I was enjoying a nice visit with my family the moment I received a telephone call from my dear friend Amanda. She reminded me of a time last year when she discovered morels outside of her apartment (click to view photos). There was a moment of silence over the line. Of course, she found more at her new apartment! Fungus seems to follow her where ever she goes - I'm not so sure that's a good thing. However, Silvia and I were invited to a wonderful morel pasta dinner.
After the first bite, I quizzed my taste buds searching for something that would blow my mind. But however delicious the fungus is, I will have to agree with my father's words, "A mushroom is a mushroom." Now that I think about it, I do remember a particular fungus that passed through John Gardner years ago. The fungus was called black fungus. The black jelly like fungus was revealed to me at an Asian restaurant in Ptuj, Slovenia. If I recall, it is tasty but the texture is bizarre and the black stains the teeth.
My roommate Stephen Steward rescued a torn cocoon from the University of Arkansas farm over the winter. He brought it home and wrapped it in toilet paper, then placed it in our refrigerator. Stephen took it out a few months later and let it warm. It was pretty disgusting to witness my roommate pet a giant pupa. The abdomen would rotate in counterclockwise as he cuddled with the dark brown thing. Anyway, last week I noticed something strange in our mailbox - it was the cecropia moth! She had emerged from the cocoon and was ready to spread her wings and fly! (I have no idea how she got in the mailbox.) Minutes later, I realized that her wings were not unfolding and drying. It seems that I had discovered the moth too late, and she would not recover. However, she did do something very strange. I believe she laid an egg, but I'm not sure how that is possible considering that she did not find her mate.
Notice the egg
The Horticulture Club, University of Arkansas, had their plant sale this past Saturday. The members and I worked hard all year. We grew some pretty great plants! Anyway, I thought I would share some photos.
Last week, my neighbor Amanda says, "John, I have to show you something." She seems so excited, like she has found a stash of gold or jewels. I follow her to a flower bed covered with rotting leaves. She points and tells me to scan the shaded area - morels! What a find! These are very rare, very delicious mushrooms (not to be confused with false morels which can be deadly). The reason they are so rare is because they are difficult to culture. Why is it difficult? Morels have a unique life cycle compared to most other fungi. To learn more click here.
As you know, there was a horrible ice storm that ripped through central United States. Northwest Arkansas received a terrible blow. Thousands of people were left without power, heat or warm water - no parties, no movie night, just good ol' homemade entertainment. During this time of panic and confusion, I grabbed my camera and documented the climatic event. I hope you enjoy the show.
I would like to add Eric Hille to the credits. Also, Blain Mosley, not Blain Mosely.
Photo by Silvia T.
This past Saturday, Silvia and I headed to Lake Sequoyah for an exciting and cold day of fishing. As we walked the trails around Lake Sequoyah, our ears and noses numb from the cold breeze through the tall Gleditsia triacanthos tress, I spotted a Botrychium dissectum at my feet! It was bronzed with touches of green. What a great sight to see. This isn't a protected species in Arkansas, but it is nice to see some diversity around all the Lonicera maackii. The Amur Honeysuckle is an invasive species in Arkansas. Just walk around Lake Sequoyah during the fall, you will see nothing but those horrible plants choking out the rest of the native species.
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