D(ragonfly)-Day

We love freshly grated horseradish, not only with beef but with turkey and chicken too. MrQ planted a root which has just come into flower. I was checking it for bugs when I spotted a newly-emerged broad bodied chaser dragonfly nearby. I've photographed exuviae before but never together with the fresh imago. In one of my first images (extras) the dragonfly is clasping the exuvia with its wings hanging down. I watched it for an hour as the wings raised and it climbed onto the grass blade before flying off. Amazing!

I had intended to give macro a break and concentrate on planes coming and going to events commemorating D-Day on the day that the new British Normandy Memorial has been unveiled in France to honour D-Day and the Normandy fallen. I photographed a Spitfire that I don't think I've seen before, even though it is based at North Weald. PT879 is the only Soviet Spitfire still flying. In WWII we sent the planes to the Soviet Air Force under Lend-Lease arrangements.

It was lovely to see a Dakota returning to base this evening also.