Tree wart

Walking along the former wall of the city, I noticed this enormous tree wart.What is it? It doesn't have any other visible plants or animals growing out of it, and the rest of the tree was normal.
A close-up shot of the wart texture:
This post's theme word: asperity, "harshness or roughness."
This post written like James Joyce.

... and other religious things

Just outside the Capuchin Crypt in Brno, there is an alley with touristy Capuchin-crypt-themed stores. Apparently.
The "and other religious things" really gets me. I went inside, and was unable to sort the items into groups, and too shy to ask the storekeeper what "other religious things" were offered.


This post's theme word: eremite, "a recluse, especially for religious reasons." Can one become a recluse for religious and linguistic reasons?
This post written like Dan Brown, unfortunately.