Spiky...

Off to Cambridge this afternoon, to take Alex to his last exam. While he was slaving for three hours over his English paper, Pete, Chris and I had a very pleasant time in Cambridge Botanic Gardens. The weather was mild, grey, slightly damp and breezy - not the best conditions for flower photography. But this amazing thistle bud stayed nice and still!!

I have to admit (rather shamefully) that I don't know what species it is! It was one of the few plants without a label and various searches on the internet have proved fruitless. So if anyone out there recognises it perhaps they'd let me know. I would love to grow it in the garden - the colour combination of green,purple and rusty orange is one of my favourites...

We picked Alex up after his exam, after negotiating the rush hour traffic in a car whose engine kept cutting out randomly when I slowed down - not good in traffic jams. I was concerned that we wouldn't make it home, but once we were on the motorway all was well, though it didn't seem to be running quite as smoothly as usual. A phone call to the garage will be required in the morning...

So the exams are finally over. I've been looking forward to this day for months, but now it all seems a bit of an anti-climax. To be honest I just feel really tired...I think all the low-level stress has finally caught up with me and I'm fighting off a cold. I've had the relaxing glass of wine and now I think an early night is in order. Hopefully I'll manage a quiet couple of days before pressing on with the rest of the season's fieldwork.

The also rans for today include:

Heron on the bridge

Anemone rivularis

Rose 'New Dawn'