Battered Visitor

This disreputable looking Yellow Admiral (Vanessa itea) was sucking nectar from the Viburnum flowers during a brief period of sunshine. As it's unusual to see them this time of year I assume it has wintered over. The caterpillars feed on stinging nettle and I am nurturing a healthy clump in case there are takers.

More hard work in the garden today. I had discovered a big area of hedge mustard shooting up to flower. Some had already become woody. The ground was soft after the rain so I pulled them out- hundreds of them. There are still more scattered about. No end to them. And meanwhile the grass is growing taller.