Our annual Super Bowl party in the Refuge was another resounding success.
No, we don't have any tales to tell about quarterbacks and MVP's, field goals and kickers. Nor about the "wow" of the Wiener Stampede commercial. Not even the extravagant half-time entertainment, featuring Coldplay, Beyonce and Bruno Mars.
We're a lot more restrained here in the refuge, preferring instead the quiet that descends when one is wandering through the growths of tanoaks and conifers.
And as far as the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award goes, we're proud to nominate the mycellium that gave birth to a bumper crop of Hedgehogs (primarily H. umbiculatum) that grew in abundance again this year. The fungi were in perfect condition, in spite of the pounding rains over the last month or two, with the caps substantial and firm.
The drabber Yellowfoot Mushroom, often referred to as the Winter Chanterelle, enthusiastically joined our private party this year, and added a nice contrast to the Hedgehog collection in our basket.
Yes, for sheer entertainment and pleasure, there's nothing finer than a warm and sunny Super Bowl afternoon on a heavily wooded hill overlooking Redfish Rocks, collecting Hedgehogs and Yellowfoot Mushrooms to appreciate and to share with friends.