tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post3595681835029885227..comments2024-03-26T07:58:59.761+00:00Comments on I'll think of something later: In mycological moodDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-29893872303984775742011-11-01T10:27:20.366+00:002011-11-01T10:27:20.366+00:00Olana - that's the one. The storm was threaten...Olana - that's the one. The storm was threatening as we wended our way up to the house on the summit, and broke just as we reached it. The previous time I'd been to Bard was between hurricanes, so it always seems to be dramatic weather up there. <br /><br />What a shame Innisfree closes to the public in the winter.<br /><br />Had forgotten the Cage mushroom link - must investigate.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-70340905378115031182011-10-31T18:01:42.223+00:002011-10-31T18:01:42.223+00:00I woke up and it dawned on me: it must have been ...I woke up and it dawned on me: it must have been Olana you saw--the homestead of Hudson River School painter Frederic Edwin Church. It is spectacular--I hope you'll have a chance to wander the grounds one day.<br /><br />I agree re the "parallel universe" idea--lovely way to put it. Though I'm very glad you weren't parallel to us during our nasty snowstorm--even though I was here, I couldn't believe it. We're lucky, though. Many are still living without power.<br /><br />As for mycology: I suspect you already know that John Cage was quite the mushroom expert. I went to check on Bill and Leslie this AM (power restored there, too) and learned that Bill has been invited to Bard to give a lecture on mushrooms as part of the John Cage Centennial in 2012. To prepare, among other things, he's reading John Cage's Mushroom book. He showed me a few pages—not surprisingly, that is one peculiar book.<br /><br />And as for books: I like your assessment of Summer Will Show. It definitely did become more gripping toward the end, and I'm glad, therefore, that I stuck it out, even though it didn't yield the pleasures of Lolly or Mr. Fortune. A lot to do with the main character, I think you're right there, too. I'm on the hunt of Don Juan and looking forward to that.Susan Scheidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09250142489341777926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-80728363247270957002011-10-31T09:15:24.115+00:002011-10-31T09:15:24.115+00:00Mention mushroom-gathering and everyone cites the ...Mention mushroom-gathering and everyone cites the unfortunate case of the Horse Whisperer author...Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-82779888206858657112011-10-31T07:41:06.757+00:002011-10-31T07:41:06.757+00:00A well connected friend ( based in France) was onc...A well connected friend ( based in France) was once staying at Chatsworth, and one morning went for a very early walk in the park where he met the wife of the French Ambassador, also a guest. They found some superb mushrooms and picked them for breakfast. This was not an easily executed idea. First the kitchen staff virtually required a written statement that if His Execellency and his wife ate the mushrooms in the omellette it was not the kitchen's fault if he did not survive.... and the breakfast table was sharply divided between those who ate the mushrooms and those who were watching with trepidation.<br /><br />All was well but if there had been a mistake Amanita Phalloides induces a most unpleasant and delayed deathDavid Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-6994126958179651552011-10-30T20:28:11.902+00:002011-10-30T20:28:11.902+00:00I do so love the parallel universes we bloggers in...I do so love the parallel universes we bloggers inhabit - I heard about your snowstorm but it still seems inconceivable from our very mild perspective at the moment. Having said that, the first shorter day (clocks went back) was unspeakably dull, kocking on the head a planned Sunday jaunt to Frithsden Beeches.<br /><br />Instead we hunkered down at home and I finished 'Summer Will Show' - gets quite gripping towards the end. I can see its singularity but never warmed to it like the others. But I guess the heroine is never really supposed to be hugely sympathetic - quite a challenge Sylvia TW set herself in that respect.<br /><br />And I see we've been 'doing' parallel gardens. Racking my brains to think of the one on the Hudson I visited with my New York friend in a ferocious thunderstorm. A house high on a hill with lakes surrounding it?<br /><br />Of course I'll look at your mycological friend's blog with pleasure.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-85361784346377404322011-10-30T20:01:25.212+00:002011-10-30T20:01:25.212+00:00I was just about to post a comment on this great p...I was just about to post a comment on this great post yesterday when our power went out (huge way-to-early snowstorm here)! Just came on about an hour ago, so back I am. What an interesting idea, a cryptogamic sanctuary. I wonder what it takes to keep up. That fly agaric seems straight out of Alice in Wonderland! We have a wonderful nearby neighbor who is a mycologist & brings us all sorts of wild mushroom treats. Like you, we'd not dare try to pick any for ourselves. If you're interested, Bill writes lots of interesting posts over at his wife Leslie's site. Her site is linked in my current post (just up now). Her September 14 post "Hunting Wild Mushrooms" has lots of nice links to earlier posts. Of course, this is only if you're hankering to engage in yet another internet "time sink" to add to your already incredible knowledge store. Interesting that you saw not a single fungus at Kew--but as you say, no visit there is wasted. That Italian maple, what a beauty.Susan Scheidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09250142489341777926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-23505627738798857752011-10-30T08:55:11.094+00:002011-10-30T08:55:11.094+00:00In this instance, Laurent, it's all mugged up ...In this instance, Laurent, it's all mugged up and VERY superficial. But I could get rather interested in this subject. Thanks anyway.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-3067816363209101612011-10-30T02:37:18.971+00:002011-10-30T02:37:18.971+00:00You truly are a fount of knowledge. Thank you.You truly are a fount of knowledge. Thank you.Laurenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03297393116796129135noreply@blogger.com