Trebarwith strand

we took the bold decision today to leave the safe confines of the Tamar valley and to explore the coast of North Cornwall. This is a small clump of thrift high on the cliff overlooking Trebarwith Strand.

early purple orchid

early purple orchid growing in the hedgerow on the way into our village (duckpond to the left at the bottom of the road)

martins

rebuilding the summer house, which the previous owners have left in a very ramshackle state. A lot of mud and spit is required.

view from Kit Hill

Kelly Bray mine workings (now a world heritage site) in foreground, and Linkinhorne parish church in background, and Bodmin moor in far distance.

crab apples

crab apple blossom, growing on Kit Hill where today I heard a cuckoo for the first time this year. Early purple orchids are growing in abundance on the road to Launceston, and the swallows and martins are building their nests. Once again, and with some relief, one can feel the strong pulse of the deepest rhythms of Nature.

lousewort

the unkindly named lousewort. It is a parasitical plant that uses grass roots to obtain nutrients, and was blamed for causing attacks of lice in livestock. It thrives in marshy boggy places and may therefore have been associated with liver flukes, and fluke infested sheep often have lice.
The flower looks very similar in shape to purple toothwort (qv) another parasitical plant. I wonder if they are related species or if there has been some independent evolution towards a similar shape.