29 Palms - Robert Plant

It might be best to whisper in low tones because, as we cruise towards the end of June, the grass and more particularly the wild flowers in the cemetery have not been mown. In all the years I have wandered these areas it only dawned on me today that I have never seen a flower die of 'natural causes' there, unlike some of the residents.

 

While there isn't a multi-coloured carpet of flowers here or for that matter and to my knowledge anything rare I just wonder why what beauty there is has to be crippled in its prime. I write to the Council annually on this matter but never get the desired result, maybe all that was needed was a severe dose of austerity? It's an ill wind that blows no good, so here are a few blooms to brighten an otherwise dull post!

TREE MALLOW Sp

HAWKWEED Sp

OX-EYE DAISY, when I see such flowers it reminds me of my friends Lesley and Simon Godfrey (if you're out there my very best wishes).

ROCK ROSE

 

GREATER BINDWEED

SELFHEAL

 

Even what little fungi there is remains unblemished.

 

Towards the bus stop and time to admire the latest addition, Palm Trees, at the King's Statue (George the III that is) and the very man who

 

introduced bathing to the town. This, an example of the Bathing Machines fashionable in those by-gone days.

Some interesting activity at the Obelisk on arrival this morning, where these 2 most obliging people were taking samples of air. Keen to measure the levels of greenhouse gases, the couple from the University of London have been travelling the south coast searching for the least polluted places. They informed me that so far Portland Bill has proved to be the purest, which is both reassuring and not too unexpected.

Still plenty of ROCK PIPITS around which seem to be doing fairly well with breeding, despite the poor weather,

and in addition a flurry of early morning holiday makers taking full advantage of the warmer conditions and the facilities at the Lobster Pot Cafe.

 In the fields close to the Obs Quarry there were a couple more BEE ORCHIDS

 

and a good number of PYRAMIDAL ORCHIDS.

It's difficult to simply walk past these male LINNETS in breeding plumage,

while this Seaplane was something new to me over the island.

Please take any references to the weather with a pinch of salt, as once again we have fallen one day behind. Today was in fact foggy for most of the morning, but more of that tomorrow.