#Mycelium Network: Night Cap

[shroomanddoom]

Time for another Night Cap! Gonna have another glass of Synthetik 2 and get my Breacher to level 20!

[acedormouse]

The Complex Chupacabra Conjugate (Chapter 2)

Summary: In mathematics, a conjugate is a value or entity having a reciprocal relation with another. In grammar, conjugation gives the different forms of a verb in an inflected language. In biology, to conjugate means to become temporarily united in order to exchange genetic material. In unusualology, the Complex Chupacabra Conjugate was a series of complex encounters Stanford Pines had with a creature that called itself el chupacabra and the bad breakup that occurred thereafter.

Chapter Summary: The third encounter. Characters: Ford Pines, Original Male Character Word Count: 3,502 Warnings: Explicit Sex :3 Contains the Following Tags: Blowjobs, Rimming, Anal Sex, Knotting, Homophobic Language, Interspecies Relationship Read on AO3

Read Chapter 1 Once again, @cyphertronix has brought a lot of joy to me in this fandom, and here is the monster sex as the biggest thank you I can think of haha Enjoy!

October 26 (Day 3: Field Research Observation Notes)

Last week, I made the most fascinating discovery! I would even say that this particular species of fungus is the second most interesting I’ve come across! (Note to self: Finish entry for the most interesting species- the Stained Glass Mushroom!) Where they are currently growing is a good distance away from my lab, so I’ve set up a campsite to conduct field research. After two days of scribbling data on clipboards, I am finally documenting in my journal. 

During the day, they look similar to the hedgehog mushroom (Hydnum repandum); they are colored the same as a pale peach, and their undersides are covered in ‘teeth’ instead of gills or pores. These ‘teeth’ are where they eject their spores for sexual reproduction. In fact, an older name for the genus is Dentinum, which refers to its tooth-like, spore-bearing structure!

This particular cluster I’ve come across is growing in a gregarious manner as a large troop on the forest floor. They are mycorrhizal mushrooms, favoring hardwood trees, and because of their symbiotic relationship, they grow in rings or arcs around their respective host tree.

What has made me document this species at all is that at night, this variant of the species glows like the sea creatures that inhabit the Bathypelagic Zone! 

Bioluminescence! 

Even more fascinating is that there is color variation only when they’re in this state. My data sheet breaks down the percentages and numbers, but I’ll note here that the most common variation is the cap to glow a rich yellow, and the ‘teeth’ a pale lavender. When I return to the lab, I can isolate the proteins from the samples I’ve gathered to showcase the full color spectrum.

I still need to search the surrounding area more thoroughly to see if any glowing chanterelles are sprouting nearby, as the two species tend to grow in the same location as each other. Is there something in the soil that causes the glow? Are the proteins only beneficial to some species of fungi? How far does this mycelium network spread?

Unfortunately, my third night of studying their spores’ appearance and reproductive cycle was interrupted by a sudden deluge of rain.

Luckily, I planned to camp out for three nights and packed for five.

Ford’s hand froze as he picked up the sound of rustling just outside his tent. He quickly stashed his journal and drew the pistol from his discarded belt, having already changed into his flannel pajamas for the night. 

As he quietly maneuvered into a crouched stance, he heard a voice from the other side of the flap. 

“Te huelo... Oigo tu respiración...”

Between the pouring rain bouncing off the fabric of his tent and the low snarl of the predator’s voice, Ford could only just make out the threat, and his grip tightened. He was still a poor shot and had only been successful enough to create three silver bullets since their last encounter; his remaining candlestick melted in hopes of protection. He hadn’t counted on running into el chupacabra this soon, nor was he certain if silver was an efficient metal to weaken the creature. In addition, those bullets sat in his bag on the opposite side of the tent while the standard ones were held at the ready.

“¿Qué quieres?What do you want?” Ford shouted, using his foot to shuffle his bag closer to him. He had to buy himself enough time to exchange ammunition, in case the conversation went sour. 

“Como dije you stink .” The voice grew closer as Ford snagged the strap of his bag between his toes. "I'm warning yousi yo puedo encontrarte, ellos también, guapito."

Ford could hear the slobbering breath too close to his ear for comfort. He bit the side of his cheek in concentration as he quietly pulled the bag across his sleeping bag. He didn’t care to think about what the creature meant by ‘they.’ “Thank you, but I can protect myself just fine. I suggest you move along before I show you what I mean.” 

“Idiota! I’m offering protection!”

“You think I'm stupid? It’s pouring! Rain clears the air column of scent molecules!”

