Stormy at Stonehaven

Mossy Stone

Twisted Lizard

A little painting of a viviparous lizard - Zootoca vivipara. I've been looking at a lot of paintings by Keith Brockie recently - he's a genius.

Caledonian Pines

 Tree-fetish Tuesday #47

A handful of venerable pines in Knoydart - John Muir Trust are nurturing a new generation of scots pines in the area.

 Darranacorachs is a long abandoned farmstead deep in the spruce plantations. When I first encountered it (and painted this picture) there were still several buildings and some accompanying scots pines, but both the pines and the buildings have since been smothered in windthrown spruce trees.

Killer Fungus

Monday Mushroom #57

Cordyceps Spp - Caterpillar Fungus

This kind of fungus infects and kills (and lives entirely on) insects. Such fungi are particularly prevalent in the warm, dank interior of the rain forest but similar fungi occur even in Britain.

Knoydart Again

Scenic Sundays #50

For my 50th Scenic Sunday, thought I'd revisit my photoset from Knoydart in May 2011. I still have a lot of amazing images from that weekend away with the John Muir Trust...

Loch Hourn

Dark Green and Twisted

Fencepost of the Week #64

Galapagos Green Turtle

Wildlife Wednesday #56

Chelonia midas - Green Turtle

Hazel Coppice

Tree-fetish Tuesday #46

Love my dad, too! Here we are in a mossy hazel thicket on the Isle of Mull.

Fungus / Moss / Lichen Fight!

Monday Mushroom #56

 Here is the wrinkled crust fungus erupting from a dead tree, smothering the lichens and mosses that already cover its surface.

Phlebia radiata - Wrinkled Crust Fungus

Phlebia radiata - Wrinkled Crust Fungus

Phlebia radiata - Wrinkled Crust Fungus

Mum on Mallorca

Scenic Sundays #49

Love my mum! Here she is walking the GR221 near Soller, Malorca.