'Chilled' Day at Holme!

Chilled as in it was far too hot to do much at all! The heat has been intense today – extremely muggy and humid and the pollen levels are very high. I used to suffer with hayfever badly in my teens, but it seems to have improved a lot since I have got older. However, the last few days have been dreadful, the worst hayfever I have had for many years. Even after taking hayfever tablets, I have still been sneezing uncontrollably and feel exhausted with it and the usual itchy eyes have been driving me insane.

The best place to be when it is this hot, is my mother's house. Picked Lucy up and off we went to Holme, but stopped on route in King's Lynn to buy mother a nice new recliner deckchair with padded seat to sit in and garden table from 'B&Q' and 'The Range'. It was so hot that I didn't even feel that cool in my mother's house! We had lunch together and just sat and chilled in the house. I had to shut all the curtains to cope with the hayfever symptoms. Mother has had a family of bullfinches in her garden recently, but they were not on show today.

I left it until evening before I ventured out, thinking it would be cooler – it wasn't! I went to Holme Bird Observatory to sit and be with my father in spirit. The new windows and door are in place at the observatory! Looks like they have some new khaki coloured blinds up too. Thank you again to all who have donated! I sat on the raised veranda which was very slightly cooler and scanned the marshes for birds. A Common Buzzard was sitting on a post out on the marsh and at least 4 Common Buzzards were spiralling in the skies along with a Marsh Harrier. I could hear a Cuckoo calling and several Swallows were skimming past. It was a beautiful evening, even though it was boiling hot. A Viper's Bugloss plant had sprung up where father's ashes were, which was comforting. Father's Day tomorrow will feel very sad this year. No dragonflies in the pond or butterflies, which surprised me. But I did see a few Small Tortoiseshells along the Firs Road when I drove down though.

Went to Holme Marsh Reserve but after looking out of Hide one, I left more or less straight away as all the reeds have grown up and I could hardly see the water on the pool. Heard a Cetti's Warbler singing and that was about it.

Spent the rest of the evening back at mother's house. We had a lovely salad (that I made) and strawberries to follow. The best part of the day was when we sat in the garden at 9.30pm!

Tomorrow is going to be even hotter!!! I am at work all day – lovely!!!😧😩😎🌞