Summer time..........

.......and the picking is easy. Living near a fruit farm is far too tempting and this year the crop is very very good.

As you will have noticed I am a bit keen on Sea Holly and have now found another one so that is three so far. I have taken the cage off the one that got eaten as it is growing strongly and forming flower buds; result.

Correction. The moth on the last post is a Six Spot Burnet. I met an expert on the beach who put me right, a charming gent who is an oldfashioned naturalist.

Runner Bean flowers.

It is no wonder Runner Bean used to be planted in the flower garden rather than in the veg plot. After rain everything is perking up and growing like mad.

I think I will have to uncage the Sea Holly as it has made a very good recovery. It may be too early to say but I think it may flower.

On my walk I kept seeing these Cardinal Moths everywhere and I wondered why. On examining the long grass I found the answer. The moths were emerging from their pupae en masse and drying their wings in the sunshine.

There is nothing like sitting in the sun......

......while pretending to work. I was invigilating at Blickling Hall for the NOVA sculpture trail and had time to take some photos; these are just two examples out of fifty-odd pieces.

Meanwhile my spies have been watching the Horned Poppy which as you can see is going great guns. I might get there to see it tomorrow but I have to help to set up some willow pieces at Welborne. But time is short.

Can one eat too many strawberries?

These are first picking from our local fruit farm and there should be many more. Pass the cream.

This is the other Sea Holly which is still in good shape, I am glad to say, and has flower buds developing.

This monster is a Teasel and although they do grow on the cliff this one is in the back garden. I am saving it for the Gold Finches, of which we have a charm. That is the collective name for them.

What it is to have friends.

I had asked Bev to keep an eye on the Horned Poppy and take her camera with her when she walked her dog. Result or what?? It really has been worth waiting for.

Meanwhile I had gone to the other end of the beach to check the other Poppy, these two plants are about a mile apart. As you can see this one is having a hard time. I think something has eaten half its bud; don`t you just love deer?

Also someone has taken the basket I had put over the Sea Holly. Not a good day until I opened my e mails, well done Bev.

I think I need a tent to Poppy-watch.

The horned poppy is beginning to flower and I missed the first one and will have missed this bud today.

Had to set up sculpture at Blickling Hall Gardens for the sculpture trail which lasts to the end of June. The afternoon was taken up with a meeting for the Cromer and Sheringham Arts Festival, so no time for the twenty minute walk to see how it was doing. I should get there tomorrow.

I think this is cheating but I have put a cage over my Sea Holly, which should protect it somewhat. I hope no one thinks " that's a handy basket" and walks off with it -- we shall see.

Seek and you might find.

One flowerhead of the Purple Broomrape in Mundesley church yard, it may be gone tomorrow as the grass is being mown.

I did talk to the man with the mower but spotting it will be difficult. But at least it is still there, if only just.

After a little rain the Sea Holly is trying again so I live in hope that it will survive.