Flourishing Fungi

We have had a lot of rain over the last few weeks, which is not unusual for our part of Eastern Pennsylvania, where summer downpours and storms and the normal climate. As we live in a wooded area we have a lot of leaf litter and decaying branches and twigs on the ground which, coupled with the high humidity, makes an excellent environment for fungi to flourish.

One thing about these mycological wonders though is that you have to be quick to catch them as some species seem to pop up, mature and die down again in a day or two! I went out to mow the lawn in the morning and noticed a few different types and then went out in the early evening (almost too late as the light was failing) but I did manage to get quite a few serviceable shots of the variety that inhabit our property with my trusty Panasonic GX8. needless to say, a lot of these have gone already, a mere 24 hours later!

As I mentioned on my previous post, if anyone can help me to identify any of these I would be most grateful!

180729_Fungi1 180729_Fungi2 180729_Fungi3 180729_Fungi4 180729_Fungi5 180729_Fungi6 180729_Fungi7 180729_Fungi8

~Richard

July 29, 2018 0

Haiku ~ connections

I decided to write this haiku as I sat in the departure area of San Diego Airport following an unexpected flight delay, presumably due to the bad weather in the mid-west. My flight was initially delayed for 2 hours, then 3, making my connection at Phoenix impossible, so I tried to reschedule the flight.

Like many airports San Diego offers “free WiFi” but, again like many airports, it very rarely works, based on my experience on a half dozen trips over the last 3 months. I fail to understand why, but it seems a common problem, as Phoenix also has a signal that routinely drops. Perhaps they are in cahoots with the phone service providers so we have to use our data plans when stuck in a place we just want to get through.

Anyhow, I used my waiting time to write this as homage to the poor service…

Broken connections,

Communication delays.

“Free” Airport WiFi…

180211_AirportWifi — Note: I don’t take photos in airports these days, due to security concerns, but as they are much the same all over the US I include one I took a few years back at Philadelphia Airport while waiting for another flight…

~Richard

February 11, 2018 1

Haiku ~ January 31st

A frozen morning

Birds call for the struggling sun

One twelfth completed

~Richard

January 31, 2018 2

#r2bcheerful39 – Taking Mum to Paris

Last year we were fortunate enough to travel to travel to Europe for a few weeks. Although we mainly spent time in the UK we did get a chance to travel to Paris for a few days and enjoy the sites. As it was a family affair, I can strictly say that I was taking mum to Paris (albeit the mother of my children!)

And what better way to celebrate this then an image of Gustav Eiffel’s famous iron tower?

Built as a temporary structure for the 1889 World’s Fair this remains the tallest building in Paris and is the most visited paid monument in the world, over 125 years later. Looking up at this icon how can one fail to have a reason to be cheerful?

~ Richard

January 17, 2018 3

Haiku: Airplane Mode

Haiku ~ Airplane Mode

A hop and a skip

Collective euphoria

Switch off airplane mode

~Richard

November 22, 2017 0

Haiku: Halloween 2017

Happy Hallowe’en 2017

Ghouls and ghosts vanquished

As coulrophobia reigns.

Stop clowning around!

~Richard

October 31, 2017 4

Hiding in Plain Sight

It’s amazing what you can find in the most normal of settings, and unexpectedly. All you have to do is keep your eyes open and actually look at your surroundings. For example, Philadelphia seems to be full of surprises such as this wonderful sculpture of a leopard on South 20th Street and Manning Street near Rittenhouse Square. One story has it that it the building which it is attempting to get into used to be a lingerie store and that this was used as marketing. The store has long gone but the leopard remains.

~Richard

September 11, 2017 2

Inspired by the Creativity of Children

Last week I went back to the ceramics studio after a break of a couple of months or so. Over the summer the art center runs a large number of classes for children and the place is very busy. I was finding it a bit hard to get started again and then I looked through some of the ceramics that the kids had created over the last few weeks.

I think they have done a fantastic job. One of the best things about the children’s work is that many of them (especially the younger ones) have no real constraints in their minds. They are free to just take an idea or prompt from the teacher and run with it.

170904_clay7

170904_clay6

170904_clay5

170904_clay4

170904_clay3

170904_clay2

170904_clay1
After seeing these great works, I am reinvigorated for the fall ceramic season…!

~Richard

September 4, 2017 5

A Game of Perspectives

The King

He looked across his Kingdom to see his opponent in the distance, protected by his foot soldier. I have this covered, he thought to himself smugly. But the carefully planned trap was sprung, and to his horror the Knight bounded across to his left and hemmed him in the Rook’s grasp. It was all over. Checkmate. He slumped and fell to his knees.

The Queen

She stood to the edge of the court and observed her husband’s opponent. He had a smug look on his face, but she would soon end that. How dare he attack their city? She stood tall, clear in the knowledge that she was the most powerful player here. She didn’t even have to move this time. A barely perceptible nod to her Knight and their pre-planned trap was sprung. The color drained from their enemy’s face and he crumpled to his knees, defeated…

The Bishop

To be honest, this was the part of his role he disliked most. He had never really felt comfortable being brought into the battle. It seemed to go against his credo. Then again, the Kingdom had to be defended otherwise all his Good Work could not be continued. This had been a particularly hard fight. Looking at his fallen comrades and his bloodied broadsword he prepared for the next onslaught. Then he saw the Knight gallop towards the enemy in a bold move and suddenly it was over. He had lived to fight another day! But only after he had ministered to the wounded…

~Richard

August 27, 2017 3

Where did the Red Owl go?

I am shocked! I was up at Temple University in Philadelphia earlier this week dropping off my daughter and when I was explaining the beautiful statue of the Red Owl at Alumni Circle on Liacouras Walk to another parent when I noticed it has been removed! I love this wonderful marble work by Beniamino Bufano and the fact that it was part of an installation that included an acoustic wall that had been specially designed to show off the properties of sound reflection. The statue was dedicated in 1988 and now, under 30 years later it has disappeared!

In its place there now stands a larger, more sinister looking owl with outstretched wings. It was still attached to its supporting crane this week so it must have been a recent change. I can find no mention of what has happened to Bufano’s classic – I hope it is relocated but it is a shame it was moved in the first place. I will miss it.

~Richard

August 24, 2017 2

Category: photography

Flourishing Fungi

Haiku ~ connections

Haiku ~ connections

Haiku ~ January 31st

Haiku ~ January 31st

#r2bcheerful39 – Taking Mum to Paris

Haiku: Airplane Mode

Haiku ~ Airplane Mode

Haiku: Halloween 2017

Happy Hallowe’en 2017

Hiding in Plain Sight

Inspired by the Creativity of Children

A Game of Perspectives

Where did the Red Owl go?

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