were even two little beetles so click, job done!

I am so grateful to Mr. HCB, that during this period when I have been unable to do any gardening, he has done so much.  He was out there by 6.30 this morning, he tells me, so I think it’s about time I found a shady spot and made him sit down for a cup of coffee and a biscuit - not sure he will stay still for long though and he definitely won't be singing!

Gardens are not made by singing 
     'Oh, how beautiful,' 
          and sitting in the shade.
Rudyard Kipling