Trilliums and Earthballs

I went for a long bike ride yesterday.  In my younger days, I would just ride as hard as I can to train for racing.  As I have gotten older and stopped racing, I find myself looking off to the woods and the streams.

Yesterday I came across tons of trilliums ("... billiums of trilliums ...") growing in the shady roadsides under the trees.  Trilliums are some of my favorites.  I jumped off my bike and took a few photos.

Just down the road I saw a strange sight.  I got off my bike to investigate.  Looks like I came across some earthball mushrooms (genus Scleroderma).  They are poisonous, unlike the larger puffball mushrooms which I blogged about before.

Always  take the time to look around.  You ever know what you will find.


Happy Mother's Day!