Watery

Posting several days late - yet again - and can't really remember what I did! Tried looking back on Google Maps as to where I went but then remembered the phone had switched itself into Airplane mode and wasn't recording anything.

So try the PV record of how much electricity was generated and see a lot of zig-zags on the graph. Doesn't help much except I now remember the weather forecast predicted lots of thunderstorms for the daytime. I don't think there were any but there were intermittent dark clouds. The PV still generated a good amount.

Also looked back at the month of May and see that the PV generated just marginally more than April despite being one day longer and the increase in daylight hours. The general increase in temperatures is probably the reason (reduces the efficiency) and again shows what a magnificent April we had.

In May I got the first electricity bill since the system went live in June 2017. Here they do an annual invoice and one pays monthly installments based on the previous year's usage. I am getting a huge refund and the installments for the coming year have been halved. Our consumption of bought electricity from 01/04/2017 to 31/3/2018 was 2,000 kWh compared to the 6,000 kWh it has been for the last 15 years. And the period doesn't take account of two and a half months before the PV was connected to the grid.

So that was positive news. Now if only we could make use of water energy. Wind is not a realistic additional source as the house is very sheltered by the forest, particularly from the prevailing west wind.

For now, will just enjoy the sight of the goldfish pond which is heaving with activity and not just from the goldfish who are forever begging for food as soon as anyone walks by. The main attraction is the mass of dragonflies that are busy mating. Several different sorts but at the moment the thin shimmering blue or turquoise type are everywhere. I think there are at least twenty in the photo but only one to be seen. Most are on the edge of the water lily leaves doing what him and her dragonflies do. My honey bees are also now enjoying the mass of waterlily leaves especially the ones ripped open by the hail last week which means there are little puddles of water to drink from without having to go to the edge.