A Yayoi Kusama grasshopper!

I haven’t posted for a while as I’ve been away travelling in coastal BC in Canada. Searching for venerable trees in the old growth forests, I came across this story about the Douglas Fir, and how the tree rescued some mice from a forest fire naturekidsbc.ca/douglas-fir-...
#tree #forest

Just finished reading this and can highly recommend. Beautifully written with an economy of words that feels exactly right for the landscape and story. We went to hear James Rebanks talk about the book, with his wife Helen (also a wonderful writer). Loved that he called the young birds duck chicks.

This magnificent and atmospheric painting of Birkness Combe by Bill Peascod (a renowned climber as well as a painter) was sold at auction in Cumbria this week, to raise funds for The Mountain Heritage Trust. Outside my price range, sadly. #Cumbria
www.mountain-heritage.org/blog/julian-...

This is an old T-shirt belonging to my husband and feels pretty definitive about the correct plural in a mathematical context.

Our corner of Cumbria was looking particularly beautiful today. Walking is much more enjoyable after the bracken has died down a bit.

As it’s Halloween, here are a couple of splendid pumpkins from Yayoi Kusama.

Conservation job opportunity in my neck of the woods. It is very special to see the work being done by the Eden Rivers Trust and a dedicated band of volunteers to re establish water voles in our local waterways.
www.edenriverstrust.org.uk/conservation...

If you are driving up or down the A1 over the next few days, the two mile long avenue of lime trees at Clumber Park (National Trust) near Worksop is at its magnificent golden leaved autumn best. Well worth the short detour. Even some sunshine today too, in between the rain squalls.

Something I have always wanted to do. Made my first thrown clay pot on a wheel, and it is every bit as satisfying as I imagined it would be.

Spotted today in London. I think all diversion signs should have a cat.

I missed this - last week, Sir David Attenborough was awarded the Rothschild medal by the UK’s Wildlife Trusts, in recognition for his support, over more than 60 years, for the Trusts’ conservation work. The splendid celebration cake, complete with sugar icing badger, deserves a special mention 🧪

Here’s Laon cathedral.

A hat tip to the amazing mountain rescue teams here in Cumbria. The Wasdale team was out in these conditions in the small hours of this morning (and yes, the weather can be this bad in August in the Lake District). Walking party in trouble thankfully all found and now safe. www.wmrt.org.uk

Rediscovered a beautiful flower today that I haven’t seen for a long time, in a boggy area of the Lakeland fells. Marsh grass of Parnassus - what a name. Allegedly the cattle on Mount Parnassus in Greece rather liked eating it. And it’s the county flower of Cumberland (the old county name).

Happy 98th birthday to Sir David Attenborough, patron and passionate supporter of so many wild conservation organisations. The lovely photo here is from Butterfly Conservation UK; Sir David is their president. 🧪

Hebrides, Scotland