The Village feeling.

A circular walk to the Village Shop had me wandering down Chapel Lane and passed the pond.

I've always thought that with this view down Chapel Lane you could imagine that time had stood still for decades (at least if there wasn't a car parked at the bottom). The attractive cottages and the village pond give that timeless feeling that has disappeared from other areas.

I wonder what will happen to Groves Cottage. This has stood empty since Win Ross sadly passed away. I guess that an old property like this would be difficult to bring up to modern standards, but I hope any replacement will be in keeping with the area.

I noticed this accumulation of aphids on the stem of a teasel, a sight enough t0 get any gardener reaching for a spray (soapy water please). They form a large proportion of the food of many other species, Common Swifts, that feed on the wing often very high in the air, collect hundreds of aphids as well as air borne spiders in the food balls they bring back to their young.

Ladybird larvae are also predators of aphids, unfortunately this one is the larva of a Harlequin Ladybird and is a voracious killer of other ladybird larvae and now it has become naturalised it is spreading fast.