Some Other Fungis and Fungals, as Previously Mentioned

You would be forgiven for thinking that surely the above mushrooms are themselves flowers as well.

And, we smugly report, you would be wrong.

Although they look quite like a first grade construction paper project (we mean that in the nicest way), they are, in fact, Certifiable Fungi, Earthstar Mushrooms, to be exact. We particularly like that they feature prominently in a popular book from the sixties, pictured below, in which their capacities to transport are highly touted.



We cannot help but wonder if there was a subtext in this junior fiction that encouraged the need for "Just Say No" in future generations, but then, we have also heard (from Peter Yarrow himself) that Puff the Magic Dragon truly was about its eponymous character. Well, sometimes, to paraphrase Freud, a dragon is just a dragon.

As it happens, by the way, Ghost Flowers also take on a starring role in the book below.



While we cannot altogether explain it, we clearly have developed a great attachment to members of the mushroom family. In a metaphorical sort of way we especially like the notion of something so vulnerable and delicate pushing its way through the tough soil of the forest floor, and we feel a particular tenderness for figures such as the one below, Short-Stemmed Russula, what with its broad cup dusted with the very soil it has so effortfully pushed through, and not even having the advantage of a pointy dome to assist its emergence. How does it do it, we wonder?



When we are in a particularly Troubling Fix, and Not at All Certain we have the Necessary Wherewithal to cope, we are fond of reminding ourselves of (what we think is) Short-Stemmed Russula's ability to persist without any of the usual advantages of physics in terms of form or content, and we remind ourselves if it can do it, so can we.

The fact that we cannot be entirely certain what the above mushroom actually is, however profound its metaphorical instructiveness, leads us to one of the Great Difficulties in making any culinary recommendations. Although we are in possession of a very fine resource which represents itself as a guide to the "Savory" Wild Mushroom, statements such as "Edible, but should be tried cautiously, as some persons are made very ill by it," or "Never eat large quantities; do not eat several days in succession," do not inspire the necessary confidence, and we hope you will likewise use caution.

On a more frivolous note, we have the mushroom below.



This, as we're sure you know, is your Classic Toadstool, and in mopey moments we take great comfort in imagining seeking its shelter. A red polka-dotted retreat could only cheer a person up. We are very gratified, by the way, to discover that our picture could be taken by a studio in England that permits the conceit we so seek, as shown most delightfully below.



Let us make haste to note the above photo is of neither of us, but we like that, if we so desired, it could be. Karma the Beloved Dog in particular fancies the opportunity to wear a pink tutu, which it is our deep conviction is a laudable goal for any individuals of the male gender, and we particularly see the possibilities of world peace being furthered if all world leaders would only be willing to arrive at crucial summits in ballerina drag.

As a final note, we have discovered yet another apparent flower, this one of a lovely blue tulle sort such as a ballerina might wear, so once again we are on a quest. Is it a flower? Is it a mushroom? We are of the fond hope that one of our readers will let us know, although, to tell the truth, it seems to be the Quest itself which brings such pleasure.