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Showing posts with the label poisonous fungi

The Much Maligned Mushroom

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 see the silver metal clay pendant at the end of this post  I have to confess that I am not a mushroom lover.   I also must confess that I am intrigued with their appearance and have taken a great many photos of them from the east coast to the west; from forests to mountains and in my brother’s front yard in Missouri.   Many of the books I read (you know- the romance novels about Ireland and Scotland) often talk about the importance of fungi in medical treatment and in witch’s brews!   So I thought October would be a great month to share some of those pictures as well as share some of their history. The ancient Egyptians (about 4600 years ago according to hieroglyphics) thought the mushroom was the plant of immortality.   Mushrooms were declared to be the food for only royalty; no commoners could touch them much less eat them.   Other civilizations thought the mushroom could provide superhuman strength and could lead the souls of men to the land of the gods.   Louis XIV is thoug