Weekend Wanderings

Yesterday morning, we went early to the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. It was quite cool out still so we hoped to avoid the worst of the mosquitoes. 

August is a great time to hunt for mushrooms and odd plants on the Wintergreen Trail, especially after rains and humidity.

I think this is a Russula mushroom of some kind. Most of the ones I found were only about an inch tall. There were quite a few of them!

Here is chicken of the woods with slugs on it.

I have no idea what this is but it was inside a log and I had to use my cellphone flashlight to light it up.

Perhaps this is White Coral Fungi Jelly. It is quite rubbery feeling.

I think this is a type of Coral Fungi too, but it is still slightly different in shape and texture from the typical Coral Fungi I normally find. It seemed to be also growing from the earth which could have wood under the debris on the forest floor.

These below are the normal Coral Fungi that I am familiar with.

I have no idea what this is, but I liked how the texture appeared in the photo.

This in not a mushroom or fungi. It is actually a slime mold called Wolf's Milk.

These are not fungi, they are plants that don't have chlorophyll and go by various names. Indian Ghost Pipes are one. It was the name I learned as a kid. They actually do flower and drop seeds.

Then they turn black and whither away.

I also found Rattlesnake Plantain which has the most beautiful leaves.

It was a fun morning, we were at the Reserve before anyone else showed up and were leaving as the people started to show up around 10am. 

We found so many things to see and enjoy. 

I'll probably go back or to another similar place this week to enjoy looking for the odd things one can find along the bluffs of the Kickapoo.

The rest of the day was spent with boring yard work and getting Sunshine a pedicure. I was so busy visiting with Danny and Kristi that I never took any photos.

Oh well.

All is good. It appears that we are in for an all day rain.