Howdy again everyone. I hope all is well!
As for Wildwood, it is in a constant state of change. Where as previously the forest was aflame with bright maple leaves, it is now in a mood of subdued splendor. One can imagine that when the light hits the oak leaves just right, it is like walking through the halls of a mighty palace, decorated with extravagant stained glass. Beyond imagery though, things have been pretty exciting. Imagine my surprise as I was walking the other day to see a black bear not but thirty feet away. I will admit, i was a bit nervous at the sight, but it was well worth it.
The Cedar Waxwings are still at it, taking their usual places high in the treetops. It can be a pain to get them in sight of the binoculars, usually leaving you with an aching neck, but satisfied all the same.
A few days ago, Bob pointed out two new birds to add to my lists, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet and the Golden-crowned Kinglet. Both were chirping cheerfully as we watched them and I'm quite sure I'll be keeping a good lookout.
The deer are still visiting the activity field, and in increasing numbers too! Just yesterday we had a group of six!
The plants have all started to die back, replaced here and there by a few hardy winter grasses, and the late season ferns and fern allies.
I'm writing this post because it occurs to me that something is a bit lacking in most peoples education of the natural world. Not that this is a bad thing, because what could be more mysterious, delicious, and possibly deadly, than the Mushroom?
It is interesting to know that what most of us view as a mushroom is only the tip of the iceberg. To be thorough, each little mushroom is a mature fruiting body that is made up of strands called mycelium. The mycelium are themselves made up of microscopic strands called hyphae. So, to conclude that little run in anatomy, most, and that is to say a little over 90%, of the actual fungus is found underground and is so tiny that it is almost impossible to see with the naked eye. In fact, one of the world largest and oldest organisms is a honey mushroom that grows in Oregon, taking up more than three miles and expected to be somewhere between 4200 and 7200 years old!
Most people eat some sort of fungus everyday, some without even knowing it. Indeed, the Mushroom has been a stable, and in some areas a staple, part of our diet since the time of our foraging ancestors. In our part of the world, people tend to forget that there are just as many edible mushrooms as there are harmful. Yes, most people get a bit nauseous when it comes to the subject of wild mushrooms and with good reason. Speaking from personal experience, they are mind numbingly difficult to identify and even the best of accomplished mycologists can succumb to poisoning due to misidentification.
However, this post isn't really about eating mushrooms as it is about appreciating them. Ancient cults revered and worshiped a particular type of mushroom (Fly Agaric - Amanita muscaria) which they called "Soma", the giver of dreams and prophecy. In other areas of the world, particularly during the middle ages, many myths surrounded the mushroom, including the notion of entrances to Faerie realms, or that certain mushrooms only grew from under the gallows of a condemned man or woman.
In New England however, we have had our own ideas about Mushrooms. The Native Americans found particular interest in several varieties of mushroom, many for there dyeing, medicinal, and nourishing qualities. Some species, such as the prized morel, are a food source for many foraging animals, like chipmunks, not to mention that they are particularly tasty and fetch a good sum at market. And then again, it is easy for us westerners to get caught up in the stigma against mushrooms, especially considering this beauty:
This is the Destroying Angel, a mushroom in the Amanita family that happens to be one of the most violently toxic mushrooms in North America. Identifying this beauty is difficult, but to the mushroom I can imagine this look-alike quality is advantageous. Thankfully, there aren't many people I know of who trudge out into the forest to hunt edible mushrooms without at least some basic knowledge of identification.
However you look at it, the mushroom is here to stay.In it's role as a decomposer, there is no other quite like it. It breaks down decaying matter, making more life possible. Many species act in direct relationships with the plants they grow near, making it possible for them to survive. In fact, if fungal life as we know it died out, the plant kingdom would surely follow. Have you ever wondered why that orchid you bought died or refused to bloom? Chances are that there were no symbiotic fungi in the soil.
Well, until next time!
-Johnathon
