Doc's and shops in town (am) and Gheluvelt Park (pm), Worcester: Friday, 19th June, 2020.

Glasses steamed up at The Doc's.

Most shops are open now but, as we are earlier than usual,

there aren't that many shoppers around.

Good.

(It's always ten past seven on the High Street).

Vicky has a new face mask.

We realised it was on inside out eventually.

Honest.

Vicky's lunch:
Chicken salad with pesto pasta and toasted pitta.

No swans near the pond so the ducks are doing well again.

Feeding frenzy.

The swan family are on the brook…….

….but there are only four cygnets.

Hopefully, the other three are safe and well.

Fingers crossed.

Home to many bees and bugs and all sorts.

Evening meal:
Scampi, chips, peas, salad and coleslaw
(another '80's throwback).
Followed by apricots
(not an '80's throwback).

A wet one, Worcester: Thursday, 18th June, 2020.

Vicky's breakfast:

Porridge, fruit, seeds and nuts and such like.

And an orange juice.

Rain = less people = no queue at The Post Office.

A selfie to show that the river levels are already rising

and the brook is flowing fast into the river.

A little bit damp under foot.

No sign of the swans today so the 

ducks get plenty of swan food pellets.

Hmmm, tasty.

The bark of this tree always looks lovely.
It looks even lovelier in the rain.

Everything…….

……..today is………

……..absolutely…….

…..soaking wet.

Vicky's lunch:
Salmon, cucumber, and salad sammidges,
with cherry tomatoes and salt and vinegar sticks.

Evening meal:
Sea Bass, vine tomatoes, Jersey potatoes,
broccoli, beans, peas and spinach.

Dessert:
Tarte au citron, with raspberries (and blueberries for Vicky)

Evening treats for throughout the next few days:
Apple and sultana loaf.

'Lockdown' is no bad thing, River Severn and Gheluvelt Park, Worcester: Wednesday, 17th June, 2020.

 Oh-oh. Vicky has spotted something on the river

straight ahead towards the far bank.

Well, worra surprise.

'Our' swan family are out on the river again.

Most of the cygnets are sleeping.

Bet they had a hard night last night thanks to the storms.

Line astern.

They all know the significance of Vicky 

shaking her swan food pellets.

So, how has 'lockdown' benefited the swan family.

Less people allowed in the park and, thus, less food put

out for them by people, so they have had 

to pursue food sources down the brook and along the river.

Less foxes, gulls, rats in the park as a result so the cygnets 

survived the crucial first few days of their lives.

By this time last year they had lost about half the cygnets.

River has predators but they have evaded them and 

seem to have done OK (up to now).

That's our theory, anyway.

Bee on a poppy.

Similarly, the park keepers have been furloughed 

for a lot of the 'lockdown' period.

This has meant that a few areas of the park have 

been left to grow 'wild'.

Blackberry bushes have spread out further and, in turn,

there are more wild flowers and nettles growing in amongst them.

And where there are nettles……..

…… there is a whole community of bugs such as these.

Typical.

Bumble bees have no respect for the amateur photographer.

They take off just as (or after) yer finger presses the button.

They're working hard y'see.

A bug enjoying eating another smaller bug.

Not sure we've seen one of these before.

Vicky has named this one a leaf dwelling green beetle.

That'll do then.

A grey-ish leaf dwelling beetle.

A bee investigating a flowers treasures……

….and reversing back out again.

Evening meal Stage One:
eight vegetables in the wok with some olive oil.
Give it a whirl.

Stage Two:
add chicken, pasta, pesto, and pine nuts.
Give it a whirl.

Stage Three:
serve up with a sprinkle of oregano.
Delicious!

Dessert:
Fresh peaches, raspberries, yoghurt, fruit compote
 and flaked almonds.

Big Shop (am), Droitwich & Blackpole, Bugs (pm), Gheluvelt Park, Worcester: Tuesday, 16th June, 2020.

Lots more traffic on the roads and the car park is almost full.

No queue today (although there was quite a long one by 

the time Vicky had come back out).

Still one-out-one-in system in operation.

Trolley on the receiving end of a jolly good clean up.

Inside there was plenty of flour but few cleaning products.

Overall, calm and well organised.

No queue here either.

But no controls on the number of shoppers inside.

So, not good.

And no strawberries and no cheese.

Car park much busier here.

All but the furniture shop have re-opened.

Hobby Craft has the biggest queue, followed by 

Halfords, whilst Currys has a click-and-shop 

system on the go.

We're now stuck in a queue full of cars

waiting to get into the council tip (and others not)
on Bilford Road.

Some people are out of their cars and having a chat.

Time to find another way home.

No swans in the park today (worra surprise) but 

there are plenty of bugs on the nettles.

Is this a bee?

Or is it a hoverfly?

Or neither?

That's an interesting one.
Must really find out just what they are.

These bugs are in a queue.
It's just as slow as the one we were in
this morning.

Evening meal:
Chicken and peach salad with walnuts.