In the Forest of Miniature Hats by Chipka
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Description
I’ve always been vaguely aware of mushrooms: they’d sprout—yearly—in odd, ring patterns like time-frozen shock-waves defining the circumference of a rotting tree-root mass. They appeared in a George Pal rendition of Journey To the Center of the Earth as monstrously large, bioluminescent structures, much like the underground cave-dwelling cousins of California’s giant redwoods. They grew on rotting logs, abandoned cars, and—once—from the rotting wall-studs of a condemned (but not-yet-demolished) house. They were always something of a presence, though never really on the main stage in terms of my perception. Aliens and dinosaurs (or dinosaurs that were aliens?) occupied that particular niche.
I became inordinately aware of mushrooms while living in the Czech Republic. Whole cities would empty themselves of native residents during mushroom season. Scores of people would pack up and make journeys into the nature to gather mushrooms, play guitar, and generally have as much fun as they could. In a rather atavistic and distinctly human way, the generalized Slavic custom of mushroom-gathering (always an excuse for a party) seems to predate central and east European societies as we recognize them today. I’m convinced that those admittedly fun fungus parties are a holdover from a far more ancient time. I’m glad it has survived.
There were no parties (that I know of) on the day that I took this photograph. Corey and I were on one of our countless photography walks. Corey wanted to take pictures of autumnal things, cars, other autumnal things, and random stuff. I was interested in finding…well…anything that grabbed my attention. I saw these mushrooms. Immediately. They aren’t as large as this image may imply and I’m surprised that I saw them at all. I was attempting to photograph uncooperative ducks when I saw them. To the relief of the ducks in question, I was distracted by a spotty carpet of these things. Small things. Slender things. I suspect they might be poison. They’re cute (in that fungal way, after all) and I’ve learned that if it’s sufficiently cute, it either stings or poisons…or both. Luckily, I’ve never encountered a stinging mushroom (though I’m sure that in one of my stories, they will come into being) and I’ve only read of the poisonous ones.
I have no clue what these mushrooms actually are. I suppose I could look them up…but I rather like the sense of mystery. Maybe they’ll evoke a story and—thus—name themselves. Maybe I don’t know their name because it represents They Who Must Not Be Named…or something like that. I’m sure I’ll find out what these are, but for the time being, I’m content with having seen them, growing along the North Branch of the Chicago River, amid other intriguing examples of fungal flamboyance. Those will appear later. I'm posting these, simply because I like them. I like the way in which I thought of hats, growing wild on...well...on hat-stalks. I imagined--for a moment--scores of fashion designers making trips into wooded areas, to gather unripe-hats place to place in incubators and eventually sell at grossly-inflated prices. I rather liked that idea...I'm weird like that.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope to return to a more vigorous mode of commenting and catching up soon. I’ve been working incredibly long shifts at work and traveling to places like Peru, Illinois and other towns situated on exceptionally flat land. I hope that by this weekend, that particular rush is over.
Comments (29)
Faemike55
Very cool capture of these shrooma Andrea could probably tell you what they are
bmac62
Little hats for little heads? Me being retired from the Army and with a trip or two down the Parachute Jump Tower at Coney Island as a 10 year old...I see these as tiny parachutes:) One way or the other, I am no more adept at naming these fungi than you are. Photographically speaking, you've composed well and post worked these little shrooms perfectly. Nicely done Chip!
clbsmiley
What a fungy home.
Lashia
Very cool shot! Would be a good addition to this months photography challenge, the subject is scale :) Great shot, love the high contrast effect- thanks for sharing! :)
mgtcs
Mushrooms always seemed to me as something man-made. They are the kind of thing some designer thought up of as some kind of iconic imagery or whatever. They look as if they were strategically placed wherever they pop up. Loved the picture. It is just at the right angle for us to see the fractal pattern of their clusters.
PSDuck
Great shot...and narrative!
whaleman
Here, thar be bugs!
durleybeachbum
Super pic and a great read..I won't spoil it by giving you an ID!
fallen21
Fantastic capture.
kgb224
They look like small parachutes my friend. Wonderful find and capture. God Bless.
auntietk
Peru! We were just there, you know. A couple days after we left you in Chicago ... it was the last town we visited on the canal. I think if you plucked the "hat" off one of these, you'd find the stem was actually a hat rack. You know ... one of those bentwood things with the curvy bits. Just a thought ... :D
Feliciti
really great capture of this little hat's , like structures and colours too !!
angora
beau-ti-ful pic!!! (they are very functional... unfortunally therefore they appear inside people too... )
Rhanagaz
Great capture of this mushrooms, Chipka! Look almost like small umbreallas! ;o)
makron
Superb capture.
flavia49
amazing!
jac204
Great capture. I'm trying to picture mushrooms growing on a car, as you mentioned.
helanker
OHHHH!! My favorite object this time of the year. They are really cute and I think I have seen similar fungi in DK, but I dont know the names either. Super shot, Chip.
Meisiekind
I really like the idea of designers picking these little hats and placing them in incubators to sell at hugely inflated prices later.... I also like hats growing on hat stems.... You are such a wonderful story and picture maker! Very cool shot Chip!!!
Orinoor
I love mushrooms and this is definitely the perfect time of year for them. I have large ones in the yard, already partly consumed by squirrels and slugs. Excellent shot!
flora-crassella
wonderful picture!!!!!!!
sandra46
FASCINATING SHOT
RodS
I love these! Such a cool shot of these really neat little fungi! I can almost imagine these lighting up at night like so many tiny lampshades - see, I'm wierd, too! LOL! Really cool capture, Chip!
beachzz
or mini umbrellas??? lol
jocko500
you too find a lot of them here
KatesFriend
Funny, I just now developed an urge to watch 'Matango' again. Intoxicating and addictive. There is something very otherworldly about mushrooms. Perhaps its due to the creepy pop culture of films like 'Matango'. One should hope so as the alternative is that we are all now shipwrecked on the that creepy fungi infested island off the coast of Japan. But their appearance, their texture (the ones you can eat anyways - speaking of 'Matango') and their role in the grand scheme of things - they always seem like they are somehow out of place. Maybe something like ghosts. Not to mention their intoxicating effect on certain carbon based lifeforms. Don't believe me? Check out this video - best part is at about 2:50 into the segment. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=498815117579
myrrhluz
I was in Helle's gallery before coming to yours, so I have been having a wonderful night of communing with mushrooms. It's about the only way I shall see them at the moment as we are still in a drought. These are beautiful. I love the long and gently curved stems. They make me think of lamps on the graduated, twisty poles. I also see hats, on individuals that cluster together in a concerted effort to magnify their size and send you back after the ducks. I like the trio on the right. It looks like a parent and two children, who are both a little afraid, and very curious. Beautiful detail, color, and light. Very nice capture!
danapommet
This is a great find Chip. They are so tiny and cute.
wysiwig
The quality of the light makes this a magical image. Well seen and captured. In Europe mushroom circles were known as Fairy Rings and were thought to be gateways into elfin kingdoms.