Queen of Fungus

30. 🍄 Vegan anarcha-feminist. Friend of nature and fungus enthusiast with a fine art degree! Welcome to my personal mushroom blog! All photos posted are mine unless otherwise stated © If I have incorrectly identified any fungi or plants, please let me know! @fungus_queen 🍄 fungusqueen.bigcartel.com 

[fungusqueen]

Found so many of these Hopkin's Rose Nudibranch's (Ceratodoris rosacea) last week at a new (for me) beach! This fall/winter, we have a few days of good low tides (accompanied by high tides hours before/after) that are the lowest they'll be all year; so each month you have a few days to check out some areas that are normally underwater. This day was a very low tide but it was accompanied by an unusually big swell; the lifeguard on duty was warning everyone not to get too close. Hoping that December's low tides aren't coinciding with big waves so I can see more creatures

[fungusqueen]

I went to visit a carob tree that had been my Chicken of the Woods spot every Sept/Oct for the past 10ish years...I had driven by at night a few times since September and couldn't see anything (also due to cars blocking my view). I thought I would drive by during the day this time so I could get a better view. it's in a row of carob trees in a residential parkway; so I was scanning this tree and it was honestly looking a little different than I remembered...and then I looked to the left and realized, in the daylight, that "my" tree was actually nothing but remnants of a stump, totally flat, not even protruding, but you could definitely see the imprint of where it used to be, along with some wood chips. I had told the homeowner years ago that his tree was likely dying; he's helped me pick some of the fruiting body with his ladder and even invited me in for a beer in the past. i'm not sure if he would have been aware of the infected tree if it weren't for me telling him about what the presence of the mushroom species meant; i do feel partially at blame for its removal but I hope it's created a safer environment (no dead tree limbs falling on anyone after a storm etc)...but now I need to find another local Chicken of the Woods spot!

[fungusqueen]

Bat star (Patiria miniata) at sunrise on a gloomy day

[fungusqueen]

also...I have some pics from a private beach! a year or so ago I posted about having a goal to see every beach on the west coast and upon starting research, I discovered a few private beaches between beaches I had already been to. I obviously don't agree with the legal loopholes used to forcibly restrict public access to these beaches, but there are very few ways to get to these beaches and I intend to explore them. there are specifically two beaches that are in private gated communities (one even maintains its own fire department, that's the level of wealth we're dealing with) and I happened to notice there was an estate sale by appointment happening in one. so essentially, I got invited, by appointment, to enter this gated community that also has a private beach. if you're not a guest of a resident, you have to swim or paddle board/kayak etc, from a neighboring beach and both of these private gated communities that control land access have immense physical barriers/huge rock formations/wave breaks on both sides of the beach that prevent safe passage via water. i have also heard (via reddit) that if you don't have a car, and are just carrying your beach towel etc, the guards may let you in if you say you're just entering for the beach (and to be prepared to give your name). I think legally they have to let you but I haven't been brave enough to explore this. it's actually kind of scary if you understand the extra-judicial entitlement that comes with that level of wealth but I do hope I can safely one day see these beaches that are so close yet so far

[fungusqueen]

okay so I have a lot of tide pool pics to upload and my intention was to take a lot of video on my real camera (not phone camera) and maybe edit something together...but that didn't end up happening. i do have some disjointed little clips i'll be uploading. what happened was...I had crawled up on this rock with more tide pools on the other side and had been taking videos of anemones and red sea urchins and didn't realize my SD card was either full or not inserted correctly, but absolutely no pictures or video were saved in everything I thought I was shooting for about 30 minutes. so I had to run uphill back to my car and switch out the SD card and by that time, the tide was already coming in with some big waves splashing the areas I had previously been in. my phone had already dropped into the water (out of my fanny pack because I forgot to zip it and things didn't really fit in there anyway) and I didn't feel like risking getting my camera wet too.

these are problems that could be solved if I had a second fanny pack to strap all my shit to my chest so I can safely crawl amongst the rocks with a camera in one hand OR if I had a waterproof camera (which I can't afford right now). the glare that occurs on the surface of the water was also something that was bothering me about not having a camera I can submerge in water...but I actually think if I brought an umbrella to cast a shadow, I might have more success photographing just below the surface of the water.

all that being said, I don't really have a point! just like, damn, next month I hope i'll be more prepared!!

