[8doubles]

Giant puffballs, amazing! I believe they are edible but as I'm not an expert on fungi I didn't try it.

.  They are perfectly safe. Just slice one as you would do a loaf of bread. We dry the slices in a warm place then fry them in the juice of fried bacon and onion. Mmmm. Delish

Tried puffballs a couple of times and to be honest you are better off frying a slice of bread in the bacon juices !

IMO they are tasteless foam rubber and best left growing !

[allotmentann]

Funnily enough we picked a couple of sculpted puffballs whilst out foraging for mushrooms the other day. I have not tried them yet. We did get lots of morels and some boletes. I know that puffballs should only be eaten if they are white all the way through and you need to be sure of your identification particularly if they are smaller. Personally l would never eat any mushroom without having collected them with someone knowledgeable first. Having said that foraging for mushrooms is great fun.
Whilst out foraging l saw several Stellar jays and a group of black tailed deer who did not seem frightened of us at all and lots of chipmunks and a big yellow banana slug. The wild strawberries were blossoming and the ground smelled beautiful after some desperately needed rain. 

[RubyR3d]

Funnily enough we picked a couple of sculpted puffballs whilst out foraging for mushrooms the other day. I have not tried them yet. We did get lots of morels and some boletes. I know that puffballs should only be eaten if they are white all the way through and you need to be sure of your identification particularly if they are smaller. Personally l would never eat any mushroom without having collected them with someone knowledgeable first. Having said that foraging for mushrooms is great fun.
Whilst out foraging l saw several Stellar jays and a group of black tailed deer who did not seem frightened of us at all and lots of chipmunks and a big yellow banana slug. The wild strawberries were blossoming and the ground smelled beautiful after some desperately needed rain. 

.       The beautiful smell you get when rain falls after a dry spell has a word to describe it. It is Petrichor. Of greek origin and its a combination of bacteria and oils of plants. Wonderful smell.

[allotmentann]

Ah yes! I had forgotten all about that word. Petrichor. I think l came across it years ago in a book by Magnus Pike called Butter Side Up, which answered questions like if you drop a slice of toast why does it usually land butter side down, why is the sky blue and why does it smell of rain. Brilliant book but l had forgotten that word. I shall have to make an effort to use it so that it sinks in. 

[RubyR3d]

They ought to bottle it.

[allotmentann]

I would buy it!

[tosca100]

Oh my word. OH just had an EXPERIENCE and I am feeling LEFT OUT!
 

He saw a snake on the wall outside the back door earlier, we often catch a glimpse. But he was out there just now while I was on here and took an amazing (but short) video of two large snakes writhing. Amazing.

They are Caspian whip snakes, great rodent control, but I am now worried for the chicks.

Unfortunately photobucket will not allow me to upload videos any more.

[tosca100]

[sunshineband]

I can see the snakes though --- are they fighting? Adders to this when they are fighting, even though it is called dancing.

Or are they mating?

[jezza]

hi was strimming long grass between a hedge and fence a Roe deer and fawn took off across the garden hope the buzzards dont see fawn   found cinnibar moths on ragwart their caterpillers destroy ragwart in a few hours, im finding a lot of Star of Bethlehem flowers(ornithgalum)has any one else found any  jezza

[tosca100]

I can see the snakes though --- are they fighting? Adders to this when they are fighting, even though it is called dancing.

Or are they mating?

Not sure if they are fighting over an unseen mate or ....err....paying. The video is working now.

[LotuSeed]

They're mating

[snowdrops]

I'm sure it's wonderful but I daren't look  about the only thing I'm frightened of, even in picture format

[Annen]

I saw a orange striped millipede today in my son's garden. Apparently quite common,  but I've never seen one before.

[allotmentann]

It is strange how we can often not see what others say are common. I love it when l see something new. I saw one of those caterpillars with really long hair the other day and it took me straight back to childhood as l have not seen one since then. I am sure that they must be very common, but they have been hiding from me for years!
I have seen a lot of gorgeous swallow tail butterflies recently. Something new for me.