Arbutus

Nice relaxing day catching up after Bristol; pootling around doing a few chores, reading the papers, clearing up the two rats left for us by the cats in the conservatory; some low key gardening. I was delighted and surprised to see a little egret in the field next to us as and as I crept off stealthily to get my camera, disturbed two wild ducks on the pond. Missed the egret though.

Today's offering is the fruit of the Arbutus or Strawberry tree - a very strange tree, local to the West of Ireland. It's an evergreen and bears its flowers and fruit at the same time. There seem to be two sorts of flowers - little white ones, which are currently blooming, and bigger lantern like red ones which come out in the summer. The 'strawberries' start off green and are just turning red now. You can eat them but they're not that thrilling.