The media seem intent on whipping up the perfect storm this winter. Not happy with sending everyone out panic buying petrol, now they endlessly talk of gaps on the supermarket shelves and toy and white goods shortages among other things.

Don’t get me wrong, I see the problems. Gas prices rocketing and energy companies crashing. HGV driver shortages along with supermarket and delivery drivers. Now that the pay has improved so drastically for the HGV drivers, apparently there is now a shortage of gritters and bus drivers.

I read somewhere that we only have a ten day energy supply so it’s fingers crossed for a mild winter, especially as gas and energy prices are shooting up.

French trawlers are now threatening to blockade the channel to prevent goods arriving here as a result of too few fishing licenses being issued.

Shipping containers are stranded at ports and are now being diverted elsewhere.

Second hand cars are increasing in value by the day as chips etc for new cars made in China aren’t being produced due to their current blackouts.

It feels like a domino affect is occurring worldwide, one problem is constantly leading to another, unforeseen one.

I really hope that push doesn’t come to shove over the next month or so and that battles over a packet of toilet rolls don’t begin again.

Still, on a more positive note, it’s the season of the shrooms and they are excelling themselves in the gardens this year. Never have I seen so many varieties.

Some are utterly minute, like the little red one featured earlier. Some have even been discovered growing in my greenhouse. It’s getting to the point where I’m afraid to step on the lawn.

And Finally…

While out hunting for shrooms it’s becoming more and more obvious that the spider invasion in the garden is complete. Every inch seems to be occupied. It takes a superhuman effort not to accidentally destroy their webs.

Until next time, stay safe guys.

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32 Comments

  1. Hahaha, loving that sign! We have plenty of honey fungus too. Thanks Chloris.xxx

  2. It is all doom and gloom but a sign outside a shop in a nearby village made me smile. It said: SHORTAGES COMING, PANIC BUY HERE!
    Oh dear, I have lots of mushrooms and far too many of them are honey fungus. But still autumn is beautiful.

  3. There’s something so magical about mushrooms, isn’t there? I’ve started to spot a few in the gardens here and saw loads last week while walking along the river to Kirkby Lonsdale in Lancashire. It made me want to learn more about them – currently I wouldn’t dare eat any wild mushrooms as I don’t know which ones are poisonous! Stay clear of those spiders – if I have to get past them, I try to carefully move the web as I feel sad that they’ve spent ages putting it together only to have it destroyed in seconds by a blundering human (me!). Re the heating (etc) ‘crisis’, I’m making sure that I have plenty of warm jumpers, socks and hats on standby … as usual! Stay warm and safe, xxx

    • Yes, mushrooms and toadstools are magical for sure. We are enjoying them this year. I wouldn’t dare eat them either as I’ve heard most mushrooms have an identical poisonous twin. I try to avoid breaking webs too, as you say it’s such a shame when they have put all that hard work in. Here’s to us all having plenty of hats and jumpers this winter. Thanks Caro.xxx

  4. This one’s easy. The problems being encountered worldwide are a direct result of decisions made by bureaucrats and politicians. “The Pandemic” didn’t cause a thing, apart from illness. The way things are going, it won’t be long until people start blaming their gray hair and an inability to lose weight on the pandemic. Pfft.

    On the other hand, there’s no question that the media are responsible for causing angst, if not outright panic. Ignoring the mainstream media is one good answer. Granted, I didn’t know that Colin Powell had died until 36 hours after it happened, but that sort of thing isn’t a problem for me. I also stay far, far away from social media. Occasionally, I think I “ought” to be participating. Then, I peek into the comments on Twitter or the editorial page of one of our legacy newspapers, regret it immediately, and go away.

    I think I might have found two of your mushrooms on Sunday: the red ones. I still need to identify them for sure, but they certainly are pretty!

    • I couldn’t agree more! I turn the news off now and avoid social media like the plague, unless it’s to sign petitions or wish friends and family birthday wishes. Oh, lucky you finding the toadstools! Thanks Linda.xxx

  5. lowcarbdiabeticJan

    These are certainly trying times …
    Stay positive , keep smiling and enjoy the little things in life …

    Lovely photographs of the mushrooms.

    All the best Jan

  6. Gerrie Mackey

    Thanks for the update on things in Britain, although the sum total is depressing. We have politicians determined not to do anything about climate change which is so frustrating, I try to read about all the good stuff happening in the world and there is plenty of that.
    Your mushrooms are looking great, and as for spiders, we had cobwebs all over the garage and garden by the time winter was over, I have no idea why we had so many.
    Enjoy your week and I hope something can be worked out with Lorry drivers, petrol, and keeping warm in winter!

