Tag Archives: Anchor Bay

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Coccoras, Amanita calyptroderma, are delighting our senses with their beauty in the forest. Their nickname is Creamy Tops. Here is a photo I took this morning at our property in Anchor Bay.

To see some Coccora eggs that appeared a few weeks ago, click on this link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/26/coccora-mushrooms-just-peeking-up-through-the-duff-on-the-forest-floor-in-anchor-bay/

Last night's sunset shows a few remaining storm clouds. I love the way the sunlight is etched on the clouds.

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Queen Boletes, Boletus aereus, fruited in profusion on Friday. A friend, Rick and I found five perfect mushrooms. They are delicious! The ones on our property in Anchor Bay are growing near Tanoaks and mixed conifers. David Arora writes in "Mushrooms Demystified" that they are found in mixed woods and under hardwoods.

Many people confuse these with King Boletes, Boletus edulis, and it really doesn't matter - they are both choice edible mushrooms. They are gifts in the forest. Here's a link to a photo of the biggest King Bolete I've ever seen: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/17/the-biggest-king-bolete-ive-ever-seen-was-found-in-the-manchester-area-a-few-days-ago/

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Over the past several days the Coccora eggs have blossomed into one of the most beautiful mushrooms on the coast. A dozen or so dot the forest at Rick's and my Anchor Bay home and many more are to come. Coccora, or Amanita calyptroderma, is an edible but only for the most experienced foragers. But you don't have to be experienced to enjoy its beauty.

Coccoras are found near red-barked Madrone, with which they have a mycorrihizal relationship - a relationship made in fungi heaven! To see the Coccora eggs, click on this link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/26/coccora-mushrooms-just-peeking-up-through-the-duff-on-the-forest-floor-in-anchor-bay/

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A week ago I took these two photos of the sunset from Rick's and my Anchor Bay home. I thought the streaks in the sky were particularly interesting, especially in the second photo.

To see several other recent sunsets, here are the links: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/28/two-photos-of-sundays-magnificent-sunset-by-gary-klein/ and http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/24/a-spectacular-sunset-photo-by-coastal-photographer-ron-levalley/

Our lovely, warm autumn weather is about to end with a coldfront due to arrive tomorrow. The good news is the rain will certainly re-start the mushroom season. There is always a silver lining!

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Matsutakes, Tricholoma magnivelare, are just beginning to appear. They come up in the same place, year after year, near our property in Anchor Bay. The first three made an appearance a few days ago. They are growing in sandy soil underneath a mixed conifer forest with manzanita and huckleberry bushes nearby.

The Matsutakes found in our area, the Pacific Northwest, are also called White Matsutakes. They have a wonderful aroma...like cinnamon. There is no other mushroom like it. Yes, another wonderful gift in the forest from Mother Nature.