The snow
The delightful powdery stuff that we had for a few days has gradually thawed and re-frozen a few times to turn into that weird combination of ice and slush that makes one realise that snow is not all it's cracked up to be. But there is more on the way according to the forecast and in the meantime it has brought the Long-tailed Tits back to the garden where, inter alia, Robin, Blackbird and Wren are in evidence and a Chaffinch passed through.
Flowers galore
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Nephew-who-floats-about-the-world
and his girlfriend called in for lunch last week and most welcome they
were. They brought with them an enormous
bunch of mixed flowers which are still all going strong over a week later.
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The
Sun Newspaper
It
is 24 years since the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 Liverpool football supporters
lost their lives when police forced them into an already over-crowded area of
the Sheffield Wednesday football ground and refused to let them out,
asphyxiating them. The lies that were
told over those years began the very next day when the Sun newspaper accused
the supporters of bringing about their own deaths through drunken and rowdy
behaviour. It was not until 2012 that it
was finally acknowledged by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons that
there had been a massive cover-up to hide the criminal incompetence of the
police. Twenty four long years of
fighting for justice, but the Sun has never been forgiven on Merseyside.
It is noticeable that on our local pillar box
(which isn’t even in Liverpool) the supporters of clearing the names of the 96
maintain their sticker campaign to ensure no one forgets or forgives the Sun.
And Fungi galore
On
one of our morning walks Partner-who-loves-tea spotted some fungi on a tree
stump. Further investigation revealed
three more species. At one time I would
have been able to name them straight off but for now I shall settle for naming
the first two and calling the others ‘the leathery one’ and ‘the pretty one’.
Trametes versicolor:-
Black
Bulgar (Bulgaria inquinans):-
The
leathery one:-
The
pretty one:-
Ivy Puss
“And
where is Ivy while all this snow is about?”, I hear you ask. Still confined to the house until she is neutered. So she is curled up in front of the fire with her favourite mouse that she carries all round the house. That is when she is not
climbing up things that ought not to be climbed up….
Oh, what a fortunate Ivy Kitty! All snug and warm, so much so that she forgets her MOUSE!!!
ReplyDeleteSo happy that you have beautiful flowers to greet you each morning. Doesn't it just lift you up?
I'm going to bypass the story of the football fans because it's just awful (although I like the idea that people do not forget!)
And the snowy fungi? Isn't nature and incredible thing? Amazing!
She is truly beautiful. I hear that when they are neutered or spayed they settle down and give up some of their rambunctious ways. As for the snow -- yes, it's pretty to look at, but after close to 15 years in Canada and Minnesota I have to say I do not miss it one bit! Shoveling a couple of feet out of the driveway before church many times (it would always drift in the driveway) and slipping and sliding when driving is just not for me. Can you imagine not seeing the grass for 3 months of the year? And imagine what color the snow is by the end of the three months. So I will enjoy your very pretty photographs and the ones my sister sends me from Toronto -- but photographs only please :)
ReplyDeleteI recall when we had a couple of months of snow in Liverpool in the 1960s - the days before pollution controls. It was pretty to start with and pretty black at the end. A few days is all I want, thanks.
DeleteSo agree about the snow - same here with 4 inches.A little more came down this afternoon but mostly ice now. Nice to see your garden and the flower colours are a beautiful contrast. Poor Pussy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Fungi and clever you knowing the names.
You have more snow than we do right now. I'll trade you some snow for the -27 temperature we have....
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.
No thanks - you can keep those ion Ontario, thanks! I don't think I've ever experienced - 27 (or -16C as it is in our measuring).
Deletebrr...is how I've been since the onset of December! I'm ready to be done with it. fat chance!
ReplyDeleteI would want people to remember such an awful cover-up of senseless death that it was.
I'm pleased to see Ivy. But having Ting act the way she does, I say there's no guarantee of Ivy's giving up climbing whatever she chooses because Ting was spayed before I adopted her, and she is remarkable for what she climbs up.
Your comment aboput Ting is NOT what I wanted to hear at the moment. I want soothing reassurance that she'll calm down and life will become vaguely normal again. But then again, I don't want her to be boring so I guess she'll have to have some awkward traits left!
DeleteI forgot to comment about your outdoor area. I think it's odd, that even with snow present, it looks inviting. and how lucky, flowers to cheer up any doldrums that grey skies can bring!
ReplyDeleteWeather is the topic of the day..it's very cold here and it's snowing too..not tons, just enough to bother everyone! I love fresh flowers, especially this time of year. Makes me itchy for Spring and Summer! We have many kinds of fungi in our woods. I don't have a clue of their names but they are interesting. We have a family member who has a doctorate in lichen. Needless to say, he's had a hard time finding work. Whenever I see him I'm always dieing to say "Hey, there's a fungus among us!"
ReplyDeleteI think lichen are the hardest things in natural history to identify so a Doctorate in Lichenology is impressive!!
DeleteLooking at Ivy curled up in front of the fire makes me want to do exactly the same! Maybe with a book instead of a mouse, but you get the idea.
ReplyDeleteFlowers are always much appreciated, but even more so when the world outside is largely monochrome.
What a lovely long post, all so interesting.
ReplyDeleteHave to say the cat has captured me though...
Thanks for the Ivy Puss update. Seems as if her mouse is faring far much better than Brownie's mouse, which is hardly recognizable anymore.
ReplyDeleteI always admire snowy scenes like your back yard, but the cold not so much.
The fungi are all pretty in their own interesting way.
Do like your appreciation of the simplest and most beautiful experiences life has to offer. Thanks Zeightguy
ReplyDelete