Eucalyptus

I noticed this wonderfully stripy tree-trunk today in Benmore Gardens, on a snatched walk in the middle of Christmas preparations and a snatched interlude before tonight's stormy weather began to batter Cowal. There are several eucalyptus trees around here, and though I've often seen their trunks with the bark peeling off, I've never seen one with quite such distinctive colouring. I think it must have happened recently in all the rain, and the paler trunk hasn't yet had time to turn grey.

Now, 8 hours later, the sea is surging up the Firth in great waves that are breaking over the coast road and the rain seems too blown to land properly. No more walks this side of Christmas, I fear!