“Por favor - open the tent and listen.”

Ford sighed in relief as he finally pulled the bag close enough to retrieve the silver bullets from their container. “¿Por qué? Did you suddenly learn how to use protection magic?”

Lo que sé es como… la magia.

Ford didn’t believe that, but his curiosity was piqued. He unzipped a small portion of the tent, just enough that he could feel the rain wet his cheeks. He peered out, and a set of familiar red eyes peered right back.

“Explicarte de inmediato,” Ford flashed the barrel of his gun through the partially open flap. “I won’t miss this time.”

The beast snorted in amusement before continuing. “Durante un ritual de apareamiento, mi especie marcar su a parejas."

“You mark what during what kind of ritual?” Ford inquired. 

“Pareja… is like a partner? Apareamiento - sabes , sex?”

Ford had done more than his fair share of research on different types of magical rituals, so hearing the words ‘ritual’ and ‘sex’ in the same sentence only meant one thing. “Really? A mating ritual? That’s the best you can come up with?”

“Es verdad y además... you’re un científico, sí? A real scientist? I see you writing in that book, and you have all that stuff in the woods. Won’t you regret it more if I’m right? Aren't you curious?”

Stanford broke his gaze and looked back inside his tent. He’d be lying to himself if he said he hadn’t thought about their last encounter. The way he had been pinned without warning, the thrill of being chased, knowing one wrong step could have gotten him killed. When he returned home that night, Ford lay awake in bed, rerunning the scenario in his mind again and again. He hadn’t asked señor Chupacabra what would have happened if it had caught him, but his dreams certainly crafted a rousing, carnal ending that left him in a sticky, confused mess.

He wanted answers.

"Te escucho, sigue.”

“Magical beasts like me have an advanced sense of smell more than your average predator. If I mark you, none of those monsters will dare hurt you. You can study them without fear.”

Stanford mulled over his thoughts, fiddling with the pistol still in his hand. He hadn’t exchanged the bullets, and he wasn’t sure what was preventing him from completing that task.

No, he knew why he hadn't. 

With a pleased hum, Ford put his pistol away, though, hid it within arm's reach.

“Dos problemas - la carpa se queda pequeño... and I’m not going out in that rain to have sex.”

Ford’s legs were yanked by the ankle, his flannel pajama bottoms quickly became soaked in the downpour; his lower body exposed to the downpour and the wolf's vices, while his torso and head remained sheltered.

“ I don’t need to be inside the tent to fuck you.”

Ford writhed out of his pajamas, cursing how the wet fabric stuck to his skin. When they were finally discarded, the beastman reached under and around Ford’s upper legs, pulling and bending them upright to expose his lukewarm cock and tight ass to the cold night air. Claws dug deep into the soft flesh of his thighs as the creature pressed its wet nose against his perineum and sac. Ford panted as he watched the creature take a deep sniff and make a face in disgust. It laughed and pressed its distended snout closer into the mess of deep brown curls and the underside of his awakening erection. “Aaah sí, apestas. You’re so lucky I found you first.” 

A rough tongue lolled out against the stretch of sensitive skin and Ford sucked in a shuddering breath. It'd been a long time since he'd last been intimate with someone; his isolating lifestyle and subpar communication skills were hardly conducive to a healthy, active social life. The creature nuzzled and licked Ford’s hardening cock with fervent intent, savoring the musky aroma. He was unsuccessful in muffling the moan that escaped him as he was cradled fully inside the hot, eager maw. There was something erotic about rows of dangerous carnivore teeth brushing against his shaft. Stanford choked on a moan as he felt the tongue suddenly probe at his entrance.

“Muy bien, relájate guapo."

He attempted to clamp his thighs around the beast’s head, but its grip was far stronger than his desire to protest the rousing manipulation. It didn’t take long for Ford to relax enough for the intrusion to slip inside smoothly.

He hadn’t realized he had been gradually lifting his hips, bare feet dug in the mud so he could hoist himself further into his companion’s awaiting mouth. Luckily, the action was noticed, and the creature’s grip switched to firmly taking hold of the back of his calves. Ford practically wailed at this new angle, the slobbering tongue forced further inside at the sudden shift. He had to balance on the tips of his toes to get the full contact his body craved. Propping his torso up on his elbows didn’t feel good enough. Through the rustling of blankets on top of his waterproof sleeping bag, Ford managed to arch his back completely off the tarp, and only his shoulders and head lay against his disarrayed sleeping arrangements. He reached his arms high enough to grip the tufts of fur on top of the creature’s head, one even wrapping around a perked ear. All his weight was now supported by the clawed digits digging into his calves, and it partly relied on his own grip not faltering. Ford was embarrassed by the whine he emitted when the beastman pulled out with a hearty laugh, his hold fumbling for a second at the shock at the sudden lack of pressure.

