Glad All Over

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It's been a welcome return to summer this afternoon and evening, and while the temperature has stayed down around twenty celsius, it's a pleasant bit of settled weather, nevertheless. Pictured is the first of the Gladioli planted earlier this summer to finally emerge into flower, and a rather lovely sight it is too. This week has seen the return of the more colourful of the butterflies to our garden, rather later than usual: hitherto this summer, the Cabbage White has been the predominant species, unusually prevalent this season. But in the last few days, we've had Peacocks, Painted Ladies and Tortoiseshells in abundance. The Lavenders in the front of our conservatory are teeming with Brown Bees, and the Bumblebees are still in evidence. Very bucolic, very welcome.

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