ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Monday 19 January 2015

SOME STICKS DO. (19/01/15)

I have had a busy, gloriously sunny morning, I took the dogs a wander at first light and whilst watching Saturn set lost the little devils. It was about –8oC and for some reason the colder it is the better they can sniff. While I awaited their return from Deer annoying I noticed a strange growth on a twig. It looked like a fungus but not like any fungus I had seen. It tasted slightly bitter but didn’t smell of anything but Marlboro. The dogs wandered back, clean for once. I had a second breakfast whilst they had their first.

It was time to drive the thirty mile round trip to Inverness to stock up. I had my list and couple of messages and Ally asked for my mobile number in case he had forgotten anything. I had to stop twice on the way to answer the phone and once in Tesco to write down messages from strangers. It took ages.They expected them delivering so they could pay me. I had to explain the van is quite big, I hadn’t a clue where they lived or who they are and that I would put their groceries in separate bags with the receipt and Ally would bring them round later and collect the money. It took forever at the checkout. Putting six lots of messages through on different receipts, charging plastic bags to the right list but the young lass working the till must be used to it. She never batted a false eyelash. I hope I got it right. I doubt I did. I have a list when I shop but still forget something. Today it was yoghurt and shower gel, it’s too cold to shower and I can live without yoghurt so no worries.

I arrived back. Dumped the messages with Donald and asked him to phone Ally Mcgruer to sort out who had what. Ally must know who he gave my number to and the packet of tampons must limit his choices.

I headed out with the Macro lens, flash bracket. and a couple of strobes. I wanted this fungi.

_MG_2435     Here it is at about 12mm or half an inch tall.  Okay I am a Muppet but it can look much more hairy.

_MG_2431   See. It’s gruesome sorry, I meant grown some.

_MG_2432    I would like to time laps this growing. It seems to grow on fallen Silver Birch branches. It grows single filaments. Does anyone know what causes this? These are measured in length 3” or 75mm.

I was fascinated. I accepted it might be boring so I took a red gel down with me.

_MG_2429     Here it is. Some sticks do it and some sticks don’t.

I would love to know how it happens. These, though far form straight out of camera were double strobe lit. They are a foot on the X-axis.

Have fun this week.

35 comments:

  1. You and your macro lens play well with each other.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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    1. Mersad, it's play time the rain has stopped.

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  2. Adrian, it's good to see that you're keeping busy with the new job?...when you've got a few minutes I've got a nice long shopping list for Sainsburys here!

    Interesting set of macros...have a look at....Hair Ice

    Stay warm...[;o)

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    1. Trevor they don't have Sainsbury here. They only have Tesco or Aldi and Aldi only have tiny car parks.

      I seriously thought it a fungi as when I picked a bit it didn't melt between my thumb and index finger. I forgot I have fat sailors fingers that have had years of working at zero or less.

      It is hair Ice but why does it do it on bits of dead birch and not other bits of this and that in the undergrowth. It must be something in the twig that modifies it. It tastes really bitter. It's going to be colder tonight so I'll duck out early tomorrow to find some more.
      I remember the days I used to go for a run and stamped on Hair Ice.

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  3. cool. Gotta love nature. Hugs to Mol and Alf

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  4. What a phenomena. Apparently it forms on other than birch sticks. The bitter taste must be the filtering through the birch cells, as it is only water.

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    1. Joanne, it's the first time I've seen it. If it does it tomorrow I'll get in really close. I always taste and smell fungi. I take spore prints as well. This is just ice.

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  5. Adrian, I'm totally bewildered. You were able to watch SATURN set? How? Where was it exactly?

    I love the fungus.

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    1. Frances, it is a planet I was standing there and it dropped out of the sky in a NNW direction. I'll look it up to be sure but I am used to looking at the sky.
      It's not fungus. I thought it was at first but it is Hair Ice. Had I known I had dropped on something special I wouldn't have brightened it up with a red gel.

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  6. Nature has many wonderful secrets to show us and often they are right under our noses. You have found one here Prof but I can't help you one little bit in identifying it - unless of course it happens to be Coral Fungus (Hericium coralloides).

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    1. YP, it is Hair Ice. It grows from pores in the decaying wood as single filaments. It is ice and not fungus. Brilliant stuff.

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  7. Whatever it is, it is awfully pretty up close. I wonder why it sets like that? Just another of nature's miracles I guess. God for you being the Good Samaritan and picking up groceries for all and sundry.

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    1. Pauline, I was thrilled to find it. I'll see if I can find some more.

      It's no trouble getting folk a few bits of shopping the trouble is deciphering what they want on the phone.

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  8. It's a triumph of sorts when I manage to get everything on the list.

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    1. John, it is something I have never achieved.

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  9. I think the cold air being denser means any scent lingers for longer I noticed with my two greyhounds on cold mornings they pick scents up a lot quicker. r

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    1. Douglas, you must be correct. I ought to keep them on the lead but it takes hours to get anywhere when they are snuffling about. They know their way around here so it's not a big deal if they disappear for a while.

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  10. I would call this the shopping trip from hell. You're a good guy to do these errands. That is some cool fungus. Better weather can do much to improve our moods.

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    1. Red, Ally collects my paper for me so there is plenty of give and take.

      It is just ice and not a fungus. It grows from the pores in the wood and so is not frost either. I'll see if I can find some more when it gets light.

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  11. HI AdrianI have to say when I saw the first shot I thought it was snow or ice but The close ups are fantastic. Prefer the shot in white. You are good to get other peoples messages. I hate shopping.

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    1. Margaret it is ice. I'll see if I can find some more when it gets light.

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  12. Es un fong força estrany però a l'hora te el seu atractiu. Sembla un peluix blanc! Molt bona presentació, Adrian.
    Una abraçada.

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    1. Jordi, és gel no fong. Vaig pensar que era el fong per començar.

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  13. I expect that most people in this neck of the woods wouldn't know what 'messages' are to the Scots.

    That hair ice had me fooled for a while. Don't think I've seen it before.

    Your mention of 'gruesome' reminded me of Dr. Findlay's Casebook. " Doctor, it's gruesome!" - "Hang on Janet and it'll grew some more!"

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    1. Richard, I have never noticed it before.
      I was trying to remember where the gruesome joke came from.

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  14. I have also found that all my dogs have spent much longer tracking scents in frosty weather.

    Great close ups of your 'growth'.

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    1. John, it is magical stuff and not as brittle as it looks.

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  15. Why you poor old decrepit critter! I'll be 66 on March 1, so I'm sitting her envying you your youth.

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  16. I thought it was snow at first glance!

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    1. Monica, it is ice that is extruded from pores in certain wood. It doesn't always do it I'll try and find some different examples.

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  17. I've learned something new yet again.

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    1. Graham, it is amazing stuff. The weather is warming up but I'll try and find some more.

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  18. He puesto en grande las fotos ese hongo se ve precioso...Un gran descubrimiento!!
    Un abrazo

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