R.I.P Dryads Saddle

    Well this week has been a mixed one with the sad news that somebody has broken off the huge Dryads Saddle growing on the old apple tree, but the good news being the long awaited rains arrived, rains which I'm hoping will bring out lots of new fungi.

   On one of my morning cycles this week I thought I would check up on the old apple orchard, sure that the big Dryads Saddle would now be of great size. But sadly as I got within a few yards of the tree I spotted the saddle laying broken on the floor, such a shame.


   The fungi was so solid and had a very thick stem, so I'm 99% sure it wasn't broken by any animal, it would have taken a lot to snap it, I'm guessing by kicking or stamping upon it. So sadly we won't get to find out how big it could have got.


   The other Saddles growing in the orchard are doing fine and are getting large. The group growing on the same tree as the big broken one are now well outside the rotten branch they were in. And the other large saddle growing in another part of the orchard is now fully developed and I'm guessing will get bigger now we have had a few days of rain.



   A week of mixed fortunes it was but next week is a new one and one in which I'm sure there will be another fungi to admire and more fungi hunts that will unearth the next specimen to tick off my "wants" list. 

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