I love fungi

 I've got the bug. Bad. Like real bad. Like I can't stop thinking about fungi.

Of course, they have always been around - something you see especially on forested trails. Mushrooms and lichens. I was always charmed by the mushroom 'bumps' under the pine needles in the Lakenvlei forests where I hosted my Forest Run event. I wasn't hugely moved by mushrooms. They were just interesting and fun to uncover on my visits there.

Then, in early April I saw my first stinkhorn fungus. And then another. I keep an eye out for them. 

At the beginning of May I discovered iNaturalist. I'd seen a poster about a City Nature Challenge and decided to participate, especially as I'd jumped back into doing some repeat photography. 

And then, just like that, a switch was flipped. iNaturalist appeals to me on many levels. 

• I enjoy volunteering, assisting and contributing. 
• I am community orientated. 
• I have a background in science and research. 
• Citizen science appeals to me.

I also identify with the incredible functionality of this platform. Anyone can observe, photograph and record sightings of fauna and flora, generating a massive database of information on diversity, distribution, seasonality and frequency. Researchers can pull from this data for their studies. There is no way that they would be able to generate the data on their own.

The iNaturalist software has this great feature where it suggests possibilities for the identification of your sighting when you upload a photo - much like facial recognition. It is brilliant. 

After discovering iNaturalist.org, I logged a few observations - like the two chameleons that I saw and photographed. And then a couple of flowers and an agama that I saw while away near De Rust. 

This whole time, I'm thinking about iNaturalist and the overwhelming number of things that I could log. Birds, trees, flowers, insects... A person could turn themselves inside out. I knew that I would need to pick something to focus on. But what?

I'm no good at birds - you need to sit around to photograph them. That doesn't work for me. When I'm out, I'm walking or running or paddling. 

The Proteas and Ericas and other fynbos are abundant with incredible diversity. I enjoy seeing them and sometimes stop to look closer at a flower. They're interesting but that's it. 

Insects too require more focus to find.

Fungi, on the other hand, they are just there. Everywhere it seems.

After getting back from De Rust, I began noticing more different fungi. Was it that I was being more observant or are there really more around? It seems the latter is probably the case.  I've just taken a look on iNaturalist at the seasonality of a number of different types of fungi in South Africa and it seems like April and May are high points. I also spend time in environments that are ideal for fungi.

I really, really, really like fungi. Not so much the regular mushroom type of fungi, but the other stuff like jelly fungi, slime molds, anything with nice colours and, of course, stinkhorns.

Some of my recent fungal finds.

Diversity is huge. Fungi offer a huge range in colour, size and shape and yet their classing is pretty good so that you can narrow in for identification. And I see them everyday.

I've been photographing them and logging my observations on iNaturalist. Yesterday I went out with the dogs and I didn't plan on photographing anything - but I couldn't resist and so got home with four observations to log - three of them new-to-me species.

The other night I took advantage of a book sale on Takelot so I ordered my first book on fungi. It arrived today. "Field Guide to Mushrooms & other Fungi of South Africa" by Gary B Goldman & Marieka Gryzenhout. It is magical.

What I have discovered is that this isn't just about photographing and logging as many as I can. I am a bit attached to a bunch of 'my' fungi. Most are on trails that I regularly roam so I like to visit them regularly. This is perhaps a bit of where my repeat-photography interest comes in because I like to re-photograph the fungi to see how much they grow and change over time. The slime molds are proving especially interesting (3 sites now).

I also have my first 'pet' fungus - and it is the reason that I'm awake at 02h15. I'm not working. I'm writing this blog and watching my new pet. I'll reveal more about it tomorrow.

Fungi. Who would have guessed! I have a lot to learn but with my new book, iNaturalist, people in this community and the power of the internet, I'll be on a steep learning curve over the coming months.

What cooking means

Over the last few months, I've watched a number of cooking shows on Netflix. These are generally cooking competition-themed shows featuring regular people passionate about cooking, chefs, chefs with their own restaurants, self-made chefs hoping for their own restaurant and Michelin-starred chefs.

I thoroughly enjoyed Restaurants on the Edge (not a competition show) and recently completed 'The Last Plate' (experienced, accomplished and Michelin-star chefs take on challenges each episode and with pairs getting knocked out each round). 'Million Pound Menu' featured competitors (experienced chefs and regular people who are turning / have turned their love for cooking into their career) aiming to get investors to open their own restaurant.

I gave 'Chef's Table' at try, watching the first episode two nights ago. This show introduces us to cullinary stars from around the world who are redefining gourmet food. The chef featured in episode one, Mashama Bailey, from Georgia, USA, said something that really caught my attention.

