Glowing Alien Mushrooms

I don't usually post pictures of mushrooms, but sometimes there are things that just seem to jump right out at me, so I feel that I have to share them. While I was on a short hike at a nearby nature hike I saw an orange glow off to my left in the forest.

As I looked closer that glow seemed to be coming from a tree stump. In fact, the glow was not one solid glow, but several orange glows. I wondered what it could be, but it was really too far for me to figure it out by myself. I used my camera to try and find out, and the picture above is the result. I still couldn't figure it out at the time though.

I began to suspect what was making this eerie glow in the forest, but I decided that maybe I should make sure by getting a closer look. Besides, I thought this little adventure might just make a good story for you. I think I was right, but there's something you may be thinking right now.

Usually when a guy who is all alone in the forest decides to get a closer look at a strange far off glow it doesn't end well for him. That's how it is in any movie you might see anyway. What would usually happen is that he would find out that it was an evil skin eating alien from Uranus, or something or other like that.

I remember seeing a movie where people were stranded on a strange planet and eventually ran out of food. The only things that looked like they might be edible were some strange mushrooms. Wouldn't you know it, one of them decided to eat a few. Guess what happened.

That first person began to turn into a mushroom creature. The rest of them locked themselves in the ship for awhile, but eventually ventured out again. You know what happens in a movie like that. Each of them one by one decided to sample the mushrooms for themselves, don't ask me why, and turned into mushroom creatures.

Finally the last guy was left. He was the narrator of the movie. He resisted for a very long time. Too long in a bad movie that was done being entertaining long ago. Finally he succumbed to hunger. The last lines the narrator spoke were, "I ate them!!!" Then they showed his face. He was a mushroom creature.

I guess that's why you shouldn't eat strange mushrooms that you find somewhere. Or any other strange plant. I always assume that if I don't know what it is then it is probably poisonous. And sometimes even if I think it's fine, then it's still poisonous. Remember that.

But it doesn't really hurt to get a closer look at something. Chances are it won't be a souls sucking alien from Crapton 7. As long as you look but don't touch you should be just fine. And watch where you step too! There was poison ivy where I was when I saw these mushrooms. And remember that snakes could be lurking near too.

As long as you're careful the forest can be your friend. But if you don't pay attention to where you are going or what you touch you could find your worst enemy. Don't ever make an enemy out of your best friend. All it takes is a little thought. Or you could find yourself in the evil clutches of glowing alien mushrooms. It's your choice.

They are kind of beautiful though, aren't they.


Nature Center Magazine - Emma has another Nature Site Of The Week today. This week she is featuring one of my newest friends. Go take a look.