August - been there done that! But let's finish July first!!

 

I know, I know I say it every time "where has the time gone?" I honestly don't know where it is going but trying to make the most of this rather hot month has been hard! It's too hot to go outside (36 degrees for nearly 3 weeks!) but we have had some fun anyway - you can't let the heat stop you getting on with life can you now?

So I left you early on in July and we had enjoyed our 25th Wedding Anniversary - which I still can't believe has been and gone, we spent so long deciding what we wanted to maybe do - we just kind of did something which we probably didn't intend to do but made some lovely memories!

Just a few days after our special weekend away it was back to work and a really lovely, relaxed and fun Wedding was in the dairy! I have known Paul and Susan for some years so it was great to be working with them and capturing their special day!

Beautiful Flowers by Lisa of French Flower Style

I think most people enjoyed delving into the Sweet Bar! 

July as always where our family spends an afternoon making music (Naomi and Rob this year) and taking photographs (me!) in aid of the ATCP (Association Tchernobyl Charente Poitou) this year we found out that the funding that has brought so many children over to France for their much needed respite has been pulled - at this moment in time myself and friends are planning how best to raise funds for next year) 

Musique Pleine Aire certainly helped but at 700€ per child it's going to be hard and we so badly want to see the beautiful Paulina, Sasha and Kristina (and others) back here next year!

Laura joined us this year with some beautiful classical music

Réne Patin the President of ATCP 

Friends of Naomi Grace came along again this year to support the event.

It's always fun and laughter when Mandy and Naomi come together to sing! 

The following day was more Music again this time NaomiGrace was singing at Epènede, she was invited back this year and it was bigger - much bigger and there was a pyramid stage which she found rather awesome!

And then back to Life through the Lens in July we of course have Sunflowers, Sunsets and not forgetting the rest of the flowers and Butterflies!

 

We also celebrated my Mums birthday at the Auberge du Noyer nr. Lodigny and commissioned a Digital Art Print of  Dougal their dog by Rosie a rather talented young lady and which they are rather thrilled with!

We had friends come for a very short stay and it was lovely to catch up after eight years and finally meeting their "baby" boy who is now six! I rest my case TIME does fly!!

Finally I have to share this with you we are rather partial to taking "Selfies" not only on our Gin night but wherever we go - it's a way of Making our very Own Memories so when I saw this in the shop I had to buy it for Mr PJP - can you see the likeness? ;) And no, he isn't going to grow a beard but he does wear a rather nice hat :)

 I think August will be very quick this month as I need to play catch up and have some exciting news to share as well - soooo keep reading :)

Thank you for reading my rambles - half my problem is by the time I get to writing I have forgotten so much which is why my Life through the Lens really does help when it comes to remembering - Memories are a wonderful thing :)

A few links for you from the blog...
Life through the Lens

PJP Events and Marketing Photography

Making Memories - Wedding and Portrait Photography

Auberge du Noyer

Rosie and the Wolf

Naomi Grace

French Flower Style

Laura Springham - Violinist

My Patch in June!

Well June is really in bloom, we have roses galore since the beginning of the month, and far more prolific than I have seen them in a few years! Such a welcoming sight in the driveway.

Apart from flowers which I could rave about, I have had a few discoveries - for some it maybe quite normal to have spotted them before - for me however new and exciting sightings!

Firstly I will share my yearly shot of the beautiful HummingBird Hawkmoth
  "The Hummingbird Hawk-moth is a small, day-flying hawk-moth. Hummingbird Hawk-moths are summer visitors,  In some years, they can be common and may frequently be seen in gardens hovering like hummingbirds to feed on the nectar of Honeysuckle, Red Valerian and many other flowers. They can also be found in woodland edge, heath and shrubby habitats. The caterpillar feeds on various species of bedstraw, so the female adult moth lays her eggs on the buds or flowers of these plants"  
I love them, I could watch them for hours and yes sometimes I spend a good hour trying to get another shot of it's amazing whirring body as it works itself around the Lavender bushes! I was delighted to count as many as 10 in one area on Monday! 

at flight between stems

Last week was the turn of the Green Tree Frog - we discovered him in our swimming pool sitting happily on the pump area, but we needed to empty and clean the pool so I had the wonderful job of holding him and re-homing him! 

 

The trouble is every time I went to go and do something else in the garden, I ended up going back to the Frog to see where he was and what he was up to! I also regret not changing lenses but the Sigma is playing up again so it's more hassle than it's worth in many ways as the 200mm still gets the shot but of course I can't get in so close!

I then discovered this insect and no amount of googling has given me a definitive answer as yet - I think I might have to do a "shout out" and see if anyone knows? My last results show a Common Long Horned Beetle, so if it is then that's another newly spotted critter in the garden!

On my travels around the garden I have also spotted the "long horned Bee"  endangered in the UK but hopefully it will migrate here and have a chance!

And if that wasn't enough for new discoveries in the same week we found "aliens" in our bucket of water - oh ok, they are not really aliens but I am sure I could be forgiven for thinking along those lines? 

 Drone Fly Larvae or Rat tailed Maggots. The "Tail" is actually a snorkel to help them breath - how clever is Mother Nature? 

 Drone-Flies don’t just mimic the appearance of honeybees, they fly like them too. Recent research has shown that the flight behaviour of Eristalis tenax is more similar to the flight of the honeybee than to that of related flies.

Because ‘rat-tailed maggots’ are associated with unsavoury rotting material in stagnant water, archaeologists who have found the remains of many of these larvae in deposits from a site in central London believe this confirms that the city must have been a very smelly place in medieval times.

And last but really not least - we found a Glow Worm - I haven't seen many of these around over the years, such a bright little fella this one!

"The adults (of both sexes) cannot feed and live only a short time. They glow, but only intermittently. Their sole purpose is to mate, and for the female to lay eggs. Adult insects are poor fliers and so will often remain in the same area, building a colony of glowworms. The female lays a total of about 130 eggs, in clumps of 40 or 50, and dies soon after laying. The eggs hatch after about 20 days and the cycle repeats.

The larvae are sensitive to light and disturbance and will retreat into their nests and stop glowing if they or their snares are touched. Generally they have few predators. Their greatest danger is from human interference."

This is what I love about my "life through the lens" not only do I learn along the way about Mother Nature it's also about enjoying the garden, wildlife and so much more! I do love the other aspects of my work as much but sometimes it's the follow up from taking the photograph.

Have a wonderful weekend - we are off to the beautiful Ilê de Ré for a couple of days with our bikes :D

For further photos of "Life through the Lens" please do visit me at https://www.facebook.com/PamelaJaynePhotography 

PamelaJayne