Some fungus among us

With about 5” of rain in the last week, spring is marching on, and more than wildflowers are popping up.

All that rain has brought out some early mushrooms.  I think all of the mushrooms above are of the same variety.  They’re just in different stages of development.

One huge mushroom has emerged in the circle surrounding the mailboxes.  This beauty is about 6” in diameter.

I wanted to get a picture of it before some kid came around and gave it a good kick.  It’s about three times the size of the other mushrooms.  I assume all mushrooms are poisonous unless they’re morels.    What I wouldn’t give for a nice batch of morels fried up in butter this spring.  I think I’m too far south to find any here.  Maybe on my trip north in May I’ll encounter some.  That would be deliciousoso!

I did encounter another new wildflower beginning to bloom along the roadside.  I don’t know what it is, but I may be learning that in the near future.  My latest assignment has been determined.  It entails walking the four refuge trails weekly to document (with pictures) what different flowers are blooming each week.  The plan is to develop a wildflower plant guide for each trail by season.  We’re thinking some kind of flip chart with pictures of the flowers for visitor’s to use while hiking the trails.  So, now I’m forced to hike the four trails each week, at my leisure, and do photography.  You know the saying…Rough work, but somebody has to do it! 

Do you remember when I got the assignment to clean up the so called garden area in front of the bunkhouse?

Well, this is what it looks like now with the black fabric cover nailed down by Denny and me today to inhibit plant growth.  All that remains is for some of the younger staff to haul the gravel over to cover this area.  Those piles on the right are all the stuff I dug out with a shovel, one wheelbarrow at a time!  Talk about manual labor!  I am happy to be done with this chore.  But, as I’ve said before, it sure beats office work for   me.

 

I think I’ll take Emma with me tomorrow and survey one of those trails.  The one I have planned is a new one for me, so it should be interesting.

 

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy