Sundew

Despite G’s mum being only on her second week of her four week trial, her conviction that this is the right move for her means clearing out her flat continues apace. We spend the morning packing up the rest of her clothes, adding labels as we go, and gather together items we feel will make her room more homely. 

The car packed full, we return home via the mountains - but it’s the summer holidays and every conceivable parking place is rammed. Even when we reach one of our ‘secret’ places - Cors Bodgynedd - there are already two cars parked there. I know it’s wrong to want these places for ourselves, but I can’t help longing for September when we can reclaim the area. 

Once through the gate, the magic envelopes me. I’m so tired and sore right now, but the beauty and the silence seem to wrap me in a soothing balm. I stop to breathe it all in and immediately feel myself relaxing. 

There’s beauty all around, but today I have a specific mission - to find the sundews once again. We know where they are this time, and follow the muddy path down to the lower lake. Here it is totally sheltered from the breeze, the water mirror calm, the sun hot - and sure enough, I start to spot the telltale signs of red amongst the wetland edges: sundews. 

I adore these tiny little plants, seemingly unreal with their leaves edged with  minuscule sticky red-tipped hairs. Their beauty, of course, is sinister, and closer inspection inevitably finds the corpses of unsuspecting insects trapped and digested to supplement the nutrient-poor soil. 

There’s a lot of kneeling down in damp marshy areas to try to get up close - carefully avoiding sundews of course. And so often a macro view is spoiled by grasses - so a perfect shot is difficult. At one point I’m joined by a little frog who hops past, freezing as he realises my presence, and damsel flies flit back and forth too quickly for me to get a shot. 

G sits meditating by the water’s edge, enjoying the quiet and the warmth, pointing out dragonflies as they skirt the lakeside - but today, I’m only interested in sundew. I’m pleased to see the butterflies and other insects - at least they are around - but I’ve more than enough to occupy me for the moment! 

As this is only a part of a tiny sundew plant, I think it just about meets today’s challenge! 

Thanks to Ibsi for hosting.