Crunchy lichen

Valentine's Day was deferred this year, as I had an appointment for a gastroscopy at half past nine in the morning - not the most romantic of activities, though Pete did come with me. All the NHS staff were wonderful, but the procedure itself was rather unpleasant, particularly because I have very small air spaces in my nose and a very strong gag reflex. However, once the camera was in I quite enjoyed seeing the images of my gut, and the procedure confirmed that my indigestion and stomach pains were being caused by a small duodenal ulcer, which should heal as long as I continue with the proton pump inhibitors.

I did feel rather tender for the rest of the day, with a bruised nose and rather sore throat, but this didn't stop me enjoying a brunch of Eggs Benedict with Pete at Notcutts. We bought ourselves a rhubarb plant instead of the more traditional red roses, as well as another bag of sunflower seeds for our greedy finches!

As the weather was mild and sunny I visited Stanground Wash NR, which I've photographed regularly for the Wildlife Trust. There wasn't a lot about, but the carpets of lichen were looking good, particularly the Cladonia rangiformis which is a fairly common species of dry, neutral to calcareous habitats on nutrient-poor soils. Locally, it is most often found on brownfield sites, particularly those developed on railway ballast.