Mushroom Mimicry

Whenever I see mimicry or camouflage in nature I'm always curious. Yesterday when I walked up to our RV I saw a strange growth on the pine tree next to our rig. I thought perhaps it was the beginning of a burl or a gall.

But on closer examination I saw it was a mushroom. The top of the mushroom looks just like the bark of the pine tree. Photo above shows the underside, very black. Wonder if this is a black truffle? Or maybe black chaga?

I looked at the mushroom today to see if it changed shape or deteriorated, but it's still the same. I'll keep my eye on it and take more photos if it changes. You can see more of my mushroom photos at A Multitude of Mushrooms and Mushroom Bloom. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Fairy Ring

Oberon, Titania, and Puck with Fairies Dancing
William Blake, c 1786

As I was leaving my home the other day, I saw a number of mushrooms growing in a neighbor's yard. I drove back home to get my camera. The mushrooms, Chlorophyllum molybdites, were so large, some eight inches in diameter. These mushrooms are poisonous and are most often mistaken for edible mushrooms in the United States. I took a few photos and went on my way. On the way to the grocery store, I saw lots of other mushrooms growing in lawns. I thought to myself, it must be mushroom season in Florida.



The next day on the way home I took a different route and noticed a yard with lots of mushrooms. I was so delighted because I discovered a fairy ring. I had my camera with me and I got out and took some photos. I couldn't help but imagine little fairies dancing in the center of the fairy ring; later resting under the caps of the mushrooms. My camera wasn't high enough to capture the fairy ring in it's full glory, but the mushrooms were all growing in a circle.




Gary mentioned he saw some mushrooms growing in our lawn and mowed them down. I exclaimed, "Let the mushrooms grow, let the mushrooms grow!" Gary said, "Why?" I said, "They're food for the gopher tortoise". Gary shook his head wondering if it was true. I guess he knows sometimes I live in a fantasy world. Later I let Gary know turtles do eat mushrooms and can even eat some poisonous mushrooms without ill effects.

Triumphal March of the Elf King by Night
Richard Doyle (1824-83)

Although I didn't tell Gary that mushrooms are fairy umbrellas, where fairies take refuge from the sun and rain; and a fairy ring is the dance hall of the fairies.

Happy New Year

While walking in a grassy field I saw a lone mushroom blooming, in a huge area by itself, not another one around. The lone mushroom reminded me I don't have to travel far to see or learn something new. And yet I'm about to set out on a long trip in my quest for a new place to live and set up my studio.

It's a big world and a small world too, so much to discover. I'm looking forward to the new year, an ending and a beginning. You all have, through your blogs, comments and encouragement, made the world very small and yet very big to me. I wish you all a very small and a very big and Happy New Year.