“I love when I find maricóns like you!”

Ford had come across that word a few times, had been called variations of it in college, and he hated how his blush to spread down his neck and a rather pathetic twitch of his cock to leak watery precum onto the creature’s awaiting tongue.

“I-you… n-no estoy,” he stumbled over both languages, words in either scrambled in his overheated brain. “I’m not- I’m not a… oooh fuck .”

That demonic tongue lapped at his relaxed entrance, prodding the tip inside teasingly. “¿Estás seguro? You moan like one,” it taunted, grazing its teeth along the fleshy, vulnerable shaft in its mouth. "Y reconozco un passivo cuando lo oigo." The hot breaths that came alongside each word sent Ford’s mind spiraling. He could feel bubbling saliva dripping down his ass and the sound of it hitting the floor blended in with the continuous rainfall. His hips shook in anticipation, impatiently squirming in hopes that it would continue eating him out. The beast gave a toothy grin, though this time with more desire than mockery, before pressing the entirety of his tongue inside.

It didn’t pause to give Ford a single moment of thought as it delved deep in along rippling, pink walls. “Oooh, god…ooh, fffff-uuuck," he moaned. The tongue gave enough of a stretch to burn, and it writhed like a live specimen inside his lower digestive tract. It ravaged him like it was already fucking him- as though Ford was his last meal on this plane of existence.

“Please, please, please,” he couldn’t stop pleading, nails scratching into its fur as the heat in his body rose. “P-por favor… no te de-detengaaaaas.”

Its muzzle swallowed him further, its tongue pressed flush against his prostate, making his thighs shake. He cried out at the building pleasure, rutting his hips against its savage tongue. The creature moved incessantly inside him as it hungrily invaded and penetrated him fully. The werewolf growled, and the noise, in turn, made his tongue vibrate. Ford’s eyes rolled back, and he lifted his body even higher against the wolf. Shifting enough, he could now feel the hot erection brush against his lower shin; his stomach tightened at the thought of that fucking him raw. “Gonna cum- gonna cum- please, fuck…” 

The creature pulled back, snarling to reveal its glistening muzzle and, with surprising tenderness, lowered Ford’s twitching legs to rest on top of its muscular thighs. Clawed digits reached into his mouth, the rough pads pressed down against his lower incisors, preventing Ford from formulating any complaint. His breaths came out hard and fast, pleas reduced to high-pitched whines. He rutted his hips downward, desperate to rub himself against the red cock just centimeters away. The grip on his hips prevented him from getting any closer. Ford watched as the beast’s cock drooled profusely with precum, trickling thickly along the stiff shaft and down to its hairy balls.

“Mi putito goloso,” it growled affectionately, digging its claws enough into his skin to cause droplets of blood to rise. “You act like I’m not going to fuck you. Ooh, eres tan lindo cuando eres patético.” 

The beastman made quick work of flipping Ford over and dragged him up by the hips, face smothered into the sea of blankets by one of its large paws, and pressed the tip of its cock against his losened sphincter. It teased him, slowly allowing it to stretch him out with a pleasing sting.

Ford bit into the blanket below him and choked out, “Métemela."

The fat head finally pushed inside and all Ford thought as drool seeped into the fabric clenched between his teeth was that the shape of its cock spread his backside out nicely. It removed one set of claws from his waist to push his ass further apart. Rain continued to pelt down, droplets collecting on his exposed lower back, and Ford couldn’t distinguish between the sweat, spit, and rain racing in tandem down his back.

With a solid thrust, the massive werewolf sank fully into his well-opened body with a loud squelching sound. Rugged gasps and cries escaped Ford’s clenched jaw as he felt his insides morph to accommodate its intruder. 

"Bueno, mírate tomándome como si no fuera nada como el maricón que eres.” The wolf’s voice was strained, and Ford didn’t have a functioning brain cell that could translate. 

“You hear me, maricón, or are you too fucked out already?” 

Ford didn’t know how he got the words out; his throat was dry, and it was exceedingly difficult to make the proper connections to formulate a coherent thought.

“That’s too bad,” it jested, achingly, it began to pull out. “Tenía muchas ganas de hacerlo.” 

