Thursday 14 November 2013

Down In The Woods


This is the time of the year I go rummaging in the woods. Seeing if a shaft of early morning sunlight will search through the lessening canopy of leaves to show me something I still find extraordinary. Flowerless Plants, as my fungi book designates them, are amongst the most fantastical living things. All that huge web of mycelium threading its way underground, to suddenly erupt in science fiction fruit that can look deceptively benign or downright evil. Not that I go in search of them to casually toss into a frying pan, unless it's slices of a big fresh puffball. My neighbour says "You've got to get up early to get those round here", meaning up before him. No, I just love photographing them, even though for the most part I'm doubtful as to what I'm looking at. I know Fly Agarics and Death Caps (fortunately), but the advice must always be rigorously followed- When collecting fungi to eat, only take those which you can identify with certainty. My Glamorous Assistant said these were Field Mushrooms. So what were they doing deep in a Kent wood, I pondered. Or did she have an ulterior motive? (Cue plaintive oboe music). 

6 comments:

Sue Imgrund said...

Enjoyed your disorientated mushrooms and that's sent me scouting off to look at my Shell Nature book!

Peter Ashley said...

Ooh Sue- Shell Nature Books!

martin said...

This has nothing to do with Fungi, although I was a avid studier of them as a nipper.
Could you confirm that you were standing on Victoria station concourse at 5.20ish on Thursday 6th of December? I glanced behind me, and thought: Good God! That's Peter Ashley!. Then I thought: No, that's daft.
I looked again, and the fact that you were wearing a fair-isle jumper, convinced me beyond all reasonable doubt.
Would have said Hello, but they called my train.

Peter Ashley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Peter Ashley said...

Blimey Martin, it was indeed! I had just finished lunch in Soho (I know, I know)and was myopically searching the boards for a train to Bearsted. I very nearly ended up in Ashford. Wish we'd had time to chat!

Anonymous said...

They are cute are not they?

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