Revived Speckled Wood Butterfly

Sunday 27th April 2025

The closest I got to a butterfly without it fluttering away!

A fatigued Speckled Wood butterfly, rested on the brolly table cloth and I revived it via a dandelion flower. They usually feed on aphid honeydew from trees and plants during late spring and early summer.

The background frame is based on an e-processed yellow brolly fabric.  

Some Primula Observations

Prim-rose hybrid

In her 17th April 1905 Nature Notes entry, Edith mentions going on, 

“an expedition in search of wild flowers. Went by train to Lapworth, walked across to Bushwood, from there to Baddesley Clinton and then to Knowle station and home by train. Flowers gathered – Primroses, Cowslips, Ox-slips, Cuckoo Flowers, Strawberry Anemones, Early purple vetch; White violets, Dog Violets, Wood sorrel, Moschatel, Lady’s Mantle, Blackthorn, Bullace, Corn Crowfoot and Common Lesser Sedge and Daisies.”

She also makes an interesting observation,

 “I noticed that many of the Ox-slips had single stems to each separate stalks to the root and looked like small Prim-roses, only deeper yellow and with the orange-star. Can this be caused by bee-fertilisation?”

I have sketched ox-lips on the left and cowslips on the right.  The possible hybrid primrose flower, (from our garden) that Edith mentions also features in this picture.

The background frame is based on an e-processed blue brolly fabric. 

Pasque Flower

Happy Easter

Edith mentions Easter Sunday within the text of 15th April 1906, (Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady). She is actually out and about in the southwest of England at that time. On the 17th she mentions, ‘Miss B. had some lovely Pasque flowers sent her from Oxfordshire this morning.’

The Pasque flower name originates from the French word ‘Pâques’ which means Easter.  This also connects to the theme of resurrection and renewal.  Throughout history various cultures have revered the Pasque flower for its representation of rebirth and new beginnings.

An illustration of the Pasque flower from the book is shown below.

The background frame is based on an e-processed green brolly fabric. 

Easter 2025

 Happy Easter Season 

A Resurrection Bible reading

“1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre,bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.”

Gospel of Luke KJV c24 v1-12

The illustration was composed on black umbrella fabric. The frame is based on a yellow e-processed brolly fabric.

Saint Veronica

For me, one of the significant characters in the Easter story is Veronica, subsequently St Veronica.

She manages to get close enough and show compassion and kindness to Jesus who is being ill treated.

The background frame is based on an e-processed pink brolly fabric. 

Woodspurge and Yellow Brimstone Butterfly

The wood spurge plant and yellow brimstone butterfly are illustrated in the adapted style of the artist Edith Holden.

The background frame is based on an e-processed yellow brolly fabric. 

“Come  forth ye blossoms! – over hill and lea,

A breathe of sweetness wantons with the sea,

And mid the smiles and tears of tender Spring,

Ye cups and stars that strew the fair, green field,

Ye wings of gold the prickly gorses yield;

Ye perisive bells to purple pageants born,

Ye milk-white may-buds of the mantling thorn;

Ye violet gems and eyes of sapphire blue;

Wan, flushing wind-flowers and shy elfin crew

Of every crannied wall, — come forth! –and fling

Young vernal showers around me while I sing;” – A Song of Salutation – E.M. Holden

Note: E M Holden was Edith’s sister, Effie Margaret 

Some spring flora

The coltsfoot, daffodils and periwinkle are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.

Black bird song dawn chorus sound 

The background frame is based on an e-processed blue brolly fabric. 

Featuring the Celandine

The celandine, daisy and wren birds are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.  The background frame is based on an e-processed green brolly fabric. 

                Celandine

"Pansies, lilies, kingcups, daisies,
Let them live upon their praises;
Long as there’s a sun that sets,
Primroses will have their glory;
Long as there are violets,
They will have a place in story:
There’s a flower that shall be mine,
'Tis the little Celandine.

Ere a leaf is on a bush,
In the time before the thrush
Has a thought about her nest,
Thou wilt come with half a call,
Spreading out thy glossy breast
Like a careless Prodigal;
Telling tales about the sun,
When we’ve little warmth, or none."

Wordsworth