These dinner plate sized mushrooms are growing bigger all the time. The last time mushrooms like this grew on the Paper Birch in the side yard, the branch came down in a snowstorm.
I know our Paper Birch and old and dying. Each year the leaves get small and less grow. Branches fall throughout the seasons, most are partially if not completely rotted.
But she’s still a glorious tree, holding her arms up in a welcoming hug to anyone who comes up the driveway.
I collect the smaller branches she drops for kindling, but this years we’re also burning the wood from the big branch that came down last winter. It’s piled in the woodshed with the rest of the wood that we get delivered.
The birch is easy to recognize because of the white bark. It’s good to use for starting the fires, the papery bark catches and burns like newspaper. But there is one split piece I keep putting at the bottom of the pile.
The wood is wavy like Rapunzel’s hair or the wind on water. It’s a cross section of the layers of the earth, and a mountain range.
I don’ t know what makes a tree’s wood do this. It’s probably not a sign of a healthy tree. But it is beautiful to me.
As beautiful as the dinner plate mushrooms that are an indication of decaying wood.
What a beautiful piece of wood. I’m already imagining it as inspiration for some future textile creation.
The muted colors, texture and lines are quite interesting .
You’re not alone in that LoisJean. We shall see……
You really a good writer. Such interesting and enlightening descriptions!!
Thank you Sandy.
Rapunzel’s hair indeed! I like the image of the bird raising its arms in greeting too.
🙂
I love birch and the paper-birch especially but I had never seen the wood. It’s lovely.
This is unusual, but it’s a very pale wood.
That is fascinating!
The wavy wood is lovely. I can imagine you creating a wall hanging, a quilt or potholders with stitching to duplicate the soft movement.
I am enjoying Jon’s delight in Zip. I’ve known several men who were finally won over by a certain cat.
As a lifelong cat lover, it’s gratifying to see !
It might come into something I make Laura. That seems to be the way it happenings. Although I probably won’t be aware of it when it is happening. 🙂
I have to say, it’s fun for me to watch Jon and Zip too.