In the grass

Two weeks on from emergence from hibernation, Reg is still looking muddy from his six months' subterranean slumber.  There's been virtually no rain to wash him off, and now I let nature do it for him rather than giving him a bath - he's not all that keen on being handled. He has been lying low deep in the overgrown flower beds through the cooler days, but now it is warmer he's appeared on the lawn hungry for dandelion leaves and, a particular favourite, Magnolia petals. As I took this he was homing in rapidly on an overripe tomato.  Seen through a macro lens eye to eye, he can seem quite menacing. Scale him up to the size of a Galapagos tortoise, and he would be positively frightening.  His eating habits are none too pretty, a bit like a child eating a big ice cream cone, he ends up with a face covered in it (see extra).  He's not the most affectionate of pets, but he certainly has character.

It was a good day for us at home, lots of sunshine and warmth, good progress on the allotment, and coming to terms with the news we had received on Wednesday night.  Thanks for all the messages of concern and support.