“Now, that’s a toad strangler!“. . . I can still hear my late Granny Beth saying that, when the rains became torrential downpours, and that’s exactly what happened here a couple of times recently. It’s rained almost daily for the past couple of weeks, and with moist soil and forest floors, comes an abundance of mushrooms and fungi, which makes the squirrels, deer, and other wildlife very happy, as they love to eat many of them. We have one squirrel we affectionately call Bonzo, who I’m thinking must be finding and eating “magic mushrooms” at times, as he will suddenly dart off at a high rate of speed, flip up into the air, bounce off a nearby tree truck, followed by rolling around in the dirt, before starting this hilarious routine all over again. While I haven’t discovered the type of mushrooms Bonzo is consuming and enjoying, I thought it would be fun to take photos for you of some of the most interesting, weird, and beautiful ones I found whilst walking through our woods recently, so enjoy!
This was definitely a case of being at the right place at the right time with camera in hand, and obviously the slug likes the taste of this toadstool!
These delicate little beauties were growing in a waterfall formation going down the entire rotting tree stump, and there were hundreds, perhaps even thousands of them, creating a magical setting in the mushroom world!
This one with its ribbon appearance, reminded me of the cave formations that are usually said to look like bacon by cave tour guides.
This bright lemon-colored mushroom was not only big, but absolutely beautiful as well!
With a greenish coloration, this funnel shaped mushroom was quite lovely!
This light peach-colored flat topped mushroom, reminded me very much of a type of coral you would see while diving in the ocean. You almost expect a “Nemo” or other brightly colored saltwater fish to swim up at any moment!
Obviously this one has a very sticky top on it, as it was covered with bits of dirt and rubbish.
The numerous gills along the side of this multi-tiered fungus gave it a coral-like appearance as well, and I thought it quite stunning indeed!
If you’ve ever walked along the beach and gathered seashells, you too will see the similarity of these interesting beauties to the patterns on some of the shells you would find at many beaches.
While the abundant rain is very good for fungi growth and causing cucumbers to grow at an alarming rate, it has begun causing problems for some of our vegetable plants. What were seemingly spotless plants, are now showing signs of powdery mildew, blight and a few other maladies. Nonetheless, thanks to the wisdom found on YouTube, Wes has learned ways of combating most of the problems, and even though they may not be as beautiful as they once were, our plants continue to bless us with fresh delicious veggies daily!
We enjoyed a visit from Wes’ brother Greg and his fiancé Christie one day this past week. It was their first time to see our new property and they really enjoyed walking the trails, looking at the gardens, and especially swimming in the pool when the sun came out for awhile. I believe they thought meals on the porches were as relaxing as we do, especially when we were serenaded by a soft steady rain during supper that evening. It was a fun time together indeed!
While I’m so very thankful for the abundant rains, I have to be honest and admit that I am ready for some sunnier days to return, so that the water in the pool gets warmer again. Nonetheless, I just put on as many layers as needed to be warm enough to swim ha ha 🙂
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EXQUISITE MINIATURES now on display at The Art & Heritage Center,
Windsor, CO, May 15 – August 15, 2022
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, MA
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Until Next Time ~ Rachelle
Under the Magnifying Glass 