Who put the fun in fungi?

I was taught mycology by Dr. George Barron - one of the best, most inspirational and funniest professors I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  In addition to being an excellent teacher and an untiring researcher, he is an incredible photographer.

If you are at all interested in mushrooms, or nature, or excellent photography, grab a cup of your favourite beverage, and spend some time on the site.  The links may take a while to load, and some are broken (the site hasn't been updated recently, probably due to Dr. Barron's age), but it is worth the time spent.

Dr. Barron's main area of research, at least when I knew him, was on predatory soil fungi, and one of my most sentimental items is the framed photo he presented to me for getting the highest lab mark in the class.

He is the major reason I am where I am today, and why I was lucky enough to spend 15 years of my life working with fungi.

And why I still get a joy out of finding fungi in nature, from the largest bracket to the smallest birds-nest.

His field guide to mushrooms is on my want list, and I think I'll include it on my very next book order - just for the amazing photographs, if nothing else.

As an aside, he was the first to instill in me the difference between "edible" and "palatable", a distinction more "forage experts" should keep in mind!

 All photos copyright of Dr. Barron, and they are all of spoulating slime molds!  Now you see why I think they are simply amazing :)

$500 Challenge - April Edition

Not too exciting, but I bought some glass canisters - not really as a replacement for anything, since I have never really had canisters before :)

I do keep my coffee beans in a stainless steel container, and my sugar in a pottery sugar bowl, but everything else is simply stored in larger container in the cupboards - mainly because I have lived in places that have been deficient in counter space!

Not that this current kitchen is any better (and, in fact, is the WORST kitchen I have ever had), but it will get better!  Of course, during that process, a lot of my stuff is going to be in boxes for extended periods, so I thought canisters would be a good idea, both during the renovations (allows me to keep small amounts out while storing the larger containers), and for after as well, since I will have more counter space - although I might end up keeping these in a cupboard anyhow, since I tend to like clear counters, and they are glass after all - not the best idea for long-term storage in sunlight.

Anyhow, 3 glass Anchor-Hocking containers with screw-on lids, for the exciting, on-sale price of $10.00, plus tax :) 

Of course, this is nowhere near my total storage requirements, and to tell the truth, I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that.  I have a LOT of Tupperware containers for bulk dry goods, which I really do like - they are easy to get into, have large openings to scoop out of, keep items dry and bug-less (at least so far), and so they aren't on my priority list for replacement.  I did get rid of all my small plastic containers I used for storage of leftovers, etc. in the fridge, but the larger ones will stay around for now, at least until I hit on a better solution that is in my budget. 

Costs:
3 glass canisters: $10.00 + $1.30 tax 
Total: $11.30

Balance: $201.48

Slump

So, that laryngitis I was talking (he he he) about last time I posted?  Yeah, still got it.  Anything above a whisper is almost impossible, and yes, I have been to the doctor (4 times), and yes, I am trying honey and/or lemon and/or hot water and/or whisky, and yes, I have heard EVERY joke about how I got it from talking/yelling/singing too much, and how nice it may be for the people I live/work with...

And spring here is craptastic - rain, snow, sleet, hail... let's say nothing has been planted in the garden yet, and leave it like that.  And all you garden bloggers out there, waxing poetic about your spring blooms and lettuce and seed starting and such?  Yeah, shut it.  Okay, not really, but when I read their blogs, then look outside to the dismal skies and water-soaked yard...

And not much has happened on the house (okay, the wall between the kitchen and dining room has come down, and the framing for the bulkhead has gone up, but that's about it), mainly due to Dad's operation (he's all good now - yeah!), and the fact that the last two prescriptions I've been on have made me feel like a huge pile of, um, compost...


So, yeah.  Sorry about the lack of posts.  But really, I LITERALLY have nothing to say.

The dogs are good though!