A Star

Looking for and I quote, 'abundant' amounts of butterflies in the Strawberry Banks Nature Reserve, I think I had chosen the wrong day, or time or weather!

This poor Common Blue butterfly kept being furtively crept up on in a meadow and then it would fly off. Not to be out done I would appear camera in hand in crawling in and amongst the grasses, wild flowers and marjoram, David Bellamy style and try to get a shot. Nose to nose!

Not the best day today - scratched with briars, waded streams (no wellies here!) and had to be rescued by a very dishy kind cyclist who I did apologise to for ruining his timings as he was speeding down this remote path in an isolated wood. Hey- ho. Felt even more guilty as his bike actually broke on his way back to find me half an hour later with a map! Very very sweet of him though and quite unexpected! What a star!

I have met some exceptionally kind and considerate people over the last few weeks and to name just one example a couple in Rutland offered me their sandwiches to give me some food before my 2 hour travels home as I hadn't eaten all day. Quite unexpected and very lovely of them. I did decline but it did make a big impression on me. There are a lot of good people about and maybe it's only the small minority who make up the dire news that fills our screens every night.