Project 365 day 205: Thistle

The thistles are now in flower and the insects are loving them. Yesterday they were attracting lots of butterflies, but today was overcast and none were prepared to pose. Unfortunately the rain, which has been torrential in many parts of south east England today, missed us completely: as so often, weather systems travel from the south west until they reach the Ashford area, then separate into two sections, one travelling along the Channel coast towards Dover and on into Thanet, and the other heading north east towards the Thames estuary. Our little stretch of the North Downs often misses the rain which is forecast, and as our garden is on free-draining chalk, it doesn't take many warm, sunny days for it to become extremely dry. 

It's been a quiet day of jobs in the kitchen and garden, and a tea break with J to eat more of yesterday's little cakes. Life generally looks better after cake.