Mushroom Madness (Green Ridge Mountains)

When I used to live in Northern California, I loved the beginning of mushroom season. Usually it started after the first rainfall of the rainy season which seemed to begin in October or November. Then, the redwood forest would take on an otherworldly appearance with frequent rain, fog and mist, the rivers would begin to replenish their water supply, and if lucky, one might spot the salmon fighting their way upstream to spawn. A variety of mushrooms and colors would become visible on the forest floor. It's a time of year that if experienced, stamps a mark on your heart and soul forever.

Here's one final series of photos from my trip to West Virginia in the beginning of August. I stopped by the Green Ridge Mountains on my way home on a soggy, warm summer morning. Although the area is frequented by folks wishing to camp, hunt, or ride ATV's on the dirt roads through the mountains, the people one encounters are few and far between. The forests there have been logged several times over, so the trees seem to be modest in size and age. Even so, I was surprised, and in fact felt a little giddy, when I saw all of the mushrooms popping out of the forest floor when I visited. I only inspected a small area, but hadn't seen a variety of mushrooms like this since my Northern California days. I've never really noticed before, but August may be the month for mushrooms in Maryland. It's been a wet summer overall, but I'll have to keep my eyes open next summer when the time arrives again...