Very nice photos.

Aren't they puffballs? Either common or wolf's fart pears? Long time since I did any serious fungi hunting. I always had a friend and expert with me - he knew them all, but I think that's what those are.

It is a very good year for fungi.

Tim, I would agree with you absolutely.
I got the netbook because it fits in my bag, I carry it around with me, and it is great when I fly as it also fits in my existing camera backpack.
I don't use it for editing at all. I do use it as storage whilst travelling, even though I also have an image tank which works just fine. I do review my photos on it and throw out any obvious missers, but the majority I keep for viewing on a better screen. I also need a computer to download the GPS log daily, that can't go directly onto the image tank.

I also load PDFs with information about where we are going on it which make a great addition to a guidebook.

I use it for internet mostly, and I also use it at home a lot, since my main computer is in the attic and I don't always feel like trekking up all those stairs just to check in on PU .

Of course to just keep in touch with the Net I could have gone down the mobile phone or iPod Touch route too, but I like my stone age phone, and I don't listen to music that much to need the iPod.

We used to lug my husbands full size laptop with us, but the netbook is just great for travelling.

A matt screen is vital on a netbook, otherwise all you see is your own face .
I have used mine outside in bright sun and can still see the screen comfortably.

Having a mobile phone from the stone age I can't use it as a dongle, but then in the Netherlands if I use it it is generally somewhere with free wifi, or where they charge only a small fee for wifi.
Same in France - hotels offered free (if they were cheap) or for a small fee (if the hotel was expensive)wifi connection.

And of course McD always has free wifi. I've sat in their car park on occasion connected to their wifi.

Sorry Hyram, didn't see your earlier request.

I didn't handle the K-r. It was on a separate stand to the K5 . They had plenty behind glass, but only a couple of examples, which were by the compacts strangely enough.

What I saw of it it looks great, very small, but usable. A young man next to me at the K5/645D stand had one in his giant hands, but was totally enamoured with it. He had tried the K5 too but like the size and weight of the K-r more.

Now Pentax have addressed things like visible focus points I think the K-r will be a great camera. If I was on a tighter budget than I am I would probably have gone for it rather than the K5.

It does seem to have been overshadowed by the K5 hype somewhat, which is a pity.

We have lots of toadstools too. many of those - including the gnomes flats I photographed last week, have gone mouldy.

However today was a brilliant day. We went to Harlingen to celebrate my son's birthday (which was actually Tuesday but never mind). His brothers and their partners and our grand-kids went too. Wonderful sunny day. We went on his boat but didn't go for a sail - the youngest grandson is only 18 months and would have been a real problem. Couldn't have him sliding off the deck could we? Just sat around, drinking Cava and soaking up the sun

See if Irfanview can open them. Probably not, but worth a try.

No one has updated for the K5 or K-r PEF yet.

I just bought a Panasonic ZX3 for my daughter-in-law. A great little camera, and I am tempted by it myself. But I have held ad played with the new Pentax RZ10, and that too is tempting. As is the W90. So Pentax do offer me compacts that appeal, but I don't yet know whether it will be a Pentax or a Panasonic I end up with.

Have fun with your new Panny. And do stick around Pentax SLRs for a while .

I have a netbook. I bought it with the proceeds from my Sigma 10-20. It is an excellent little machine.
It is a bit slow at times, so I can't play games on it so much but it does what I want.
I have a Samsung N220. It has a 6 cell battery which gives more than the advertised 8.5 hours. It runs Windows 7 starter, but you can upgrade to full Windows 7 if you choose to. It has an Intel Atom N 450 processor, with 1Gb memory at 2.5 Gb RAM.

I rely on free wifi with mine.
It is brilliant. All netbooks with 6 cell batteries last a long time now. I wouldn't be without mine.

Solomon Burke died this morning .

He died on a plane just after it landed at Schiphol.

For those who don't know he is the one who wrote Everybody Needs Somebody To Love of Blues Brothers fame. He wrote some great soul songs which were recorded by Wilson Picket and Otis Redding amongst others, as well as being a singer in his own right.

He leaves 21 children and at least 90 grandchildren.

Well I admit it .



I gave in.



I couldn't resist.



I watched Ann Widdicombe attempting a salsa.

Oh the shame.