[fungusqueen]

Look at this tiny Brittle star crawling on Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). I woke up before sunrise to catch this low tide last week

[gothhabiba]

Help families buy tents in Gaza

Relief for Rafah (R4R), a community kitchen and mutual aid project, is trying to raise enough money to buy tents for displaced families from Al-Mawasi. Two families in the organizers' refugee camp are currently living on the street without shelter of any kind. Each tent costs about $1,000 USD.

Donate to New Tents for Al-Mawasi's Displaced Families, organized by Stephanie Uzzell

My name is Stephanie and I am here in efforts for raising money to secur… Stephanie Uzzell needs your support for New Tents for Al-Mawasi's

[polystyrenewoman]

Hey there fellow Tumblr community, My name is Katie and I am an artist and maker based in Los Angeles, California. I wanted to come onto this platform that I have been a part of for just 10 years now..and though I do not have many followers, I still hope to reach you today as you are reading this.

I pray that you will view these infographics I created regarding the current fundraiser I am running for my friend @balsamibrahim, who is in critical need of generous contributions to her new fund in order to repair and rehabilitate her family's home.

Balsam and her family live in Zeitoun, Gaza. The area in which they live is part of a historical corridor in Gaza, and Zeitoun means "Quarter of Olive Trees". Their home on Al-Jalaa street is in need of critical repairs to the exterior and interior, due to the bombardments that occurred directly in the vicinity and immediately next door to their home.

**Home repairs are consisting of clearing out rubble, cleaning, repairing walls, doors, parts of the home's structure, windows, as well purchasing supplies and tools for anything that can be upgraded of their current belongings within the home, and anything which needs to be accessed or replaced for the purpose of cooking, cleaning, bathing, sleeping, sitting, eating, all donations collected by Katie McRaven are on behalf of Balsam Ibrahim to fundraise for the rehabilitation needs for their family home**

We hope that you will see this blog post and understand the immense needs of this family in restoring their home to a level of safety, security, and comfort that allows the Ibrahim family rest and healing.

Please visit the link to our fundraising campaign site, and share the story of Balsam's family via reblog, direct message to a friend or family member, or by sharing this link on your other social media profiles.

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[fungusqueen]

Please contribute if you are able to, and please share if you are not! My friend Katie has been working hard to advocate for Palestinians and her friend Balsam! Their family currently has no income and any amount donated can make a huge difference! Thanks if you have read this far or have also been using your platforms to advocate for a Free Palestine!

[fungusqueen]

I just wanted to share that I am *this* close (imagine pinchy fingers almost touching) to professionally befriending the seaweed/marine biology professionals I want to learn from and NO I will not elaborate on the who/how/why but I'm asking for a moment of rejoice for this small little dream of mine coming true!!

[fungusqueen]

Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus) at Moss Cove in Laguna Beach

[fungusqueen]

Pair of Ochre Sea Stars (Pisaster ochraceus) at Moss Cove in Laguna Beach

[fungusqueen]

Hidden Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus)

[fungusqueen]

Ochre Sea Stars (Pisaster ochraceus) at Moss Cove in Laguna Beach

[fungusqueen]

Spot the crab and the purple sea urchin

[fungusqueen]

Ochre Sea Stars (Pisaster ochraceus) at Moss Cove in Laguna Beach

[fungusqueen]

Did you know the Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus) can live up to 20 yrs? I've been wondering if I'm seeing some of the same sea stars when I visit the same tide pools month to month. Knowing they can live awhile has convinced me this is possible. I also wonder if they change color throughout their life and what makes them different colors since this species can range from purple to orange

[fungusqueen]

Ordered this seaweed book as a Christmas treat and it has finally arrived!