Rain, Go Away!

Friday, September 9, 2011

One of the few interesting things about having 20 inches of rain in the last two weeks is that there are mushrooms everywhere. So when the air was heavy with water but not actually raining for a few hours, Brandon, my brumby, Getty and I set off on another mushroom quest in the woods. I should note: everything else about having so much water around here is a drag. Our basement is flooded and I am paranoid about the town dam breaking. Trees are toppling because their roots are too wet. If I thought New England was an old and moldy place a month ago, it is even moldier (and older) now. I'd like to tell Gene Kelly that I do not sing in the rain, and even if I did, it would not be a glorious feeling. No, I am quite ready for some sunshine and dry air.


But this walk was really fun, and highly successful. Here you see that Lilly doesn't care at all about mushrooms. But she is interested in ferns..... I made the mistake of giving her a mushroom to sniff but she thought it was an apple and her lips were smacking at it greedily. I did not let her eat it, just in case it was poisonous!


I always like to see a mushroom with a pretty little petticoat like this one. This Amanita virosa is very poisonous, filled with toxins with names like amatoxin and phallotoxins. Heh heh, yes, you heard me.


I only know the names of any mushrooms, incidentally, because Brandon was with me. I could not identify a mushroom to save my life! No pun intended. But I like these a lot because they are small and delicate and commonly called Angel Wings. Isn't that rather dear? So many mushrooms are perfectly content to grow out of an old dead, log. The real name of this mushroom is Pleurocybella porrigens.


Well, this picture isn't that great, but this is another mushroom that likes living on a dead wood. It's called Hericium abietis and we had a bunch of these for dinner a few nights ago. Brandon and Kestrel gobbled them up like they were some kind of forest nectar. Bleccch, the flavor was too strong for me. Plus, they look a little like brains.


I thought these big ploppy mushrooms were like horse poop on the trail!! Brandon is not sure what they are.


But really, mushrooms are so darn interesting. Look at this giant Amanita. It was quite tall. Maybe 10 inches high.


Oh now look, here we stumble upon an Equus ferus caballus nibbling her medicinal tetracycline dinner. I devour her all right. I devour her with hugs and kisses.


On the mushroom quest, this mare was sooo good. Ambling along, following Brandon, sniffing the soil. The only incident we had was completely my fault and began when a large and frighteningly bedazzled-looking spider landed out of nowhere (out of nowhere, I tell you!) on my saddle bag. Now, I am very afraid of spiders and when I saw this one with her striped legs and huge body, I SCREAMED a very panicky scream. It was also a sustained scream, I am sorry to report. The first second, my brumby was OK with it. But then she decided too it was scary and needed to take off running. Brandon, who is afraid of horses if you recall, turned around to see what the commotion was and all he saw was a giant paint mare running toward him. Oy vey.

I still shudder thinking about that spider.


Here is an ad for a free horse that appeared in our town's newspaper. Anyone interested? Oh, if only I were a billionaire!


Mushrooms in fridge! (Those red ones are lobster mushrooms--yum!)

Let's hope tomorrow is a sunny day.

3 comments:

juliette said...

You guys are wonderful taking on the mushroom trail with your dog and horse. I love it.

What in the world is that pink thing in the one photo? You don't say and it cracks me up. It looks like you took along a stuffed snake to frighten away the spiders or something.

I wish I knew mushrooms like Brandon does. You sure are lucky to enjoy all that wild deliciousness without worrying about getting sick. I love mushrooms.

Sick of rain here too!

Good Lilly girl throughout the whole ride. She is the best.

Amber said...

I am so sorry to hear about the dastardly spider that tried to eat you! Even more sorry to hear it caused Lilly and Brandon a moment of fear. Eeeps!

The Angel Wing mushrooms are delightful! They look even more delicate against the backdrop of the dark wood.

With a face like the pictured Equus ferus caballus, please tell us you couldn't resist hugging her!

Once Upon an Equine said...

I'm glad you got a break in the rain to go out on your mushroom hunt. Amazing shrooms you've got there. They do have a beauty of their own.

Yikes...a big spider with striped legs. Sounds shocking..and I actually like most spiders, but I don't like them dropping on me unannounced and uninvited. I'd scream too.

Very sorry to hear your basement is flooded. I hope you dry out soon.

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