Autumn gentian, Felwort, Gentianella Amarella Autumn gentian is a lovely little flower, easy to overlook. This morning’s bright blue skies and strong sun saw the flowers open. In a sequence of overcast days the petals can remain resolutely closed, the flower bud inconspicuous on its darkish stem. White flowers were more abundant than blue- never the glorious blue of flowers in the high mountains but good to discover. There must have been overnight dew because down amongst the grasses the spiders had been busy and it’s the season to find their webs, looking like Olympian rings. All that Olympic success is enough to go to anyone’s head. What do you think?
In the hot sun the heather was fragrant and pollinators were deep down delving for nectar. I love the contrast between the purple heather and the tall golden grasses. I was deep down delving for images and caught the different musical notes of bees and a variety of insects.
Sloes begin to ripen, so I’m eager to discover how the damson crop has fared too. It’s a local speciality, down in the Lyth Valley.
Ripening sloes and autumn gentian
With the distraction of all GB's Olympic success, and late-night events that dislodge the 10.00 pm news later and later, I forgot a motif that my photographs do not, cannot show.
Swallows twittering as they sweep over golden grasses and all about me- that's a motif of the week. Golden grasses, sweet heather and swallows feeding low. They were vocal about Bradleyfield Farm, so I walked through seeding thistles making a video with my smartphone camera hoping to catch them airborne. A sheepdog was rounding- up a flock and they were driven into a barn. There was a recent brood of swallows ' go and sit on that car bonnet and watch them fly into the far barn,' I was advised. Past a boat, past a stack of mattresses to the barn where I could hear them and see swallows through swooping into the darkness within.
I come home immersed in the glory of swallows and a beautiful day- and the potential of video not yet realised. Grasses waving in the breeze, and parachutes of thistle seed heads taking off - that's a safe subject. And a flock of sheep. When September comes I hope I might come upon a swallow mustering tree. Twice I've seen it on Scout Scar, on two rare occasions when I haven't had a camera. It's wonderful to witness, some five hundred swallows gathering in the tops of trees. And juveniles who look too young and tender for such an arduous migration.
Swallows twittering as they sweep over golden grasses and all about me- that's a motif of the week. Golden grasses, sweet heather and swallows feeding low. They were vocal about Bradleyfield Farm, so I walked through seeding thistles making a video with my smartphone camera hoping to catch them airborne. A sheepdog was rounding- up a flock and they were driven into a barn. There was a recent brood of swallows ' go and sit on that car bonnet and watch them fly into the far barn,' I was advised. Past a boat, past a stack of mattresses to the barn where I could hear them and see swallows through swooping into the darkness within.
I come home immersed in the glory of swallows and a beautiful day- and the potential of video not yet realised. Grasses waving in the breeze, and parachutes of thistle seed heads taking off - that's a safe subject. And a flock of sheep. When September comes I hope I might come upon a swallow mustering tree. Twice I've seen it on Scout Scar, on two rare occasions when I haven't had a camera. It's wonderful to witness, some five hundred swallows gathering in the tops of trees. And juveniles who look too young and tender for such an arduous migration.
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