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Thursday, 14 October 2010

Surfacing

It's almost three months since I wrote something for these pages. Now autumn has arrived and I'm nagged with the mixed feelings of regret, for opportunities missed during the lost months, and concern for what I'll find to fill these pages during the winter.

I'm not long returned from a short trip to Suffolk where I enjoyed visits to Constable Country and Sutton Hoo, so these might be good places to start.

Willy Lott's house and the 'flat ford' crossing

Flatford Cottage

Valley Farm

My first Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)

At Sutton Hoo, the exhibition at the National Trust visitor centre was fascinating, not least the remarkable reproduction of the Saxon helmet unearthed at the site in 1939 ...


Following the woodland walk to the burial grounds, I found this perfect Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) ...


And this equally perfect Birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus) ...


And in the hedgerows surrounding the beautiful farmhouse home of my young friends Kerry and Paul Baker, I found sufficient blackberries to make, on my return to Redesdale, a winter-long supply of blackberry and apple jam ...


12 comments:

  1. ADRIAN15 October 2010 at 00:22

    Good to see you back.

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  2. Sandra15 October 2010 at 07:17

    Lovely start to this season's blogs. Thank you Emma.

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  3. kirstallcreatures15 October 2010 at 09:37

    Welcome back Emma, and a super post to return with. Congratulations on your first Speckled Wood, yay! I enjoyed the jam update very much, in fact I'm off to forage for a scone and jam right now. Lovely to have you back. Linda

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  4. holdingmoments15 October 2010 at 10:10

    Great to see you back Emma.
    I'm sure you'll find plenty during the winter months to post about.
    Enjoyed this post; great shot of the Fly Agaric; and that Saxon helmet is a work of art.
    Blackberry and apple jam, mmmm, my favourite. I'm coming up for tea! lol

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  5. Emma Anderson15 October 2010 at 10:34

    That you Adrian, Sandra, Linda and Keith for your kind comments.

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  6. Anonymous15 October 2010 at 11:08

    A good set of photos to return with Emma.
    Nice scenes of Flatford.

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  7. FAB15 October 2010 at 12:21

    Welcome back Emma. Enjoyed the shots from peaceful Suffolk very much and the jam looks very scrummy. FAB.

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  8. Phil15 October 2010 at 16:32

    Delighted that you are blogging again Emma - I really missed your posts. That's a magnifiecnt fly agaric. Most of the ones that I've found have been damaged by slugs...

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  9. Emma Anderson15 October 2010 at 18:02

    Thank you Roy, Frank and Phil for your kind comments and to everyone for you generous welcomes back to blogging community.

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  10. Stewart15 October 2010 at 23:01

    Welcome back Emma, don't worry about what to write about, I'm sure things to enjoy will come your way.

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  11. Brian R16 October 2010 at 00:23

    Ive missed your updates Emma, and im really envious of your visit to Sutton Hoo, somwhere ive alawys wanted to see.

    regards brian.

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  12. Emma Anderson16 October 2010 at 16:19

    Thanks to Stewart and Brian for their kind comments.

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Hello and thank you for visiting my Northumberland Naturalist blog which I hope you enjoyed. Any comment, or correction to any item or identification, is most welcome. Emma

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