2017 - a year in the life of a tree at Chenevaux

January 2018, the rain came down and the pond filled up.

Grey skies were pretty much the order of the month, although a few times the sun came out at the end of the day lighting up the bark and branches on these oak trees.

The "pond" started the month like this ...

and ended it like this.  If it gets as cold as forecast we will have a skating rink for the first time in years.

We spotted this fungus ( we think ) on a piece of fallen, dead, branch under an oak tree.  We have no idea what it is.

And these appeared overnight, again under some younger oak trees.

These look like another fungus, but again we're not sure.

Some early spring action encouraged by the mild temperatures.  The warmest day of the month was 14C! 

Even the frogs came out for a bask.  

 A new cherry tree in our back garden to replace one that died.

A big haircut for this yucca which will probably pay us back by sending out new branches.

The word of the month is Tartle.  You know that panicky sensation when you have to introduce someone whose name you can't quite remember?  The Scots use this word.  Must remember it!