Tree Tuesday

This week we have a story tree from Nightjar and it’s a wonderful story of hope.

I was driving through an area that was badly affected by wildfires last year and stopped the car to quickly take this shot, because it shows the concept of “fire-adapted species” so well. Everything still looks horribly devastated. In the foreground there is a completely destroyed orchard, in the background a completely destroyed pine plantation. Trees are still standing, but they are dead. Except… there is a survivor! The cork oak tree is resprouting all over and will regenerate soon! That’s what cork is for, to insulate the trunk from high temperatures protecting its core during a fire. It’s one thing to know this in theory, but to see the advantage of this strategy so clearly was quite enlightening.

Cork tree, ©Nightjar, all rights reserved

Thanks so much for sharing, Nightjar. I think it’s amazing that any living thing can survive a forest fire. Nature is so endlessly fascinating.

Jack’s Walk

 

A welcome spot of colour, ©voyager, all rights reserved

It’s been raining since Saturday morning and all of Jack’s treasured snow is gone. In its place we have gloomy skies, stick-to-your-shoes mud and slippery decaying leaves. I did manage to find some colour in the neighbourhood, though. This is a burning bush from down the street and it just isn’t ready to drop its leaves yet. All the other burning bushes around it are bare, but this brave fellow wants to shine. It made me smile so I’m sharing.

Metal Magic – part 5

Kestrel finally reveals her finished piece of jewelery and it’s drop dead gorgeous. Before the unveiling, though, there’s still more work to do.

I’ve come a long way with this piece of metal and now it is finally even and thin enough that I can make a piece of jewelry out of it. So let’s get started. 

I’m going to use a nylon mallet for shaping. Here’s the beginning: 

©kestrel, all rights reserved

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Monday Mercurial: Hippos!

Hippos are just my favourite animal. We have a lot in common. For one we are both on the chubby side. And we like to chill out. And nobody fucks with a hippo. Ok I’m working on that last point. In short, hippos are awesome.

©Giliell, all rights reserved. Click for full size

hippo in water

©Giliell, all rights reserved. Click for full size

hippo

©Giliell, all rights reserved. Click for full size

hippo

©Giliell, all rights reserved. Click for full size

 

They’re also plain dangerous, so better watch from a safe distance.

Jack’s Walk

Early morning at the park. ©voyager, all rights reserved

The day started out a bit gloomy, but that wee spot of blue sky has grown and now the day is bright and beautiful. The temperature is even climbing and by tomorrow it’s supposed to be plus 5º C. That should melt all the snow and the world will turn brown and gray again, making it hard to see Jack on our evening walk. The boy disappears in the dark and so does his poop. At least when there’s a bit of snow I don’t have to get out my flashlight and wander around trying to find the poop somewhere amongst all the dried leaves. Snow is good that way…the poop pops and so does Jack. No flashlight required.

Ruheforst Mushrooms – part 5

Today we have the last of Avalus’ photos from the natural burial forest, ending fittingly with a view of the forest itself. These burial forests are not only natural, but also safe and life sustaining. They’re one of nature’s best ways of recycling and there’s a growing demand for this type of burial option. One of the other big benefits of natural burial is that it is much more cost effective than the traditional care offered by the funeral industry of today.

My thanks to Avalus for his wonderful tour. I’ve enjoyed walking through the forest with him and seeing the myriad of fungi that grow here.

A “Hexen-Röhrling” (lit: witches-boletes), probably a Rubroboletus rubrosanguineus. ©Avalus, all rights reserved

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Friday Feathers

Peafowl from Raucous Indignation.

Oh those colours!

Peacock

©Raucous Indignation , all rights reserved.Click for full size.

Peacock

©Raucous Indignation , all rights reserved.Click for full size.

peacock

©Raucous Indignation , all rights reserved.Click for full size.

peacock

My favourite one…
©Raucous Indignation , all rights reserved.Click for full size.

 

Ruheforst Mushrooms – part 4

A few more of the photos that Avalus took in the natural burial forest. The photos are all good, but the second one really speaks to me. It’s chock full of texture and the waves on the stump give it a nice sense of movement. Make sure to check back tomorrow for the last post of the series.

A tiny Giant in the forest. ©Avalus, all rights reserved

There is something fascinating about decaying wood. It gives life to many new things, nothing is really lost. ©Avalus, all rights reserved

Lots of pecked bulbs along the crack in the wood, but these two managed to avoid the birds. ©Avalus, all rights reserved

 

Jack’s Walk

I think the winter weather is here to stay. Today we’ve been getting intermittent bouts of snow with gusting winds and it’s a bit nasty. I even resorted to wearing my fuzzy hat with the ear flaps that makes me look like an ewok. It’s not a good look for me so instead I give you Jack who needs no earflaps because his are built in. I hope all of  you are finding ways to keep warm.

He’s been waiting for the snow, ©voyager, all rights reserved

Ruheforst Mushrooms – part 3

It’s another interesting mix of fungi photographed by Avalus in a natural burial cemetery.

It’s hard work pushing up. A still deadly false death cap pushing up. ©Avalus, all rights reserved

It’s the real Sluglife! Note the dry, dead mosses. They were like that in all the forest.

Proudly presented!©Avalus, all rights reserved

Iggi Pilz, a pun on Igelpilz (hedgehog shroom) and Iggy Pop. Don’t know why. ©Avalus, all rights reserved

You have a good eye, Avalus. So many different types of mushrooms! I’ll be sure to check back tomorrow to see what else you found.

 

Metal Magic – part 3

The next installment of kestrel’s magic making is here and there are tools to ogle.

 

It’s time to meet some of my favorite tools, the raising hammer and the planishing hammer. The faces on them are different shapes and that helps to shape the metal in different ways. The first one I’m going to use is the one on the left, the raising hammer. 

©kestrel, all rights reserved

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