A Thought

Even the earth has wrinkles!

Can't Stop!

Just can't stop...

...catching on film...

...lovely mushrooms!

More Fungi

Growing on fallen tree trunks...

...and old tree stumps.

It's lovely to see the variety of mushrooms in the autumn. I passed by a parasol the other day but didn't have my camera with me. I haven't spotted a fly agaric or any shaggy inkcaps yet.

High Tide

A jetty...

...and several benches were inundated by todays unusually high tide. 

We enjoyed a very windy walk along the river - blew a few cobwebs away and marvelled at the wonders of nature.

Home-Decorated Candles for Christmas

I had great fun decorating these candles, among others the other night. Craft work of any kind is so therapeutic. These will either grace my table over the Christmas season or will find their way into goody bags for some very lucky (!) people.

Determined Cyclamen

Surprise Cyclamen

I had totally forgotten about this plant! I put it away between the cucumber pots last spring so that it would get a sprinkling whenever I watered the cucumbers. Then it slipped my mind. 

A couple of days ago I noticed something red behind the larger pots. There was the cyclamen, blooming like mad but growing horizontally towards the light! I have rescued it and hope that it will soon recover and grow upright again. It's a marvellous splash of colour on these rather grey, late autumnal days.

Apple-Eating Dog

I know there's an apple in here somewhere.

Yaay! I found one!

Hmmm. It smells good...

...that's one tasty apple...

...no-one had better sneak up on me...

...swallow it down quickly...

...all gone! 

I'm sure there's an apple in here...

Self-Seeded Marigold

French Marigold

Plants always seem to grow best where they plant themselves. This French Marigold is growing in the join between the wall and the patio and is still blooming in November.

Decorating Candles

I'm going into my kitchen to decorate more candles for Christmas. Above are some I decorated earlier....

Beautiful Boletus

One boletus...

...three boletus! Or should that be boleti? 

I snapped this lovely single specimen and then the group while walking yesterday. They were all growing quite close together and, I presume, connected by the same mycelium below ground.

Fungi

After a dry, early autumn...  

...the fungi are  finally...

...putting in an appearance.

Seagull

Jonathan...

...Livingstone...

...Seagull?

He was certainly having fun riding the strong westerlies driving in from the wild Atlantic.

Sea Poetry

As if the Sea should part

And show a further Sea -

And that - a further - and the Three

But a presumption be -

Of Periods of Seas -

Unvisited of Shores -

Themselves the Verge of Seas to be -

Eternity - is Those -

'As if the Sea should part' by Emily Dickinson

Fireworks

"I don't like fireworks!"

It's that time of year again when Guy Fawkes lasts for at least a week. We have to make sure we get the walks in before the sun goes down - so early now BST is over. Explosions from back gardens and displays keep Jazz on tenterhooks and crossing her legs as she doesn't want to go out into the garden for a wee.

She finds a place as near to the centre of the house as possible. I can hear her whimpering now.... 

Accurate Forecast

Rain

It's dark and I can hear the rain falling outside, as forecast. 

Japanese Cherry

Japanese Cherry

Beautiful in Spring and beautiful in Autumn.

Japan Cherry Blossom Festival 2011