Happy Cycling

This is what we do when we finish a cycle ride. Get together for coffee and cake. Three of us are sporting our new Women on Wheels (WOW) cycling tops. This was an 'Easy Ride' so some of the people were first timers.

Sketching Time

Trying very hard to draw moths from my photographs this week. Not happy with these sketches of the Poplar Hawkmoth but will persevere as I do get better the more I practice. Would love to just dive in with some colour, but a bad idea if I cannot get the actual light and shade correct in the first place. The ink version is only half completed and hope to find some time today to do a little more.

Revelling in Ravilious

I really thought I was not going to get to see the Ravilious exhibition at Compton Verney which ends on 10 June. However, DH suggested that we went on Friday, but then changed his mind when rain was forecast.  We eventually went on Saturday and, although it was a grey start to the day, it eventually got out hot and sunny.  Both the Ravilious exhibition and the 'Created in Conflict' exhibition which is running alongside it are well worth going to see.  We managed to take in the 1 hour guided talk too which was fascinating. The grounds were looking stunning with the wildflower meadow just beginning to bloom with dog daisies.

More Moth Catching

Can you believe this is the same moth

Then there was a Poplar Hawk Moth

plus 2 Brimstone Moths and a small Waved Umber

Attingham Park

Had a nice walk at Attingham Park today near Shrewsbury. Lovely texture on this ploughed field and dandelions in evidence everywhere …

and lots of lovely flowers too

Cut flowers in the Bothy

Cycling Fun

Wednesday evening and did another Fitness Club Ride. A revised plan was required as the local Council have been putting chippings down on lots of the roads we use so we could not do the circular laps which we were scheduled.  Instead we did an 18.1 mile ride. It was not without it's highlights though. Sue had problems with her chain coming off several times on her 'new to her' road bike and three of us managed to fall off at various points on the route. No serious injuries and a jolly nice ride.

Our new Women on Wheels kit was delivered too so we will look very smart and co-ordinated next time we go out.

More Moth Trapping

Put the moth trap out again on Sunday evening and caught this beautiful fluffy moth.  I believe it is a Pale Tussock and is probably a female as it does not appear to have any orange-brown antennae which the moth book describes.  Apparently they used to damage hop crops in the past and had the nickname 'Hop-dog'.

There were also 4 of these in the trap. Cockchafer beetles or Maybugs.  This one is the male and the others appeared to be females as they did not have these splendid antennae.

There were 2 or 3 other moths in the trap but I have not been able to identify them as yet.