Fungus for Free?

At this time of year fungi are appearing everywhere in the moist autumn woodlands and grass. These are just one type that have sprouted in a corner of our garden. Over the past year or so we have seeded various areas in both the allotment and garden with spores from mushrooms in the hope that some would decide the conditions were just right for them!
So do we eat them? Although I have consulted the excellent Food For Free by Richard Mabey I am just not confident enough to tuck in!!

Changing the Clocks

It is the time of year when the clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in - I was led to believe that I would not be seeing the bees until Spring, they would be in the hive huddled up against the winter weather. And yet on this November day there they are ,out and about, bringing in loads of pollen! As you stand near the hive the smell of honey is noticeable and I cannot heft (lift) it off the stand. A good sign- plenty of stores to keep them going!

We have noticed how this year is a 'mast' year in which the trees and shrubs have produced a bumper crop of berries- does this mean, as the old wives say, that it will be a hard winter? Who knows? There have already been more records this year of Waxwing arriving on our shores from Scandinavia than all of last year. This usually happens when the weather has turned severe and there have been strong easterly winds.

And yet today the temperature was around 15 degrees at lunchtime!