Day Out Wednesday wander.

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saxonaxe

Nomad
Sep 29, 2018
481
1,131
79
SW Wales
Taking advantage of 13 degrees C and and warm sunshine, I left home before midday. Quite interested to see the results of much buzzing of Chain Saws in the woods, broken only briefly by the seasonal holiday.
There is a lot of Ash Die Back disease clearly obvious in the local wood and a lot of effort is being made to fell and clear the infected trees before nesting time begins.
This is a victim about 100 metres from my back door...

The Felling does open up new areas and different views in the wood though and I noticed the strange twisted shapes of Ivy on trees now easily seen.




I wonder why the Ivy twisted and turned into those torturous shapes when it could have grown straight up the trunk?
The Ferns here have rooted in the Moss on the bough of this big Beech Tree, and Ivy grows like a plaited Cable up the main trunk.



A short distance away is a great Beech which fell about a year ago. She was uprooted in an early Spring gale and in falling knocked another younger Beech down, leaving it's roots torn from the earth.
I noticed that the Bracket Fungus which was growing on the big Beech still thrives on the broken stump.



The Fungi growing on the broken section of trunk have sprouted new growth and it seems that Mother Nature does not care for Bracket Fungi which do not obey her rules and grow horizontally, so she has turned the new young growth through 90 degrees. The new pale growth is horizontal on the old growth if you look carefully.



Across the old stone bridge and into the Pine Woods which overlook the Lake.

It's muddy underfoot until I get amongst the Pines where the ground is a soft carpet of fallen Needles. It's very warm here, although a quick view to the South West shows possible showers on the way, so grub time and rig the Poncho, just in case this Spring like day plays tricks.



I confess I'm not a real Bush Crafter, no 3 ton Iron Skillet or 5 course meal I'm afraid. It's Tomato Soup from a packet, dry bread and a chocolate biscuit is todays fare.

The Kelly Kettle allows an easily controlled fire and there's plenty of dry standing Fir wood here.


Today's wander allowed me the chance to try a new present from my Son. Polished Ram's Horn on Hazel. He had it made by a friend of his who lives in the Fell Country.

I struggle to get xl size gloves on and had been moaning about the scrawny grips on walking sticks I've been obliged to use over the past year, so he had one made for me.


I managed to injure my legs in November 2020 and the progression has been, rigid Leg Braces and Crutches, through adjustable Leg Braces and Elbow Crutches, two walking sticks and now just one walking stick for 'Off Road' use...:laugh: So I know about scrawney hand grips on walking sticks...:laugh: :laugh:

Food and tea finished and the shadows are getting longer, time to go.

Cleared away, the log 'seat' was in situ already courtesy of some long past Gale.


Back to the Felling area, the Winter Heliotrope is in flower here and a fallen tree has at least two, or perhaps one Fungi in different stages of growth.





The felled trees all bear the Surveyor's Red mark of doom :frown:



But the cycle of life goes on and where the diseased and old fall, new life begins.

:thumbsup:
 

Van-Wild

Full Member
Feb 17, 2018
1,400
1,222
44
UK
Beautiful wander and thank you for taking the time to write in a way that felt like I was with you.

Your new walking stick looks stout, fit for many more years of meandering. I hope your legs don't give you too much trouble as they get stronger.

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Once again, a delight to see what you see. I'd call this "poking around in the woods." What I see is a change in the flora of the understory when openings in the canopy of shade and high humidity has been removed.

Of course, our coniferous forests are really quite "patchy" but large harvested areas, wide open, will go through a predictable series of plant community stages.

My canes have simple mortice and tenon 'T' tops, the handles are 4 cm (approx) in diameter x 20 cm long to be comfortable to lean on (my sense of balance is wrecked.) They easily load to 30 kg without flexing ( diamond willow).
 
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