Flake

Joining Wild Daffodil’s Photographic Monthly Meet Up with this month’s theme – Flake.

There were many layers of paint of this old boat; a little bit like life, multi-layered and interesting.

Sculptures

This week’s Monthly Meet Up Photo Challenge is Sculpture. We were in Wales last week and had a lovely visit to Picton Castle in Pembrokeshire (more to follow during the week). Within the walled garden there was this lovely sculpture. The wings of the seed head catch the wind and it moves around.

Sculpture at Picton Caslte

There were some more lovely willow and wood structures in the adventure garden. Here is just a little taster.

Wooden mushrooms

Willow house

Sunlight

This month’s monthly meetup from Wild Daffodil is Sunlight. We’ve had a lot (for the west of Ireland, at least) of sun over the last couple of weeks – with temperatures well above normal.

So on Monday, because it was a bank holiday here, we had the opportunity for our first summer day at the beach – one of our favourite summer-time activities. The sunlight shinning though the clear water and the shadows of the seaweed were very inviting, and I couldn’t resist having a quick refreshing dip!

Seaweeds, like terrestrial plants, will use sunlight to photosynthesis. So generally you will only find seaweeds in water of certain depth and clarity. And some seaweeds like the one below have air bladders to help keep them afloat, and so, close to the water surface.

 

Dazzling Dandelions

This month’s Monthly Meet-up Photo Challenge hosted by Wild Daffodil asks us to consider flower as our theme. You may have already noticed that I am a fan of spring flowers. And the humble dandelion is no exception. In fact, you may have noticed that the same flower already featured in last month’s challenge “yellow“.

Well since then, the dandelions around us have really come into their own. They adorn my “lawn”, the road verges and many fields. They are like a milky way of yellow and green. Often seen only as a “weed”, the dandelion has so much to offer. You can make salad from the young leaves, wine from it flowers, and a coffee substitute from its roots.

Dandelions

As some of you will have heard me say before, dandelions are also great for bees, butterflies and hoverflies. These pollinators were all using the flowers when I completed my bee and butterfly transect last Saturday. Pollinators can collect both pollen and nectar from the flowers.

 

Hoverfly on dandelion

Cuckoo bumblebee

Green veined white butterfly and hoverfly on dandelion

If you let your dandelions go to seed, you will also provide a valued food source for birds such as chaffinches, bullfinches and goldfinch.

Bullfinch eating dandelion seeds (not best photo as taken from inside)

Yellow – Monthly Meet Up Photo Challenge

Yellow is this month’s photo challenge from Wild Daffodil. At this time of year dandelions should be everywhere, but the cold spring means they are only just coming. Dandelions are a great source of pollen for bumblebees. So if your lawn is awash with yellow, think twice before you cut it.

Dandelions

Allow the dandelions to flower and you will be providing bees with an important food source.

Bumblebee on dandelion

Warm yellows

What could be warmer than the rich yellow of gorse flowers against the sharp green leaves?

Gorse

Gorse (Ulex europaeus) is a native shrub to Ireland. It is also known also by local names such as whins and furze. It’s is often found growing in hedgerows. In the past, it was used for fodder and a fuel source.

The flowers are richly scented and can be described as smelling of coconuts or pineapple. Though it’s close relative Western gorse (Ulex gallii) the flowers are not scented. The petals are edibles and were used for dying eggs at Easter.

Post inspired by Wild Daffodil’s Photographic Monthly Meet Up – Warm.