She was speaking about her upbringing in this southern State and how her childhood memories were shaped by food. She was speaking about her grandmother - it seems like Mashama spent a lot of time at her grandmother's house. Mashama recalls how her grandmother always had good food on the go. She didn't have much money but she always made sure that she fed her grandchildren well. 

"Through her cooking, she showed us how much she loved us"

What has most struck me about these shows is how very passionate the participants are about cooking and preparing food for other people, even strangers - as in the case of chefs. They plan dishes and menus with ingredients, colours, flavours and textures to delight their guests. Through what they prepare they try to convey a message or to share an experience that they have appreciated and enjoyed.

In our homes, we cook regularly for meals, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner. Even the making of the most simple dish, like soft-boiled eggs with toast soldiers, is an act of caring and nurturing.

When we invite friends or family over for a meal or afternoon tea, we make more of an effort like trying a new dish and adding a dessert. The effort shows that you care for your guests and celebrate that they are with you - in your life and physically present - through the meal that you have prepared.

We also express our caring for others when we make something that we know they love.

When I was travelling a lot in the mid-2000s, I would crave vegetables and salads. My mom knew this and, without fail, my returning-home meal would be rich in fresh, crunchy veg. When my dad visits, he gets to put in his order with me of a meal that he would like me to make for him. That I have prepared something especially for him is affirmation of my care and love - more than any words could say.

The backstory inserts in these shows on each participant are interesting. Across the different programmes, we see how, throughout their lives, memories and experiences are shaped by the foods and meals enjoyed, the people sharing these meals and the people who cooked the meals. Together these develop an interest in cooking and ultimately resulted in the participants being where they are now.

A meal on a plate is so much more than just food because of the person who put it there.

A few days in the Swartberg

Last week, I enjoyed an unexpected but much-needed break with four-nights away in the Swartberg Mountains near De Rust. Located 90-minutes from George, it is a pleasant and easy drive.

Tied to work, my computer and responsibilities, I had no plans for a break - certainly not for another few months. I've really been feeling the weight of the last nine months.

Celliers took a few days off during the school holidays to go camping. He returned a bit refreshed and, knowing that I wouldn't take a break myself, he presented me with the booking and instructions to "pack a bag, you and your dog are going to go tomorrow". He and Magda, his right-hand at the factory, selected a venue and sealed the booking. I was also instructed to leave my laptop behind. I did take it but used it for map drawing and photos, not work.

Of course, I had plans to catch up on reports (that urgently need to be written but I don't get chunks of hours - and too many other things that need to get done - to focus and nail them), emails to send, replies to type... I did as instructed. 

I got a bit bogged down in the morning but left George around noon after answering phones and emails and getting to the shops to get some food for the self-catering place.

The drive out was very pleasant. Rusty is a great car traveller too. I listened to an audiobook and made it through to the Meiring's Rust farm - a few kilometres past the village of De Rust at the entrance to the Meiringspoort pass. 

Celliers and Magda chose well -  a perfect location for me. This place has lots of hiking routes and sits in the Swartberg mountains. It also has no mobile reception or wifi. Exactly what I needed. While I'm quite happy to turn off, having no other option is even better.

The last thing I did before leaving last Thursday was to print off some Google Earth views as maps so that I could explore the area. I don't like aimlessly wandering around.

Shortly after we arrived, Rusts and I went out walking to take our first look at the surrounds. Spectacular! 

On the Friday we did a nice long hike, discovered a flowing stream with crystal-clear water (good drinking and dog cooling). Saturday was rainy all morning so we played with rePhotos and when went out for a muddy exploratory hike in the afternoon. Sunday we went hiking at 7am with a retired guy from De Rust on a route off the maps that I'd printed and also with a section with no paths. We got back at 3pm. It was awesome. On Monday we had an easy morning and then packed to return home, bumping into adventure racing friends Heidi and Stephan in De Rust.

I got some great photos for iNaturalist.org observations - some proteas, succulents and an agama (like a lizard).

The time away was good. I don't know that I'm coping any better with day-to-day stresses and everything that I haven't done is still waiting to be done. But getting away was good for me and spending time with Rusty and being out hiking was brilliant.

Here are a couple of photos from these days away.

First afternoon out. Map, compass, kilometres and kilometres to play in and my dog. All good.

Not tame eland, but not skittish either. They hang with the cattle.

Rusty indulges me.

Big open sky - looking kinda Oudtshoorn direction. The big mountains are behind me.

Trying to take a selfie with Rusty...

 

Looking into Meiringspoort.

We're in the Swartberg mountains - but not on top.

Interesting rock.

