Sticking with the the “F” themed Friday posts. Not sure what the next will be.
Well, the windows are all installed and half needed new moldings for which I now have to fill the nail holes and finish. Most will be stained and urethaned and a few painted. I hadn’t really thought about that need when we contracted to have them done but at least it is in my professional wheelhouse. 🙂
Last Sunday I managed to visit North Quabbin and while driving along State Forest Road noticed a tree covered with bracket fungi at its base. Once closer I recognized them as a fungus I’ve seen in the neighborhood when walking Bentley down our side street.
These Resinous Polypores-Ischnoderma resinosum were fruiting in a crack at the base of the Hemlock. Above these were several small clusters of them with interesting shapes. Many had folds along their edges.
Some of the clusters were arranged in layers atop one another.
They are also known as Late Fall Polypores which explains their health and satiny texture at this late date in the season. The Resinous name comes from the little reddish beads that form on their surfaces.
At the end of shooting I got a closer shot of the beads and a pinched layer.
As with many polypores this can be edible when young but grows tougher as it ages. And the taste is not considered palatable. Anyway, I don’t forage so not a temptation at all.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Call that top picture a stairway to (fungal) heaven. Those beads are quite attractive.
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I did see a staircase but neglected to add that to the prose. I guess I was too enthralled with the beads of “sweat” which I enjoyed immensely.
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I saw a stairway in the first photo, too. The second reminded me of the wax lips we used to buy as kids, but the rest are all stacked pancakes with some of the best maple syrup I’ve ever had!
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As I mentioned to Steve, I saw the staircase and am not sure why I didn’t reference that but you are among many who saw it that way. Pancakes has been a popular vision as well. I saw a clam shell in the second but I like your wax lips better.
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Thanks, Nice shots of these strange creatures!
I remember reading an essay that Paul Stamets wrote about the consciousness and intelligence of polyphores.
What might a mushroom meditate on, deep in a forest, or fronting a suburban sidewalk, I wonder.
Intelligent or not, these mushrooms are beautiful and the beading on them is quite interesting. A lot of well-caught magic in the photos–and I guess they make good gravy, too?
The mushrooms, I mean–though who would boil their wild sagacity and eat them, if we knew . . ?
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Thanks, Melody!
Fungi are considered a closer relative to animals than flowers even though for many years mushroom were included in many floral texts. As we eat animals, some of us that is, then it’s not surprising we would eat a mushroom even aware that it had some sort of cognition unknown to us. In case you have not seen one of his talks or the film featuring him, here is a Ted Talk with Paul Stamets.
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Thanks, Steve, for sending the Stamets video, I believe it saw this some years ago, but it was really great to watch it again. Stamets is an amazing practical visionary. I am lately trying to rewild–to some extent–my backyard here in Western Oregon and had forgotten those fungal packets he has. Wonder if I can get some, I’ll check his website. What an inspiring human he is, I should watch this whenever I’m discouraged.
. . . And meditate on your fabulous polyphore photos, too,–those mycelial magicians in pancake costume. 🙂
Cheers, Melody
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You’re welcome, Melody. I am glad you enjoyed the film and hope you are successful with your rewilding project.
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Looks pancakes and syrup! 🙂
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Indeed they do. 🙂
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I really like that top one. Fascinating when they grow that way. I’d not known about fungus forming resinous beads. Very interesting.
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They also sweat…well this one does anyway.
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Now that the frogs have disappeared, your focus is on mushrooms. The ones with the droplets are particularly impressive.
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Soon the mushrooms will be done too. Some do hang around during the winter but are less photogenic. That doesn’t mean I might not shoot them.
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Beautiful mushroom and nice pictures, including those of the “gutation” (droplets)
Have a nice weekend Stephen and many greets.
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Thanks for the reminder of the term, Rudi. I couldn’t recall that and should have googled but guess I was being a little lazy. 🙂 It’s a week later but Friday so a good weekend to you as well. 🙂
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I like the ‘beads’. The magnification of the surface below gives them a very attractive appearance – like bubbles in glass.
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They have the same effect as beads of dew or rain drops in that way. Thanks, Ann!
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Fungal stairway. I love the closeups
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Thanks, Alessandra. The closeups were the main attraction for me but I thought to start large and then get closer.
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That second one reminds me of a small, brown version of an underwater giant clam. The third, a stack of pancakes.
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I saw clam too. And pancakes seems the winner in the naming contest.
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Great series of fungi images!
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Thanks, Reed!
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Great find and set. The last few look like a stack of pancakes with maple syrup. Now I want some! 😀
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These would be pretty chewy. 🙂 I didn’t photograph many mushrooms this year for whatever reason. I was quite happy to find these. There is a stump next door that Bentley and I walk by that has this species popping up on it but nothing as dramatic as these pancakes.
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