Last Saturday, 22nd August, we were invited to join in this singular and imaginative occasion as a tribute to Tony. Instructions were to meet at 10.30 wearing suitable footwear and that dogs were welcome.
Some years ago Tony had bought Sandbank, an area of broadleaf woodland formed on a gravel pit / quarry (the stone having been used to build the GWR railway which touches one border of the site). The bulk of Tony's fungus finds came from this wood which meant so much to him.
The burial took place in an open area at the centre of this wood. Diane, his widow, gave an account of his interesting and colourful life. Emily, his daughter and keen finder of fungi, had gathered a bag full of Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum which we were invited to throw onto the wicker coffin.
Those who wished then did a 'foray', walking this splendid wood looking for fungi. It is just a year ago that Tony showed a group of us around his wood (see Carmarthenshire Fungus Blog Archive 11th August 2015 giving a list of species found that day).
The 'foray' through the wood was an integral part of the funeral for Tony. A simple but appropriate tribute to our friend.
Gyroporus castaneus Chestnut Bolete, one of the fungi found (the English name describes the colour). Another 'bolete' found was Boletus pulverulentus Inkstain Bolete which was also found last year. The common name describes the instant blue colour that occurs when it is touched or cut.
Fewer fungi were seen on this occasion than last year.
No comments:
Post a Comment