Did you say fungi?

On November 10, 2022 By CarynIn Fungi

I took my kids to a reptile expo, and came home with a mushroom growing kit. Hm.

In my defense, it wasn’t entirely an impulse buy. I have been looking at online kits for a couple months. The seller was a fungus enthusiast with a whole spectrum of mushroom selection, and was a fountain of information on taste and ease of growth and continued maintenance. I bought a pearl oyster growing kit, so helpfully assembled for the novice mycologist.

Mm mushrooms. Y’all will get updates, but know it is going to take awhile for the fungus to colonize then fruit.

Bocca della Fungus

On November 9, 2022November 5, 2022 By CarynIn Fungi

My intention was to carve a pumpkin for the squirrels. I have seen many posts where people placed their Halloween pumpkins out on the porch only to have the squirrels transform the whimsical carvings into disturbing horrors. My thought was “Cool! Squirrels like pumpkin!”

“Midnight” pumpkin carved with eyes, nostrils, and mouth

Carved pumpkin installed over the squirrel feeder

My squirrels are not currently interested in pumpkin. I was seeing no difference in the carving so after a few days I went for a closer look.

Ew. The entire inside of the pumpkin was full of black fungus. It was already starting to go soft. Ew. I knew our humidity was higher recently, but wow. Instead of a squirrel feeder I had a cavernous mouth of mold.

The Bocca della Veritas is a sculpture in Italy. The name means “Mouth of Truth”. I couldn’t get the name out of my head looking at this pumpkin.

Shelf fungi

On September 24, 2022September 21, 2022 By CarynIn Fungi

I found this massive shelf fungus on one of my trees out back. It is about the size of both of my hands cupped together. iNaturalist has trouble with fungi, which is understandable since so many look so similar and to properly identify one a naturalist must do additional tests. I will not be taking this fungus through tests as I am not a trained fungi expert, but I will share the intriguing photo. If you want a laugh, Google “shelf fungi on post oak tree” and check out some of the suggested names in “About the image” for the fungus in the photos. Google images also has an abysmal time matching fungi.

Squatters

On February 15, 2022 By CarynIn Cats, chickens, Coop, Fungi

I’m glad the hardware cloth on the top of the runs is sturdy since the neighborhood cats like to sit on it like fuzzy toadstools. I took the picture with the black cat up and Sophie looking on (I pretty sure she taught them all the trick). My husband took the one of the big white cat, who truly looks like a fungi. The chickens don’t seem to be concerned about fuzzy death from above, but did let out concerned noises when my husband approached. So there we go. The cats have found a place to watch chicken TV without disturbing the inmates.