What a difference weather wise from last week! Today the sun was shining with the promise of a warm summer day and three narrow boats passed me on the canal, two loaded with young people in matching orange hi-viz life jacket looking happy, but serious, and one with a retired couple waving at me and wishing me a good morning. The hurly-burly of setting up the Pump Room Gardens for Barkers Amusement Fair was fun to watch too as I crossed the pedestrian bridge over the river.
Barker’s Fair setting up
My mind is whisking from one thing to another today, and I am feeling a little flustered! I realise as I walk through Victoria Park that I have forgotten to bring the clean towels for East Lodge which annoys me greatly! I will have to bring them in tomorrow instead! We had a volunteer’s meeting yesterday in the Lodge and new ideas keep popping into my head about that too! We would like to encourage more members to volunteer and there are not only long-term commitment roles like I do every Wednesday, and others do on different days, but also smaller tasks like Ede arranging flowers for East Lodge, or buying supplies, as Soolie does. It would be useful if someone would co-ordinate the Private View/Opening Party refreshments for example, or offer to help on the once a month coffee morning! There are so many things that help to run East Lodge and we are open to suggestions if anyone feels they can offer some time.
The path by the field was devoid of sheep today, so the grasses have grown and in flitting amongst the haze of heathery bloom and feathery fronds fly fluttering Fritillaries! Tiny brown speckled butterflies that were so pretty and fragile, but unfortunately too small and flighty for me to capture with my phone camera. Leaving the field to the open ground beyond, leading down to the river, the change in vegetation resulted in a bright flash of orange! Tiny but vibrant, was it an Orange Tip butterfly, but there was no flash of white…?! No, as I tried to investigate closer I realised it was a Small Skipper and as it skipped around with its flashes of orange I became aware of loads of them, hiding and then popping out at random all over the ground. On reaching the gate to the river a couple of blousey butterflies like scraps of tissue paper followed me in the breeze, Cabbage Whites of course. I felt all these butterflies mirrored the working of my mind today!
Small Skipper…if you can see it!
The sun shining through the trees in Victoria Park was very tranquil and as the fishermen took up their rods and the dog walkers passed me I felt more focused on my day at East Lodge. James Callaghan’s exhibition of photographs is starting today, and yesterday the gallery looked fantastic as it was all set up ready. Personally I love the photographs of Jephson Gardens lit so beautifully at night. They are intriguing and the lighting adds a surreal quality to the familiar image.
Victoria Park
Come and see James’s beautiful photographs his show is on until Friday August 4th after which we will be embarking on Art in the Park 2017.
Karen
PS Apologies my photos are not up to James’s standard! You need to peer and squint to see the Small Skipper!
