Masur birch.. betula pendula var. Carelica

I cut a birch branch recently to make some simple barrel shaped puukko handles and look what the birch turned out to be, in all the years I've cut and used birch I've never found this.

Clever coastal crows

I was watching the hooded crows on the beach crack open cockle shells to get at the meat inside, they know exactly where to get into the shells.. absolutely fascinating.