Early this autumn, we headed to the countryside once again to look for chanterelles. We roamed the same forest that we frequent every mushroom season. The place is quite far, but it's always pleasurable to travel that long with all those amazing sights all the way, of which I never get tired no matter how many times I have seen them.
When we got to the woods, the ground was already heavily carpeted with birch leaves, their yellow color feigning the semblance of chaterelles. That made it difficult for us to find these yellow fungi. After exploring the forest and finding just a handful of these mushrooms, we gave up, our hearts filled with sorrow over the seemingly "near-extinction" of these tasty fungi from this forest.
We tried other forests along the road, only to be more disappointed. But I refused to be disheartened. I utilized this opportunity to hunt for other nice little wood denizens for my photo subjects. I found other kinds of mushrooms and a cluster of lingon berries growing amidst the reindeer moss.
Even though the chanterelles were missing from their niche, the woods still looked enchanting with all the ecological tapestry that allures a "child of nature" to go back over and over again and commune with these marvels of creation.
