Paul in the woods

Do you use the powder much? I've grew a plant from seed about 10 years ago, it's been left in a small pot so has stayed small and fruits every year. (Probably flowered about 4 years after growing). However, the fresh husks have always been a bit too stange for me to use, not just in flavour but in sensation. Must try them cooked. I got my seeds from here but there's several different Zanthoxylums about : Zanthoxylum schinifolium – The Agroforestry Research Trust WWW.AGROFORESTRY.CO.UK

The first pic could be Pholiota squarrosa - Shaggy Scalycaps. There's some good pics here: https://www.wildfooduk.com/mushroom-guide/shaggy-pholiota/ It would be worth doing a spore print as honey fungus will show a pale white/cream print and the Shaggies a rusty brown print. (If you only have one cap put it gills down on half white paper/card and half black and leave for a couple of hours).

I've not got round to doing it yet, I've got the saws sorted but not felled much of the alder (ash dieback has taken priority). I've done a little alder, and cut some for firewood, and the spalted alder does go soft quickly. The stuff I've got is much softer than the spalted beach. @Squaredy lovely floor. Must try and mill a few test pieces this winter.

Probably down to the warm weather we seem to get these days. We had a bat flying a few days ago, plenty of flies and moths sill about for them to feed on. As for feeding blackbirds, a large pile leaves would help as it'll encourage all the small critters they eat. You may have to keep tidying it up after they rake through it.

The tops do look a bit like Polyporus Squamosus – (Dryads Saddle/Scaly Polypore) but you can clearly see gills in the fist pic and not pores. I can't advise on what it'll do to the tree, there's some old threads that may help.

They look to me to be old Shaggy Scalycaps. Pholiota squarrosa. Worth looking at a stem and ideally a younger specimen if you find one. Pholiota squarrosa, Shaggy Scalycap Mushroom WWW.FIRST-NATURE.COM

And many of us use those 100 companies and have shares in them, your point? I don't expect you to do anything (well, argue) but I was surprised you said "you'd rather carry on as we are and see the death of hundreds of millions within your lifetime"; when they may well be your children.

Thought of entering politics Andy? I was more interested in your thoughts of the climate change of your loved ones. I've not heard any stories for a while but what if the north atlantic drift stops in 20 years time? Seems possible?

How many children do you have? I was going to mention children when you said you'd rather carry on as we are and see the death of hundreds of millions within your lifetime? I was going to ask if you seriously thought that if it was you children or grand children who were going to perish. I understand if some of the worst predictions come true it's not just going to be remote places that suffer but fairly catastrophic impacts across the globe.

I don't think you need to inform people but I do, just a simple "I'm recording this conversation for my records". If anything it helps them focus their mind a little. I prefer using email but some companies always seem to want to phone you rather than reply to an email.

No app, just a digital dictaphone. We use a land line for most calls so just put it on speaker and record away.

Same here, would seem logical. But as you say it would liekly to be very complicated and I'd add only to the benefit of the very rich who can afford the advice to make the most of it.

Do you have any reference for this? Whilst call recordings don't seem to be specifically adressed in the GDPR regs I've found various comments online that say they would be subject to a subject access request. Logically, if a call amends details of a policy it should be linked to that policy so I can't see why it doesn't fall under GDPR. Obviously I'd still recommend people record all such calls as calls seem to be easily 'lost'.

Interesting thanks, I can't find anything specific on the ICO site. I ask because my car insurance provider does not record what is said in phone conversations on the paperwork it sends out and their data protection team assure me my records are correct. I'm sure they made some reference to the phone conversation but without checking I can't be sure.

I understood you prune cherries in summer not just because there's less spores about but also so the wounds heal quicker, or at least are covered over by the plants sap. Having said that I don't understand why cherry plants sold in winter are freshly pruned. I also note apples are affected by Chondrostereum purpureum and they are pruned in winter.

Aren't they made available under the various data protection acts? I.e. just submit a subject access request and they have to provide all your data within a few weeks.

Have you asked them to insure the chipper? They may cover it, even for little or no extra cost. When I've queried some details in a domestic car policy they have said they will cover some extras, just as long as I tell them. Just ensure you have a record of what's agreed.

I would strongly suggest recording phone conversations if you can. Also worth asking for a copy of their recording if it goes that far.

Do you need anything? I bought a conversion kit for our multifuel stove and it basically removed the grate so the logs burn on the base of the stove. (Even when I clean it out I leave a cm or two of ash as I'm not keen on burning on the bare base. Logs certainly burn better in my stove without the grate and I can load more in for less refueling.

I got fed up before the main event after Biden and the Pope met up to lecture people. Bided had an 85 car gas guzzling motorcade flown in from the US and I don't think many people will take the Pope seriously until he fully endorses birth control. Personally, if what they claim about climate change is going to happen I can't see many seriously chaning their lives voluntarily until it's far too late.

Loos like Amethyst Deceivers, can just make out some gills on one to confirm.

Simple answer, no. That photo is of an oak branch that fell a couple of years ago and there's a fair bit of wood left. I took a similar photo of the top of a large oak that fell about 4 years ago. What I've noticed over the last 10 years of owning woodland with a fair bit of honey fungus is that some years there doesn't seem to be fruiting bodies and other years there's loads. It often fruits at the base of trees, especially in the hedgebanks, so I would expect there's plenty of opportunity to move on. I gather it can be quite variable so my experience with it may not match up with others.

What's the right way to rub a tree officer? 😱

Yes. "Chalara ash dieback is especially destructive of the UK’s native common or European ash (Fraxinus excelsior), including its ‘Pendula’ ornamental variety." https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/fthr/pest-and-disease-resources/ash-dieback-hymenoscyphus-fraxineus/ It does look a mess, but I'm not a fan of weeping cultivars. Is there any diamond lesions? I tend to find them higher up in mature trees, easier to spot once felled. The other thing that seems common is new shoots dying, so you see the greenish wood suddenly turning brown half way down a stem.

I'm now resonably aware of the system but that doesn't stop the council wrongly telling me to go to the LGSCO as they know full well the vast majority of people will not bother. Therefore I would state the LGSCO is not there to help the public but to give the councils a scapegoat that is next to useless in most cases. As for the small claims court I received some free advice from an experieced solicitor years ago which was basically he's seen cases won that he was sure would lose and vica-versa. Not quite a lottery but faced with an organisation that's very experienced with fighting claims it's would not be an easy fight. I am reasonably familiar with the process as well, letter before action, offering mediation etc, etc. To go back to this thread's question, I can't see the LGSCO doing anything about the council asking for 8 weeks rather than 6. I'd love to be proved wrong if someone has the time.