  7. We try to be frugal, but life is challenging. We’ve lived through the era ‘make do and mend’ and that attitude is fixed in my mind. I feel sorry for those who are struggling in different ways. I hope you, your family and friends are doing okay. Your fungi photos are great! Have a good week.

  8. Good morning Dina….the images in this post are glorious…thank you:)
    As for what’s going on in our world….I go back to what I have been banging on about for years and that is ‘Everything is interconnected’. The problem is that politicians worldwide don’t have that deep understanding…and so we continue to go around in the most ridiculous circles……and frankly I think. we are heading for a big crash.
    Enough of that….keep painting, writing, gardening and loving our fury friends:)
    Janet XXXXXX

  9. I stay away from the news, it is so depressing these days and I tell my family to stay away from social media, it is all just hype or is that just me turning into a grumpy old woman!? What a super variety of toadstools you have and your spider photo is amazing! x

    • The news certainly is depressing, and social media, especially Facebook would drive anyone crackers. I do love this time of the year, especially when it’s a good year for mushrooms and toadstools. Thanks Pauline..xxx

  10. These mushrooms look like they’ve stepped out of a fairy tale book. Beautiful.
    Amalia
    xo

  11. And down here too, inflation is being whipped up to cover increases especially fuel prices.

  12. I do worry that many people will soon not be able to afford to keep warm. It seems the government are making plans that ignore what the maybe undesired consequences will be. No joined up thinking just plucking ideas as a gut reaction rather than intelligent thought.

    • It’s worrying how energy prices keep shooting up, yes, many will struggle to heat their homes. Totally agree re the government, they always seem to be behind the game. Thanks Sue.xxx

  13. I’m beginning to wonder what calm will look like if it ever reappears in some form.

    There have been toadstools and other funghi in my outdoors for sometime. Ours aren’t as colourful as yours.

    Do we have as much as ten days gas storage; we are certainly greatly and negligently behind the curve with fuel storage for our requirements.

    As for all the other turmoil you mention, going with the flow, within reason, is all one can do just now. Xxxx

    • It has been a delightful year for shrooms. We have so many new varieties, it’s quite exciting seeing them in all their glory, good to know you are enjoying yours too. Gas seems to be an issue of late, let’s hope we have a mild winter. Yes, I suppose the only thing we can do is go with the flow. Thanks Menhir.xxxx

  14. Well, if any of these dire warnings come to pass, you let me know and I’ll ship what I can from here, that’s for sure, although you must know how very dark our media became with Trump. It must make much more money for them, though not from me. I guess the timing for Brexit may not have been ideal, but who was to foresee Covid’s timing? I just keep hoping, thinking, and believing that the turmoil will attract enough creatives to turn the chaos into blessing, perhaps not swiftly or easily enough to make a change in my life, but I pray it will be so in the lives of our children. It does not HAVE to be all bad news all the time. We do need to actively quell the meanness of spirit that’s taking over far too many and tamp down the violence of bullies and those who live from fear…

    But we also need to enjoy the mushrooms and spiders, and celebrate the beauty and privilege of life. That’s why I love reading your posts and seeing your beautiful photos. Love to you and yours, my dear. And a huge dose of joy. xoxo

    • What a sweetheart you are offering to ship things to me!!! Yes, your media became grim indeed under Trump, it was painful to see. I agree re the opportunity for creative solutions to the current problems. We have to come up with better ways of doing things. How I agree, it doesn’t have to be bad news all the time!!! Thanks so much Kitty. Love and hugs always.xxxx

  15. My aunt got to the point where she refused to listen to the news ….. and was much happier as a result! Beautiful photos – both the fungi and the spiders. Every time I go into the greenhouse I forget the spider that lives in the doorway and get a face full of web. I’m not keen on them indoors either, although they seem intent on coming in. Enjoy the week. xx

    • I don’t blame your Aunt, I’m doing the same! We have a house full of spiders too, it’s beyond a joke at the moment. Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx

  16. I’m sure that the media only make matters worse by exaggerating things so I tend to ignore most of of it.
    Interesting pictures. Thanks, and you too. xx

  17. It’s all doom and gloom whenever you turn on the news these days, where have all the good news stories gone, there’s plenty of them out there, but no, we’ve all got to look on the dark side. That’s an impressive collection of fungi, and those spiders are okay just so long as they stay in the garden and don’t venture into the house.

    • Oh yes, it’s certainly gloom and doom with the media. We have a house invasion of spiders too, goodness knows where they all come from. Thanks Jo.xxx

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