September 22, 2011

Hu-mid-i-ty

Humidity:  [hyoo-mid-i-tee] the state of being humid; dampness

Our Austin weather has been unusually arid this summer.  Mosquitoes and snails are noticeably fewer in number and powdery mildew has been less of a problem on crowded plants.  These pleasantries would be the silver lining of our record breaking, wicked summer. 

We've had no rain here in my garden but humidity levels are up.  White, puffy clouds languish in the sky and the Texas Sage burst into cheerful bloom earlier this week. 

This mysterious crop of mushrooms popped up overnight in a big ceramic pot that contained sweet potato vine.  The vine is long gone, having fallen victim to the voracious appetite of the unwelcome bunnies.






Their delicate, papery flesh didn't last long...the heat returned and they were spent by mid-afternoon.  There presence was so unexpected that they brought a big smile and lifted this weary gardener's spirit.  They are a sure sign that the grip of summer is lessening and fall surely approaching.



17 comments:

  1. I really do love a good mushroom photo or two. Thanks!

    Still no rain for you? Crazy.

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  2. I am fascinated with fungi. There are so many with interesting characteristics. Your photos really show them off. Cant believe you haven't gotten any rain yet!

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  3. Great shots as always. Yesterday I was noticing mushrooms in two different places that seemed to pop up overnight- either I just didn't notice them before or they just grew that size literally overnight. I have to admit I have realllllyyyyyy enjoyed the lack of mosquitos as of late.... a silver lining indeed.

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  4. Ah, humidity... the only days my hair has a curl.

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  5. Mushrooms make the best photography subjects and these photos are exception. I love how you can see the ridges on the top of the mushroom skin, very cool.

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  6. Beautiful, ephemeral, the weather is soon much more bearable and your gardener's heart gladdened by rainfall.

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  7. You make even mushrooms look good! I noticed yesterday how humid it was. It has been so dry it has felt more like West Texas here this year - it was good to feel the humidity again, even though it does make it a bit more uncomfortable. I hope you get rain soon.

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  8. great shots of your shroomies! funny...i just posted on mushrooms and fungi that are popping up in new hampshire right now (we are visiting new england now.) soooo cool!! wish i had brought my macro lens!!
    here's link to my mushroom post: http://lagunadirt.blogspot.com/2011/09/its-magic.html

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  9. Since the humidity has increased, perhaps rain is on the way! I still pray for TX every day, especially since our rain doesn't seem to be stopping. At least it's cooled off for you!

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  10. I have prayed for your state whenever the drought and fires have been in the news. I hope you get some rain soon.

    Nice photos! We have had lots of different kinds of mushrooms this year, with all of our moisture and the fact that we had a tree cut down. I didn't realize until this summer that mushrooms like soil with decaying tree roots. I wish I had thought to take photos of them.

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  11. You seem to have captured those images at just the right time. Beautiful!

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  12. Here's wishing that those mushrooms are a sign of rain around the corner for you and your garden.

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  13. Only you could take the lowly mushroom and make it look like a work of art! Beautiful!! Did y'all get any rain last week? I saw on the radar there was activity south of us; just not sure if it made it down to y'all. We managed to get about 1/2 an inch the whole month of September, which might be more than some places, so I can't complain. At least it filled my rain barrel :-)

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  14. Nice shots, Cat. Edible kind? Can't they seed the clouds now that you have some? Or are the clouds still not enough?

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  15. Beautiful pictures of the mushrooms -- they're kind of a momentary treasure, right?

    I'm also writing to let you know I'm passing on the "Versatile Blogger" award to you on my latest post -- if you don't do awards, at least know I'm honoring you and have linked to you on my blog :)

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  16. I adore plants that materialize out of nowhere to live magically short lives. What a treat to experience that transformation!

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  17. I hope the humidity has left you by now. How wonderfully fortunate you were to spot these delightful mushrooms at their prime. You caught them nicely on camera.

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