Monkey orchid

Flower spike of a monkey orchid

I found a few specimens of this rather messy-looking orchid when I was fiddling with the pipe that brings the spring water to the blue pig.

They’re on the bank just below the house and I would guess they like the cool because they only get the early morning sun there.

Lady orchids on the other hand seem to like full sun.

I’m confident these are monkey orchids, so called because the individual flowers look like little monkeys holding out their arms.  However there’s a lot of variation within the species and a lot of species that look similar!

And back.

I thought we’d never manage to pack all the contents of Clive’s room in the Lymphedema Clinic but somehow we did, and we set off for Italy at about half past eight on the morning of Tuesday 15th.

It was a long and painful journey for Clive, but cheered, towards the end, by the beautiful landscape of Le Marche and then Umbria.

Beautiful landscape

Clive isn’t one to be effusive, but I found him leaning out of a window that opens onto rose and lavender bushes, breathing deeply, and I could tell how glad he was to be home.

We’d arrived at six-thirty in the evening: time to do a bit of shopping and pick up the dogs. Taylor and Kepler were both very happy, but Joules went wild with joy when he saw Clive, and couldn’t stop jumping at him and butting him.

To Germany!

Clive is at last due to leave the Lymphedema Clinic in Germany where he’s been for 11 weeks.

I travelled there on Monday 14th with the Italian Croce Bianca (White Cross), leaving just before 10.00 am and arriving at about 7.00 pm.

We went the fastest route, which is notorious for a very long stretch of badly pot-holed road.

There was snow on the peaks in Switzerland, and smooth green meadows and dreamy blue lakes lower down.

Dreamy blue lake in Switzerland

I tried to phone Clive just before our arrival but I couldn’t get a proper signal so he had quite a surprise!

Green heart of Italy

Umbria is often called ‘the green heart of Italy’ in tourist brochures.

It is indeed bang in the middle of Italy and at this time of year, particularly after all the rain we’ve had, it’s very, very green.

Dappled green of mature oaks and oak scrub with forest-clad mountain beyond

Somehow the vegetation never quite achieves the juiciness which it does in Britain, but I think the quality of the light makes up for it. It’s like looking at a translucent green jewel.

Strimming in the lush orchard, it’s heart-breaking to go ripping destructively through stands of buttercups and red clover, but I remind myself that the alternative is to have plants that can literally reach the height of some of the trees.

Typical piece of the orchard grass

Marigold

Marigold or calendula

At long last we’re getting some nice weather – bright and hot. This marigold epitomises it!