Mushrooms 2009, part deux

Let's begin with the least pretty mushrooms I think I've ever seen. Lookit these. They're like giant ears. I should've put my thumb there for scale: these are the size of luncheon plates. Giant Ear mushrooms don't strike me as particularly appetizing, even if they are edible. And I don't know if they are. So don't go nibbling.

This one reminds me of our honeymoon in the Wisconsin Dells. It's very weird to touch, too: firm and cool. Like a mushroom, I guess. Go figure.

Here's the underbelly of the Honeymoon Mushroom.

Underneath, someone (a gnome? a fairy?) has written "V". Of course. Can you see it? It makes me happy.

I took more photos of this cluster of mushrooms than any others. There's a big old clump of these, right between two tree stumps, and I just love the texture: even the stems are ruffly. The color reminds me of banana cream pie, so I'm calling these Meringue Mushrooms.

These are on one of the tree stumps near the Meringue Mushrooms, and I think I might be in love with them. They're so striking next to the dark brown bark and green moss, they almost seem to glow. I would call these Diamond Mushrooms, but then I'd have to find children to harvest them and exploit them extensively (the children and the mushrooms), and I'm just not into that.

This mushroom appears to be...dead. I mean, I'm not a mushroom expert, but it just didn't seem as perky as others I've seen. But I love the colors and the texture underneath. If it's not dead, it's obviously a Zombie Mushroom.

V came out to see what I was doing and found me laying on my belly on a hill, so she squatted down to see what I was looking at. I know the mushroom here is blurry (I have better ones of this beauty), but I like this view of her gently touching, almost petting, the fungus. Do you think fungi can spread swine flu? Wait...don't answer that. I need to go Purell a 4 year old quick.

Finally, I am completely crazy about this mushroom. I know I said it last time, but I mean it this time: I think I need a tattoo of this thing. It's a freaking bonnet mushroom! How sweet and round and ruffled and perfect it is! I want it to live in my pocket.

Believe it or not, I pick and choose carefully through dozens upon dozens of photos to bring you these selected mushrooms. I hope you find them savory and pleasant, and aren't too startled with my clear and sudden adoration of this kind of flora. I am continually surprised at how many different types I can find in just one yard (these are all from a lake lot in North-central Minnesota). I feel compelled to learn more: how many kinds are there? What are their real names? What ones can I eat? But maybe if I knew all that stuff, I would see them all differently, and right now I'm finding the discovery is the best part.