“Quiero que me cojas!” he blurted, appalled at himself at how quickly he managed to make that demand, appalled at the hours and hours he had poured into teaching himself Spanish so he could make a demand like that at all. But here he was, already far too deep into this situation to be disgusted at himself. Grateful to have his back turned, he tightened his relaxed hole to try to prevent the beast from pulling out any further. Through flannel and gritted teeth, he added, “ Por favor .”

His partner hummed, the sound so deep Ford swore he could feel it travel straight through its cock, and kneaded its padded digits into the tender flesh of Ford’s raised backside. “Vale, eso me gusta más.”

Without much of a warning, it thrust back inside like it had never had sex before in its life and would never do so again.

Ford’s teeth finally let go of the blanket with a sharp curse. He moaned wantonly and loud enough that he wagered every living thing in the surrounding woods knew what he was up to. The sound of skin meeting fur never ceased, each thrust as relentless as the last as though the beast’s cock was allergic to the oxygen of their atmosphere. “Tu lugar está aquí putito. You’re gonna keep my cock warm with that loose hole of yours.”

It hunched over, muzzle wet, and started lapping the side of his neck; the new angle and added stimulus caused Ford to choke on a strained appeal. The thick veins of its girthy cock rubbed furiously against his prostrate and Stanford finally connected his fried nerves to his hand. Slick with sweat and drool, his hand glided over his cock in a shaky attempt at getting himself off.

The wolf's sharp fangs sank into his shoulder, but Ford could barely feel the pain blossoming along the beads of blood staining the inside of his remaining clothes. The feeling was indescribable, pleasure swam in every mile of artery as though he was overjoyed with the notion of becoming this creature’s cocksleeve.

“Mierda, a mi putita le gustó eso, huh? You’re an even bigger maricón than I thought!”

One paw reached underneath his shirt, claws raking across one of his pecs before clutching it like it was his lifeline. The beast massaged the rough pads of his fingers into the tender muscle, scratches and blood soon matching the patterns on his thighs. 

Ford squeezed the head of his dick and groaned hoarsely. His vision was blurry, and any word he tried to formulate came out strained and incomprehensible. He couldn’t focus on any particular sensation, all of them bleeding together, and his mind was all but a photograph left in a tray of developer for too long. The shadows overexposed and taking over his field of vision.

“Voy a vengo dentro de ti tanto yo te haré embarazada guapito." The hand that had been groping his chest moved to his stomach, pawing at the soft, malleable flesh. “¿Comprendes?”

Ford did not fucking understand but knew a confirmation was required for this to continue.

He nodded urgently.

Bursting with an untamed possessiveness, the wolf howled, the base of his cock rapidly increasing in size. Ford hissed in pain as the knot caught and was shoved inside with a wet pop. The amount was excessive, and Ford could feel each strand of cum being pumped into him. A sense of nausea overwhelmed him. His hazed mind just barely comprehended the beast's tongue, licking whatever exposed skin it was closest to, almost as if trying to comfort him.

The knot remained swollen for some time, releasing small bursts of semen as the creature emptied months of pent-up desire into the mess of a man below it. It continued to cover him with his body, a hand still present on the growing swell of Ford’s stomach. 

Ford dared to look down between his legs at his stuffed belly, his cum-coated hand cradling his softening cock that was suddenly too sensitive for him to even hold. He let go gently, spreading his fingers apart to revel in how long he must have been pent up. Fuck, he hadn’t even realized that he came.

The wolf gave a low whistle followed by a soft laugh. “Damn…. you really do look pregnant, don’t you?”

With that, it finally released him, and Stanford collapsed onto his uncomfortably damp sleeping bag. The beast continued to lick his body gently, including his abused, leaking hole. It stopped when Ford found enough energy to sit up, backing its head back outside of the tent. He groaned and rubbed at his face, sniffing the air curiously. It wasn’t… great. ‘ Unless you’re someone who likes the smell of wet dog and sex in a boy’s locker room… ’

“You’re… certain this will help me? I think even more predators can smell me than before.”

“Yes- what they smell on you is me. They’ll keep away if they’re smart.”

Ford nodded and winced; the bite on his shoulder was starting to throb uncomfortably in pain. “Then…. gracious... por la ayuda.”

The creature grunted and turned abruptly. “I need to eat,” its voice was low with amusement. “Want me to bring you anything?”

Ford’s stomach churned at the thought of another goat carcass being brought to his tent. He covered up a nauseating burp with his hand and shook his head. “No, thank you… Do you intend on returning tonight then?”

The beast paused, tail swishing in thought before turning its head back. “Why? I’m only interesting to you at night, and you don’t want food.”

