Chasing a White Rabbit

I was walking in the woods the other day and came across something I had never seen before; it was down in the hollow base of a large tree.  Looking into the cavity, there appeared to be a round, white, puffy ball lodged in a hole.  My first thought was that some animal, such as a white rabbit, had become lodged in there and was stuck.  Of course, my eyesight isn't quite what it once was, so I just wasn't certain what it was that was down in that hole.  It almost looked like a ball of snow, but we hadn't had any, so I knew it couldn't be that.

I took the logical approach and poked it with a stick.  That didn't tell me much, so I then proceeded to dig it out with the stick.  It was stuck and didn't come out easily and in fact, came out in pieces.  I wish I had thought to take an image of it before I tore it up.  It was very cold and a bit squishy to the touch. 

I, of course, had to research a bit to find out what this cold, squishy ball of rubbery stuff might be so I searched first on iNaturalist.  There, I found it to be a Lion's Mane Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus.  It is edible and has medicinal properties.  Some of the benefits are related to immune function, anxiety and depression, cognitive health, heart health, cancer, diabetes, digestive health, wound healing and nervous system recovery.  Seems like an important mushroom with which to become acquainted!

You never know what you will find if you just get out and explore a bit.

Cardinals and Medicine Men

A couple of days ago I posted about the trash we find in the woods.  The very same day we came across the old tire, we also came across this beautiful Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis).  It was growing near a slough where the water stands throughout the year.

The Cardinal Flower requires Hummingbirds for propagation due to the depth of the flowers.  It is poisonous and teas were made of the roots and the leaves by various Indian tribes for use as cures.  Gardeners often plant it to attract Hummingbirds and because of the showy blooms.

I just like to see the bright splash of color against the green and brown backdrop. 

Cardinal Flowers are an indicator species for wetlands and are usually found in the wild near water.  The piperidine alkaloids found in the plants are similar to nicotine.  A close relative of the Cardinal Flower is Lobelia inflata or, Indian Tobacco. 

I have often thought that if I had been an American Indian back before European settlement, I would likely have been the Medicine Man of the tribe.  It is intriguing to me how they were able to identify and utilize the naturally occurring substances in plants and animals to effect cures or, at least treatments, for various diseases.  Many researchers today find that those cures have scientific validity and likely were at least somewhat effective beyond the placebo effect.

The one part of being a "Medicine Man" that would bother me is the association with Shamanism.  I believe man has a spiritual aspect, but I also believe attempts to enter into communion with that world through the use of mind-altering drugs is dangerous.  Simply making that statement sends shivers through me because mankind has a history of believing they can handle any danger and even mentioning the possibility of the reality of entering that world through drugs is like a dare to some.  I don't want someone to read this and attempt it.

Hmmm...I'm not sure what to think about those last couple of paragraphs.  It is thought that the Cardinal Flower received its name because of the similarity to the robes worn by Catholic Cardinals.  That's two different connections to the Spiritual World in one pretty flower....