Decomposed

Since you guys are so good at guessing games, maybe one of you can tell me the significance of this photo?

Screw it, I can’t wait for your answers: It’s a mushroom! From one of my mushroom logs!!! Can you believe it? Remember when I inoculated logs with shiitake spawn way back in May of last year? This is all so sudden!

I noticed the mushroom yesterday. The kids and I were building forts in the woods out of felled trees and the detritus that people dump off the cliff into our backyard every year (computer monitors, radiators, etc.). If you can dodge the broken glass, there are all sorts of building materials of varying biodegradability back there and only a short window of time in which to enjoy them before poison ivy blankets the whole area in itchy groundcover. Anyway, I was getting hungry and on my way back in the house, my eye naturally wandered over to my mushroom logs patiently resting against the rock wall. And there it was.

There’s only the one mushroom and it’s looking a little ratty—I don’t know how long it’s been out there, but if I had to guess, I’d say probably since the flood. Perhaps the combination of heavy rains and drastic temperature changes jumpstarted fruiting. I don’t know. Here’s what I do know: I want more. So I’ll be out here in the woods in a leaky lean-to, shivering in the 2-4 inches of rain we’re projected to get, cradling my mushroom logs until I get another one.

Please hold my calls.

Comments

[Seaweed Snacks]

didn't you have a mushroom crop last year you were excited about but the bugs got into them? I think that was just when I started following your blog and saw the insect larvae you photographed. Hmm...hope I am remembering that right! Well, any mushroom you can harvest is a reason to celebrate!

[Su-Lin]

"Screw it, I can’t wait for your answers" Hahahahahahahahahahhaa! Love it!

Gosh, I've wanted a mushroom log for a while but there's just no space for one at home. :(

[danish]

Ooh! Ooh! A shot of an overflowing river or something in Waltham opened the weather segment on GMA this morning!

I hope your basement doesn't flood again!