“I intend to get a sample of your blood. I also need you to keep still so I can accurately sketch you for my research. There are a few other things I’d like to get done before dawn as well.”

“You can stay awake longer?”

“You’d be surprised at the all-nighters I’ve pulled.”

It laughed charmingly, facing back towards him, those crimson eyes peered straight into him. “Then I didn’t do I very good job at fucking you. Adiú guapito.” Without waiting for a reply, it gave a final lick along Ford’s neck before disappearing under the cover of darkness and foliage.

Ford failed to document how much he threw up when he was certain the beast was gone.

Or that by the time it returned, he had fallen asleep.

~~~Translations~~~

Te huelo… Oigo tu respiración.. - I can hear you… I can smell you.

Como dije - Like I said

Si yo puedo encontrarte, ellos también, guapito. - If I can find you, so can they, handsome.

Idiota! - Idiot

¿Por qué? - Why?

Lo que sé es como… la magia. - What I know it…. like magic.

Explicarte de inmediato. - Explain yourself right now.

Durante un ritual de apareamiento, mi especie marcar su a parejas. - During a mating ritual, my species marks their partner.

Es verdad y además… - It's true and besides…

Te escucho, sigue. - I'm listening, go on.

Dos problemas - la carpa se queda pequeño… - Two problems- the tent is too small…

Aaah sí, apestas - Ah yes, you stink.

Muy bien, relájate guapo - Very good, just relax handsome

Maricóns - faggots

No estoy - I'm not

¿Estás seguro? - Are you sure?

Y reconozco un passivo cuando lo oigo. - And I know a bottom when I hear one.

Por favor… no te detengas. - Please don't stop.

Mi putito goloso - My greedy little slut

Ooh, eres tan lindo cuando eres patético. - Ooh, you're so cute when you're pathetic.

Métemela - Put it in me.

Bueno, mírate tomándome como si no fuera nada como el maricón que eres. - Well, look at you taking me like I'm nothing like the faggot you are.

Tenía muchas ganas de hacerlo. - I was really looking forward to it.

Quiero que me cojas! - Fuck me!

Vale, eso me gusta más. - Alright, that's more like it.

Tu lugar está aquí putito. - Your place is here little slut.

Mierda, a mi putita le gustó eso, huh? - Shit, my little slut liked that, huh?

Voy a vengo dentro de ti tanto yo te haré embarazada guapito. - I'm going to come inside you so much I'll make you pregnant pretty boy.

¿Comprendes? - You understand?

Gracious por la ayuda. - Thank you for the help.

Adiú guapito. - Bye pretty boy.

[ashleysingermfablog]

Wk 10, 8th of April, 2024 Research Fairy Rings

Fairy Rings (from top to bottom: daisy ring, crocus ring, mushroom ring, toadstool ring, moss rings, mushroom ring and fairy tree).

From the text: Do you dare enter a fairy ring? The mythical mushroom portals of the supernatural by Liz Leafloor, 2018…

For thousands of years, the sudden appearance of a ring of mushrooms was a sure sign of otherworldly presences. These rings would seemingly appear overnight, or travel from one location to another, with no clear rhyme or reason. Warnings of the dark forces that must create these abnormalities were passed down between generations, and the folklore of fairy rings was established.

In present day the fungi that causes the natural phenomenon is well understood.  Mycelium is a spreading fungus which grows in fertile, damp environments. In good conditions, the spores will develop into mushrooms (the most well-known being the edible Scotch bonnet, or fairy ring champignon). The mushrooms reach out of the ground and create an easily visible ring. Underground, the mycelium networks out under the grass, moving outward from the center, and feeding upon organic matter and decomposing as it travels. The dead mycelium forms a thick, water-repellant mat that starves the grass roots of nutrients and moisture. Eventually the land within the ring withers and dies from starvation, but the leading edge of the ring remains lush and green, as the feeding/dying and decomposing mycelium releases fertilizers. This cycle can continue for centuries, and the ring grows, shrinks, and moves around the countryside, delighting some people and disturbing others.

Do NOT Step Into the Ring

It is generally felt that fairy circles are to be avoided as dangerous places as they’re associated with malevolent beings.If you dare to enter a ring, many myths warn you will die young. You also become invisible to the mortal world, unable to escape the ring, or you are transported instantly to the fairy realm. You might also lose an eye for your foolishness. Either way, you will be forced to dance around the ring until you die of exhaustion or madness.

Left: The Fairy Ring; the Enchanted Piper (c.1880), Right: "Plucked from the Fairy Circle" A man saves his friend from the grip of a fairy ring.

In Scotland, it was believed the fairies sit on the mushrooms and use them as tables for their fêtes. In Wales, the story goes that the mushrooms were picked by the fairy folk and used as parasols or umbrellas. Even now in Wales it’s said the rings signify an underground fairy village. Welsh folklore also considers the rings as locations of fertility and fortune, and claim that crops grown around them and livestock feeding nearby will flourish. In England, Scandinavian and many other traditional European beliefs the rings were caused by fairies or elves dancing. Such events were associated especially with moonlit nights, and the sudden appearance of the rings in the morning were evidence of a dance the evening before.

