Gone potty? Plants gardens and lawns .

[JayCS]

Nothing managing to get buried here, but snow did visit us for a few days....
It still bent over some plants that I freed.
But together with the wind damaged the lilac tree. Strangely a branch that seemed safe.
But a warning cos there's a lot of "turkey tail" and other fungus on it.
I can hardly move cos of catching "sort of CoV", but couldn't resist using all the tricks of slow effective movements, to saw the branch off before the poor thing is harmed more.
Up top I had a wonderful new view on the moss and some of the turkey tail, couldn't resist that either, just enjoying (while resting) and taking a few pics.
In German it's called "butterfly trametes".
Looking up what it's called in English I saw health recommendations on healthline etc.
So maybe I should start a turkey tail farm...
Beautiful things, but I'm happy for them to stay on trees.
No thinking if they'd start growing on our feet, what with our immune systems.

Some crocuses opened up completely now...

Last but one picture is my Mystery of the Month. What the heck was that very long 3'' broad line in the snow with a clearly defined start, finish and sides. There's only paving stones under. Maybe Patrick Star?

While I'm at it I'll end on my last Mystery, which I now believe is resin from the cherry tree, and not a dangerous yucky blob from Outer Space, even tho it was 2'' long....

 

[Harpy]

Oh no, you didn’t get sort of covid? Hope your ok.
Beautiful photos. What is turkey tail? The moss looks great, wish I could grow it here. Too dry. Your garden is definitely a magic garden.
That blob reminds me of the old movie ‘ the blob’ watched it as a young teenager and scared the heck out of me.
But your mystery trail is kinda cool. Wonder what it was/is. Could it be a mole or vole ?
We had rain here last night and all day today. So my hanging baskets will be happy.
Didn’t do much today me feet are not playing nice.
I had my 1 yo grandson today and boy oh boy he’s a worry. Everything goes quiet. Ma ma I hear, ( he can’t say ganma yet) I go to him and he is standing on the kitchen table with the biggest grin.
He is such a happy bub and a great distraction from myself.

 

[cookiebaker]

@JayCS - that is bracket fungi, and yes, they do kind of look like turkey tails, LOL
they are often called 'shelf mushrooms' here, and yes, they grow mostly on rotting wood.

 

[johnsalmon]

had my grandson come up and organise my back garden - he is a horticulturalist and was given the draft for a garden that means we don't need to bend down don't need to lift etc ie a disability garden. He came up with a pot garden - tall ones on the ground and shorter ones on raised 'decking' dug out the grass and put artificial turf down in the smaller house yard. My partner has problems walking etc so plenty of open space I have problems bending ( tend to tip over and I have spinal problems and with the fibromyalgia I cannot lift any weights) We have not planted it out yet I expect we will move into a drought with a el nino on the forecast. So will take time to work out what to plant etc. The rest of the yard big for in town is looked after by my my mower man and I had planted old fashion roses several years ago which are now good size shrub roses and flower almost on a continuous basis. Also have a larger mulberry tree which provides us and next door with good fruit. A lemon tree, mandarin and grapefruit fill out the rest of the fruit trees I miss mowing on the sit on mower ( I also miss my tractor at the old farm- every man has to have a tractor)
I love gardening I had beautiful garden at the first farm my second farm was hit b y drought and the rivulet did not provide enough water for both sheep and gardens Nowadays the problems of age make it harder to even potter around the garden

 

[Auriel]

Jay did the sparrowhawk attack the dunnock, or had it already gone? Also, what happened to the magpie (I think I missed a bit), I like squirrels they're cute I'm gonna be hopping on forum now and again, not back fully yet

 

[Auriel]

I thought i "was" actually looking at a mushroom at one point cookie (but I wasn't in full light, so )

 

[JayCS]

@JayCS - that is bracket fungi, and yes, they do kind of look like turkey tails, LOL
they are often called 'shelf mushrooms' here, and yes, they grow mostly on rotting wood.

Ah, thanks for filling me in on another name!
"Turkey tail" is the name for specifically trametes versicolor, as mine seem to be that multi-coloured form of bracket fungus. Or would you specify differently?

 

[JayCS]

Jay did the sparrowhawk attack the dunnock, or had it already gone? Also, what happened to the magpie (I think I missed a bit), I like squirrels they're cute I'm gonna be hopping on forum now and again, not back fully yet

Ah, an off and on relationship is good for a start...

Ah, do you really wanna know? I don't, I don't think.... She didn't tell me, I didn't ask, I just heard my wife groaning from the other end: Oh no, I can't believe it. Me: What? She: Oh nooo.... So I went to have a look - thankfully my mindfulness stopped me sinking in too deep and allowed me to watch thru binoculars for a time and try to find out what was what.
But thinking about it: it'll have been an attack, just don't know if my wife saw it or not.

