Amelia's photos

White dead-nettle is a common plant of roadside verges, waste grounds and grassy banks - anywhere the ground has been disturbed. Like yellow archangel, and other members of the dead-nettle family, it doesn't have stinging leaves. Its white flowers appear from March right the way through to December.

Today's Sunday Challenge is: Rim lighting. I found this to be quite difficult and took over 20 shots in the attempt, This is the best of a mediocre lot but at least I have some rim lighting on the sepals.

Today's Saturday challenge is: "Zimmerpflanze / Houseplant" Aerial roots are roots above the ground. They are almost always adventitious. They are found in diverse plant species, including epiphytes such as orchids. In the wild these adventitious roots absorb rainwater for moisture and use nutrients from decaying insects or leaves for fertilizer. I have had this orchid for nine years and pay it scant attention except when it is flower. It flowered from November last year to March of this year and seems to thrive on neglect. It only seems to flower every two years.

Since the beginning of May some Covid restrictions have been lifted and it is now possible to travel from England to Wales and vice versa. This small town is about 10 mile from where we live, and we have missed walking along the canal here.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta and Silene dioica.

Since the beginning of May some Covid restrictions have been lifted and it is now possible to travel from England to Wales and vice versa. Here a pleasure boat is navigating the very narrow Chirk aqueduct over the Ceiriog Valley from England to Wales. According to the welcome signs at both ends of the canal, it is no man's land. At the side of the aqueduct is the viaduct which carries rail traffic in both directions. The aqueduct was designed by civil engineer Thomas Telford. The foundation stone was laid on 17 June 1796 and it was completed in 1801. It forms part of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct World Heritage Site. The aqueduct consists of ten arches, each with a span of 40 feet (12 m). The water level is 65 feet (20 m) above the ground and 70 feet (21 m) above the River Ceiriog. The railway viaduct at Chirk which was erected in 1846-8 and rebuilt in 1858 was the work of the Scottish engineer Henry Robertson. The 100 feet high stone structure was built for the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway and has ten spans with round arches between. Courtesy of: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chirk_Aqueduct

“Ne’er cast a cloot till May be oot!” So you start by taking off your thermal undergarments. ;-) The King's Singers Now Is The Month Of Maying Now is the Month of Maying - Classic Harmony I remember learning this song when I was at school many many years ago.

Todays' Sunday Challenge: Darkness in Photography Built in 1596, the Market Hall intended to impress with materials, style and scale. It has two storeys. At the moment the coffee shop can only serve food and drinks outside. Normally it is possible to go upstairs for a coffee. The coffee shop, a large upper room, was originally used by the Shrewsbury drapers or dealers in cloth to sell Welsh wool.

Can you spot a famous visitor? ;-)

A nest of eggs by the roadside.

I travelled a short distance to Whittington to see if there were any ducklings on the pond. I was disappointed, but the pair of swans were incubating four eggs. Last year they had 7 cygnets.

Today's Sunday Challenge: Fill the frame The PiP shows the nest with 4 eggs. One of the swans had briefly left the nest to feed. Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott - The Swan (Saint-Saëns)

Today's Saturday Self Challenge is: Anything that makes you feel better. Finding the beauty in nature makes me really happy. Narcissus jonquilla, commonly known as jonquil or rush daffodil, is a bulbous flowering plant, a species of the genus Narcissus. Bulbs have been planted on a bank in the grounds of our local church where they seem to be thriving.

This is our first visit to this National Trust property for 4 months. I hope that the inside of the building will be open soon, but I doubt it.

I haven't seen this barge on the canal system before. Just couldn't ignore it could I?