pleasant surprise ~

I love surprises ~ don't you?

As many of you know ... We (Dear Hubby and I) are new to the field of mycology aka. mushroom growing.  We attended a presentation about it and did some reading and dug right in and planted up some spawn.

We started a wood chip bed with Wine Caps ~ here's a pic from last fall...

... we were very happy with the outcome ~ getting several really nice harvest.  Our concern though was how things would be this spring after such a long, hard and bitter cold winter.

I did a little walk about today and checked things out.  What a pleasant surprise to see this:

It may look like mold to you BUT it isn't.  It's beautiful mycelium ~ the beginning structure of growth for new mushrooms.  And the wood chip bed is full of it!

Then I wandered down to check out the Double Jewel and Miss Happiness Shiitake mushrooms we have innoculated logs with:

No pinning yet.  Pinning is what they call it when the baby mushrooms start to show.  I really didn't expect to see anything yet as we just started to have spring weather here.

In fact, I still have SNIRT in the yard.  Snirt is a mix of snow and dirt.  Here's what's left ... my 10 foot high snow bank is down to this:

Hopefully, after tonight's rains that will be gone tomorrow.

Continue my walk ... look at my wooden mushrooms and the pretty patina of moss and lichen they're grown:

Onward to the Pohu and Blue Dolphin Oyster mushrooms we started on the totem poles.

What a pleasant surprise again ...

They're covered with mycelium and they're pinning!  I love babies!!!!

 I saved my BEST PLEASANT SURPRISE for last ....

My beautiful little Grandlove Blake who is 6 1/2 weeks old wanted to say HI!

Isn't she a doll!  I think she takes after me :)  LOL

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel