Back to life

For the first time in weeks - actually since 9 December which also saw our granddaughter Emily make her debut in the world - the light shone out here last night.  For once, there was no rain overnight but I admit that I went to inspect the eggboxes in the expectation of finding nothing. At first this appeared to be the case.

But then, crouching in the most inaccessible part of the bulb-holder, I spotted a nice-looking moth. The problem was getting the camera anywhere near it. Luckily it was sleepy enough to fumble its way on to a shard of eggbox which I then transferred to the most Springlike of our daffodil shoots. Hey Presto! Above is the result: a Pale Brindled Beauty which has the distinction of being my first moth of 2014.

Here it is again, below, after a second transfer on to my Christmas pyjamas (the ones familiar to regular readers are in the wash).

It's a lovely moth with, I think, just a hint of green in those greyish wings, brought out in this third picture (although that may be a trick of the eye, with the green daffodil shoots there as well).

All the eggboxes were empty but the, underneath the final one to be lifted out, was Moth Number Two: a little Chestnut if my wavering skills at identification are correct. 

   Finally, Penny and I were struck by the shape of this Elder tree bole, below, the sort of 'found object' which got the likes of Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore excited.

   To me, it resembles the engine of one of the old Royal Flying Corps biplanes which my Grandad flew long ago. But I don't think there's any connection or structural copying by the makers of SE5A Scouts.