Passive

R and I had a hectic morning, making final preparations for the family weekend. The Welsh contingent arrived mid-afternoon, but H was delayed in horrible traffic on the M1 and only made it down just in time for dinner. As always, it was lovely to get everyone together, and we talked ourselves almost to a standstill over a leisurely meal.

I was crossing the top lawn at lunchtime, under lowering skies, when I spotted this Brimstone on the perennial pea. Usually they're flighty and reactive, but I think this male was anticipating bad weather, and had decided to make this flower his roost for the duration. I would have queried this choice, but didn't want to put the idea into his head that he might be better off underneath a leaf, so I held my peace and scuttled off to fetch a camera, before he could change his mind and move to a more sheltered spot. He was still in the same position when I got back, and then sat quite passively while I photographed him, and his reward was that the rain went round rather than over us, and eventually it brightened up enough for him to warm up and go back to fluttering and feeding around the pea vine.