I was once the person who said “eeewww, a mushroom” when I saw one outside of the supermarket. I understand the foreignness of their forms, but I’ve embraced them and really enjoy walking around, getting some exercise and looking for them. NEVER EAT A MUSHROOM WITHOUT A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION FROM AN EXPERIENCED MUSHROOMER WHO STILL…
Category: SF Mushrooms/Outdoors
San Francisco Hikes – Just a Few Beauties
The first walk of the year on the Presidio’s Batteries to Bluffs trail did not disappoint. The air was filled with sweet scents and birdsongs. Unlike last year there was no hemlock yet, but lots of flowers and other things I’ve seen for years and never tried to ID. This year I felt compelled to…
The Birds, oh, the Birds!
My favorite cozy horror movie is The Birds. Not too much gore and blood, just enough. It’s even more of a terror after learning that Alfred Hitchcock demanded that they re-shoot the scene where Tippi Hedren gets attacked by the birds, over and over again, to exact revenge on her because she didn’t play into…
It’s Mushroom Time in San Francisco, Well Almost
Can you believe it’s almost fall? Another season has drifted by, one day flowing into another without much notice, until you start hearing people talk about Christmas gifts and how to Hygge this year. Is Hygge-ing still in? Or is there a new trend? It disturbs me a little bit that time flies by so…
Plant ID: It Can’t Be Poison Hemlock
It Can’t Be Poison Hemlock!
Plant ID is very difficult. The end.
Plant ID is very difficult. The end. Because of my newfound hobby of going outside during daylight hours and my late blooming love for the outdoors, I won’t give up so easily. With the help of a few guide books and some trustworthy internet sites for cross-reference, I think I’ve got one pegged. It’s Yarrow!…
Shitty Walks?
Place: Mt. Tamalpais, Pantoll trailhead For in-depth info, check out Bay Area Hiker Trail chosen: Bootjack – There are many trails to choose from at Pantoll trailhead Time: 11:00am, Thursday Lunch: Cheddar and Swiss cheese sandwich on dutch crunch bread with chipotle and aioli spread, potato salad, water Trail dessert: M and Ms Difficulty: Pretty easy going,…
Forest Shower on Mount Sutro in San Francisco
Place: Mount Sutro Time Visited: Thursday, 1pm Crowds: Just a few people in one group and one mountain bike rider Lunch: Arizmendi’s very reasonably priced pizza slice of the day, a cheese roll and any of their sweet baked goods! Arizmendi Bakery Link: Hiking Mt. Sutro Great place to go if you need some crunch of dirt…
Mushrooms of San Francisco 1
Golden Gate Park is a mushroom wonderland. The variety I’ve seen in just the last three years since spotting my first one is surprising. I haven’t been able to identify most of them even with the aid of a few books. I have read that only a small percentage of mushrooms have been identified. Thousands more have…
The Mushroom that Started it All
Clathrus Ruber, aka red basket stinkhorn, red cage mushroom, lattice mushroom, or the freakiest fungi around (for me), was the first wild mushroom I ever really took notice of. It was under a beautifully maintained tree in Golden Gate Park and when I first saw it, I thought it was a baby toy. The kind that…
