Vanessa Cardui

I saw my first painted lady of the season today! There was I, just taking a break, sitting out in my egg chair when a butterfly landed on the paving near me. That's a bit pale, I thought. After a second glance I realised it wasn't one of the many small torties around and turned the camera of the phone on it. 

It stayed and stayed. so I thought I'd go in and get the proper camera but you know the story - find the right body, change the lens as the one you want is never on, return to the subject and.........it's gone!

EDIT: I forgot to say, I was expecting a parcel today so I was in. After I photographed the butterfly I took my camera back inside, leaving the door open as the de delivery was due any time soon. I had my phone in my hand as the message came from DPD that they had delivered it. Why didn't they ring the bell. It was obvious I was at home. Where was it? Not on the step, not in the greenhouse. I ran to the road in the the hope of catching the driver on his way out of the cul-de-sac. No sign.

I opened the message fully to find a neighbours name quoted who they had left it with. Not known to me. I went to the house quoted, #10, (I'm #5,) even though the name was wrong. She hadn't got it but had seen the van outside. I looked over her fence at #8, there it was on the step - the packaging is distinctive. She was out so how had they quoted a name? It wasn't even her name.