From a recent hike. #mushrooms

A couple years ago, I tried to raise some swallowtail caterpillars I found on my fennel. Only one survived to adulthood, but she was a beauty. #butterfly

Although I had a small fennel plant again this year, for whatever reason there were no caterpillars on it.

He knows he looks fabulous. #sanfrancisco #sealions

My #reishi #mushrooms block as of yesterday. While they're rockin' the windswept-bonsai look, I'm a bit dismayed that they have as yet to conk. Spent the weekend adjusting settings to let in more fresh air, but hopefully not make the fogger work too much harder. Tradeoffs...

(2 of 3) Here's a shot with some people for scale...

Yesterday I had to opportunity to see the world's largest rubber duck. She's 15 tons and 6 stories tall. (1 of 3)

3rd flush of golden oysters from this block. #mushrooms #haiku

unlikely bouquet
golden crinkles curl towards
their electric sun

Orchid show last year at a nearby conservatory. Not the greatest lighting, but otherwise I like the shot.

#flowers #orchids

#mushrooms from a recent hike...

First bloom of the season for these...

#flowers #daylily

No haiku for this one; just enjoy a pic from my front bed. The photo doesn't do the deep indigo of this variety justice, but you can see the veins more easily in the photo than in real life... #flowers

The first of soon-to-be-many...

lone bearded iris
a teasing promise in its
precocious pop

#haiku

Just as some parts of the US are experiencing record cold, others are having the opposite. These are in my front bed right now... #flowers #crocuses

In honor of #Caturday , a stunning photo of the elusive snow leopard. Photo by Sascha Fonseca.

#cats #snowleopard

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/09/1155633439/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year

Harvest of chestnut #mushrooms ! The turned-up one was where two caps must have touched during their formation and growth; they eventually fused.

Managed to get a 2nd harvest of Black King oyster #mushrooms after all! They started off pretty gnarly, then became little bowling pins with hats before filling out into standard mushrooms. I probably should've harvested them yesterday before they flipped up, but ah well. They're nowhere near as messy as some of the other oyster varieties when they drop their spores. Still got some nubbins on the block, so not composting it just yet...

A trail blaze is usually a spot of paint or a small square of color tacked to an occasional tree to mark the path. This beauty stood conveniently at a bend in the trail.

unintended blaze:
a lone autumn beech guides
on the yellow trail

#haiku #poetry

These "Black King" oyster #mushrooms went from just barely pinning to this within about 3 days. Caps are a bit pale; I can turn up my lights a couple notches, but they may just not be strong enough to get the ideal cap color. Hopefully the mushrooms will still be tasty, though!

Unseasonably warm around here today for early November. Seems like both are trying to make the most of it.

a burst of blossoms
an edge of desperation
in the blur of bees
rosemary and bees both
brace for the coming winter

#tanka #poetry

When I got this at a big box garden center, I didn't expect it to last this long...

final autumn flare
this long-lasting salvia
an unexpected gift

#haiku