Apple blossom

Firstly, may I thank everyone who left good wishes for R and me yesterday - we were very touched by your kindness! I'll try to answer you all personally tomorrow.

This morning I was feeling possibly just a tiny bit fragile after yesterday's jollification, but I couldn't loll about because I had a dental hygiene appointment in Stratford - from which I emerged with a sugar-free lollipop and a smiley-face sticker, I'm proud to say. After an efficient round of errands and a truly awful journey home (anyone local would be well-advised to avoid Bidford for the next couple of days, unless they're going to the Vintage Steam Fair), I took the macro lens out for some fresh air and exercise. I also found myself chatting to people I've never done more than exchange "Good morning" with before today - maybe with my head buried in a buttercup and my backside in the air I look more friendly than when I'm the usual way up.

A couple of hundred years ago much of this village was laid to orchard, but these days there are only a few areas left, including the one from which this apple tree was sprawling helpfully over a fence and out across the verge. I was already photographing it with a mind to Flower Friday, when I realised that it was being visited by a bee which has since been identified for me as Andrena haemorrhoa, the Orange-tailed mining bee. If you look full-screen you'll be able to see how much pollen she has collected; she will take this back to her nest, clean it from her legs and leave it with the eggs she lays, to feed the larvae when they hatch.

Many thanks to BikerBear for hosting Flower Friday; this week's other entries are here. The twist today is "From the kitchen" - I'm not sure if I can stretch that to cover apple blossom, but as apples are edible I'm certainly going to give it a try.