'F' words

It's not what you're thinking. 

(Actually it is, but this is neither the time nor the place, so you'll have to be patient and hope that some day, one day, I will Find the words to explain)

OK, enough of the cryptic crypticalness.

Our Lass and I decided to have a Foray to The Lodge, aka RSPB headquarters, at Sandy today. The principal reason was to purchase more bird Food to satiate the ravening hordes of birdage (which sadly doesn't include Ravens) that visit the garden of Tense Towers.

On arrival at said centre of ornithological administration, we discovered that they were holding a Christmas Fayre and the place was... I believe the current phrase is... 'rammed'. 

Dodging Santa, his elves, the great and the good (plus, presumably, the less than great and the downright abominable), we nipped into the shop, purchased sunflower hearts, peanuts, wrapping paper and cards, before hastily beating a retreat to the safety of the reserve itself.

It was like stepping into another world. No throng, no maddening crowd, just an Autumnal scent, the occasional 'chacking' of a Fieldfare and the sumptuous yellows of Birch and Oak leaves.

[Sigh]

And then Our Lass started to discover Fungi.

Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria - Found in Birch woodland and on heaths. Most definitely poisonous.

Not a clue what this is. It was about 3cm tall and nestled in a gap between clumps of Heather on the heath...

that it shared with any number of lichen species, including this one From the genus Cladonia.

The RSPB are rather good at standing dead wood. A much overlooked habitat For all manner of invertebrates and Folk of an artistic nature. Herself spotted that this one looked like a hand and arm.

Honestly, it's enough to make you swear.