Yesterday while mowing Don came across this mushroom in the path. He hopped off his John Deere and ran to the house to get me.
It's so unreal looking we half expected a gnome to jump out any minute. I don't know what this type of mushroom is called. Anyone know? Update from Mei Shile: The mushroom is an 'Amanita Muscaria'. The English common name is a 'fly agaric'. It's a psychedelic mushroom. So, no wonder there were lots of illustrations of these in the '60s and '70s. If you click on 'Amanita Muscaria' above, you can read the wiki article about this mushroom. One botanist even speculates that these mushrooms are the foundation (literally and figuratively?) of Santa Claus!
Back under the spruce tree you can see more of them.
Here's a big "duh." I didn't realize yesterday that the mushroom in the path (first three photos) and these under the tree were the same type. These under the tree had opened, and the ball-like one in the path hadn't opened yet.
Here's the same mushroom as the top three photos, taken today, opened up. That's Don's foot (not a gnome's) for size comparison. He wears size 11 American (that's 10.5 English, 45 European, 29 Japanese :-D).
18 comments:
I have never seen anything like it! Very unusual indeed!!
Donica, it looks like the drawings of mushrooms from the '70s. I didn't know they were based on something real.
They do look so majestic. Can you imagine if we were tiny and could climb on top and enjoy the view from up there!
Rachel, they really are fodder for little fairy tales.
Amazing Ruth, nature never ceases to amaze me, we have something like that here in south India same colour, but don't remember seeing any spots on them. you have taken very low angle shot must've been a strain on your neck. Very pretty ones, They look like gems. Thanks for the lovely pictures Ruth
I think this beta has rectified itself now.
that is quite a find!!! how many are there out there??
wow. i love that color.
it makes me look forward to watching the leaves change at the farm...through your photos of course.
loves you.
Rauf, the low angle shot wasn't too bad for my neck, but my elbows got stuck with many fallen spruce needles. I love the fine ribbing on the under side of the mushrooms.
Les, we found just four of these with the spots. There are lots of other mushrooms around the woods of other colors and shapes.
Hi Ruth,
I don't put comments on your blog since you use the beta blogger. Each
time I receive an error message.
The mushroom is an 'Amanita Muscaria'. The English common name is a 'fly
agaric'.
This is hallucinogen (so yes, you can see gnomes with it :-D but you must
eat it) but can be deadly. It depends on the dose and each person has a
different level. One can die the first time and an other one will do that
for years before reaching the final moment.
Yo can post my message as the comments if you find it useful (this is what
I find).
Mei Shile
Rauf, what happens now when you leave a comment?
I don't have to select 'other' any more Ruth, Last time I typed my blogger ID and password and pressed on preview and publish comment and it went through. There were two security warnings in between.
Other pages remember my ID and password but beta does not. I have to type every time.
Rauf, that does sound like steps beta has for security.
Just amazing,Ruth. Your farm has many mysteries and wonders yet to behold, I'm quite sure. The thing that I loved the most about this post is that Don hopped off his John Deere and ran to the house to get you. That is priceless!
Oh, and BTW, I think I took a pic of that very spruce branch while I was there :)
Ginnie, on the weekends when Don is out doing his thing, invariably he comes in to find me and show me something so I can a) see it too, and b) take a picture. :)
That is so freakin' cool!
Heather, aren't they just amazing?? I was so stunned, not realizing there were such things in reality.
I've just done a post on my blog about the fly agaric fungus and have linked to half a dozen other fungi posts including yours here.
http://ackworthborn.blogspot.com/2007/10/abc-wednesday-o-is-for-oswaldtwistle.html
cheers
Ackworth Born, sweet!!
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