Yesterday may have been All Fools Day, but it was also a good butterfly day for me. Without straying at all far from home and garden, I encountered by first Holly Blue of the year (basking briefly on ivy beside a railway bridge) and my first Orange Tip (a fine fresh male, cruising the garden, pausing for a brief sunbathe on a Periwinkle leaf - then returning on the same route half an hour later, but skipping the sunbathe). With another Holly Blue in the garden, and an Orange Tip quartering the lawn in front of a block of flats - plus a couple of Small White sightings - this was a fine April 1st, the culmination of an unusually butterfly-rich early spring. It's all been down to the unseasonally warm dry weather of course - and that, if the Met Office is to be believed (a big if, admittedly), is about to come to an end, with dramatic temperature plunges and some pretty vile weather. Well, we'll see...The weekend also included the culmination of Radio 3's Spirit of Schubert season - I fell asleep late on Saturday night to the great String Quintet. What has been most striking about this feast of Schubert has been the emotional warmth of listeners' - and, often, presenters' - responses to it. For many it has clearly been quite a journey, in the course of which many have, in effect, fallen in love with this uniquely loveable composer. To know his music is to know him, and to know him (to quote Phil Spector) is to love him - or that's what it feels like. Loveable geniuses are few and far between - in literature, Keats is the obvious example, and in a different way Chekhov. It's hard to think of many more of the greats who have quite this particular quality - any suggestions?
The Orange Tip was the most infuriating early butterfly. In 5 years of photography before I moved here I didn't get one decent picture. They were even more flighty than the Brimstones. More maddening than the Brimstones even, because the Brimstone never looked like settling but the Orange Tip would tease you endlessly. Over here its a different species smaller but thankfully just a little less twitchy. After all I've managed 5 pictures in the last 3 years.
ReplyDeleteAn orange-tip flew past me on Thursday, the first of the year for me. I could imagine orange-tips on a fine spring day in the gardens of Blandings but whether this is up there with the greats is another matter. Photographing butterflies is a very pleasant way to forget the daily grind for a spell but by golly it is hard to capture the moment just so. Most of my tries are out of focus despite my best efforts.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, I think Wodehouse would qualify as loveable - and a great in his narrow compass. Among the loveable not-really-greats there's Edward Lear...
ReplyDeleteAs for butterfly photography, I rarely attempt it, unless an exceptionally easy subject presents itself when I actually have my camera with me. As happened, miraculously, with the never-to-be-forgotten Purple Emperor on 26 June last year (though my pictures are nearly all underwing).
Can I break from the Arts and suggest a scientist, Nige? If so, I go for that lovable genius Michael Faraday. In support of the choice I quote from the 19th century physicist John Tyndall: 'Underneath his sweetness and gentleness was the heat of a volcano. He was a man of excitable and fiery nature; but through high self-discipline he had converted the fire into a central glow and motive power of life, instead of permitting it to waste itself in useless passion. Faraday was not slow to anger, but he completely ruled his own spirit, and thus, though he took no cities, he captivated all hearts.'
ReplyDeleteIf you would care to stroll over to dabblerland Nige, you might find a small gift waiting for you - and it's not even your birthday. Clue: butterflies
DeleteButterflies? Am I missing something, MM? Or being unusually stupid...
ReplyDeleteTalking of scientists, JH, Humphry Davy also sound hugely likeable in Richard Holmes's Age Of Wonder...
He does, Nige. Faraday clearly had a great regard for him, as scientist and top gent; in stark contrast to his feelings for Lady Davy, who apparently treated Faraday quite badly. One answer for that is suggested by Richard Holmes in Age Of Wonder: 'Perhaps it did not occur to him (Faraday) that Lady Davy might be jealous of his relationship with her husband.'
DeleteIf it's a box set of Carla Lane's Butterflies, starring Wendy Craig, I shall be seriously vexed...
ReplyDeleteI really like what you guys are up too. Such clever
ReplyDeletework and coverage! Keep up the excellent works guys I've included you guys to our blogroll.
My webpage: affiliate marketing forum