Butterflies and Buddleias

 

I woke at 5 a.m. this morning, needing a wee, but couldn't settle when I got back into bed as it was too warm.  I had spent most of the night uncovered/just a sheet on.  The kitchen's the coolest room in the house - I would have been more comfortable on a camp bed in there.  Anyway, this photo was taken about 5.20 or so.  I missed the best bit - when it threw orange light along the top hall.  By the time I'd run downstairs for my phone, it had gone behind the branches a bit.  Lots of clouds moving about today and rain has been forecast (hooray).  I am fed up with hiding inside.  Keith, many years ago, once said he'd love to retire to Cyprus as he loved the Med and had been in Cyprus with the Army.  It wouldn't have done for me . . . 36 deg. C there at the moment, and 40 next week!  Eeek.

Yesterday I had Christmas in July and sewed together the little Christmas Kitties charm pack I bought - more Christmas than Kitties and annoyingly, I can see it going off on the last two squares bottom right, so out with the stitch ripper shortly.  Then I will put the wide borders on - Christmas Kitties Frost and Midnight colourways.  It will be a little cushion for Rosie at Christmas.  Nothing too arduous in the way of sewing.

I sat and composed a conciliatory letter to E.  With some advice from Tam (you can't say THAT!)  I do hope that she might understand my state of mind when Keith was dieing, but with her problems, she may not.  In which case, that's it.  

How I hate it when labels go missing (probably buried when I planted this Buddleia.)  This is the one on the bank that I thought was Dark Knight, but is clearly a red or pink named one.  The butterflies don't care, they love it.

Here's the standard one, which was covered in Peacocks and Red Admirals this week.  There has clearly been a hatching and they are doing well.  There were the usual Small/Large Whites, a couple of Tortoiseshells, Meadow Browns and some Ringlets on it too.  I was standing by the door to nowhere, watching them.

A comfortable temperature here this morning, just 15 degrees, and it feels cool and fresh outside.  Pippi-cat will be out hunting all day today I suspect - the last few days even she has been inside by preference and flopped under my bed to keep cool.  The boys have pussy cat couchets under bushes up on the bank.

I will get a walk in today, probably when I nip down to town to get my prescription.  I will try a bit more tidying up in the garden too - I cut back some of the cranesbills in the long border yesterday - I hate trimming them even when they are down to just the last flower, but they had flopped everywhere and needed the haircut, and should come again.  I tackled the tangle of ivy and spent Dog Roses on the fence by the gate too.  The Dog Roses start putting out long feelers reaching right to where I sit and watch the world at my patio set, so those were the first to go.  

Nothing I am "into" on tv at the moment, so watching random stuff.  Watched 3 Bargain Hunts the other evening and couldn't help thinking time to knock it on the head, same-old same-old and their experts don't really help them that much!  Some of the crap they buy!!

Books on the go - downstairs The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo and several Medieval History books, and upstairs, A Column of Fire by Ken Follett, a real doorstop of a book.

Right, crack on with the machine sewing, and then I shall get back to doing neater seams on the back of the Baltimore quilt.