Summertime

Summertime - and Johnson has finally acknowledged reality, at least in some respects. I can't feel any optimism about his successor, given the pool of available candidates. But at least there's been public recognition that unlimited lies and deceptions shouldn't be a defining feature of government.
I've had an escapist day. This morning I went out with Moira, a friend from library volunteering and fellow camera club member. She had in mind a woodland spot with some bird feeders. But sadly the feeders had all been cleared away, because of evidence of disease nearby (not avian flu, something else).
A couple of miles off, however, was a large meadow that I visited last year. The farmer had sown an enormous wildflower strip along one long side and up one of the short sides. I was crossing my fingers and hoping to find something similar this year. And yes - a wonderful expanse of colour, heaving with pollinators. So we spent a happy hour or so, as the sun broke through the morning clouds, immersing ourselves in the sights, smells and sounds.
The main and the extra (with a Meadow Brown butterfly) are just a couple of samples.
This afternoon I met up briefly with Val, my oldest friend, for a walk and a chat. And then Richard and I dropped off a carful of bags and boxes of books for a Labour Party stall at our community summer festival this weekend - a job we had been meaning to do for months, so that felt good.
 
I have a lot of journal catching up to do... Thank you to everyone who's visited in the last 2-3 days: I will reciprocate as soon as I can :-)