Flying Things

I didn't leave the house yesterday, except to walk the dog, so you're getting more garden photos. I don't know why I haven't been motivated to go anywhere. Remember how I used to get out and walk all over the city? I just haven't felt the urge.

I blame Covid. The lockdowns taught us how to stay home!

Also, Dave and I are leaving for the states tomorrow at midday, so I want to enjoy the garden as much as possible before we go. I'm sure our friend Warren -- who's staying in our flat while we're gone -- will do a great job caring for everything, but still.

Yesterday I sat out on the back bench reading "A Dutiful Boy," Mohsin Zaidi's memoir about growing up gay in a Pakistani Muslim family. Can you imagine how challenging that must have been? I mean, everyone's coming-out story is challenging in its own way, but being raised in such a traditional culture -- where individualism and self-definition aren't seen as ultimately fulfilling goals the way they are in the West -- must have been hard. I really enjoyed the book.

In early afternoon I looked up and saw this little goldfinch (above). We have teasels growing all over the garden partly to feed the goldfinches, but this one was much more interested in our tamarisk tree, where it was nibbling something off the branches. Bugs, maybe?

The starlings were keeping busy with our blackberry vines. We're at peak blackberry season right now, and I'm glad the birds are getting some of them because there are waaaaay too many for me to eat alone. (I eat them on my cereal every morning and I ate a big bowl of them for dessert after lunch yesterday, but I've barely made a dent in the supply.)

It's a cliché to say that blackberries on the vine look like jewels, but they really do -- so black and shiny.

I think that's a young starling. Don't its tail feathers look a bit stubby?

Also, this huge hornet-mimic hoverfly was zipping around our rose bushes, sunning itself on the leaves.

Today's agenda will include packing and giving the Russians' plants a final water. Olga will stay here at home with Warren while we're away, and he'll keep up all her routines as much as possible. I'll try to give her an adventurous walk this afternoon.