The Changing Seasons – June 2020

This challenge is hosted by Su from Zimmerbitch. You can find out how to participate at the end of this post!

Well, the behaviour of people and governments, astonishingly, has been worse than last month! My blood boils at the behaviour of people since lockdown was eased. Barely anyone I see here in the UK is social distancing now, or wearing face coverings. Huge crowds piling onto beaches and leaving tons of rubbish in their wake. I dread the pubs opening this coming weekend.

I was supposed to spend much of June in Montreal but obviously this did not happen and I am very disappointed, obviously. Work has been a welcome distraction – doing busy but routine lab work has kept me busy all month catching up from being at home for two months. Out of the 100 or so people based at our site there are only the 15-20 of us that need lab access being allowed on site. Which makes it both safer and quieter. Even my boss is not around.

So here is a scary pic of post lockdown Darren back in the lab and getting hairier by the day:

Cacti have been the flowering stars of June in the greenhouse:

Lobivia jajoiana ‘Anemone’

But also a few Asclepiads including this, which made its debut on my Instagram:

Ceropegia stapeliiformis

And the summer-dormant tuberous Pelargonium flower after the leaves have died away for summer:

Pelargonium curviandrum (pot diameter is 10cm)

My wife ventured to the pharmacists (neither of us has been in any other shop since March) and returned to tell me about the poppies – several species – blooming on recently disturbed soil alongside the footpath:

Speaking of ‘volunteer plants’ the orchids in this photo appeared spontaneously several years ago and have long outlived the intended inhabitants of these containers:

This one, however, was a deliberate planting, now temporarily in a big pot whilst we revamp the area it came from:

Finally, I have worked on various drawings but the only completed one was this one for my work friend Sarah. Meet Tiger and Pip the Guinea Pigs:

If you would like to join in, here are the challenge guidelines:

The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):

• Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
• Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):

• Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
• Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.

If you do a ping-back to Su’s original post, she can update hers with links to all of yours.