Wednesday 10 October 2018

Today

Just two of today's events.  I had taken two  photographs but when I try to load them it just tells me that it has 'lost connection to server' so you will have to imagine the photographs - sorry.
There would certainly be no prospect of muddling them up.

It is a lovely day here - up in the twenties now that the early morning mist has cleared.   It is still and sunny.   I am no longer capable of doing much in the garden but I tootle around doing jobs.   My gardener came for four hours yesterdays so everything is neat and tidy.   First of all I filled in any gaps with pansy and viola plants, always good value for colour in a dismal winter.   Then I planted some narcissi and some early iris bulbs, again to fill in the gaps.   They all had to go round the edges as I dare not go on to the garden, my balance is suspect.

By the time it was lunch time and I pondered what to make for my lunch.  The fridge contained a variety of veg - mange tout, carrot batons, broccoli, kale, mini sweet corn and also some chicken which it suggested on the label was stir fry.   There was my answer.   I have to say it was the best stir fry I have ever made.   While it was cooking I cooked some noodles in the micowave, then mixed it all together and added soy sauce and a grating of parmesan - and enjoyed.  Fresh fruit salad for afters.

Then, after half an hour's doze (this now seems to be a daily happening) Tess and I walked down the Lane past the farm.  The hedges told me it was Autumn - rose hips, the reddish brown of the bramble leaves, the berries on the ivy, the leaves drifting down in the slight breeze,  fungi in the fields and that smell of Autumn which is unmistakeable.   Young cattle lazed in the middle of the field and got up lazily as Tess and I watched through the gate.

Back home again, as I approached the front door, two furry caterpillars wriggled along in front of me on thefootpath.   It is years since I saw a furry caterpillar.  Does anyone know what will emerge in the Spring?   I presume they were both looking for somewhere to rest up and pupate over winter.
My bungalow faces due South and the front stone work was beautifully warm.   I went in to get my camera - only a minute's job - and when I came out one had disappeared and the other was already half way up the wall by the front door.



Photographs of caterpillar and of my stir fry might follow later if the system works

21 comments:

Living Alone in Your 60's said...

Looking gorward to seeing the photos.

Derek Faulkner said...

Winter pansies never work for me. They always look beautiful in the garden centers, I take them home and they stop flowering until the following Spring. I've given up on them. I'm heavily into tulips these days and have been planting loads this week, especially among my new wallflower plants.

justjill said...

Your words painted the picture very well!

Jules said...

I'm feeling hungry now you mentioned stir fry. No caterpillars here, but so many ladybirds. I counted at least fifteen in the front porch this afternoon. X

The Weaver of Grass said...

Ah tulips and wallflowers - must have some now you have reminded me Derek.

Librarian said...

Rosehips! I so love them. Over here, they make a kind of jam of them, tasty and very rich in vitamin C.

Gwil W said...

No caterpillars but today I saw a white butterfly today and it seemed to enjoying itself. It was by a lake in the Austrian Pannonia which is about one hour from here (depends on traffic). Nothing wrong with taking a nap or a siesta. Quite normal in Central and Southern Europe. Think of your nap as a way of adapting to the changing weather patterns, then keep calm and carry Ron, whoever Ron is.

Mummy and Me said...

I have been wondering what the red tomato like buds are - rosehips! Nice to hear how your autumn is looking. I keep thinking about buying a tub and planting some bulbs here. We were also 21 degrees here at one point today. Ula had a great time at the outdoor playgroup - painting trees with chalk and water was a highlight.
Thank you for the fungi ;)

Mummy and Me said...

I'm also looking forward to seeing the caterpillar picture. Ula picked up a huge fat green one from out kitchen cupboard last week. Reminded me of the "Very Hungry Caterpillar"!

Camille said...

Hi Weave; Your lunch today sounds wonderful and has given me ideas for my own dinner tonight. Over here we call our wooly caterpillars "wooly bears" and the folk lore goes that the wider the middle brown stipe of the caterpillar, the milder the winter. They turn into Isabella Tiger Moths in the spring. Very pretty.

Bonnie said...

I was about to repeat what I just see that Camille wrote about the wooly caterpillars. Where I live we call them "wooly worms" and often try using them to predict the winter. One year they had no light brown stripe at all and we had the worst winter in years with the most snow.

Joanne Noragon said...

We stopped to see a friend who gifted us a woolly bear caterpillar. According to its fur, we will have little or no winter. Of course, when it was dead the next day, we had to wonder.

Bea said...

Hopefully, you will be able to post pics of the caterpillars. I'm curious to know what they will transform into!

Heather said...

I love pansies and violas, and the promise of more delights from spring bulbs.
Your stir fry looks delicious. I often find that my fridge foraged ingredients make a very tasty meal.
Furry caterpillars take me back to childhood. My cousins and I must have spent hours out in the fields watching various creepy crawlies when we were young and furry caterpillars were always a bit special.
Well done for getting the photos posted - I still haven't sorted my problem out yet.

wherethejourneytakesme said...

I can see the photos - there has been a lot of ladybirds and caterpillars around this year. Been gorgeous here today - I spent it in the garden tidying up.

Chris said...

Got the photos too. Your stir fry looks delicious and most nutritious!

angryparsnip said...

With all your freezing temps and snow do the Pansy and Viola stay alive in winter ?

cheers, parsnip and badger

Cro Magnon said...

I seem to remember (as a boy) we used to call them Woolly Bears. No idea what they become; probably something that eats Pansies.

thelma said...

stir fry looks gorgeous. It was a beautiful day yesterday our stone work was covered with ladybirds trying to get in the house. Now do they know there is bad weather on the way?

Derek Faulkner said...

http://www.wildlifeinsight.com/british-moths/buff-ermine-and-caterpillar/

Pat, have a look at this link and the second to last photo, it could be your caterpillar.

Aril said...

My husband put pansies in at the weekend. I look forwards to the colours over the winter months
Arilx