Hunting

Mycena corticola, possibly





















unidentified, possibly an Amanita sp.

Inspired by an impromptu mushroom identification lesson from Chris and Travis, the arborists, Anne and I multitasked while working on our projects and went hunting mushrooms. It's hard to say what ended up being more fun, checking out the colony of tiny mushrooms growing on the Weeping Cherry or finding what Travis calls the Smurf Mushroom or stalking the Great Blue Heron (Ardia herodias) in the Japanese Garden. Being at Brookylyn Botanic and gardening isn't just about the plants. It's incredible how much wildlife there is here in the city and in Brooklyn. You just have to be in the right place and open your eyes. Lucky for me this year that I am somewhere special and surrounded by people with wide open eyes and curiousity and knowledge. The only problem really is that there is just so much to know and learn. You start out wanting to grow your own tomatoes and next thing you know, you need a book on identifying mushrooms.