There has been an abundance of beech nuts this year, our trees have been unusually laden, more so than other years. There is a term for this, it’s called masting. No one knows why mast years occur but it has been linked with the climate, so maybe our exceptionally good summer has had something to do with it.
The name masting usually refers to a good harvest and may come from a time when woodlands were used for grazing pigs. I am sure my wood mice will have plenty of food this Autumn and who knows I might have a visit from one of the local squirrels.
I’m off to paint a red squirrel now, as well as some of my favourite garden birds, a wren, long tailed tit and a goldcrest. Pictures soon.
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Look forward to those paintings Jill and I never knew that word, masting; does it mean to a mass? off to get a dictionary….
Laney it’s a word I learned when I was researching the glut of beech nuts, I think it’s an Old English word. See blogtoberfest is educational, I’ve increased my vocabulary AND learned to crochet!