night life

Adam and I just had to get out on the median late last night after a drive-by giant mushroom sighting.
These Amanita muscarias were so tall and majestic.

November

November is Amanita muscaria time in Seattle...

Leocarpus fragilis

Presenting: Leocarpus fragilis, the local, traveling slime mold that grows off Steven's Way on UW campus. It's growing on cedar (Cedrus sp.) cones.

Slime molds are strange, beautiful, under-studied organisms. They have a single-celled, asexual stage in their life cycle. But then, in response to environmental cues, all the independent, single celled individuals in an area congregate, fuse together, and travel around as one amoeba-like organism; the "swarm" stage. After swarming for a while, they produce spores. The above picture is of Leocarpus fragilis in the spore producing stage.
Here is a previous post on slime molds.

keeping warm

Sweater vests really DO keep you warm!
I was pleasantly surprised...
:)

mushroom dye

Here is a little something from the Annual PSMS Mushroom Show to get you excited about the coming dye season (rainy winter)!

Each of those colors are from mushrooms!
I can't wait!

6 months!

November 8th, 2009 is our 6 month anniversary!
Adam and I were married May 8th, 2009 in the Newport Beach, California Temple.

What a great day :)

bird nest fungi!

I found a few bird nest fungi this week!

I think these are so amazing.

There are several kinds, but in general: the fungus forms a cup shaped structure with a cap over the top. They are usually variegated brown colors, making them even more bird nest-like. Then mature, the cap peels off revealing small egg-shaped packets filled with spores at the bottom of the nest!

They are very small 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch tall.

What a wonderful world!

mushroom show!

A few weeks ago, Adam and I took our nephews out for a rainy day in Seattle.
We went to the Annual PSMS Mushroom Show!

And then we made pizzas in the outdoor cob oven at the UW Farm Fall Harvest Festival with Slow Food Seattle.


And then we went to the Pet Store!

and saw these funny mice:

And then we went to the game store and got Magic cards!


It was a really fun day. Our nephews are so beautiful and smart, it is delightful to interact with them.
:)