I was back at Drumlin Farm today, teaching a mushroom class. It was a really good time, a great group; To them I say: I'm working on that spore print, and I'll answer some of the questions we came up with in a little bit. Thanks for coming today!



These little button-shaped mushrooms we saw on the wood chips outside the Nature Center. After some reflection, I think these are immature bird's nest fungi, with the spore-bearing surface (the top) still covered with a veil.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Ginkgo, the beautiful living fossil urban tree with the foul smelling berries and memory-aid attributes--also my current journal motif.


Also, looking at my archives, I taught a mushroom class at Drumlin a year ago today!

Dead man's fingers (Urban species #181), Drumlin Farm, Lincoln.


180 Stair Gap, Landmark Center, Boston.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Agelenopsis spider.

I taught a mushroom class at Drumlin Farm today. rockbalancer attended and assisted.


On this day in 365 Urban Species: White snakeroot.

Last day.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Purslane, but maybe it should have been Enchanter's Nightshade...

My replacement A'ndrea, and Tito, of course.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Pigskin earthball.

Also:


One last picture of Beautiful, the barn cat.

Caroline, with the hayride wagon (with Rob's new umbrella) behind her.

Best part of the day: A nice sweaty workout, stacking hay!

Disgusting substance of the day: Hay. My arms are covered in tiny welts, and once I was done stacking I had to stagger away to the comfort of my asthma inhaler.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Daylily, an attractive but overplanted flower. Fortunately, for those who like to eat wild plants in the suburbs, they are edible.

One last look out my office window.

Best part of the day: A really nice going away party, at which my coworker gave an incredibly gracious and complimentary speech.

Also, I saw a pair of robber flies having sex. ( see? )

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Sowthistle.

The baby ducks are only about 8 weeks old, but they are bigger than all the other ducks.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: The Sickener, another fungus species eluding us this relatively rainless summer. (I saw a relative of it at Drumlin yesterday, mostly eaten away.)

My car dwarfed by weeds, especially burdock.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Birdsfoot trefoil.

Hangin' out in the crow cage with the crow (who really needs to molt some new feathers in already!)

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Carpenter ant.

Drumlin Underground.

Best Part of the Day: Summer critters!( Read more... )

The most dangerous part of my job--or that of any job at Drumlin Farm--is crossing route 117 at this blind corner.

Best part of the day: After work socializing at Flann's with rockbalancer, amypatt, and Anneke.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Monarch.

My dad visited me at work today.

Disgusting substance of the day: Turtle water sludge (left at the bottom of the tank after the water is drained out).

On this day in 365 urban species: Irish moss (the seaweed).

By request, Beautiful the barn cat.( Read more... )

The baby ducks are huge! The Canada goose protects them fiercely.


The cottontail is on exhibit! This picture is to prove that you can sometimes see him--like right when we open or close, he spends the rest of the time hiding in his tunnel.

This is some kind of hawk moth, possibly the adult of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta, rather ragged and beaten up.( Read more... )

Now that I know I'm leaving, even the really dull snapshots seem poignant. This is taken from the front doorway of the building I work in, looking down the path toward the bird cages, which are covered in mosquito netting.

Disgusting substance of the day: Hot glue, with which I burned my index finger, as I was repairing the mosquito netting.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Chicory, my favorite wildflower.

Boyce Field, Drumlin Farm. One of the parts of the farm that visitors seldom see.

On this day in 365 urban species: Dead man's fingers.

Frozen food.

Disgusting substance of the day: mouse torso organs. I chopped up a mouse for the snapper and crammed red bell pepper pieces into it. (In order to trick the turtle into eating veggies.) The pepper and mouse separated in the water. To my surprise, the snapper pursued and ate the red pepper pieces. I fed him a couple more without the mouse pieces and he ate those too.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Mock strawberry. Alexis just recently added a picture of the plant in flower to the comments on this post.