I do try to keep my paws dry...

If only I were allowed in the Winter Gardens in Duthie Park...

...then I would not have to worry about getting my paws muddy and wet.

Although I can see one would need to be careful where to cock one's leg in the Arid House...

Happy Nature Friday!

PS After a frankly depressing week of near continuous rainfall (and yes, believe it or not, that is unusual here in NE Scotland, even in November) we are promised colder but brighter weather over the next few days. So Gail and I hope to bring you pictures of winter walkies under blue skies with sun sparkling on snow capped mountains for our next Nature Friday. Cross paws...

Post-walkies towel and growl

The unavoidable wet weather ritual.



And we've had far too much wet weather this month.

In praise of puppies with weak bladders.....

And no it's not just that they make us mature and 'reliable' types look good. Although that's true too.

Let me explain.

Last week Gail had to go to work on what's her normal day off, to attend a meeting about something called 'Glendronach' (but not the whisky apparently). It happened that one key participant in the meeting was puppy-sitting that day, his wife and children being away in Glasgow. So four month old Labrador Jack had been left in the back of this gentleman's pristine Land Rover Discovery while the meeting was taking place.

The meeting dragged on, as these affairs are prone to do. Gail says she could see Jack's owner looking increasingly twitchy, almost certainly anticipating his wife's reaction in the event of an 'accident' in the Discovery. Eventually, the discussion paused for a nanosecond, and Jack's owner butted in, his voice sounding on the surface calm and decisive, but with undertones of panic: "Thank you everyone, that was a very useful session and I think we can now bring the meeting to a close. We'll convene again next week."

Which meant that Gail was home earlier than would otherwise have been the case, even before it was dark, and so I was treated to an extra walk around the park.

THANK YOU JACK!

Fungi and ferns on Nature Friday

Once again, I'm delighted to be taking part in the Nature Friday blog hop, as ever hosted by my dear friends Arty, Jakey and Rosy. 

Today we are going to focus on mushrooms.

Just before my discovery of Dark Matter (see Monday's post), I had enjoyed a romp around the pinewoods at the base of Scolty Hill.

We've endured an uncommonly wet autumn here in NE Scotland, which means that the fungi at least have been having a ball. (Gail has banned me from using fungi/fun guy puns in this post...)

Allow me to introduce you to some of the many different species still popping up amid the ferns and mosses, under the dark forest canopy.

Let's see, what do we have here?

I do believe these are Angel's Wings. Gosh, there must be a lot of grounded cherubs around at the moment...

Oh and look, here's some Yellow Stagshorn, providing a welcome burst of colour in gloomy November.

And these next ones are, we believe, Velvet Shanks, an edible species, although Gail says we would need to check the identification very carefully before trying them for supper, as there is a similar-looking, but very poisonous type of mushroom.

Less attractive in shape and colour, we have Common Funnel mushrooms, which are, er guess what, common, and also funnel shaped (kind of).

And finally, a top a mossy boulder, we spotted these dainty wee things sprouting among the pine needles.

Lest you imagine that Gail and I have become overnight experts in different types of fungus, we must 'fess up right away and admit that our nice friend Carol, budding mushroom-ologist (or whatever the right word is) helped out with the identification. And if anyone thinks they know the names of the little and skinny stemmed ones above, please leave a comment.

Meanwhile, I have some important sniffing work to do...