All About Vegetation, House Plants, Gardens, Trees ect.

[Waukonda]

I found a Tennis ball tree today!

[bighomer]

The hydrangeas are trying to bloom, and the aster are in all their glory. Sunflowers and mums are still hanging on but it's getting late and some things are looking kinda peaked.

[1967redrider]

Yesterday I helped a couple hunters haul building materials up the mountain for a new hunting hut and did some fence walking/mending. With the warm rain we had recently, the fungi we're popping. Trying to figure out what this is, is it edible and is the orange fungus Chicken of the Woods? In the 5th picture, my nail and hammer holder is included for scale

I know Morels and that's about the only thing I'm comfortable eating.

[Waukonda]

Trying to figure out what this is, is it edible and is the orange fungus Chicken of the Woods? In the 5th picture, my nail and hammer holder is included for scale

I know Morels and that's about the only thing I'm comfortable eating.

I saw your post earlier, while having lunch at work, no time to answer then, thought you would have a half dozen answers by now. Mushroom guys must be preoccupied with something. Yes, that is Chicken of the Woods. I dont know about the others. I don't branch out much beyond morels, but I do go for chanterelles, chicken of the woods and hen of the woods. Those are easy for me to identify. If nothing else, you took some interesting and colorful pictures.

[1967redrider]

Thanks for the info, Ike! Have any good Chicken of the Woods recipes or cooking techniques?

[Waukonda]

Have any good Chicken of the Woods recipes or cooking techniques?

Unfortunately, no I don't. I have tried frying them like a morel, and I know people who do and swear by it, but they don't seem to have enough flavor to stand alone. I usually end up using them in a soup or sautee/stir fry with other vegetables. They are usually so big that I end up wasting a portion. Same story with Hen of the woods, just not a big fan of the fried version. Morels are so good, that anything else is a disappointment. IMO.
Hey, just as an aside, I read that one should avoid alcohol when eating chkn o woods, no joke! Look it up!
I can see that Chicken of the Woods getting kicked to the curb now.

[1967redrider]

Have any good Chicken of the Woods recipes or cooking techniques?

Unfortunately, no I don't. I have tried frying them like a morel, and I know people who do and swear by it, but they don't seem to have enough flavor to stand alone. I usually end up using them in a soup or sautee/stir fry with other vegetables. They are usually so big that I end up wasting a portion. Same story with Hen of the woods, just not a big fan of the fried version. Morels are so good, that anything else is a disappointment. IMO.
Hey, just as an aside, I read that one should avoid alcohol when eating chkn o woods, no joke! Look it up!
I can see that Chicken of the Woods getting kicked to the curb now.

So true . . .

[Waukonda]

I was a little surprised to see a late blooming thistle on my misty morning dog walk.

[bighomer]

Trees showing out a little bit at ole Homer's homestead.

Sowed some grass seed on this bare spot it didn't germinate but some marigolds and zinnias did, some nice fall color by accident.

[Waukonda]

Sun was out today, a few pics of the views around my place.....

[bighomer]

Thanksgiving cactus is blooming.

[mrwatch]

Pollen on an Anther or gonad. The male reproductive part of a flower. around 400 x magnification.

[bighomer]

Still a little color but the trees are getting bare around here in a hurry.

[1967redrider]

Nice colors, bighomer.

[bighomer]

Hope Charlie Brown would be proud.

Dang deer have had their way with the bosses .

[Waukonda]

I spent a couple of hours wandering a woods and creek with the dog this morning. I came across a couple of old impressive trees. First photo is a Maple, for perspective, knife is 4 1/2" closed.
Next is an old Sycamore, check out the huge burls.

[TPK]

I spent a couple of hours wandering a woods and creek with the dog this morning. I came across a couple of old impressive trees. First photo is a Maple, for perspective, knife is 4 1/2" closed.
Next is an old Sycamore, check out the huge burls.

Some impressive trees Ike!

[Ripster]

I spent a couple of hours wandering a woods and creek with the dog this morning. I came across a couple of old impressive trees. First photo is a Maple, for perspective, knife is 4 1/2" closed.
Next is an old Sycamore, check out the huge burls.

That old Sycamore has some gnarly burls . Looks like you had a nice day to be out with your dog .

[bighomer]

The bosses orchids are right pretty thought some might enjoy them.

[1967redrider]

Awesome, bighomer, and not easy to grow.

[bighomer]

They seem to like her, the hospital she work at had a doctor that loved and tried to raise orchids, she would show photos the ones she had and he'd go on and on wanting to know her secret. She'd say she didn't have one and he'd tell how lucky she was. Of course she already knew that she was lucky, after all she had me. YEA RIGHT.

[1967redrider]

Spring is in the air, Spring planting to follow soon. Took these pictures of wild and domesticated (is that what they're called? ) flowering vegetation on my weekend coffee walks this past weekend. The Daffodils, Tulips and Red Buds are in full bloom. Luckily the flowering Pear trees are done, I think I'm allergic.

[Quick Steel]

Thanks for the photos redrider. We have had some wild daffodils spring up. But most everything else is in slow development. It does look like the grass is starting to grow.

[bighomer]

[TPK]

Spring is in the air, Spring planting to follow soon. Took these pictures of wild and domesticated (is that what they're called? ) flowering vegetation on my weekend coffee walks this past weekend. The Daffodils, Tulips and Red Buds are in full bloom. Luckily the flowering Pear trees are done, I think I'm allergic.

Nice pictures John!