Mystery Solved!

Thanks to a friend who helped research what this is, we now know this is an Agaricus augustus Fries or common name "the Prince" mushroom. Actually more common to California than the PNW, apparently it can show up here as is evident. They like foggy warmer weather, which we had a spell of recently. The final cap size is evident in the photo just below.

I said "final" because the darn things are considered one of the best edible mushrooms there are, and reportedly somewhat rare. They are reported to have the slight flavor/scent of almonds, which indeed they do! You can see the bottom side below, just after we harvested it.

Given it was at a fairly mature state, we chose to slice it and dehydrate it for future use.

Obviously a note of caution for foragers in that you want to be abslolutely sure the variety you are harvesting is the edible type you think it is. Many varieties of mushroom can be quite deadly, so be absolutely sure before eating!

Mystery Fungii Update...

So here it is again a short few days ago. Still morphing like crazy. Notice it's little side-kick mini-shroom.

Again, seems like overnight it has changed into a completely different shape. Today it looks like your typical grocery store mushroom albeit on steroids. It has a distinct, and quite solid cap as I've rapped on it. That's a quarter on the cap BTW!

The underside gills pictured below, bit of stem, and the cap edge.

Again below with the same view as the top picture, only it's more mature today. We thought that it might just be a Boletus mushroom. Most of which are edible and quite delicious by all accounts. I'm just not seeing gills on the Boletus though in the pictures at that link, which I just today observed on our monster mushroom... so we are still up in the air on what this is exactly. As dangerous as muchrooms can be, we certainly wouldn't want to eat it, unless we are certain as to what variety. Shame as at this size, it would certainly feed a family of ten hobbits or more no doubt! And it looks like it sure might be tasty sauteed in copious butter... Mmmmm.

Name... that... fungii!

Anyone know what this particular mushroom is? Anyone?? It's growing in soil near some very old fir trees in a drier area in the back yard. That's a quarter next to it for size reference. If it gets much bigger, I'm going to be afraid!

Can you see the wee green tree frog? We run into these little guys in the Himalayan blackberry bushes when we are out picking. Another reason, besides the yummy berries that we just chop the wild blackberry bushes back over tearing them out completely, despite the variety being incredibly invasive.

Spot the kitty, or where Newt is cute... this day it was just over the fenceline on our neighbor's tractor! John Deere might want this one for a commercial. All I know is that I am glad she doesn't know how to start it up. Yet.

And here's the Amaranth or "pigweed" standing in the garden. Amaranth has been valuable for thousands of years in many cultures for grain, greens, medicines, and even making dye. The picture doesn't really do justice to how pretty the rust red of the seed heads looked contrasted against the bright green of the surrounding foliage.

Here the heads are after harvest. We'll let them get dried out, and at very least the chickens will have a healthy snack. Although we do hope to try some ourselves as well. Also shown are several freshly harvested heirloom delicata squash and a potimarron. The squash could have been more robust this year, but we'll do better with it next!

A few ears of sweet corn. We'll plant a larger block of this next year too. There's just not much as tasty as fresh picked corn.

And alas but the variety escapes me, but we managed to grow this here watermelon in our green house, thanks to some friends who gifted us with seeds! As soon as I recall or dig up the variety again I'll post it, but it was one developed for Idaho, and does well with a shorter growing season. We actually have another one about the size of a softball, getting bigger fast that we'll also hope to try if all goes as planned!

All in all this year's garden has been many lessons learned that will serve us well for the next year. In fact we are starting to plan next years garden already! I think we're hooked...