Tinder and puddocks.

[Goatboy]

Out for a daunder with my friends dog yesterday and I wanted to gather some tinder as the thistles are almost in full downy flow at the moment.
One of the wee roads ahind the house has a bank of thistles on the burn side, though weirdly not too many on the other, though this is made up for with some cracking patches of raspberries and the odd sloe tree.

Have often thought that if not careful one spark could set the whole right bank alight, thistle down catches sparks from a steel and flint really well and there's more than enough to keep me going, and some other chums.

With just the flint wheel from a lighter I was able to get this clump to ignite.

Around here we have a large population of slugs and snails. The thrushes have a great time with them and it's fun to watch one using an anvil stone. This wee chap was hiding out in the undergrowth.

With around 400 odd types of bramble kicking 'round the country side I've never gotten around to trying to differentiate atween them but this particular one has very sharply formed leaves and huge robust stems.

Next up was some yellow vetch, not really keen on the yellow species taste wise. Will stick to the sweeter purple climber.

A little further along there were some nipplewort (Lapsana communis), I always think that it looks like someone has taken pinking shears to the petals. Pretty little things and the leaves are nice in salads or can be cooked like spinach.

My final little find of the day was a wee puddock. I like these little fellas and 'round here we can hardly walk in a straight line sometimes when they come out en masse on a rainy night. He was sitting quite un-fazed by me or the dog; who ignored him straight back.

He'd been through the thistle down too as there was some sticking to him.

Hope you'll excuse the pictures, always feel a bit inadequate when I see some of the results of the folks on here. It's a wee pocket digital Canon camera but the quality is pretty good for a little point and shoot.

Grand wee walk, dog was happy and I had a couple of bags of tinder to add to the collection to see me through another year.

Cheers for looking and hopefully more soon.

GB.

 

[Toddy]

That looks like a good walk Interesting, and full of potential, and toads are always fun to spot
Thon bramble's a BRAMBLE and a half, isn't it ? What does it taste like though ?

I'm sat here at peace with the world, I've finished sewing the blasted redcoats and they're away to Inverness for the Tattoo this weekend, and I'm in the notion for a wee walk myself now

Thanks Colin

M

 

[Goatboy]

It's been lurking in the hedge for about two years now and hasn't produced any fruit 'till this year. They're not ready yet but will report back when they do. None of the other brambles in the area look anything like it, as you say a beast though, would make excellent living barbed wire.

Glad you've finally finished the redcoats, that's been a Herculean labour that. I think a gentle daunder about and no housework to give your wee fingers a rest are in order. .

Have a good weekend Mary.

 

[Mesquite]

Not sure if it's just me the pictures aren't showing for or are other folks having the same problem?

 

[Dreadhead]

love these wee reports mate, cracking pictures too!

 

[rorymax]

No pictures showing for me

 

[Goatboy]

Hmm. Using Picasa and they're showing on my 'puter and phone. Will have another go tomorrow with another photo system.
Cheers for the possitive comments from those who can see them.
It's fairly rich and diverse country for the altitude. All that was in the space of a few hundred yards before my batteries gave out on the camera. Sorry to those who can't see them, I quite like Picasa as it's usually easy to use though it's now Google Pictures online and the change may be the problem.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Harvestman]

No pictures here either.

 

[Drain Bamaged]

Well I would hope the Brambles taste nice, judging by them thorns you're gonna have to work for them.

DB

 

[mowerman]

Great pictures viewed on my android tablet. I really should take more notice when I am out.
It's more about the journey than the destination

 

[Goatboy]

Great pictures viewed on my android tablet. I really should take more notice when I am out.
It's more about the journey than the destination

I agree completely, more often than not my walks have no destination in mind, I'm out for the wander. Even when I was a more serious hillwalker I often didn't have summits in mind, would either find a contour and follow it or just amble 'round the hills seeing what I could see.

 

[Honest Outrage]

For a 'point and shoot' you have some awesome pictures there. Very nice.

 

[Goatboy]

Cheers Honest Outrage. Though when you look at the folks entering the competitions there's a huge difference, still it's nice to document what you see when out for a walk.

 

[Harvestman]

I can see the pics now, and they were worth waiting for. Nice little collection, and nothing wrong with your photography. All I get is toads round here. No frogs seen at all.

 

[redneck]

Great pictures there. I can never understand why anybody says nipplewort is a lovely salad plant, I find it incredibly bitter, as a matter of fact I tried it again yesterday and had to spit it out.

 

[Goatboy]

Great pictures there. I can never understand why anybody says nipplewort is a lovely salad plant, I find it incredibly bitter, as a matter of fact I tried it again yesterday and had to spit it out.

I only use a sprinkling of it. A few leaves in a bowl that way it doesn't overpower the rest. A splash of balsamic vinegar helps to sweeten it up. A Welsh mate used to put sugar and vinegar of lettuce which I found strange at first but it's quite nice. He said it was traditional where he grew up.

Cheers for all the kind comments about the pictures. I do like having the camera in the pocket, that or my loupe, makes me pay closer attention to the wee things. The wee puddocks are cute, I really should learn more about anphibians, but think I'll get sucked into it if I do. Many years ago I got kind of obsessed by worms and mosses and spent endless hours with my face inches away from damp rocks.


Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.