This piece is a reflection on my time at an artist retreat with Wild Rumpus.

When was the last time you felt fully rested? I’m not sure I can remember, definitely not as an adult.

Rest is something that has become an increasing focus of my work, and personal life. Partly out of necessity in living in a chronically fatigued body constantly teetering on the edge of burnout, and partly for the hope and determination that there is more to life that what’s been sold to us. This life of exhaustion, and the feelings of guilt and inadequacy that join it, can’t be all there is, surely?

It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here. Thought I’d maybe use the excuse of posting these photos of me wearing a WIP patchwork quilt somewhere other than social media to just muse about life as a WIP (original I know).

Have you ever been down to the woods and see tiny orange orbs that look like they might be floating above a muddle puddle?

No? Well if you have that’s the bog beacon aka mitrula paludosa and I’ll tell you about them in this blog post

And as a lover of fungi, I have felt many, so I have made this post so that I can share my ratings of some of my favourite textures with you, dear reader. You’re very welcome.

This is not an exhaustive list, there are many fungi I would like to feel that I haven’t had a chance to yet, and many I’m sure will surprise me in future. But for now, this is it.

In no particular order:

Febuary’s fungi of the month is the…. Scarlet Elf Cup (Sarcoscypha austriaca). But also the Ruby Elf cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea).

Beautiful spore shooters! That to me herald the end of winter and start of spring alongside the snowdrops.

Read more about them…