As the leaves turn and fall, mushrooms abound in all shapes, sizes, and colours. Even walking around my backyard, it only takes an observant eye to notice all of the fungal life around me. Here’s a collection of photos from my backyard:
Birds’ nest mushrooms growing on the mulching straw in our garden bed. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A view of the gills in this tall, gangly mushroom. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Spot the tiny ‘shroom? Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A parent and child mushroom. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Mushrooms inhabiting a log originally destined for the fire – now it’s been put aside for the mushrooms to continue to grow. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The sunlight beaming down on these mushrooms inhabiting our decomposing rhubarb gives a kind of “spotlight”. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
Today I embarked on a walk on Goat River Rd. South in Creston, questing for mushrooms but particularly amanitas, the iconic red-capped, white-speckled mushrooms that are widely known. Though I didn’t find any, many other mushrooms captured my eye and my camera lens, and found themselves in these photos:
Likely a monks’ head mushroom. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Remnants of the morning’s frost is evident on the blades of grass surrounding this mushroom. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021I almost missed these well-camouflaged ‘shrooms – luckily, their visible gills gave them away. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Perhaps a parasol mushroom. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The sunlight gives this photo a washed-out look, but if you peer closely, you might notice the beads of water on the moss capsules featured in the frame. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A type of bolete hidden among the fallen leaves. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A family of mushrooms! Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
