From The Prehistoric To The Current

I was studying some fossils yesterday.  Apparently I need to do more studying/learning because I found out that spiders and scorpions existed during the Cretaceous period.  I suppose if I think about it, it makes sense...other arthropods existed then...I just never thought about spiders doing so, and definitely not scorpions.  I also came across a beautiful trilobite.  (By "came across" I mean bumped into white visiting a museum). Here are the fossils of said creatures...

Today I was walking through Ormeau Park in Belfast.  I found a patch of mushrooms.  By no means am I an avid mushroom identifier, but after some research, I believe these to be panaeolus sphinctrinus.  Any awesome and capable mushroom identifiers out there?  Am I right in my assumption?  Or perhaps I found a new species? Eh eh?

Vegetation by Bicycle

Warm weather and a free afternoon had me hopping on my bicycle and riding all over town.  I rode down a bike trail and then made my way through the park.  Today, some odd plants and some fungus caught my eye...now it can catch yours too.

 Mini Weeping Willows

I don't know what kind of plant this is.  I've never seen anything like it before.  It reminds me of fireworks or a mini weeping willow.  Someone help me! What is it?  I did learn something though, in searching for the type of plant that this is, I found out that there are dwarf weeping willows.  I will purchase one.

Soft Buds

Again, not sure what it is, but the background colors and the softness of the buds themselves compliment each other wonderfully.  A plant's ability to defy gravity has always fascinated me.  Some plants and flowers look so dainty and weak, yet they are able to take on such an intense force of nature.  Most impressive.

  The Fungus Among Us

Growing out of the side of a massive tree, this fungus resembled a spiral staircase.  My desire to attempt to ascend it was great.