Thursday Thoughts – Once Every 20th Year

Christmas time is family time – and this Christmas of 2018 was a remarkable one.

The day before Christmas Eve we woke up to a completely white landscape. This might occur every 20th year or something. A white Christmas. I cannot remember when this happened last…but we were very grateful.

Two days of splendid winter wonderland. And walking with the whole family is not something granted every day.

When the sun revealed a blue sky –

Photo for the Week – 21 – Trees

https://ryanphotography.uk/2018/12/10/photo-for-the-week-21-trees/

Bren, at Ryan photography, invites us to a tree treat this week – cannot miss out on that… Trees are so close to my heart.

 

 

Botanizing Again – BioBlitz

June 9 we had the annual  BioBlitz, according to Wikipedia: ”… an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period (e.g., usually 24 hours). There is a public component to many BioBlitzes, with the goal of getting the public interested in biodiversity.

In the header, the most spectacular find according to me: the Buff-tip, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff-tip, an extraordinary moth looking exactly like a twig when resting. Very exciting this day out with the group again!

We met this sunny morning – tolerably hot before noon – with loaded cameras and water bottles. Our leaders always on the alert – and all the others learning and marveling at their profound knowledge. There are really no questions they cannot answer. Invited specialists were also here, but the poor mushroom man did not have much to do. The dry spring and summer hasn’t left many detectable species.

Recording. After giving their consent to use forests and farmland, the land owners were also invited to join us this day. They were very helpful in showing special habitats.

Once again – this nature’s wonder! The end of an interesting day – I guess we all returned home with happy hearts and a package of new knowledge.