Today while I was on my daily walk, Steve stepped out in his fluffy blue robe and thick warm slippers to say good morning--he usually gets up an hour later because he's got the "sleeping in" thing down to a luxuriant science! Huzzah!

At a chilly 31 degrees, no way was he stepping off the porch so I marched over to greet him with a hug and kiss.

"ACK!!!" He yelled, reeling back from my affectionate peck. "Your lips are frozen, woman!" I couldn't stop laughing as I gave him a hug. He pulled me tight in an affectionate embrace and then shrieked, "OH MY GOD, you're an ICEBERG!" He rubbed my back bravely but quickly stepped away with a shudder, staring with abject horror. Receding towards the door with a slightly terrified expression on his face, he left me with, "I'm going back into the house where it's warm!" My maniacal giggling followed him as he shut the door. Gee whiz, I've repulsed my own husband! :D

And now, let us all bow our heads and take this moment of silence to remember Triangle Man.

The other day I posted an image of two lovely mushrooms that I discovered on my way up to our ridgeline trail. At the time I noticed a couple of smaller ones erupting from the earth nearby. In the following days I kept an eye on them but apparently something else was too. In fact, the day after I'd photographed the pair of mushrooms I found one of them laying upside-down nearby and the other one was just plain gone! A few days later, one of the mushrooms I'd been keeping track of disappeared. That left Triangle Man. Oddly shaped with a perfect, rounded-triangle cap, I watched this mushroom slowly force its way up from the soil and grow in size. Yesterday I saw him and burst into song!

"Triangle Man, Triangle Man,
Triangle Man hates Particle Man
They have a fight, Triangle wins
Triangle Man"
~ Lyrics from Particle Man, by They Might Be Giants (This is such a fun song that I linked it…ENJOY!!)

I thought about taking pictures of Triangle Man but decided against it. The grass was very long in that area and to prep for a picture would have taken too long to be bothered. I decided that instead I would appreciate this fun-looking fungus every day as I walked up and down the driveway. At last he was rising up off the ground and I thought that maybe I would take his picture after all. What's 20 minutes of prepping? Triangle Man was worth it! I planned to take his picture that day but it began to rain and didn't stop all day.

This morning Triangle Man was gone. I looked around to see if he might be hiding under a leaf but he was nowhere to be found. Poor Triangle Man. Rudely plucked from the earth and wolfed down by a denizen of the night. His chance at an immortal photograph was dashed. Oh, the cruel, cruel world! We loved you Triangle Man!

Since I can't show a picture of Triangle Man, I thought it would be appropriate to share another mushroom picture. This photogenic pair was found a few days ago when I took a walk along the ridgeline trail that runs from our property about a mile away where it peters out. It's a mecca for plants and animals, ever-brimming with photo opportunities. These two were spotted on an Oak stick that fell to the forest floor and was partially covered with leaves. Only when I kneeled down to peer carefully at ground-level did I spot these extremely tiny mushrooms. They are only about ¼" in height! What an awesome find!

Pam, I invite you to listen to the song, "Particle Man," which is sure to put a beaming smile on your face while you think about the mushrooms you've seen in your wanderings that are gone the next time you come around. We were so lucky to see them! I'm looking out the window now and thinking of you as I watch the mist drift slowly past the Upper Table Rock. Beautiful...just like you.

Explored on 12/14/18, highest placement, #6.