The oldest living things in the countryside are the fungi inhabiting ancient woodlands. The mycelium that was there 10.000 years ago continues its winding way today, a tissue continuous in time and space stretching its unseen way underground around the roots of our forest trees and through minuscule cavities of the loam: a single co-operative organism. If we could weigh it it would weigh hundreds of tons.
above, Fly Agaric, the poisonous Amanita muscaria
and left, Lepiota procera, the Parasol mushoom, thought to be useful as an umbrella by 5 year old Gus
I'm by no means an expert on identifying fungi, but is this on the right a species of Russula?
and this involuted specimen? ...
All the wonderful names of fungi in my field guide – from Polyporus frondosus to Dryad's saddle – don't quite match these two beauties: but as an amateur I can revel in them without knowing what their names are....
I will lead the noble soul into a wilderness
and there I will speak unto her heart
Hosea
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