https://open.substack.com/pub/davidmichie/p/frayed-and-tired-of-it-rinpoches?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

These are Paul's priorities (obvs!)... wine and cornflakes!
He also has a penchant for cheese sandwiches too. Bless.

​Tim Minchin at Oxford’s New Theatre: Songs the World Will Never Hear.  Hottest Day of the Year - 32 degrees outside, 102 degrees in the Circle seats!! But an amazing show!

As per previous blog.

House plants
Houseplants are also good for your health. They ‘breathe’ in the opposite way to us taking in the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and turning it into oxygen  - they are natural air cleaners. Having living plants around the home or workplace has been shown to improve air quality, mood, concentration, the ability to tolerate pain and to reduce stress and fatigue (tiredness).

Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing)  
Shinrin-yoku is traditionally practiced in Japan. In recent years there has been increased interest in its benefits in the UK. It literally translates as 'forest bathing'. It involves simply being in forested areas, noticing what you can see, hear, smell and touch. Studies have shown that even a few minutes of forest bathing can reduce levels of stress and improve concentration.

More interestingly, Forget-me-nots have evolved in order to attract pollinators. The plants are protogynous, which means the flowers initially have a female phase, then a male phase. With a nod to the scientific bits which includes reference to the corolla (petals), calyx and sepals (a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud) and which I don’t really understand, the amazing thing is that around the opening to the corolla is a fleshy yellow ring which is a nectar guide! Once a bee has spotted that yellow ring and zeroed in, the plant has ensured its succession as it is subsequently pollinated.  And, even more clever, is that once the flower has been pollinated, the yellow ring fades to a creamy brown – a signal to other bees that there is no longer any nectar.
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There are plenty of flowers that use colour changes to communicate with pollinators – bearing in mind that pollinators see colours differently that perceived by humans:

• Bees: Bees can see ultraviolet light and are attracted to blue, yellow, and UV-reflecting patterns.
• Butterflies: Butterflies are drawn to bright colours like red, orange, pink, and purple.
• Birds: Birds are attracted to red, orange, and pink flowers.

Therefore, bright colours may signal that the flower is full of nectar and will attract more bees and butterflies into the garden.  Here are a few examples of plants to add to the garden:

Lantana (Lantana camara) – Yellow Sage

• Color Change: Yellow → Orange → Red.
• Reason: Young flowers are yellow, signalling high nectar availability. As the nectar is depleted, the flowers turn red, a less attractive colour for pollinators.

Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)

• Colour Change: Blue → Purple.
• Reason: Indicates age or environmental stress, signalling pollinators to focus on younger, more viable blooms.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

• Colour Change: Bright Pink → Darker Red.
• Reason: Flowers change colour after pollination, deterring further visits.

Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

• Colour Change: Purple or Violet → Blue.
• Reason: As the flower ages, it signals that it is past its peak nectar production.

Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

• Colour Change: Yellow → Pink.
• Reason: The central part of the flower changes from yellow to pink once pollination has occurred, indicating that pollinators should move to another flower.

So, flower colour changes are both visually attractive and a testament to the magic of Mother Nature.  Dead clever!!