Bumble

A quick photo-grab before setting out to pick up Jamie from the station this afternoon.  The Spotted Orchids are just beginning to flower in one of my troughs, as is a Martagon Lily but a bumble bee visiting flowers on Muscari tenuiflorum also caught my eye.  It is possibly a White Tailed Bumblebee although these are very similar to a Buff Tailed Bumblebee.  The muscari, related to Grape Hyacinths but with broad leaves and much later flowering, is one of several tassel flowered species sometimes included in sister genus Leopoldia which have relatively dull coloured flowers with a tassel of blue/purple infertile flowers at the top of the lengthy inflorescence.  I always get lots of seed from it and this busy bee illustrates why.

A day of many parts.  After a quiet start following my very busy day yesterday, I cooked a chicken pie at lunchtime for Jamie and me to share.   I ate mine at lunchtime as after picking Jamie up and spending an hour or so at his I had a shift at work this evening.   A posh evening meal for a party taking a VIP guided tour of the railway.   Excellent food prepared by our chefs, I did some serving before opting for keeping the washing up moving.   The surplus food, always prepare at least one extra of each dish/option, ensured that the five of us in the kitchen also ate well.   I really didn't need that chicken pie at lunchtime!

A day off on Sunday before a busy week with three days at work and a trip to Birmingham to see Ruth but then a little break in the action - hopefully.