Crystal clear.

A pretty, flowing stream.

Southern Rock Agama (Agama atra)

Common Sugarbush (Protea repens) flowers in bloom up in the mountains.

Snake ragwort (Curio repens) -  an unfamiliar succulent growing between rocks up high.

Western Sunbush - Leucadendron sessile (Protea family)

Tired dog.

Celliers, thank you for making me take this break.

The satisfaction of rePhotoSA

I spent a few days away with neither mobile reception, wifi nor internet access. I found the days to slow down considerably. As I'm back into repeat photography mode, I took the time to pull out some repeat photographs that I took in Parys three (what!?!) years ago.

I sat on these repeat photographs for months, waiting for the water level in the Vaal River to really drop. I was 95% certain of the photo location but needed more markers to really confirm and to be able to get my photographer position as close as possible to that of the original. 

We had a really rocky paddling season. It was hot and the river had been running low. And then it went really low. Bad news for paddling. Good news for my repeat photograph.

I went out two or three times, as I recall. It isn't only about the angle and photographer position, but also getting decent light (sun not directly ahead, for example) to capture the features.

I knew that I had the correct location but matching them up would need time that I didn't have. I think I was also hoping to get even better photographs. The water level came up a bit and never dipped as low as this in the next three years (which is a good thing for the river and everyone and everything downstream!).

And so, this past weekend, I pulled out the photographs and had a blast examining them. I found this to be incredibly satisfying. And very rewarding to add them to the repeat photography archives of the Plant Conservation Unit at UCT. They use these photographs to study changes in vegetation patterns over time.

The first is a photo by Pole-Evans, taken in late 1919 from what would have been a relatively new bridge across the Vaal River in Parys. It was built in 1915 and enabled people to more easily cross the river - between the Transvaal and Free State with horses and cars and wagons. Before then, there was a pricey ferry crossing that seems to have been limiting. The river is fairly wide here and very, very rocky - not easy or pleasant to cross even at very low level and certainly dangerous at higher levels.

Back to the bridge... The new bridge, that I stood on, is higher than the original bridge that Pole-Evans stood on. Even though I lay down on the sidewalk of the bridge, I was still higher up than Pole-Evans.

The level of the water in the Vaal River at Parys is regulated by release from the Vaal Barrage (built in 1923), which in turn gets water from the Vaal Dam (built in 1938) further upstream. In Pole-Evans' time (1919), the river flow would have been seasonal and thus much lower than what we experience now with regulated flow. In my five years of living in Parys (until end Oct 2020), the water level at which I took this photo in Jan 2018, was the lowest that I experienced (probably 10 cumec). I'd hoped to get even better repeats with lower water, but this was it during my time there.

The Vaal River has flooded heavily many times in the past 100 years, which would shift and move rocks around and weather them. Despite this, not a lot has changed in the rocks - remarkable. The biggest change is in the vegetation growth.

 
I'm posting here a comparison collage and a version with my markings on it. I've also included some close-ups of the then-and-now rocks

This first is taken looking upstream and to river-right. 

FYI - River-left and river-right are designated according to the water flow direction (downstream). So, if you were paddling downstream, the bank on your left is river-left and on your right is river right. If you paddle upstream, river-right would be on your left-hand-side and river-left would be on your right. The designations of river-left and river-right are fixed regardless of what you do.

Original photo by Pole-Evans, taken in 1919. My photo taken in January 2018.

Looking just at this image above, you may not be convinced immediately. Take a look at this version with same-same rocks circled - and the close-ups.

The second photo was taken from almost the same photographer position, but this time looking upstream towards river-left - where Mimosa is (the Parys parkrun runs through Mimosa along that bank).

Pole-Evans original taken in 1919. My photo taken in January 2018.
Note the low weir, which wasn't there in 1919.

While I can't comment with any authority on the vegetation types, it doesn't take a botanist to observe the dominance of alien Eucalyptus trees along the Vaal River.

I pulled out a third rePhoto that I also snapped in January 2018 from the Venterskroon road. Driving home from Venterskroon - a historic location in the Vredefort Dome about 30 minutes from Parys - I was looking out for this view. I had a gut-feel for the general location. I spotted what I was looking for in my rear-view mirror. I pulled over, snapped the photo and planned to come back to trespass on private land to really nail the photograph. I didn't get around to it. My photo is decent, but it isn't exact. I put it out there for someone to do better. The vegetation in this area has been impacted by at least 170 years of farming activities.

I still have a good four or five rePhotos for Parys where I'm fairly certain of the locations but would need to get out there to nail them. I'm tasking some Parys friends to take a look - especially now in winter when the vegetation thins.