Bouncing acorns

The recent rain and winds have made the Wood appear decidedly autumnal. The leaves are falling in flurries, and the acorns are bouncing to the ground from every overladen oak (much to the delight of the dog, who thinks that food or toys are falling from the skies, and every one needs investigating).

But while the signs of the wood dying back and settling into winter are all around, there's still evidence of how resilient nature is, and that it can recover from the worst that age and bad weather combined can do to it.

This oak tree broke apart in gales two or three years ago, the top was sawn off to prevent further damage, and since then it seems to have flourished, albeit in a most un-oak-like shape! And the broken trunk lying nearby has fostered a succession of different fungi, including an impressive growth of Black bulgar, Bulgaria inquinans. Now it's almost covered by brambles, and this years fungal growths are too well-hidden under prickly branches to photograph.

CA