Memories on F/B brought these photographs up, a sad memory but so evocative of this time of the year. I have 'clarified' them up, but most noticeable about the photos is the leaf litter and decay that fungi thrive on. It is the minute strands of life that wriggle through the soil, each entity essential to the whole, even death is part of it.
Blake Wood is an ancient woodland in Essex and was a place we walked frequently, we had probably gone there to find sweet chestnuts for roasting back home.
Funnily enough we never picked mushrooms to eat, always being scared and for me the rush by people from London ready to strip any woodland of their fungi and sell to the restaurants in London at a high price was wretched. I fell in love with the blue Amethyst Deceiver, but never picked one though you can eat them apparently.
Big news from last night, a fire in the street two doors down. I was woken by Lillie at about 9.30, get up Granny there is a fire, our smoke alarm was also going. Three fire engines outside, the area roped off, great excitement. So my hero Lillie saved me and the dog though actually the fire did not get to our house. Teddy stood and shivered on the doorstep whilst it rained and a crowd gathered. My daughter is in Bath visiting old haunts with a friend, so we phoned up and told her the news. But all is well, the fire brigade put out the fire fairly quickly and stayed for an hour reloading the equipment and we all retired to our beds. I think Lillie was nervous about the whole thing and I was glad to see her go to bed in the normal way, though she will sleep at the top of the house in the attic bedrooms.
Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing. Amethyst deceiver is one of my favourites, along with the hedgehog and the scarlet elf cap. I found a few when I lived in Dorset, I haven't been out and about here yet to have a foray.
ReplyDeleteMust admit I haven't seen many in Yorkshire but they do like woods and plenty of dead wood to live on. We used to use dried Japanese mushrooms which when soaked turned rather slimy in the dish.
DeleteYes, it's time I was out and about looking for these little beauties - strictly for photographs only. I've been reading about fungi lately - a book called "Entangled Life" by Merlin Sheldrake, a bit of a hard read in places but quite mind-boggling. If I know anything about the fire brigade then your neighbours face a lengthy clear-up operation.
ReplyDeleteMerlin Sheldrake's father is Rupert Sheldrake, who wrote about 'morphic resonance' which is classed as pseudoscience but interesting. How can animals especially dogs know when their owners are coming home is one study. Entangled life sounds interesting, trying to name mushrooms is very difficult but they are a wonderful art given by nature.
ReplyDeleteThelma - you would have enjoyed the Fungi Forays I used to do down in the Forest, and even close to my old home, when I was dog walking. I used to take spore prints and be so interested - but then Keith thought it was a strange thing to be interested in and not so many round our old house anyway.
ReplyDeleteFancy seeing you on here Mrs L - gosh, it's like having a shadow.
Keith probably thought you might poison him with the odd death cap or something. I see from my blogs I recorded each year for mushrooms until we moved to Yorkshire. Though I remember Lucy eating some shaggy inkcaps ones, luckily she survived them.
DeleteI never picked them to eat, jut to identify. The Amethyst Deceiver is one I remember "the first time" of seeing, and that was when I was dog walking along the Roman Road at Thornhill, where there was some rough ground. They were SO pretty and I was thrilled to bits.
DeleteThy almost have a velvety look to them Jennie, such pretty shades. Quorn is apparently made of some sort of fungi, living or artificial I don't know.
DeleteI so often attempt to take photos of minute bits discovered at the edge of a path, in the woods or meadow. The results don't always please me, a lack of sharp definition probably not possible with my simple camera. I enjoyed your photos and descriptions.
DeleteYet you get very good photos of your flowers in the garden Sharon. There is a fascinating range of mushrooms and the various fungi that grows on trees as well.
DeleteScary fire. Lovely Autumnal photographs and according to the weather man tonight, after a very wet day tomorrow we might get an Indian Summer.
ReplyDeleteWarmer weather would be good Pat. It is fun finding old photos and fungus hunting was always done round this time of the year.
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