Sunday, July 24, 2016

Sultry Day, with Drummers


I took Olga to Hampstead Heath yesterday. The sun was out and the weather was balmy. As I sat on a bench she lolled nearby in the tall grass, wearing a huge panting smile for all to see.

"That dog is loving life," said a man who walked by and took her photo with his iPhone.

He's right!


During our walk I found lots of ragwort, which I know to look for now that we have a very tall example in our own garden. Remember how I mentioned it is the favorite food of the cinnabar moth caterpillar? Well, our ragwort is still caterpillar-free -- but I found some caterpillars on ragwort on the Heath. A new generation of moths is on its way!

The cinnabar moth is beautiful, by the way. Hopefully one of these days I'll see an adult.


As we walked, I heard drumming. It sounded like a drum circle, so I decided to follow the sound, just out of curiosity. I expected to find a big group of colorfully garbed hippies. Well, we walked and walked, practically all the way across the Heath, before I located the source -- these guys! I can't believe just two people were producing so much rhythm!

When I got up this morning, I once again found our venus flytrap ravaged on the lawn. I put it back in its pot, but I'm not sure how much that poor plant can take. I moved it inside.
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7 comments:

  1. eJuly 24, 2016 at 7:24 AM

    More happy adventures on the heath...As long as your dog's that happy, life is good!

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  2. Yorkshire PuddingJuly 24, 2016 at 9:58 AM

    Dave's okay but Olga needs her daddy.

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  3. RedJuly 24, 2016 at 3:06 PM

    Hey, I thought Hippies died out a long, long time ago. The one guy has beads. However , you did make an interesting discovery.

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  4. SharonJuly 24, 2016 at 3:45 PM

    I can't imagine what animal would be drawn by the venus fly trap. How strange.

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  5. ellen abbottJuly 24, 2016 at 4:23 PM

    yep, big smile on that dog and how weird that something has it in for your venus fly trap.

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  6. jenny_oJuly 24, 2016 at 5:59 PM

    That moth IS beautiful - and ragwort is something that's common here everywhere and I never knew its name. Apparently it is also called stinkin' willie, which I heard my father use often but for a completely differently plant. Oh, the things you think you know and then find out you didn't know at all :)

    I LOVE that photo of Olga! She is more smile than anything else!

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  7. Alphie SoupJuly 25, 2016 at 5:41 AM

    Put that camera out again and catch the venus fly trap mauler.

    Alphie

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