Friday, December 05, 2014

Doppleganger

It was first seen through binoculars, through clouded window glass and past the dancing distraction of feathered feasters on the lawn below.  It resembled a forgotten rose, brown petaled, a perfect circle of design rolled out like stale pie crust on the top curve of an alligator-backed resting log, dull but intriguing.


Later in the day I was close enough to inspect both pattern and color and shape more closely, and was surprised to see the familiar image of a female pine cone with its distinct scales smashed firmly against the rough bark wood as if raped by some autumn monster and left for lost.


But wait, neither pie nor flower nor cone is this object.  It is soft and pliable, if still firmly attached, and is indeed a fungus playing hiding games in the fall light.  It is a cabbage fungus in its normal costume, pretending it is something else.


10 comments:

  1. Beautiful fungi Tabor. Is it edible?

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  2. That's amazing---have not seen this before.

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  3. You really got me thinking with your fine description of a fungus.

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  4. Very cool! I have never seen one of those!

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  5. Thank you for examining closely.

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  6. It's pretty, and most fungus isn't.

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  7. Never heard of a cabbage fungus, especially one that looks like a raped pinecone. You always have something to teach - and you do so in such exquisite prose.

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  8. that's a new one for me. very pretty.

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  9. interesting...cool fungus...nature always has the best textures...

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Glad to hear from you once again. I really like these visits. Come sit on this log and tell me what you are thinking.