What a difference a year makes. Last year's drought has given way to plentiful rain, and the result has been lots of mushrooms, including so many chanterelles that I'm drying them, freezing them, and eating them at almost every meal ... #FungiFriday #mushrooms #athensoh

Found this oddity while hiking today. After poking and prodding it, I think it's a russula that's been parasatized by another fungus of some sort, perhaps similar to the way lobster mushrooms form. #FungiFriday #athensoh #mushroom

Last year I allowed a friend to cut down several beech trees to use for growing lions mane (Hericium erinaceus) using a totem method. When he cut the beeches, he girdled the stumps so I could inoculate them with lions mane spores to see if they'd start producing. This spring, I found several tiny lions manes fruiting on several of the stumps. Didn't amount to much, but the mycelium clearly is doing it's work. Maybe by next year I'll have something worth harvesting ... #fungifriday #athensoh

Found this Yellow gymnopilus (Gymnopilus luteus) on a decaying log this week. It's an "active" mushroom, containing psilocybin and psilocin. Haven't tried it, and I'm not finding a lot of info on this specific mushroom. Apparently the active properties vary wildly and it's as likely to just make you sick as transcendent. Anyone know more? #FungiFriday #mushrooms #athensoh

Found this lovely beech rooter (Oudemansiella furfuracea) mushroom during a rainy week in southeast Ohio. #FungiFriday #mushrooms #athensoh

Dryad's Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) growing on boxelder. It's about the perfect size to harvest for one of my favorite Forager Chef recipes, Dryad Saddle with Ginger Soy and Onion Greens: https://foragerchef.com/dryad-saddles-with-ginger-soy-and-onion-greens/ #FungiFriday #mushrooms #athensoh

Tale of two morels, one real and the other false. I finally found a black morel (Morchella angusticeps) in my woods, which is later than normal. And on the same day I found a Giant's False Morel (Maublancomyces gigas). I’m not sure if it’s unstable temperatures or maybe a residual effect of last summer’s drought, but the morels are starting slowly here this year. I’m hoping things will pick up in time for the blonds, which generally are my best producers. #FungiFriday #mushrooms #athensoh

Warmer temps sent me on a morel hunt recently, and while I struck out on that front, I did find this neat little devil's urn (Urnula craterium) tucked in the leaf litter. #fungi #mushrooms #athensoh

I've been told I have a nice rack, and it's all thanks to my dog. I hike a lot but have never found a shed -- until yesterday. My dog spotted an antler and then I found another about 50 yards away while we were hiking off trail. #deer #whitetail #hiking #dogsofmastodon #athensoh