Fungi 2

 Saw this on Thorne Moors last week. I think it is a Fly Agaric, which is poisonous. It looks it.

Parasol

I like the idea of collecting fungi from the forest in the autumn. But I am never confident enough to risk picking any, let alone eat them. I saw these parasol fungi in the North York Moors. You can eat them apparantly - I let them be.

TSE

Just digging around for some old favourites. Taken in 1986 at Moscow Station on a Monday morning. I was about to board the Trans Siberian Express, end point Kharvarosk on the China Sea, reached the following Sunday. Great Trip.

Back live, friends Paul and Kelly came to stay last week, complete with Barnaby the dog. Nice to catch up.

Cannes

Taken at the Cannes Film Festival in 1982 at the competition screening of Werner Herzog's Fitzcaraldo. I was there with Gurmeet, a disabled man who managed to blag his way into anywhere. So he and I are in the right hand of this shot I took in a mirror before the screening. Within five years he had managed to get his own movie made starring Faye Dunaway and the bloke out of Gregory's Girl - not bad going.

Geese

Had a good walk on Thorne Moors this week; got totally soaked but it was worth it. A lot of geese activity as wintering birds arrived (I think), Marsh Harriers patrolling, red deer scurrying.

Wedding

Cousin Gill's son Adam got married to Catherine last week. Great that my Auntie Alison got to be there too.

Off Road

Edward and I went an off road ride last week, on a loop route to the bridle way that is used as the course for the Kiplingcotes Derby, the oldest horse race in England. We had a great ride. It is rare that I have a photograph of me on the bike, so here it is.

Sheep

I do like this sculpture of sheep droving in the City. So I persuaded Rowan to take me in front of it. Milo famously barked at an abstract sculpture of sheep in the Dales, so this would have driven in nuts.

Tour de France

I went down to see Rowan and watch the final time trial stage of the Tour de France in her local hipster cycle cafe Look Mum No Hands (vegan bugers, IPA, oatmilk late etc). We also had a great walk around her locale. It was a lovely day - and the cycling provided the greatest TdF finish since 1989. 

Hatfield Fire

Hatfield Moors had a bad wildfire this May. It is amazing how quickly nature recovers and bursts through the charred blackness to cloak it all in green again. Not this tree though which stares across the moor in burnt monochrome.

Harvest

The Tomato Harvest continues, although the end is in sight. Been a good crop this year, always gets a bit chaotic by this time of year but they still taste good.

Pond News

The volunteers who look after the pond, have managed to get hold of some old station type benches. Danielle and Layla pose for me by one of the benches.

The Restart

 I had my first post-Covid portrait session on Sunday: it went well, distancing not a problem.

Meantime here is Layla in Needle Eye wood in the North York Moors.

North York Moors

I took this shot on the North York Moors the other week. I like the low angle and the brooding sky.

Had some people round for a SD glass of wine in the garden the other day, we'd met them through the dogs. Layla and their dog Juno play for as long as you give them. 

Otter

I took Danielle to walk on Thorne Moors for the first time. Fair to say she is not quite so bowled over by it as I am, but we had a good walk on a great sunny day. We saw an otter on the path, that Layla then got a scent of and tried to follow. Later on there were a number of red deer hopping around the path ahead of us.

Then when we got home this young Sparrowhawk was in the tree outside the kitchen. My guess it she had just had a meal of Goldfinch and was digesting.

Hatfield and the North

This week I was walking on Hatfield Moors with the dog. This is the part of Humberhead that is usually less interesting from a bird watching point of view - the Cranes and Hobbies I have seen have been on neighbouring Thorne Moors. This week though I was surprised when I saw a Great White Heron (aka Great White Egret) fly imperiously across the moor in front of me. It was magnificent, unexpected and a great sight. According to the RSPB there are only 35 in the country. So I checked I had got it right and I had. 

There were plenty of geese on the ten acre lake at Hatfield, when they all took off at once the sound was something to behold.

Vacation News

Rowan was on holiday on the Greek island of Santorini with a couple of friends. A significant lack of tourists mean she enjoyed it a lot.

After Life

We had friends Adrian and Cathy round to socially distance watch a film - the brilliant Japanese film After Life by the director of Shoplifters. A great film.

This photo is from our walk on the Wolds last week - one of my favourite ash trees at Huggate Wold.
 

Mexican Standoff

 

Layla and the Highland Cattle. Showing off her newly cropped coat Layla was fascinated by the beast which responded with some great cattle noises.

Crowle Moor

Crowle Moor is next to Thorne Moor, and has a slightly different feel to it. This shot captures it, I hope.

I saw a Marsh Harrier when I visited this week.

 

Heather

The heather is out on Strensall Common. Layla very pleased that the recent rain has replenished the ponds and puddles.

Flying Kites

The Red Kites were pretty amazing in the Wolds, these three were doing beautiful un-synchronised soaring.

 

Wolds walk.

Danielle and I went a walk in the Wolds on Bank Holiday Monday (we had the valley to ourselves). A truly beautiful morning (felt like autumn mind). Layla had a great deer chase across the slack.

24 Years

 Married 24 year today. We had a meal in and a bottle of Amarone, very pleasant.

We miss my Mother, both Danielle's parents and my Uncle Geoff who have all passed away since our wedding day. Very glad that we saw Great Aunt Maxine in January this year, and are in regular touch with Auntie Alison.