Tuesday 3 November 2009

Nature .....ever the opportunist.





I suppose that the reason the countryside is as rich as it is is due in part to the opportunistic side of nature. If there is a piece of open ground then rapidly plants will begin to colonise it. Poppies and other "shaken dispersal" plants shake their seed heads violently so that seeds fly in all directions - only some will take root but the ones that do you can bet your bottom dollar are the ones that land in the most advantageous places for development. Similarly, little plants like violets will seed in a crack in the paving - just the right place to keep their feet cool.
The same applies to birds - a farmer ploughing a field will notice that the sky goes from empty to full of gulls at a rate of knots - where they come from it is hard to say, but ever the opportunist - the seagull will sense there is food around. And how long does a dead rabbit lie on the roadway before a crow or two are pecking at it?
Earlier in the year in a gale, our ancient plum tree broke across its middle and half of it fell down.
The wood has already been sawn up for the stove - plum wood is lovely to burn. (I suppose you could say that was the farmer being opportunistic). This morning the farmer called me to come and look what had happened to the spot where the branch had broken away. Lo and behold - fungi had already grown in it - not just one but a veritable little town of fungi roofs. And do you see - on top of the fungi an overhanging holly bush (laden with berries this year) has dropped a berry right in the middle. It will be interesting to see if it takes root. Watch this space.

20 comments:

Jeannette StG said...

How exciting, Weaver! That is a side of nature one doesn't get to see often in the city. And I love that second pic - it looks like a postcard!

Titus said...

Fabulous fungi, Weaver! I love the different varieties of fungus that just seem to appear overnight, and that is a wonderful example, and photograph.
The gulls appear from nowhere in these parts too, as soon as ploughing starts.

Good luck to the berry.

Tess Kincaid said...

Love the fungi in the hollow stump! Keep us posted on the berry plant. Lovely rhythms of nature.

Heather said...

Lovely post Weaver - those fungi are delightful. I love the plants which 'just arrive' in our garden and am loathe to pull them up unless they are thugs or in quite the wrong place. I have violets all over the place and other self sowns which fill up gaps and give a more natural planting scheme.

Heather said...

Lovely post Weaver - those fungi are delightful. I love the plants which 'just arrive' in our garden and am loathe to pull them up unless they are thugs or in quite the wrong place. I have violets all over the place and other self sowns which fill up gaps and give a more natural planting scheme.

Heather said...

I don't know what happened there - it's obviously this week's Buy One Get One Free offer!!

Elisabeth said...

Wonderful posting, Weaver, especially the fungi.

My husband and I play a game around Easter time here in Melbourne, called 'spot the fungi'. It's at this time fungi and mushrooms proliferte

Totalfeckineejit said...

I love the notion that violets have little feet that need to be kept cool.You are a sensitive soul Weaver!

Jinksy said...

That one red berry certainly catches the attention - I should think some hungry creature would spot it before it could get into growing mode - or is it not a good one to eat? In which case, it may stand a chance...

Jenn Jilks said...

What a keen eye, Weaver!

We had snow squalls to the south today. We had sun and wind, though.

I love the header! cheerio

Golden West said...

We love our "volunteers" as well. The ones that self sow seem to be the hardiest of all the plants in the garden.

Cloudia said...

Oh they joy!



Aloha, Weaver

Comfort Spiral

cloudia

Pondside said...

Our lawn is a mass of moss and mushrooms at this time of year!

Crafty Green Poet said...

It is amazing how opportunistic nature can be, strange things pop up in the most unexpected places. I love the fungi photo, let us know if that holly berry takes root!

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

Nature certainly does seem able to overcome most obstacles. I am always amazed that plants will germinate in the most unlikely of spots, which wouldn't happen if you wanted it to!

Teresa said...

I love the way you notice - and deem worthy of blogging about - the little things in nature. Somehow I think a keen appreciation for nature and life begins with the skill of being able to see... really see.. not glance.

Arija said...

Nature certainly workd in mysterious ways...looks like whoever it was who organized things knew what they were doing.
Lovely pics and well spotted.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Isn't if funny - we all seem to love fungi - there is something rather mysterious about them - not least that they literally spring up overnight. And then there is that magical folk lore that there might be little people in or around them - one almost wishes a little smoking chimney would pop out from one of them.
Jinksy - ever the realist - suggests a bird might get it - I fear you are right Jinksy, although holly berries are always the last to go round here - I suspect they are a bit hard going, so I will keep my fingers crossed.

Gerry Okimi said...

Yes nature abhors a vacuum. That cycle of life continues from dead wood to fungi to new potential in a berry.

BT said...

What a beautiful post, Weaver. I love that photo of the fungi and that one little holly berry.