The right kind of fog

I had promised myself a good walk so I didn't let the mist deter me. For once, it was 'the right kind of fog'! So often, such a misty, murky day is really very damp mizzle, which spoils a walk. Mercifully it was dry, apart from the drips off the tree branches, which can rather startle you when they plop on your head! I walked right round Swinsty reservoir, along the fairly well-kept path along the side of the water and then back along a forest track. Most of the people I passed had a dog with them, but my camera is an equally good accompaniment (and it never barks). 

I've recently learned a big, new word for 'the withering and persistence of plant organs, for example leaves, which are usually shed'. It is marcescence. I don't suppose I'll remember it for long, as it's not a word you can use a lot. The phenomenon does, however, add a lot of beauty to our autumn walks. It's mostly young beech and oak trees that seem to hang on to their leaves through the winter; it's thought it may be protective and aid growth.