Where has the summer gone?

A small, but noticeable flood on our route home

The weatherman was spot on today. It rained and rained and rained and some areas in the UK were flooded again. Last June was the wettest month ever and it's continuing into July. The sun only said hello last Saturday and Wednesday.

That Saturday we went to our favourite haunt. The reserve was alive. Dragonflies and damsel flies were darting among the bushes. We saw the usual culprits and watched the antics of terns trying to feed its chicks with fishes larger than the babies. We could see the parents frustration. A water snake swam across the lake caught our attention. At the Carlton hide, at last, we managed to catch a glimpse of the elusive kingfisher. We were so awed by its presence that we forgot to photograph it. A first for both of us. There was also a raptor hovering nearby, a Hobby.

Linseed fields and Student accomodation.

On Wednesday's lunch hour, I went for a walk behind the cottages. I was stunned by miles and miles of blue. Once a common feature in the English countryside, these pretty blue flowers of the linseed (linum usitatissimum) plant or flax are becoming a rare sight. I was so delighted to find this lovely field. It's harvested for its oil used for making linoleum, paints and varnishes; the crunch seeds are scattered on top of granary bread, fibrous stem for paper and linseed oil tablets as health supplement.

It was also graduation week. The years of hard work finally came to an end. Proud parents everywhere. Well done to all of them and hopefully, the scroll will fulfil their dreams.

Tonight, at 12.01am, the final Harry Potter books will be flying of the shelves. CK and KS are dressing up as dementors when they joined the queue outside Waterstone. I've seen the costume and they are going to scare the Jesus out of anyone out there. It will be hilarious.

Wish I could see them in action. They promised to capture the moments for me.

A very big thank you for The Greens cos they kindly brought the shelves to No. 11.
Happy first birthday to Tamarr.