While walking the (very short) nature trail near Dave's parents' house, I noticed mats of this peculiar organism growing among the mulch. It's some kind of a cup-shaped fungus, from what I can tell. I looked online and I think what I'm seeing is artillery or cannonball fungus.
Fortunately the area where I found it is not near any houses -- because apparently those little fungal cups explode to release their spores, and those spores are super-sticky. Homeowners hate them. Out on the nature trail they're not doing any harm, and in fact I think all these are spent. I thought they were interesting. I don't recall ever seeing them before.
Yesterday was a day for errands, mostly. We went to the post office to get some information about shipping, and then Dave insisted on going to White Castle for lunch. My idea of a nightmare, but he loves it. I had four tiny burger "sliders" and they sat in my stomach like rocks for the next two hours.
Then we went to the grocery store to pick up more food -- we are constantly shopping -- and I found a pleasant surprise in the produce aisle.
Not only are they kumquats, which I love, but do you see where they're from? Dade City is about 20 miles from the house in Florida where I grew up. It's so funny to get Pasco County kumquats all the way up here in Michigan.
Of course I bought them. A taste of home!
I saw Kumquats for sale at the store the other day too. Of course, we're not that far from Dade County. That's one sassy little Kumquat.
ReplyDeleteThose mushrooms are intense!
what a cool looking fungus. we had a kumquat bush when I was growing up. they were always so sour.
ReplyDeleteBefore I read your text I thought the fungi were spent shot gun shells. We have forests of penis shaped shrooms up here that explode through a hole in the top, cute! but walking through them is a bit unnerving . we only eat organic kumquats up here, they are difficult to find but when we do, it is all over for the tart little quats!
ReplyDeleteThat fungus is bizarre! Mushrooms are all so mysterious, don't you think? And we have quite the harvest of kumquats out here in southern Cal. I have a couple of small trees that produce a ridiculous amount of fruit, and this year they were huge. That sort of creeped me out, to tell you the truth. I honestly thought they'd been crossed with oranges or something!
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