The Zola mystery is solved

Zola Buddy Bantam has been missing for a while - in all the heatwave and the occasional storm in the night.   She appeared now and again - then disappeared  - but didn't go into Peckingham Palace at all - but drank from the pond or one of the many watering holes around the garden.

I have searched high and low, and in all her favourite hiding places - to no avail - until this evening!  I was absolutely determined to find her.

We have lots of foliage in our garden - very dense too - but Eureka - look!

She was in the centre of a huge clump of day lilies which were in the centre of a big highly packed flower bed.

She had covered herself with dried leaf stems which were in turn covered by a tall and bushy plant with lots of stems of day lilies in flower.  Can you see all the eggs?  She has flattened herself to cover them.

I was convinced they were laying their eggs somewhere apart from their usual hiding places.

Patrick said that the heatwave had put them off.

We had a heavy downpour in the night and these have muddy footprints on them.

But

I did the 'float test' and none of them floated - so I gave them a scrub and dry, tomorrow they will be turned into cakes!