Dry Landscapes

No-one would have thought a few weeks ago, as we slopped about in a muddy garden and soggy countryside, that we would be wishing it would rain. We keep looking at the forecast and seeing a few showers forming close by, but none of them seem to reach us. So, our walks around Shipley Park recently, have been hot and dusty and increasingly desiccated. Through Pewit Carr this morning, the Meadowsweet was wilting and the Creeping Thistles were looking grey and tired.

The area known as Manor Floods, seems to be very badly named as here too, the grasses are drying out in the sunshine, leaving a golden landscape beneath the blue skies.

The Hawthorn tress which were smothered with millions of white flowers just a few weeks ago, are now trying to form their little fruits. Not only are they battling the drought conditions, but they seem to be struggling against the onslaught of a fungal disease which was something new to me. Looking like a strange gall of some kind, it is actually called Cedar-quince Rust.

The 'Rust' part becomes apparent when you touch the affected fruits and get covered with a fine, rusty powder.

Just one more picture for today and it's of a huge Bumble Bee which was taking it easy on the fence in our back garden yesterday. It is a Buff-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris) and an impressive specimen it was too.

Still hoping for rain though!