Did you know the psychoactive effects of the A. muscaria, the mushrooms depicted in Alice in Wonderland include distortions of the size of perceived objects? Or that that the Vikings' violent rages may have been associated with eating the fungus; or that the white spots can wash off in heavy rain?
Mushrooms, including this one that was outside our office, and even the Amanita phalloides (the highly toxic death cap) are abundant here at this time of year. This morning a news report has a family in hospital with mushroom poisoning.
@northy The news report has one being transferred to Sydney intensive care. Deathcap poisoning is a terrible toxicity and two people from here died a few years ago from eatin wild mushrooms they did not realise were deathcap. The frightening news today is the family appear to have bought the mushrooms from Woolworths. The health department will be working overtime to manage the publicity.
Great photo, beautiful light and focus. These ones are highly hallucinogenic and also extremely poisonous. I would love to learn enough about wild mushrooms to trust myself to collect them because some can taste fantastic, but at the moment I don't want to take the risk!
@redpants thanks Sue - and I had not even noticed it until I had uploaded the shot. This was taken without my (fave) macro lens..so shooting it felt a bit awkward.
Incredibly gorgeous shot - fav.
I did not know all of that. I think living in the city there are just some things that are never brought to the forefront. And I don't care for mushrooms except on pizza.
Hi Lyn! I hope you see this as your last post was some days ago. I'm your get pushed partner for the week and my challenge for you is a picture with only one dominant color. Hope that's fine :)
Hey Lyn. Im your get pushed partner for this week. I just happened to see the post above me from last week. first, your work is just beautiful! If youre up for it, I'll have you photograph something in the golden hour this week. i cant wait to see what you come up with!
@katiebrenkert Hi Katie - Thanks & 'Golden Hour' will be fine - the biggest challenge might be me getting off work early enough to see it!! I have taken photos for the last two Push challenges, but not been able to post anything as I have had to purchase a new laptop, and reloading the photo programs & settings has taken' forever'... but I finally got it sorted out on Sunday night... yay! (64 bit is so much faster..)
I spent ages looking through your fabulous album on the weekend & am finalising your challenge, and will post it soon.
Fantastic shot- a fav for me. We get an interesting variety around here too and I love to photograph them. But early on I decided it was just too dangerous to try and figure out which ones you could eat and which ones you shouldn't. Sure do hope that family is ok now.
I did not know all of that. I think living in the city there are just some things that are never brought to the forefront. And I don't care for mushrooms except on pizza.
I spent ages looking through your fabulous album on the weekend & am finalising your challenge, and will post it soon.