Weird fungus?

Or something on this nettle. The woodlouse seems to like it.

Frittilaries growing near the Trent and Mersey canal in Kidsgrove.

Windy

It's been windy around here this winter.

This was actually some months ago in summer. I can't remember the name of this thing but it's a phemoninon whereby an irregular-shaped "rainbow" is in the sky. Unfortuanately it doesn't come out well in this pic.
The only other time iv'e seen this there were about 5 of them visible (from Crewe anyway) at once and it made national TV news. Nothing for this one though...

A common frog, puffed-up, head down (it's worried about a nearby camera-phone!) on the towpath, Macc canal.

Toads are usually much more common along here.

Cinnibar Moth Catapiller. They eat Oxford Ragwort and each other!

I have always completely loved water lilies - for some reason they seem very exotic and thrilling. (For me it's the leaves not the flowers). They are not that common to find. There are only two species native to the UK, this yellow one and ones with huge white flowers. The yellow ones tend to grow on rivers (there are some on the Dee) and in this case on the "up" bit of the "up and over"canal near Kidsgrove.

Anyway they send a shiver down my spine - Maybe I was a frog in a previous life or something.

May in Wheelock