Pictures for Pam, Day 15: Sporophyte Party

(This image is best viewed large!)

I woke up this morning to the rain pattering against the windows and popped eagerly out of bed. As I got my day started, I thought to myself, "Oh goody! A walk in the rain will be so nice!" Armed with our huge umbrella, I skipped out the door, stretched on the porch and was soon on my way. Splashing my way down the gravel driveway like Christopher Robin, I sang merrily, "And the rain-rain-rain came down-down-down and washed away the pig-a-let!" (from Winnie the Pooh) The rain drummed enthusiastically on my umbrella and I beamed in response. There's something so wonderful about walking in the rain under a large, protective umbrella. It's like being in your own little world where time seems to stop for a while. I love it so much.

As I walked along, I simply could not get enough of the shiny-wet juicy-colored leaves on the ground in a rainbow of colors…bright yellow, orange, rust, red, deep brown, and splotched combinations of any or all colors including bits of green. A stream of water ran down the driveway and the submerged leaves were even more beautiful. Leaf-shaped jewels I mused. So, so pretty. I thought about pictures but rain and cameras don't mix, and trying to coordinate an umbrella and a camera doesn't work either. I wondered if we'd get a break. By the time I was done with my 13 laps, my shoes went from dry to damp to squishing with water at every step, complete with very cold, wet feet! My lower pant legs were soggy too, but I didn't care, it was such a wonderful walk that I didn't dare spoil it with my audio story.

I kept an eye out on the weather and was delighted to see my husband doing laps of his own, umbrella overhead and enjoying the experience for himself after I'd told him how nice it was.

Eventually it stopped raining for a while and I slipped out with my camera in hand. I thought maybe the light wouldn't be good or the magic would be gone since it wasn't raining anymore, but I would discover I was in luck. In any event, my hope was to take a few pictures and go on my first exploratory adventure off into our lower forest. This is something I hadn't done in quite some time so I was excited to see what I might find out there.

I wandered down to the gate, clicking at beautiful leaves I found...then I strained up to see the sporophytes on top of the brick post down at the gate and they were positively dripping with water! I stepped off into the woods and found wasp galls and cool lichen, micro mushrooms and tiny finger-like fungus that I captured. Lots of really neat things to photograph and soon the rain came down again and I made a beeline for home.

I was amazed to find that I'd taken over 150 pictures on my little jaunt, how did that happen? Granted, I take many exposures of each subject to give me a better chance at getting one that's good, but that's no guarantee and I'm used to chucking out the majority of my shots, especially when I haven't been taking pictures for a while. To my utter surprise, I discovered that I got very nice images of every single subject I photographed! That never happens!!

My biggest surprise was the picture you see today. I was hoping that I'd be able to share an image of the wonderful sporophytes on top of our gate, and what do you know? It happened. But here's the thing. This picture is...SIDEWAYS!! There is moss and sporophytes growing on the side of the brick too, and when I looked at this image I just about fell over, because you never know how a picture will turn out until you look at it on the computer. And though it works in its natural orientation, it wants to be sideways. Crazy!

Pam, here is a sporophyte party for you! These guys are having a great time with their chieftain at center stage, fancy hair and all! It's such fun looking for images that I hope you'll like and this macro was a huge treat for me to find for you! FEEL BETTER!!! I'm thinking about you every day!

Explored on 11/24/18, highest position, #15.