moon over

The full moon this evening rising over Trecombe woods. This little cottage is between Downhouse and Upcott and has appeared on this blog before (see link).

snowy waxcaps

not snowy but damp enough for these common and edible mushrooms to appear in our paddock. Unfortunately, as always seems to be the case, another mushroom Ivory Funnel, grows in much the same places and is similar but extremely poisonous, so we won't be having them for breakfast.

floodtime

the turbulent Tamar at Horsebridge today. It is already breaking its banks and if it rains as much as is forecast tonight it will flood tomorrow. It is a powerful force when in spate.

larchmaggedon

This is a view I never wanted to see. Our village was surrounded by conifer plantations and mixed deciduous woods. Suddenly we have a new view of the village through the woods especially at night driving home. This is because the larch trees have been cut down. They are the host of a fungus, phytophthorum ramorum (see link), that has suddenly become rampant and is killing trees. It is a threat to our native oak, and the removal of larch is part of a scorched earth policy to prevent its spread. Unfortunately we are also at the beginning of an epidemic of fungal disease in our ash trees. We have lost 90% of all our elms, and there are threats to horse chestnuts and other trees (see link). Perhaps mother Earth is trying to shrug us off, or maybe we should stop importing all foreign plant species just to make money.

Venterdon

a panoramic view of the village of Venterdon, looking North, with Spot's house behind the big cedar tree in the middle. And just for a bit of colour, a bird's eye view of our Rowan tree.

redwings

and in sight of the Temple a flock of gregarious redwings, winter visitors from Scandinavia and other colder climes. They have  red flashes on their sides and a distinctive creamy streak above the eye.