The height of summer

It was late morning when I left home for a walk. The breeze made it seem cooler than the reality of the very hot day (hot for Northumberland that is).

I was lapped three times by G on his bike. He is recovering from a hernia operation and has been walking regularly for the past 5 weeks. Now he is allowed to ride again so he was aiming to do (just) 12 miles today. I'm certain he lapped me four times, but by then I was on the field path and he was on the road.

Many of the wild flowers are over now, but new ones are flowering. There are several different thistles out and the meadowsweet is just bursting forth. The perfume is delicious.

I found a patch of thistles and was lucky enough to see butterflies and bees and flies, all landing to enjoy the nectar.

Here you see a small male skipper. I looked it up and thought it was an Essex skipper, until further research put me right. (An Essex butterfly in Northumberland - come off it!)

The rear view allows you to see the black stripe on the wings, indicating that this is a male.

Grasses are long and in flower. The pollen is scattering everywhere. When I arrived home I was hot, sticky and itchy so I dived into a cool shower. I was just in time to see the men's final at Wimbledon.

It was too tense for me, but the better player won on the day.

It is still too warm and its bedtime. Neither Daisy nor Oscar has come home yet.