Rain. It seems like we’re making up for the dry summer we had with consistent long spells of rain. It’s great during this season as the last of the Fall color becomes amplified with the contrasts of dark skies and wet bark. The oaks are particularly delightful with cinnamoney reds and deep rusts that somehow glow at the end of the day no matter what the light situation.
With this abundance of rain, comes an abundance of mushrooms. I know nothing of how to forage for mushrooms safely. My interest lies in their forms, color and arrangement on the ground or tree in relationship to each other and the surroundings. That said with the proper – INFORMED – compatriots, mushroom foraging adds another, tasty layer to the delight in finding them. The day I went out with my myco-savvy amigos we found boletes and chanterelles nearby – and afterwards made a fantastic corn and chanterelle chowder.
Coming back home and looking at these photos I am amazed at the beauty of these forms and their composition. I am also struck by how truly bizarre and compelling their texture can be. How does one place it in everyday sensory experience? Perhaps that’s the magic and beauty to these forms. They defy easy classification – except to the initiated. They appear in places that they want to appear….They are ephemeral. It’s thrilling to be surprised when coming upon a mushroom – like an exclamation point into consciousness – witnessing a brief moment of glory brought by decay.
