Celebrating gardens, photography and a creative life
On leaving the house, I usually glance up at Darwen moor to get an idea of what weather is heading our way. Last week, to my surprise, the trees below Darwen Tower were standing out white with hoar frost against the darker moorland. Intrigued, we changed our plans and made our way up the hill so we could witness the effect up close. Continue reading “Walking a Wintry Darwen Moor Through Hoar Frosted Birch Trees”
Several people have reached out to find out why I’m quiet online – thanks so much for that. We are fine, but I’m in picture-gathering mode than writing and reading. We recently parted company with our internet provider after many days without service, and are waiting for the new service to be connected in a week or so. (Fingers crossed!)
The wonderfully shaped and richly coloured heartwood is from a stock of timber prepared for use by a woodcrafting company. It is not often we get to see what’s inside the trees around us. Continue reading “Cross-section of Mature Tree Showing Heartwood”
Since finding the red and white toadstools, I’ve been keeping my eye open for unusual types of fungi and have discovered several on woodland walks. I can’t even hazard a guess at naming most of them, but this could be another fly agaric with its spots washed off. Continue reading “WalkingSquares: Toadstools”
While not a native tree, characterful flowers, leaves and seeds have made the horse chestnut tree so wildly grown that it is (or should be) part of every British childhood. Tough, spiky cases with an inner layer of padding protect large, polished chestnut-coloured seeds (conkers) while they form.
One of my memories of Autumn ’22 will be standing under the canopy of the biggest horse chestnut tree in Bold Venture Park to see if any fine conkers were left in the leaf litter underneath, a habit that dies hard. Better than that, I soon discovered, turn and turn about, conkers tippling their balance from unreadiness to ripeness in a decisive instant were slowly, heavily, falling around me. Continue reading “Seeds of The Horse Chestnut or Conker Tree (Aesculus hippocastanum)”
My sixth form friends and I enjoyed saying ‘horned beastie’ so we applied the description to anything that might qualify. It provoked the parachutes of laughter that rewarded the slightest of quips. Continue reading “Horned Beasties Of The Traditional Kind”
Becky has announced November will be a squares challenge month with the topic of walking, to encourage us all to get out in the fresh air. It’s wonderful to see her back.
I’m joining in with two pictures taken along a path that leads up to Darwen moor. Continue reading “Walking Squares: Stray Autumn Colour”
Susan Rushton 