Saturday, November 28, 2009

Orange, red and wet

A note on the Emthree after quite a long gap.

t has been raining for days and everywhere is awash: a carpet of sodden leaves and mud.  And still it rains - I can hear it outside as I type.

The overall gloom is enlivened by two splashes of colour on the edge of Medlar Wood.  At ground level there are the first berries in a split pod of gladdon (Iris foetidissima).

20091128 Metre 004a

In the branches of the medlar tree above there are some bunches of black bryony (Tamus communis) like bunches of small scarlet grapes.

20091128 Metre Tamus 008

So far these bright fruit have been left alone by the birds (who undoubtedly sowed their original seeds), but as the weather hardens I expect they will quickly disappear.