A Mushroom Pretty as a Flower

Beautiful mushroom poking up through the forest floor---a flower of the fall.

Mushrooms

This time of year the focus of a hike is on the tiny and brown, so when a delicate peach colored mushroom pops up out of the brown fallen leaves, it is cause for celebration for the eyes.

This tiny mushroom was like a flower the other day when I found it on my daily walk through the forest.

Pumpkin Colored Mushroom

Some mushrooms rival flowers in beauty. This one surely does.

Rosy Mushrooms

After a recent rain the bog at Indiana Dunes was covered with tiny orange mushrooms with rosy centers. They are as beautiful as any wildflower.

Mushroom

I found a number of these mushrooms in the bog.

Some had tiny bites taken out of them.

They are almost purple around the outer rim and they have rings like a slice of wood.   

A Really big Mushroom

Besides Hobbits, many animals eat mushrooms; mice and chipmunks among them.

During a hike the other day at Cowles Bog in the Indiana Dunes I found this mushroom. It is huge; as big as a human head. It should provide a whole mouse family food for the winter. 

Fungus

The recent rain we have had has left us with several new mushrooms and lichens popping up in the parks.

This part of Indiana grows some interesting and magical looking fungus.

I enjoy looking at fungus but identification is difficult and dangerous if you make an error. Some fungus is very irritating to even touch. So it is pretty to look at and, unless you are an expert, just looking is best.