From the text: The Mysterious Languages of the Tylwyth Teg by Prophet Johns, "Fairy Rings"...

The circles in the grass of green fields, which are commonly called fairy rings, are numerous in Wales, and it is deemed just as well to keep out of them, even in our day. The peasantry no longer believe that the fairies can be seen dancing there, nor that the cap of invisibility will fall on the head of one who enters the circle; but they do believe that the fairies, in a time not long gone, made these circles with the tread of their tripping feet, and that some misfortune will probably befall any person intruding upon this forbidden ground. With regard to the fairy rings, 'The fairies dance in circles in dry places; and saith that the walk of evil spirits is in dry places.' They favour the oak-tree, and the female oak especially, partly because of its more wide-spreading branches and deeper shade, partly because of the 'superstitious use made of it beyond other trees in the days of the Druids. Formerly, it was dangerous to cut down a female oak in a fair dry place. 'Some were said to lose their lives by it, by a strange aching pain which admitted of no remedy, as one of my ancestors did; but now that men have more knowledge and faith, this effect follows not.' 

The mysterious language used by fairies recalls again the medieval story of Elidurus. The example of fairy words there given by Giraldus is thought by the learned rector of Llanarmon [Rev. Peter Roberts, 'Cambrian Popular Antiquities,' 195. (1815)] to be 'a mixture of Irish and Welsh.

access here: https://sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/wfl/wfl08.htm

Fairy Ring, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, 1922

Left: Dancing with the Fairy Folk, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, 1923

Right: Kay Sitting on Moss in a Fairy Ring by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, 1922

Australian Artist and Illustrator Ida Rentoul Outhwaite lived and died in Carlon, Melbourne, Victoria.

Outhwaite worked very near where I lived in Australia as a child and we read many if her stories with her illustrations growing up. And of course wandered into many faery rings!

[wickedsrest-rp-archive]

NAME: Massive, Mobile Mushroom 

ALSO KNOWN AS: MMM

RARITY: ★★★★☆

THREAT LEVEL: ★★★☆☆ | While they can leave large areas of dead forest and critters in their wake, their spores don’t travel far and they themselves aren’t a physical threat.

HABITAT: Found only in heavily forested areas. These mushrooms can’t seem to propagate in towns or cities, which has led to them becoming increasingly rare. 

DESCRIPTION: Many mushroom species are known for their impressive network of mycelium which far outsize their above ground appearance. Massive, mobile mushrooms (MMMs) are the reverse: they have a relatively small root system but a massive stem and cap. They can grow so tall they exceed the height of trees within the same forest, poking out above them. While they come in many colors, their caps are usually covered in spiny growths making them unpleasant to the touch. MMMs wouldn’t be so problematic if they were just big mushrooms, though – they drag themselves along the ground, albeit slowly, feeding on plants and animals, consuming everything in their path and leaving a trail of destruction behind them. 

The mushroom is also capable of releasing toxic spores from its cap. While these spores are an irritant on their own, they become deadly when mixed with water, and will kill other organisms. The MMM will then rapidly decompose any remains it leaves nearby, absorbing them as energy. MMMs will often bide their time during dry weather, building up their spores, only to release them the next time it rains. Due to the increasing rarity of MMMs, some in town believe the appearance of one in the woods is a blessing from Tendrilla.

ABILITIES: The spores of the massive, mobile mushroom have a variety of effects on other organisms, depending on length and type of exposure. On less humid days, direct contact with the spores may only cause a rash and temporary trouble breathing, or possibly some more supernatural symptoms of exposure. If it’s humid or raining, the spores are lethal when inhaled. Due to their size, a number of smaller organisms have adapted to living inside of the gills of the MMM. These critters pose an additional risk to anyone nearby – or they may be harmless. There are some reports of bioluminescent moths and rodents that whip their punishingly long tails out at people who walk underneath the mushroom.

WEAKNESS: Aside from any territorial creatures that live within, the mushroom is not going to pose any kind of unexpected threat to those who want to kill it. It’s huge with a thick stem, so it will take a great deal of force to knock it over, necessitating chainsaws and other heavy duty tools. Care should be taken to avoid spores that shake out when it falls. MMMs only move at night, and can’t move across rocky terrain. The undead are immune to their spores. While they are mobile like their name implies, they move pretty slowly, covering up to a quarter of a mile per day.

