Tag Archives: Oyster Mushrooms

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The fog was heavy and cold this morning but as we walked alongside the Gualala River we left the fog behind. The river is low, waiting for the rains to come. The water is crystal clear.

 Of course we took our golden retriever, Huckleberry, along. He LOVES the Gualala River.

And taking a gravel bath afterwards. Life is very good indeed when you are a golden.

 Walking back Rick saw this little Chorus Frog jump. Its new name is Sierran Tree Frog.

Entering the forest we were surprised to see fresh Oyster Mushrooms growing on downed tree. A Banana Slug is enjoying a nice meal, provided courtesy of Mother Nature. The fog has been so heavy and dense, there was enough moisture for this edible mushroom to fruit.

 Autumn on the Mendonoma Coast - it's magic!

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Craig Tooley recently took this photo of beautiful clouds from the bluffs of The Sea Ranch. And the Pacific Ocean abides. Just lovely.

 Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo here.  To see more of his work, here is a link to his web site: http://ruffimage.com/

And on a recent walk Rick and I could only look from afar at these Oyster Mushrooms at least twenty feet high on a Tanoak snag. We were wishing we were able to levitate so we could harvest some for our meal.

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With our early rains comes early mushrooms! On a walk in the forest yesterday Rick and I found Golden Chanterelles, Cantharellus cibarius, Oyster Mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Turkey Tails, Trametes versicolor. Many tiny mushrooms appeared this morning and four round puffball mushrooms joined them. Boletus edulis, King Boletes, can't be far behind. Let the wild mushroom frenzy begin!

These Golden Chanterelles look almost white in this picture.

Growing on a Tan-Oak snag, these Oyster Mushrooms will get bigger in the warm days to come.
Perhaps you know the name of this mushroom? It's some type of puffball. Note the bite taken out of its side.

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Rick and I, along with our friends Nan Brichetto and Frank Drouillard, went on a hike this morning with our two Golden Retrievers. We were shocked and amazed to come across this large group of Oyster Mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus. They normally are found later in the fall and winter but I guess our weather has been so cool that they decided to make an early appearance. They are, of course, edible and delicious!

They were fruiting on a downed Tanoak, a hardwood that grows on the Mendonoma Coast. In this next picture they look like gardenias!

And we aren't the only creatures that covet these fungi. Check out the Banana Slugs feasting on these mushrooms on the picture below.

A gift in the forest - thank you Mother Nature!
To see another early fruiting mushroom, a Dyer's Polypore, click on this link:
http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/26/dyers-polypore-a-wild-mushroom-continues-to-evolve-continues-to-fascinate/
      My best to you today, Jeanne Jackson