November abundance
the trick to gathering mushrooms is to correctly identify them
of course this is critical if you plan to eat them – which I definitely do not!
I rely on “All That the Rain Promises, and More” by David Arora
inside front cover – his method of identification is simple and direct
the rains have arrived so now is the time to go gathering
I am undecided on the identity of those on the left and bottom
top center are several bug eaten Bolete – no dye
top right are Turkey Tail (trametes versicolor)
they are leathery with interesting circular rings of colour – soaking in a dyepot
lower right, a single specimen gives a beautiful brown spore print
may be Poison Pie (hebeloma crustuliniforme)
spore prints are beautiful works of art
all the other mushrooms had white spore prints
on my street the Amanita muscaria are splendid
they are larger than in past years
beautiful but definitely not eatable and no dye
after a few days rain, when the sun reappeared I returned to Ross Bay cemetery
a beautiful place to wander – and collect fallen lichen
a good assortment – to dye with later
I’ve never seen this small mushroom before
it doesn’t appear to be in any of my books and didn’t give a spore print
too small to try dyeing with
I wasn’t the only one enjoying the sun
at least 10 deer were browsing
they weren’t bothered with me but I stayed behind a tree or headstone while taking pictures
just in case
and those antlers look dangerous
I’m happy they are eating here and not in my garden
this large buck seems rather pleased with himself
and there has been some work done
November’s backstrap weaving is finished
stitched to the blanket – there is only one more panel before the weaving is done
with plans to finish it with a crochet edging
as I haven’t crocheted in years I need some practice
now to warp that final piece
onesmallstitch.wordpress.com 
Love lichens … did some dyeing with windfall just yesterday
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Liz – I pick them up wherever I go, there are always crumbly bits of lichen in my pockets. some of them leave a woodsy scent on wool that lasts for years.
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ooooh, those mushrooms!! how abundant and delightful. we have the same male deer all over the area. i’m sure they’re in my yard but also in everyone else’s. so impressed by how busy you keep yourself, makes me think i should get off the computer and go downstairs to work!
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Aimee – it is you who impresses me, with your teaching and the shows you participate in and all the work you accomplish. I know I’m slowing down, it is annoying but comes with the added years. We need to learn to pace ourselves in order to have the ideas, energy and enthusiasm to keep going over an extended period of time. Artists and crafts people in Japan and I assume Korea do amazing work on into advanced years, I think it is because they don’t consider it so much as work but life itself.
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That spore print took me back to childhood. We used to pick wild mushrooms to do that with, and occasionally to eat afterwards! Four I can clearly remember and identify: horse mushroom, shaggy ink cap, puffball and boletus.
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Kate – I was brought up in the northern, first growth forest – taught 2 things, never eat a mushroom until it was checked by parents – and never run from a bear! Well anyway, I survived.
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