Orange Mushrooms A Few Days Later

mushrooms
A few days later

I posted a picture of these mushrooms in my previous post and they were just little, orange buttons. Now, a few days later they have “mushroomed” into flat heads as you can see in this photo.

I don’t know why, all of a sudden, I am so interested in mushrooms, but I find myself on the lookout for them at this time of year especially when I am walking in the woods.

Maybe it’s because I am surrounded by places where they are easily found, but I just never paid much attention.

mushrooms
The Open Mushrooms

I have no idea what type of mushroom this is. If I had to guess from the pictures and description in my book, I’d guess they are the Jack O’Lantern because they are orange and grow from many stems joined at the base. If that is what they are, then they are poisonous.

In fact most of the mushrooms I ever find turn out to be poisonous. I hope I don’t have to live off the land around here, because there is little to eat!

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Little Orange Mushrooms

mushrooms
A Cluster of Orange Mushrooms

I don’t know what kind of mushroom these are, but I came across them as I was hiking the woods around my place. Unless you pay close attention when walking in the woods, you will miss these little bunches of fungi.
One thing I’ve learned from reading about mushrooms is that they will change their look quite quickly – some of them. They may only last a few days or they can last into winter and beyond. Some are delicate and easily broken or mashed and others are as hard as a rock (almost).
As I photograph the mushrooms I see in my area, I look them up in my books for identifying and find that I seldom can discover what they are.
My Audubon “Field Guide to New England” only lists a few mushroom types and warns that at least 10 of the mushroom species in New England are deadly poisonous to eat so making a mistake in choosing can cost you your life. I will only be photographing and not picking to eat.

First Attempt at Knitting Clotilde

I didn’t get far when I began the Clotilde Cardigan pattern, but it’s a good looking cardigan, and I’ll try knitting the pattern again.

Pam's avatar by Pam

Christmas Gift Knitting; Hats For the Guys

Get an early start on hat knitting for Christmas. This page lists a few hat patterns, for free and to purchase, that work well for guys. Also, I’ve listed some machine washable yarn to get you started.

Pam's avatar by Pam

The Fall Window Box

pumpkin window box
Fall Window Box

We’ve had such a very warm September in New Hampshire, that I was wondering if Fall would ever arrive, but it did and with it came loads of rain and some wind. Not what we like to see as the leaves change color, but there is some good color left. It’s been nasty and rainy on the days I’ve had a chance to walk – so I haven’t and therefore have no new photos yet.
Today there is no school, and after my Friday trip to the dump and swap shop, I will walk to the lake and get some photos, providing the sun stays out for me.
As I drove my son home from cross-country practice yesterday afternoon the sun was just coming out and it hit the trees along the lake in just the right way to make them glow with their Autumn leaves. Maybe I’ll wait till later and try to get some photos at that later time of day.
In the mean time, the petunias in the window boxes have been replaced with pumpkins and straw thanks to my landlady.
Another beauty from last years season:
Autumn Lake 7 postcard
Autumn Lake 7 by pamdicar
View other Autumn foliage Postcards

Finding Fall Mushrooms

I bought a great mushroom book. It’s written by David L. Spahr and has awesome photos, descriptions and information concerning “Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada”.

Even though his photos are great and his explanations of what to look for almost convince me I could find these for my dinner, he warns that many mushrooms have look-a-likes that can be poisonous and I think I have found some of those poisonous ones in my yard.

But all I want to do is identify the ones I see around here, so the book is very helpful. I only buy mushrooms from the grocery store and they have recently begun to offer some new varieties like the Shiitake, Crimini and Black Trumpet which I am planning to try.

mushroom on a tree
Some sort of mushroom

I don’t know what the one in the picture above is. It looks a bit like a deformed “Chicken of the Woods” but I don’t know.

white mushrooms
Little White Mushrooms

I think that the ones pictured here are Coprinus atramentarius. The author talks about the “Shaggy Mane” mushroom and has a photo of others that look similar and I think those are like mine. He says that within a day or 2 they will be “black, inky goop”, so I’ll have to go back out into the woods to see if that’s what happened.

A Simple Sweater With Stripes

My newest knitting project is a simple sweater with stripes. A link to the pattern page on Ravelry is further down the page. This one is advertised as a good project to use up stash yarn. I can see how that would be true. I was finishing up knitting the Warm Up sweater (#3), and…

Pam's avatar by Pam