Extreme Knitting Redhead: Crochet update and a Fungi foray

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Crochet update and a Fungi foray

Weaving continues!

Tinker helping

I've been weaving a few rows of the blankie each evening and finally I'm over half way across. Phew!

It's nice to see the pattern emerging at last and I'm very pleased with my colour choices which are beautifully light and airy and feel all summery. I know it's Autumn now but it is a blanket for Summer.

Fungi

It's that time of year when I start taking photos of the amazing mushrooms and toadstools we have around here.

This first one has appeared in the orchard in the long grass near to a pear tree. I've never seen it here before and as yet I can't identify it even though I've scoured my book. Now identified as a Yellow Fieldcap mushroom, Bolbitus titubans.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3 from above

Stage 3 side view

Stage 4 from above

I think that last photo looks very much like a flower. It's interesting how the colour has changed over the days from that sulphur yellow when it emerged to this beige.

The next ones I think are some variety of Oyster mushroom and they appear in several places.

On the compost heap (in shade)

On the shady side of the orchard

Close-up

These next ones always appear about now in large groups near to the Oak trees. They are a form of Boletus.

Group of Boletus

This next one doesn't usually appear quite as early as this but at least I know what it is - a Scarlet Elf Cup. Isn't that a perfect name for it? I can just imagine the elves drinking out of them! It grows on decaying wood and really shines out against that moss.

Scarlet Elf Cup

Speaking of "cups" here are some cupcakes I made yesterday - made with fresh lemon and poppyseeds with a lemon buttercream filling. They won't last for long, thats for sure!

2 comments:

Marloeskreatief said...: wat leuk je plaid heb je nu apart weer draden heweven in je haakwerk
ziet er super leuk uit,
en schtterende paddestoelen(fungi s)gr marloeskreatief; October 24, 2012 at 4:19:00 AM PDT
Shan said...: You know, most people probably don't even see the cool fungi, but you're a very noticing person, aren't you! I like that.

The lemon cupcakes made me want to cry a little with joy and envy.; October 24, 2012 at 7:59:00 AM PDT

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Mum's Story

In 1997 my mother, then aged 81, had a series of minor strokes. Shortly after that we started to notice behavioural changes notably memory loss and confusion over everyday items. We thought it was just old age finally catching up with her. Then she started wandering and had violent mood swings. Although she already lived with us it became obvious that she couldn't be left alone for long and so I left my job to care for her. The next few years saw a gradual decline into the blackness that is 'vascular dementia'. My normally placid mum became violent and aggressive. She had psychotic incidents where she would see imaginary people (children hiding in her wardrobe, Russians sitting on the stairs, women stealing her clothes) and she would shout at them and sometimes throw things too. She was so convincing that we used to go and check that there wasn't anyone there! When my sister died mum did not know who Judy was or that she was her daughter. There came a point when I suddenly realised she no longer knew that I was her daughter and this was a terrible time for me. In the last 2 years that she lived with us, life for us all became almost unbearable as she needed 24 hour care - she couldn't be left alone at all because she would either wander off or hurt herself, she never slept for more than 30 minutes at a time during the night, she became incontinent and incapable of doing anything for herself. Finally my husband and I realised that we could no longer provide her with the care that she needed and she went to live in a special care home where the team did a splendid job caring for her in the last few months of her life. There she lived a zombified existence unaware of who she was, what she was or where she was. It was heartbreaking. She died in March 2005, the day after her 89th birthday.

Thank you for taking the time to read mum's story and I hope you'll dig deep and sponsor me using the link below to help find a way of beating this destructive disease.