Farewell Countryside

Well, last day in the Northamptonshire countryside today. Feeling much better than I was but still pretty drained of energy. Lots of packing still to do. One of my least favourite pastimes.

Found this incredible caterpillar in the garden a couple of days ago. It was huge.

 

Apparently it's an Elephant Hawk Moth on the ground looking for somewhere to dig down and pupate. It'll turn into this next year, but only live for around five days after that. I put it back near the fuchsia, which is apparently its preferred diet as it feeds off nectar.

 

Also finally learned what the orange and black ones are that we saw at the reservoir. They used to be incredibly common when I was little, but I hadn't seen them in years. They've got a beautiful name: Cinnabar, after the colour of mercury ore. Also moths, they turn from this:

Into this:

 

I think they are my favourites because they are so familiar from childhood, and black and red is always dramatic.

My folks have been away in Wales visiting family the past few days, so I've been looking after the animals. 

At 0:58 a little pale fish surfaces to eat, then darts around the pond. This is one of the Butterfly Koi I bought for Mum's birthday last year. They're certainly growing. I know last year I was complaining about that rooster next door, but it came to a sad end as all the chickens were eaten by a fox several months back. Wonder if it read my blog? Ah, cruel nature.

We also have terrapins. At one point there were five, but I think we now only have two. Novel use for a greenhouse. They are about  twenty years old now and were only the size of a 50p piece when we bought them.

I don't particularly enjoy feeding them as they always look more interested in my fingers than the food.

Well, it's been a lovely month in the countryside, picking redcurrants, swimming in the lake, going for long walks, pretending to be a pirate and catching up with old friends, including Harri, Colin and Morgen. Shame about the cold, but at least it didn't interfere with anything too pressing. Also managed to do lots of writing and reading. It may well be winter before I'm back in this neck of the woods.

Mum's Birthday Birdhouse