Welcome to Sheerbliss.org Blog

A Cup and a Russula Fungi

mtgal43 — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:43:47 +0000

This weekend the temperature was around 90 degrees. I took a walk through the woods on Sunday, April 13th, to see if the mosquitoes would be bothersome and to see if I could find some new mushrooms or flowering plants. I found two cup fungi under a panel of sheet metal, one smaller cup under some leaf litter, and two large gilled mushrooms while I was watering the yard. Their caps were just poking out from under the soil. They are probably a species of Russula, as the stipe snapped in half like chalk.

Two Frogs, Two Mushrooms, and…

mtgal43 — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:17:11 +0000

The weekend was somewhat eventful. I was able to photograph two frogs for the amphibian page (that should make Brody happy). I found two new mushroom species. I think the first one is a type of inky cap, a species of Coprinus. The other mushroom (not sure what it is yet) was clustered with other mushrooms and connected at the base (cespitose). The mushroom was very solid with a dry cap. I had the opportunity to photograph a Jerusalem cricket, but the electrical inspector showed up and I had to put the cricket down. He was playing dead, the cricket not the inspector, and I figured he’d still be there when I returned. He was gone. And such a cutie, the cricket not the inspector.

Critters and Mushrooms

mtgal43 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:52:33 +0000

Yesterday was eventful. I found a Western Fence Lizard (Blue-bellied Lizard), a wasp, some darkling beetles and a millipede. In spite of my poor close-up vision, I was able to get some sharp digital images. The cool weather made it possible to get close to these animals without having them run or fly away. I also found some more mushrooms popping up: Fluted Black Elfin Saddles. They look similar to morels but the cap is loosely attached to the stipe at several points. It does not have an enticing smell but can be dried and used as a seasoning.