The bees and butterflies don't seem fazed at all by our hot weather. The butterflies, like the large white above, love our buddleias, which are fading a bit now but still have plenty of blooms and nectar.
I got out yesterday morning before it got hot and watered everything. Then I spent most of the day in the garden shade, reading "The Tender Bar" and catching up on blogs. I belatedly realized that our WiFi reaches into the back garden, so I can sit out there on my computer -- and if I'm in the shade I can see the screen just fine. Did I really not know this before, or had I just forgotten?!
Dave and I made a brilliant decision in early afternoon -- we went to a movie. The theaters at the O2 Centre (which is within walking distance just down Finchley Road) are blissfully air conditioned. We saw "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande," starring our down-the-street neighbor Emma Thompson, and we liked it a lot. Surprisingly, the theater had only five people in it. Why aren't people flocking to the cinema in this weather? We emerged around 4 p.m. into 99º F temperatures (37.2º C) and stayed home the rest of the evening.
We were so happy with our movie decision that we bought tickets for another movie this afternoon. Today's supposed to be even hotter than yesterday by a few degrees.
This red admiral butterfly has been fluttering around our garden for several days. The poor thing looks like it's been through the wars. Look how tattered its wings are! It looks like Lord Nelson after the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. (Well, in that case, I suppose one of its wings would be missing entirely, so maybe it's not quite that bad.)
Here, for comparison's sake, is another red admiral I saw yesterday:
That's what they usually look like. I'm sure that tattered one must have some stories to tell. I wish I spoke butterfly, like Doctor Dolittle.
27 comments:
Im glad you found some relief. It sounds like the US long ago, going to the movies in summer heat. Lovely butterflied.
Beautiful! I haven't seen colourful butterflies since we moved away from Queensland. Up there we regularly saw bright blue swallowtails and others I don't know the name of. In South Australia, I'm lucky to see one butterfly per summer.
These butterflies are just gorgeous to photograph. Their colours are more different from where I live. Beautiful shots
I guess it survives because there is plenty of nectar where it is.
Your photos always make my day. I’m surprised the theatre wasn’t full. We’ve only been experiencing high 80s here and even that feels oppressive. There’s also the scent of smoke in the air, although it’s not obviously visible.
Are you prepared to accept some wise advice? When out in the garden, it is best to sit on a garden chair and not on your computer! The cool cinema was a great idea for some respite from the Floridian weather conditions.
Before nearly everyone here had air conditioning people would flock to large indoor shopping centres and movie theatres to be cool for a while. R tells me of how he would sleep outside at night and at times on the beach.
It is a wonder the butterfly can still fly with such tattered wings, but it must be able to.
I went to see the film a few weeks ago. I found the first half hour tedious and wanted to shout at the screen, "get on with it". I didn't really like the film but it was not Emma Thompson's fault, she acted it well. All my elderly female friends were very coy about it saying "it was really good" and "she did it so well" and there was me saying "well for Christ's sake it wasn't like that for me".
That tattered one has been, as they say here in horse country, "rode hard and put away wet."
People in the last century would flock to movies in summertime, if not for the film, for the A/C.
Good idea to go to shows in the heat of the day. When I have lived in FL without air-conditioning in the summer there were 2 wonderful places for afternoon hang-outs. Sink holes or springs, which are all over the national forests, if you know where to find them, which have constant year round 72 F degree water, or malls. I don't know how many malls are still out there, as some may have closed with the pandemic.
Yes! Go to double features at the movies!
That tattered admiral may have just lived most of its life span already. Poor thing.
Hope your weather breaks soon.
Great idea to go to the air-conditioned cinema during this heatwave. Really hoping the temps cool down there soon.
The butterflies are so beautiful. We've only been seeing Swallowtails here lately. I don't know where all the butterflies have gone lately.
Take care there and stay cool.
Glad you have found a good way to stay cool! I haven't been to the movies in ages as it has gotten so expensive here. Also, I like to have the captions when I watch a movie so I can understand what they are saying. The joys of getting old?! :)
Sounds like you found a smart way to beat the heat. Good for you. The heat wave in Europe is all over the news here.
Great photos of the butterflies. Stay cool.
When I was a young boy living in our unconditioned two story farm house, I loved movie nights for that very reason in the summer. Due to the distance, we left during the heat of the afternoon in our air conditioned car, ate dinner in an airconditioned restaurant and went to see the evening movie in an air conditioned theater. By the time we got out it was dark and the evening was cooling off. By the time we made it home to our beds, it was always cool in our rooms by them.
We haven't been to a movie theater in years, not since 2019. Now that we're signed on to our kids' streaming services it's doubtful I'll get Marc to ever go again. He remarked the other night that movies at home were better (even on our little TV) because they can be paused for bathroom breaks. Poor tattered butterfly, on it's last wing.
I haven't been to a movie since 2019, but my sister-in-law has some sort of package deal so I might start going to them with her. We shall see.
That butterfly would be right at home in our wildflower bed, which is looking similarly tattered these days!
Going to a movie theater is expensive but not as expensive as dying from heat exhaustion might be, so Yes, wise decision. Still cold up here, loving it for a change.
I have not seen one single butterfly for many years here and the bees have diminished- no mosquitos no wasps- just pantry moths, the only wild life except for the deer and raccoons.
Although we're not as hot as you guys, eh .. you as well as the weather, I'm glad our (large) RV has 2 ACs since it warms up quickly in there. I do prefer our shady backyard though, nothing more summery than lounging in the shade while reading a good book!
I don't think we've been to a movie theater in close to ten years! It sounds like a great way to beat the heat, though. What's your humidity like there?
That butterfly makes me sad.
I heard that London broke it's all time record today. Aren't you glad that you didn't miss the big occasion? I saw that the Queens Guard are breaking from the normal standing stock still thing to breaking frequently for water. Those uniforms have got to be excrutiating in this heat.
Yo Mr Dolittle Jr,
Finally worked out my damn issues with google and able to reply. Been following every day but unable as you know. The video of Olga Girl way back when was terrific and cracked me up. Watched it a couple of time when I was doing my best to drop a comment. All the flowering photos are remarkable but the Olga Girl in the garden takes the cake. Anyway, please don't think the I was blowing you off or upset about anything you posted. I appreciate your daily updates and please hide a few Uncle T treats around the house for The Girl.
Much Love,
Cheers
That really is beautiful
Thanks for the movie reminder. If I can get pretty well packed for the lake tomorrow and the house cleaned up, I might do that. It's not QUITE as hot here as where you are, but we're within 10 degrees! Gorgeous flowers. I've noticed a lot of bees and butterflies here, too!
Stores and cinemas are places to be in the high heat. Or water parks!
Boud: Yes, it was a very old-fashioned way to cope with the heat!
River: Interesting. We have a variety of butterflies here that come through every summer -- peacocks, commas, red admirals, common blues and cabbage whites, mostly.
Roentare: I'm always happy when they hold still and open their wings long enough for me to get a decent picture!
Tasker: It seems perfectly healthy and happy, despite its battered appearance.
Mitchell: We had some fires in and around London yesterday. Scary how heat and fires go hand in hand.
YP: I'm on my computer all day, actually!
Andrew: Yes! Shopping malls were the other main escape from the heat. Many malls aren't even open anymore.
Rachel: I know what you mean about wanting to shout "Get on with it!" But I think that dithering was meant to be a reflection of Thompson's character and her ambivalence about what she was doing. (Obviously)
Bob: It was the first thing I thought of to do.
Barbara: Oh, yes, I swam in many springs as a kid! Sadly I think malls have gone the way of the dinosaurs.
Ms Moon: I can't imagine it's got much longer to live, but who knows?
Robin: Well, at least you still have some butterflies! I think the population of any given species waxes and wanes from year to year depending on food supply and that kind of thing.
Ellen D: I hadn't been to the cinema in a long time either, but thank goodness it was around when I needed it!
Sharon: Yesterday's movie was fuller than the previous day's. Still, I'm surprised those theaters weren't completely packed.
Ed: It's definitely a good way to manage the heat when there's no air conditioning!
Ellen: If we had air conditioning I probably wouldn't have gone either.
Bug: A package deal to the movies? Like a membership or something?
Linda Sue: And the cinema ticket price has actually been lowered, I suppose because they're trying to get business back after the pandemic. Our tickets were only £6.99 each.
James and Brigitta: I'm sure an RV would heat up fairly quickly, kind of like a mobile home. Sometimes the shade is the best way to go!
Kelly: I don't know what the percentage was, but the news kept saying it was pretty humid. The good thing about that butterfly is it didn't seem bothered at all by its tattered wings. It flew around as normal.
Debby: I can't imagine what it must have been like to wear those uniforms and bear skin hats in this weather. Honestly, those people should have been given the day off.
Padre: Hi T! I wondered where you'd gone but don't worry, I didn't think you were upset. Just thought you'd been busy. Weird about the commenting but glad you sorted it out. Olga is glad to have you back. :)
Fil: Glad you like them!
Jeanie: It really is a good option on a hot summer day, especially when there's no a/c!
Margaret: If we had a water park, I'd have considered it! (Especially if it allowed dogs!)
Yes - I think it's a discount membership? To be honest I was only half paying attention when she talked about it. Ha!
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