Monday Mystery - Answer

Last week's mystery photo ...



proved to be a really difficult one to identify. Ellen D. was the only person to get it correct.



Yes. I had snapped the top view of a battery.
I think I will make that the last one for this year. I've run out of inspiration for now. Maybe I will find a different way of making mystery photos in the New Year. Thank you to all who have kept following this through the year. Look forward to seeing what I can come up with in 2023.

In other news - a few days ago a Blue Tit investigated the camera nest box. Unfortunately it was a dull day and the video wasn't very good. Bird feeders are busier again after several weeks of very little bird traffic. There seem to be more corvids than usual here. Crows, Magpies and Jackdaws but no Rooks as yet, plus the usual squabbling brat pack (Starlings).

Monday Mystery

Last week I showed



Well done to Ragged Robin, Ellen D. and Kev Scott who gave the correct answer. Yes it was



a tape measure. Thank you to all who had a go. I'm at a bit of a loss for an object this week so I opted for another Circular Studio pattern made using a photo of a single object.



If you would like to guess what was used please leave it in the comments. They will be revealed, with the answer, next Monday.

A Second Inspection

Earlier in the week there appeared to be a very brief visit to the nest box by a Dunnock. Too brief to be absolutely sure on the identification. Yesterday's visitor was much easier to identify:



Another visit from a Great Tit.

Monday Mystery

Last week I showed



What made it difficult to identify exactly was the lack of any clue as to it size. Here is the full object



It is just the right size to fit over a cup and Kev Scott was very close with 'teabag strainer'. Ellen D worked out it was a strainer. In fact, as Adrian worked out it dates back to the days when tea was made with tea leaves kept in a tea caddy. Teapot warmed up, one teaspoon of tea leaves for each cup plus 'one for the pot'. Boiling water added and left to brew, not forgetting the tea cosy to keep the pot warm for as long as possible. Then came the pouring of the tea through the tea strainer to keep any tea leaves out of the cup. Much more of a family ritual back then! Thanks to all who had a guess.

A full view of an object this week



If you would like to guess what it is please leave you guess in the comments. They will be revealed, with the answer, next Monday.

Unusual Lithops

When I set up the large propagator I added to my small collection of Lithops plants. They are often called Living Stones or Living Pebbles as that is what they usually look like.



When I saw this much more unusual one I couldn't resist buying it:



I had no idea whether it would have a recognisable flower or when it would show any. Yesterday I noticed a small speck of yellow. Today, while the Sunlight was blazing through I saw ...



A closer look:



Its first flower. All of 15mm across. It looks likely there is at least one more to open very soon. That helped to make up for a fraught day yesterday when, as a result of a burst water main locally, there was no tap water all day.

Monday Mystery

Not many guesses for last week's mystery object.



I guess it was more difficult that I expected. Two correct answers though. Well done to Adrian and Ellen D. Yes is a pie funnel / vent / chimney. One of my Mothers. It must be at least fifty years old and was used regularly. My thanks also to Ragged Robin for having a go.

Part of an object this time:



Once upon a time it was used daily but rarely sees the light of day now. If you would like to make a guess as to what it is please leave it in the comments. They will be revealed, with the answer, next Monday.

A Brief Inspection

Checking to see whether there had been any activity in the camera nestbox I was pleased to see this Great Tit had given it a brief inspection a few days ago.



It is the time of year when some birds do the rounds of possible nesting sites. It certainly made a change as over the past year the only activity recorded has been the occasional wasp, fly, butterfly and spider.