These photos were taken today in my garden with the Nokia Lumia 520. I’m back on the desktop using Linux, so I’ve had to relearn how to scale images in GIMP. I did learn last year in an online class, but had forgotten. It’s simple when you know how!
wasp in the mint
First up, a wasp with a bright orange slash on his abdomen, though I didn’t get a good shot of that.As he flew about, his upper body flashed purple.
There was another little waspy thing, but the image of it was pretty boring. Uncaptured was a purply moth and a small bright orange double-winged skipper butterfly. I’ve been meaning to show you it for ages. The post is in my drafts, minus photos.
Next we have a bee flying in the background, and a shield bug on the mint blossom.
wasp in the mint
These shield bugs actually eat those colourful grapevine caterpillars I showed you some time back. I still have plenty of grapes on the vine. They’ll be ripe soon. I might manage to get a feed before the birds get to them. The nectarine tree up the back still has hard fruit on it, too.
the underside of the shield bug, and a bee
The creatures in this last one are positioned slightly different to the featured image.
I hope you’re having a good day. I’m busy messing about making an interim cover in Canva to display with my novel on Wattpad. I will make a start on publishing scenes on Monday (Aussie time). Wish me luck!
Christine R 
Glad to see the mint is surviving in this weather. Wonder if the honey tastes minty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gosh, my mint has no problems surviving – we have an old drainage system, so plenty of moisture for it.
LikeLike
Good luck and Happy New Year, Christine.
Lovely close-ups. I understand nothing about photography but I DO enjoy feasting on greats shots like yours. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the kind words, Tess. If I take 40 shots, I’m bound to get a couple of decent ones! That’s the extent of my my skill, though I’ve recently looked at settings. Best leave the camera on auto, though, methinks. 😀
LikeLike
Whatever you’re doing works just fine. Keep up the good work and fabulous photos. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Tess. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
YOU are welcome, Christine. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are the bees back? Long time I haven’t seen them in your posts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Didn’t want y’all to get sick of seeing them! I haven’t many plants flowering now, so the numbers have dwindled. Thanks for dropping in, Elizabeth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good luck with publishing Christine. May ti all go as you would wish it to go!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your kind thoughts, Effy.
LikeLike
And here I just always viewed our mint as this pestiferous (but lovely-smelling) weed–since I no longer made jelly from it.
You are the Bee Queen, Christine. : )
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a pestiferous weed! I rarely make use of it, but it just seemed wrong somehow not to grow mint. It’s always been part of my life. Until I started taking photos of bees, Babe, I had no idea they even had flowers! And by the way, it deters flies. So I learned when my brother-in-law hung a carcass of beef to age. He packed it with mint.So I grow it around my back door. Thanks for your compliment. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t know that, about the flies–intetesting! I wonder if it helps with blackflies? My sister Meg will owe you a debt, if so!
You are welcome : )
LikeLiked by 1 person