It was going to be an arboretum amble, but the fungi were much more fun! Bodenham arboretum on a (rare) fine sunny afternoon, where, after a light lunch, we’re following the perimeter path to enter the arboretum from the far side. There’s a ball on the path, and just yards away, an intensely interested dog. Having kicked the ball once (and seen a superb retrieval), we have a determined companion. Are we playing with him, or is he playing with us? A couple of times, just before a kick, he makes a quick grab and runs off, and there are occasions when I’d swear he’s placing the ball just to see if we can spot it.

Given good weather, there’s much to be said for autumn. The colours are wonderful, but the variety of shapes and sizes (and sheer number) of fungi, is really what gains our attention today. And, of course, that dragonfly…

Bodenham Arboretum