Primula Vulgaris is a pleasant contradiction
The name of this spring flower is a curious piece of diction
Primula means prime, of first importance, best of all
Vulgaris means plebeian, crass, uncultured and banal
Skirting the edges of the Woodland this morning I made a brief account of what fungi presented themselves. A few King Alfred’s Cakes and Jelly ear were the sum total of what I could see. Not a terrible turnout given the time of year and a nice compliment to the Velvet Shank and Dung Roundhead that can be seen if you’re prepared to hunt for them.
Passing the Castle’s flourishing Daffodils I reconnoitred Caravan Terrace for wildlife. A few Chaffinches were to be seen but no more. I decided to move on, those weren’t the finches I was looking for.
After glowering at the Red Valerian and Wild Clematis infesting the top of the Clifftop Path I took a roundabout route down to the Diagonal Path. Wren, Dunnock and Blackbird were all clearly audible, with the occasional black-brown form appearing to put a face to a name. my footsteps fell either side of a fresh stream of surface runoff, once again making a mockery of my beautiful path and beloved French drains. You win this round rainwater but mark my words, there shall be a reckoning.
Making my way to the bottom of the Gulley I squelched along as best I could, my boots falling on Tor Grass, Tamarisk Moss and Glittering Wood Moss partially submerged in water. Here again everyone’s favourite liquid was pouring down the slope and into the ocean, tinted brown with the minerals and organic compounds it had picked up on the way. From the fundamental forces of nature, complex systems emerge. Are we fools to even think of controlling them?
Today’s diary was written by Douglas Hart