The Meadow’s Edge

The Slippery Jack, Suillus luteus, is an aptly-named and edible mushrrom in the Boletus family.  It is slimy to the touch and you must first remove the slime layer from the top and the pore layer from the bottom in order to prepare it for cooking.  These mushrooms grow in a belt of Scotch Pine trees that grow along our driveway.  The cap is reddish-brown and the underside (pore layer) is yellowish.  The rain we experienced this weekend has resulted in the emergence of many fall mushroom species in the woods and fields and lawns in our neighborhood. Not all of them are edible, however.  Some just plain taste bad, and others contain toxins that can cause indigestion, diarrhea, or worse.  A few are actually deadly, so a lot of caution must be used in picking mushrooms.  Most people I know stick to one or two species they know and can trust and usually pick them in the same places year after year.

It has been a rainy month at the Meadow’s Edge. In early September we experienced a rainy stretch followed by cooler weather, resulting in an profusion of Honey Mushrooms around the old Oak stumps in our back yard.  These mushrooms must be harvested quickly, before the caps open.  We take only the ones with button caps closed, slicing with a knife close to the ground, away from the dirt.  The Armillaria mellea is edible and choice. Sauted with garlic and onion, the Honey Mushroom goes well as a topping on chicken or steak. We like them in our spaghetti sauce. Rinsed and cooked with vinegar added, we put up jars of these to marinate in olive oil with garlic, onion, peppers and spices.  When these mushrooms emerge, you have to drop everything else you are doing to seize the moment – or lose the opportunity for another year.

Here are two jars of Semptember 2008 “stumpies” set aside for winter enjoyment with some crusty bread and a glass of wine.

There, in the rough-cut grass of the meadow, was the snake’s skin, partially hidden under a dead branch that had fallen from a tree at the edge of the field.  It measured approximately 32 inches long.  A quick check on the internet reavealed the following facts:

* Most snakes shed their skin 4-8 times per year. * Younger snakes shed more frequently than older ones. * Healthy snakes tend to shed their skins in one entie piece * A snake will use any rough object or syurface to help shed the skin * Prior to shedding, a snake’s eyes may appear cludy, dull, or blue-white.  Environmental factors that may influence skin-shedding include temperature, moisture, frequency of feeding, and amont of food consumed * Many snakes defecate after a successful shed or consume large quantities of water.

source: Snake Shedding http://www.talktothevet.com/ARTICLES/REPTILES/snakeshedding.htm

Join us in exploring and discovering the natural world as we encounter it in the lawn, garden, fields, streams, woods, abandoned orchards, and other wild places near our home.  Your observations and commentary are welcome. If you can add relevant factual details, all the better for other readers.