[treeyo]

It was an itinerant permaculture teaching and project installation company, a brand identified with being on the move.  I made the conscious choice to not go on with this lifestyle for many reasons. Rather rooting into community and long term intensive site development is the goal.  This holistic vision has kept me put in Northern Kentucky since 2017 September other than a working holiday this past fall/ winter to my familiar Iberian roots.

Arvid scything at Sekier, Slovakia for hay storage

Canal in Argentinian drylands

Papaya circle planting, Dominican Republic, 2012

Winter in Southern Spain

Josse and myself doing free consulting/ design work, Southern Portugal, 2017

Malaysian Aquaculture

Teaching

What once was my staple, teaching, has now dwindled down consciously and due to lack of interest in my local market for current offerings.  I tried to run a weekend PDC this again winter but that didn’t work here in the Cincinnati tristate region.  I did get to teach here at the lake on the topics of food forest and forestry in the Year Long PDC run by Braden Truth and the Cincinnati Permaculture Institute.  It really is a

Treasure Lake Zone 3 Planting with Year Long PDC group

passion of mine to teach and always nice to show off the work you have been doing for nearly two decades in the forest (more on that below). It was a great group and we did get some work done in a zone 3 area I have been developing including last falls earthworks.  The space has been evolving since 2014 and will take its next evolution in the upcoming day class with Abby Artemisia in our event called Planting Abundance on May 18th.  Unique offerings like this is what I will try as I work my way into other avenues of teaching, rather than the globetrotting PDC circuit.

https://treeyopermaculture.com/permaculture-design-courses-pdc/herbal-walk-and-permaculture-planting-with-abby-and-doug/

Abby did interview me for a podcast as well and I got to talk about my passion of Paw Paw’s.

https://soundcloud.com/wander-forage-wildcraft/wfw-ep-4-meet-doug-crouch

I will also be offering workshops at the Whippoorwill Festival in July in Kentucky and rumor is I might be starting to teach at University of Cincinnati’s horticulture department for Permaculture.

Treasure Lake

The fall last year, 2018, was brutal with the continued heat and non stop event planning and all the work and maintenance that comes with that.  I then left for Europe as soon as we closed for the season and finally took a breath to work on another passion; writing.  After spending three months in Iberia I cracked on with my beloved winter forestry work that I among calling Active Forest Management and launching a new movement around that.  The cutting of non natives and natives to make way for the understory paw paw and spicebush, the continuing to plug up streams with rock dams and woody debris, small and large diameter, and felling trees for mushroom innoculation.  This year I worked with one of my closest neighbors who has a shining example of 1/2 acre permaculture, Daniel Biedenbender, on the mushroom inoculation.  We removed quite a few box elders in the aforementioned zone 3 space that we are developing. The logs this time are at his fathers house down the road by a few miles as resources are starting to not be so boundary centric in the building of community here in Petersburg, KY. This winter work is great prep for getting the physical body back in shape for the looming busyness of spring. Much of that spring time has been devoted to nursery work again with the Cincinnati Permaculture Insititues Growing Value Nursery having a spillover/ secondary location here at the lake.  It’s fun work, but tough on the body indeed and honestly I am glad it has just a few more hours of work to be done to resettled for the season. Alongside of that I have been sprouting hundreds of Paw Paw seed from selected fruits from last years harvest.  Fun stuff as I put together elements of my own nursery as well.

Cincinnati Permaculture Institute Nursery at Treasure Lake, almost finished

Community sharing, bag of Morelsfor sharing Wine Caps

Hauling plants to Growing Value Nursery

Paw Paw seeds in Pots

invasive after cutting

invasive before cutting

One rock dams, expanded and built up this winter

Sprouted Paw Paw seeds, these ones were actually planted out directly the field

non native bush honeysuckle cut

Spicebush in flower

Speaking of mushrooms, our King Stropharia beds that were inoculated in May and June of 2018 came thumping along with honestly more mushrooms than we could handle (and now a second flush is happening).  Emphatically by the bag full we have been harvesting them! I had never grown them before and will be better prepared for selling next flush.  For now we have all been eating lots of mushrooms around here since again the morel season hasn’t been great and these mushrooms keep us satisfied.  Part of those beds are also part of a western hedgerow on the edge of Annie Woods Dark Wood Farm market garden.  All the plants are super thriving which is a great sign to know that these mushrooms can be cultivated along with perennials like fruit trees, berrybushes, and perennial veg.  I definitely did have to pull the wood chips and fall leaves away from the trunks of the plants as the wine cap mycelium is indeed very aggressive. I have planted in more currants, Jostaberry, and gooseberry to finish filling out the space.

