Behind Every Great Man ....

Mediterranean weather in Essex today. Quite a breeze but cloudless blue skies and unbelievably warm sunshine.

The vine outside the back door was buzzing. Wasps, flies, bugs and butterflies were basking and gorging on the noble rotted grapes. Commas and red admirals were much in evidence, in spite of being buffeted by the breeze.

I read an article about Nabokov's wife Vera yesterday. She accompanied the distinguished amateur entomologist on many excursions across the United States in pursuit of butterfly specimens. She drove, he couldn't. They shared the unusual neurological condition synaesthesia, which enabled them to perceive letters and words as colours. Many suspected that Vera had a hand in Vladimir's writing.

I've posted this red admiral with the Nabokovs in mind. Someone on Twitter is taking photographs of insects showing much more of their habit than is usual. I think the habit nearly outshone the butterfly today so I've given it a go.