SLOW WORM AND MACRO BEECH

It's been a terrible year for reptile spotting here, with only one Adder and one Lizard until Wednesday, when this pretty Slow Worm decided to have a rest on the path next to the garden gate. The light was very low and so the pictures don't show the brassy sheen it had. I nearly missed out capturing it as I had no camera and the dogs so I bundled them into the car and sprinted back to the house. A few seconds after taking these, it had slithered off under the fence into our neighbour's garden. 

Yesterday, feeling somewhat down about the constant and blanket-like mist, I decided to go and visit some beech trees where I've previously seen a fabulous variety of fungi instead of striking out in the low visibility of the higher bits of moor. If the moor were a sea, these trees would be on the fringe of a cove and where we live would be a peninsula. They all droop low onto the ground, some touching it and provide some shelter for livestock when it's particularly inclement up here, which it often is. 

In the absence of those many fungi I mentioned, it clearly being too early in the year, I decided to just photograph the trees close up and what I found underneath. The light was very poor so apologies for some graininess in the the very close up ones.

These strange, pearl-like fungi were absolutely tiny

These next ones were on the wall underneath the trees

I didn't kick this puffball; no idea which species it is I'm afraid. Massive knowledge void when it comes to Fungi

Bit of a dodgy shot from the other direction with Jack for a sense of scale

The sun came out this afternoon which was very exciting; I feel like everything's been out of focus for days in the mist. It almost dried some washing but not quite. It all has to be hung up again inside before eventually being put away. I'm boring myself now - sorry. Time to try and persuade OB and his friend who is staying tonight that it would be a good idea to get ready for bed. They're out in the garden in the dark whittling arrows. Penknives in the dark? Hmmmm. Until next time, here's Trigger, who is sprouting his winter coat and Jack basking in today's sunshine. Have a lovely weekend all of you, wherever you are. Thanks for following; I really do appreciate it!

BITS AND PIECES 7

For the past few days, despite the forecasters speaking of mini heatwaves, we have been shrouded in mist until just before dusk, when the sky clears for a few hours until the mist descends again. We wake in Autumn, retire in summer again.

The building of the scaffolding tower went well and the gutter is clear, if in need of fixing properly, which is the next task. I'm not going to include a picture of scaffolding so here are the birds who are pretty miffed at having had their feeding station moved, though not as miffed as I was to find half my hardy geraniums dug out so as to accommodate the mighty tower. Hmmm. Most were taken in the mist or rain, hence slight blurriness - sorry.

One of the young Great Tits

If Chaffinches did vanity, this one would be very upset about this picture

I like the raindrops bouncing off her back here

One of the young Blue Tits

A fraction of the Sparrow flock

Seeing off a Chaffinch

That Chaffinch is not scared of Sparrows

My hoop

Foal B - it's been a while since I saw any of those early foals

I remember thinking I would remember this one because of its tiny white hind socks

Fungi have started appearing, not in huge numbers yet, but lovely to see. I have no idea what they are. I wish I did. The only certain one is the second: the ubiquitous Dung Fungus. Nice. 

I spotted some of these lovely red flowering lichen yesterday. They are absolutely TINY. Cladonia Bellidiflora I think.

Yesterday the moor looked like this:

Today, like this:

Much nicer. 

Flying dog:

A tree nearby has fallen over the stream and I was able to get close to the fabulous lichens growing on the twigs and branches.

I'm sitting here cursing as the digital TV signal keeps dropping out as I try and watch the Great British Bake Off. The tea-loaves have gone but I can still hear them talking....no - lost the sound too now. Grrrr. What was wrong with an analogue signal? 

Until next time, here are two pictures I found on a CD which I think you may like. Why did I ever think Snippet was going to be short haired? He was three months old here and had been with us for a week.