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Western Hedgerow

Wine Cap Mushrooms

Wine cap harvest

Wine Cap Mushrooms, ready tone cooked

Wince cap cut in half

Wine caps in grow bed, abundance

The other hedgerow, on the north end of the market garden, originally planted in fall 2017, continues to expand.  Everything is looking great, even the pear I had to whack back just above the graft after the deer rub got it as there was a miscommunicationabotu fencing when I left to Europe in the fall.  oops.  These nuclei are great to see displaying the small scale intensive principle for sure. And being full on growth during this warm and wet spring it is chop and drop time of course as well. Furthermore, I am now dropping in a few more layers of the food forests hedgerow as I developed the anchors and guild herbaceous plants and now adding more fruiting bushes like currants, Aronia, and more.  I have also expanded both east and west with more fruit tree nuclei, Japanese plum and Asian Pear, which meets up against a back stop that my grandfather had built for his dreams of having a softball diamond here.  It had become junk pile over the years but some hard work has it ready for vines, I do believe hardy kiwi it is. Maybe Akebia, decision has to be made today, ha. Oh and some hoops too!

South Hedgerow

Blueberry guild after chop and drop

Blueberry guild before chop and drop

Sheet mulch fro Asian Pears

Guilding with comfrey

Individual Tree planting terrace

Shiro Plum addition

Asian Pear additions

chop and drop in hedgerow with mower and bag

Nucleus planting, guild and berry bushes and nitrogen fixers

The businesses of Treasure Lake have also been a backdrop ongoing conversation and evolution with the owners, my father and my two aunties.  So we decided to shut the pay fishing lake, campground, and the bar other than our Tuesday Night Ping Pong and Friday night Open Jam (now turning into Sunday afternoon instead of Friday), which are quite communal events.  The culture of camping and the pay lake and the event production of music shows honestly had become toxic with people simply over doing it and not respecting the land (not everyone but a few rotten apples do spoil the bunch).  Unfortunately people live in excess, I once was there and am no saint, although quite sober these days.  Anyway this allows me to have more time and space to dedicate to projects here on the land and elsewhere and build community further.

Pong jam

Community

The biggest journey of living in this economically depressed rural area during tough times in the states other than for the wealthy is indeed building community. There is a small group of us, but it is expanding as the roots are put down further.  Running a bar at the lake does generate tips and rather than take it all for myself, i simply use it as a tree planting fund.  So both the local Biedenbender homesteads, Daniel and Colleen and Josh and Maddy, have received big donations of plants to make their homesteads more robust and our community more resilient.  Our network extends beyond this but these are the folks I work with the most in my local area. I also am working with my longtime event production co manager, Bryan Schaffer and we will soon get his pear trees in the ground that were also donated through the tips for tree planting program. Furthermore, I of course work with Annie Woods and her Dark Wood Farm market garden that is still on the land as well.  There are still next steps and people are constantly asking about moving to this area since it is only 30 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, Covington, and Newport, our tri-cities on the river. Also I continue to make my trips two hours south to continue building community with the Berea crews it is my respite.

Backyard Permaculture elements at Daniel and Colleens, vine trellis, pathways, sweat lodge

Swim spot and Maddy and Josh’s

Mushroom log inoculation

Front yard terraces at Daniel and Colleens, to the left food forest

Rabbits raised by Colleen

Salamander at Jo and Mike’s in Berea, KY

The goats at Maddy and Josh’s

Lesourdsville

Another exciting opportunity I am working on is turning a normal park design into a permaculture landscape.  More on that one in the next blog as we are moving from vision and assessment phase into the conceptual design in this moment.

Lesourdsville in Monroe, Ohio, becoming anew park

There is a lot going onion life these days and big next steps are occurring in rooting, even if they are tiny.  Hint that was foreshadowing.

Treeyo Project Update:  Evolving through Rooting It was an itinerant permaculture teaching and project installation company, a brand identified with being on the move.