Apparently we're not the only ones out looking for mushrooms today. The recent rain has been good for sprouting mushrooms and today Aine discovered another kind new to us: Mica cap. This particular mushroom was covering a large cedar stump near the hatchery, very beautiful in it's glory, dusky brown caps, grey gills and slender pale stem.



The weather has turned cold and wet now, and a walk down at Cape Roger Curtis a couple of days ago was mostly along the path-cum-streambed. When we got to the beach there were loons and seals to watch out in Tunstall Bay. On the way and back there were friends and neighbours all enjoying a Bowen Boxing Day ritual: being in the woods.



Yesterday we had snow and rain and sleet for some of the day. Nothing stuck here, but today there is snow on Mount Gardner, the first of the season. Tonight the stars were amazingly sharp in the cold clear air. Jupiter rose high above Whytecliffe, followed later by Venus and the waning crescent moon, only a fist width apart.