Sunday, February 04, 2018

What is it?

At first glance, it looks like sap oozing from a tree trunk. But this is a vineyard post. Granted, it's made from wood, so sap could be oozing from it. But the color is so yellow, I wasn't sure what to make of it. And I don't see it anywhere else but on this one post. Maybe it's a fungus? I didn't touch it. But again, why only on this one post?

Whatever it is, it's kinda pretty.

Well, a little internet research indicates that this is, indeed, a fungus. It's tremella mesenterica, sometimes called yellow brain fungus or golden jelly fungus. The post might be one that the grower pounded in on the fly using an untreated log. It'll likely have to be replaced again soon. The Wikipedia article I read says that this fungus is easily confused with two others, so I don't really know which one it is. And I'm not really sure that I care...

Today is hunt day. However, I just read that the season for individual hunting (game birds, rabbits) closed on 31 January in our area. The organized hunting of foxes, deer, and boar continues through the end of February. We'll see what happens out there this morning.

Last night I watched Carrie Fisher's one-woman autobiographical show, an HBO special from 2010. There were quite a few chuckles, but I expected more. One thing that I really liked: she did her mother's voice to perfection.

8 comments:

  1. I immediately thought it was a fungus. Saw Carrie's mother on stage many years ago. She was great. Half the audience I think were gay men.

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  2. Hope you're safe indoors... from the hunters and the fungus. I would have assumed it was sap. Wow!

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  3. Yep, stay safe indoors, Walt :-)!

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  4. Walt, I'd like to extend my condolences for Ken's mother's passing away to you too. It's a Dutch custom to not limit condolences to just the immediate relatives but to partners as well. And I'm sure your husband's loss will affect you as well.

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  5. Sorry, that should read: It's a Dutch custom to give condolences to not only the immediate relatives but to partners as well.

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  6. Poor Carrie Fisher... such a troubled soul, though she dealt with it all with humor.

    With the loss of Ken's mom, I keep thinking of the times that you two have mentioned her -- and, I remember that she gave you a square tarte pan, that you have used to make Tarte Amandine aux Fruits for Ken's birthday. That's a nice memory :)

    Judy

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  7. andrew, that doesn't surprise me!

    mitch, no hunting happened in our neighborhood, so we didn't have to worry.

    jan, we're usually back home before hunting begins, so it's not too much of a danger. But there was no hunt on Sunday, so it didn't matter. :)

    elgee, thank you for you kind thoughts!

    judy, I remember that! Maybe another one this year...

    michael, indeed.

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