Following Linnaeus

      Last July when the grandsons were staying with us we took an expedition deep into one of the overgrown orchards 'collecting' and 'discovering'.
      In between eating plums and apples to keep the energy levels up and amongst the collecting of animal bones and bits of important wood the youngest grandson and I collected some flowers to press in my old bookbinder's nipping press. I left the specimens in the press until Christmas and then checked on their the progress while changing the tissue that the flowers were stored in. What an amazing transformation.
      The final images created by the dried flowers are quite stunning, you could say mini works of art, they look a little like etchings or a drypoint but don't ask me what they are, we'll have to work on the identification side next time.
      Another eco-warrior has been born. A seven year old this time.