Might not have mentioned the magpie being MIA/AWOL before, dunno. He'd been away for 2-3 days before, so this time I wasn't worried like my wife was. But that then turned straight into dismay after 6 days where I gave up hope. No feathers flying around anywhere round our garden, but he hung out around quite a few gardens in the neighbourhood, in a fir tree 2 gardens away, or on a small house in neighbour's garden. However only realistic hope'd be if he'd crashed and someone'd taken him in. No more watching out not to disturb him whacking away at 'his' dumpling, in splits with one foot on the dumpling-net and one on the old wooden balcony parapet, and his dove mates waiting below or near him, picking up the pieces, and "friendlily"(?) taking turns on the food bucket. I was always scared he'd get caught up in the net of the dumpling, but no other presentation attracted his attention. He always loved mucking up our waste basket and the food bucket, and lots else, till I secured most things he found, and left some things specifically as toys, pointing me to things I didn't even know existed.... - that's one of his legacies. But the dumplings in nets were his favourite toys to use his energy on, and praps frustration that his wings didn't let him fly. Reminds me of the "A chick called Albert" quail video, where the guy tries out if his crow could fly with peacock wings, which only worked a little....
Well that was him. Or was it? I saw him flying towards our balcony today, my heart leaped with joy. Then it turned out to be one of our many wood pigeons. But the pigeons still have hardly come back, and when they do, they're much more scared, altho we are as careful with movements as can be. Only when magpie AND pigeon where there regularly together, did they pluck up more and more courage, so we could move up close without them flying away. Even when they were alone. It's as if the pigeons now think it was us. If only we could talk. Hoping once they need more food for their broods they'll catch on. Like magpies I've realized they're much better than their reputation.

So all the better the squirrel's now there for when we no longer have to each keep to "our" rooms and can see. Once my wife's got over her CoV she can work again at last, that'll free us both.

 

[JayCS]

Oh no, you didn’t get sort of covid? Hope your ok.

Yup. And nope, not at all.... My wife full blast, but improving. Me more than full blast symptoms, changing, but not improving, but still testing negative. So low viral load and we're keeping separated to keep it that way.
That's the way the champion league has to play the game - we know the rules.
Keeping the meltdown in check further as much as possible, after the year long preparation with drastic measures: knowingly taking on the 3 jabs despite them doubling my problems, knowing pretty well a full meltdown would be much worse. My wife was so doubting about each of my jabs, but is now so relieved 'we' did 'em.
Like going to get myself hit in the belly to deliberately - maybe permanently - injure one organ after another for my own good... and coming back for more... and more... . Well the rules of this type of boxing is, I'm still in lying floored in the ring, as long as I keep at least one shoulder off of the floor. But I will never never allow even one shoulder to be down for 10 seconds, so the referee isn't ever gonna get a chance. He actually never turned up to the fight, cos he knows he hasn't got the least chance against me, he gets the shivers when he sees me from afar . A mate said I come across like a person 20 years older than I am sparkling like someone 20 years younger than I am. Reminded me a bit of Geriatrix if you know your Asterix comix .

Beautiful photos. What is turkey tail? The moss looks great, wish I could grow it here. Too dry. Your garden is definitely a magic garden.

Thanks so much! Inspiring - I'll try to make it more of one even for people who haven't got that magic look in their eye. Turkey tail is the name of the beautiful multi-coloured fungus left and middle of #4.
I'll add a close up and as a contrast the beauty of the white ones, which just sprang to my attention. Haven't identified them yet, or are they just turkey tails from below?

That blob reminds me of the old movie ‘ the blob’ watched it as a young teenager and scared the heck out of me.
But your mystery trail is kinda cool. Wonder what it was/is. Could it be a mole or vole?

Hmm... no paws, straight line, no person had been there. Maybe should've gone closer. Too late. Next Mystery I'll put on the cap

Ma ma I hear, ( he can’t say ganma yet) I go to him and he is standing on the kitchen table with the biggest grin.
He is such a happy bub and a great distraction from myself.

Good to hear! Our grandkids are great too, doing well despite health trials and tribulations.
Similarly took years to get hang of my wife's name, also pretty much doubling the last syllable.

 

[cookiebaker]

Or would you specify differently?

nope, that particular variety has the same nickname here from what I can tell... but not many folks know the proper names for them, so they all kind of get lumped together as shelf mushrooms.

 

[JayCS]

not many folks know the proper names for them

Be interesting to see if that's the same here, or if actually versicolores needs to have more colours. Cos I just saw that other shelf mushrooms also have rings in different shades of one colour, and mine looking closer at the close up seem to be only various shades of brown - not as colourful as it first appears. I think I'll be honing and zooming in now to see if I can find different colours and identify them.

 

[Auriel]

Nature's cannibals on times, and you got serial killer sparrowhawk on the loose! oh, poor brids tell Mrs jaycs get well soon

 

[JayCS]

Nature's cannibals on times, and you got serial killer sparrowhawk on the loose! oh, poor brids tell Mrs jaycs get well soon

Ooh, we didn't think of that one, you're dead right! My wife blamed crows, cos she claims she saw one swooping down on the magpie, but I so doubt that version.
But for that hard'n'fast sparrowhawk he'd've been easy featherless prey... Fanxalot, will do!

 

[JayCS]

if actually versicolores needs to have more colours. Cos I just saw that other shelf mushrooms also have rings in different shades of one colour

That'll be the reason to just keep to shelf / bracket, cos not that easy to distinguish the types.
Here the general name seems to be Tramete after the Latin trametes.
Funny, it's usually in English that "Latin" is spoken all the time without knowing (esp. medic terms).

 

[JayCS]

But for that hard'n'fast sparrowhawk he'd've been easy featherless prey...

Comforting to know that our NABU (which is like UK's RSPB) want sparrowhawks protected in accordance with the EU-guidelines. On the RSPB page the picture confirms it was a male sparrowhawk and listening to the audio it's a new bird sound I'd often heard recently, long before the dunnock gave its life.
So now we have long enjoyed the company of our friend, and also supported a rarer bird, with its beautiful very cruel look. We all have to make sacrifices I spose.
If he was invisibly around last year that might explain we had much less blackbirds and that they didn't like singing. And this year why the pigeons and other birds are seemingly more wary of our balcony....
It's all falling into place...., good idea @Auriel... - knowing who's around us is good.