Peacock butterfly caterpillars

I went for a walk this morning and spotted this group of peacock butterfly caterpillars on a nettle. They have spines and white spots mimicking eyes to ward off predators.

When I got home I had a phone call from the husband of a friend telling me that she had died.  It was a great shock as she had some longstanding non corvid symptoms but developed pneumonia and died.  According to her husband she was not treated for it due to the pandemic.

She was my oldest friend and from the age of eleven.  She started the grammar school a couple of weeks after the beginning of our first term and I was asked to look after her.  We were friends through all the years afterwards so I will miss her greatly.

Unfortunately they're not having a funeral as they can only have five people attending and don't plan on having a thanksgiving either. It seems sad not to have a celebration of her life.