'Ear, 'ear, 'ear!

Yesterday evening I sat quietly in the garden listening very carefully to the birdsong. I wanted to consolidate my knowledge of a few songs I learnt last Friday on the beginner's birdsong day. The garden is lovely at the moment; it's lush and green. Overhead there was cherry blossom.

As I looked around me I suddenly realised that mine were not the only ears in the vicinity. Today I went back to take this picture to show you. These are the fruiting bodies of Auricularia auricula-judae, otherwise known as Jew's ears or jelly ears. The origin of the name is because Judas Iscariot is said to have hanged himself from an elder tree. Over the years the name changed from Judas' ears to Jew's ears.

And yes, my Jew's ears are on elder bark. I have never seen them in our garden before.

You could have seen some beautiful blossom or beautiful wild flowers today from my walk at Chipchase along the banks of the North Tyne, but I could not resist showing you these.