THE ENCHANTED NATURE NEWSLETTER
Issue 47
March 2025
Greetings Enchanted Nature Community
We hope that spring is bringing you some enchantment!
Please enjoy the latest edition of The Enchanted Nature Newsletter.
Growth and Change
"When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart,
and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." — Kahlil Gibran
Spring has returned with temperatures becoming milder for many of us and colorful delights are putting on a pleasant visual show. Observing nature can help us ponder some of the more difficult questions that befuddle humanity; like life, death, growth and change.
If we look at plants, we find annuals that live only one seasonal cycle while some perennials live tens of thousands of years. The seed germinates, a plant grows, a flower often forms and then it casts seeds. In the following spring, that annual flower is gone, but those multiple seeds will hopefully flourish in their own season. I don't know if plants can feel joy or satisfaction but if they can, hopefully they would find contentment and pleasure in seeing the seeds that they've created for posterity.
Whether a plant lasts one seasonal cycle or centuries,
in nature we see that even in moments of sorrow,
there is beauty in what has been and hope for what is yet to come.
From Our Readers
We are grateful for your contributions!
Your photos make The Enchanted Nature Newsletter more interesting for the community.
If any of you see anything enchanting in nature, take a picture and please send it along.
Susan Miller submitted a picture of
Black Witch's Butter (Exidia glandulosa).
It is a jelly fungus that grows on rotting hardwoods and has a white spore print.
Below are some photos from Joseph Andrews, of California, that he snapped during his trip to Japan in April 2024. The pictures look to be mushrooms from the Trametes genus.
We would need to see them up close to make a definite identification.
Joseph also took this photo near his office in February.
This photo appears to be Schleroderma citrinum.
They are also called the Common Earthball and are poisonous.
Greg Slominski submitted these photos of Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae; commonly known as Cedar-Apple Rust. This is a pathogenic fungi that affects plants but is rather interesting in its needs. Cedar apple rust is a heteroecious fungus, which means it requires two different host plants to complete its life cycle. The fungus alternates between the two hosts:
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On cedar trees: It overwinters in galls, which swell and produce orange, gelatinous spore masses in the spring.
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On apple trees: The spores released from the cedar galls infect apple leaves, fruit, and twigs, forming rust-colored spots and producing spores that, in turn, infect cedars.
Since the fungus needs both hosts to complete its full cycle, a lone cedar or apple tree would not perpetuate the disease on its own. However, spores can travel significant distances (up to several miles in the wind), so even if the trees aren't right next to each other, an infection can still occur if the fungal spores reach a suitable host.
Thank you for your submissions! May the forest be with you.
Remember, if you can't get enough fungal fun,
Check out the articles at the
Please send us your pics and queries:
adventures@enchantednaturetours.com
You can also text your pics & questions to (540) 324-8778.
From The Writers
Below we see a Striped Squill - Puschkinia scilloides
Above we see an invasive species known as Glechoma hederacea.
It is commonly called Ground Ivy or Creeping Charlie and is native to Europe.
It is not native to the Shenandoah Valley and is considered invasive.
This plant is bad for other natives because it grows in dense mats, outcompeting other native plants,
but it does provide nectar and pollen in the spring to a variety of pollinators.
Above is Muscari armeniacum commonly called Grape Hyacinth.
It is not native to the Shenandoah Valley and grows vigorously but is not considered invasive.
Nature News Recap:
Two recent stories that you may have missed
By: Christopher and Victoria Vacher
On Saturday, March 29th, 2025, CBS News reported that the U.S. beekeeping industry is in crisis over the unexplained deaths of hundreds of millions of bees over the last eight months. Blake Shook, one of the United States' top beekeepers told CBS that,
"The data is showing us this is the worst bee loss in recorded history".
Here in our region, some beekeepers are reporting hive losses with no sign of disease or starvation. Hopefully this problem will be studied and resolved before the results become more catastrophic to the bees, professional beekeepers and our food system.
On a lighter note, astronauts will attempt to grow Oyster mushrooms in "microgravity" as part of a mission called MushVroom!
The mission may launch as soon as Monday, March 31st.
Remember, you don't have to travel to outer space, be a "scientist" or have a million dollar lab to study bees and mushrooms!
Just take a class, find a mentor, join a local club or simply check out a book at your local library.
If you're near Churchville, VA stop in to The Necessary Mercantile and find knowledgeable folks that can help get you started.
Enchanted Nature News
Morel
Season is here! Are you ready?
Join us for the next introduction to
Mushroom Foraging Class
Sunday, April 27, 2025, 11-4pm
Interested in the health effects of fungi?
Enjoy our new Medicinal Mushroom Workshop
Enchanted Nature Mushroom Extracts:
Our extracts can be purchased at:
The Necessary Mercantile, The Cheese Shop, Polyface Farms and
For order on The Enchanted Nature Trading Post
Blooming
"A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms." — Zen Shin
Below is a video from one of our favorite channels. The video is flowers with relaxing music. If it takes three minutes or three hours to relax and be enchanted, take the time for yourself.
It's good for your health.
Findings reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, suggest that keeping a few snapshots of greenery around yourself might be beneficial. When participants viewed the natural images in the experiment, their stress levels lowered, thanks to the activation of their parasympathetic nervous system – which controls certain rest functions. "Viewing green scenes may thus be particularly effective in supporting relaxation and recovery after experiencing a stressful period and thereby could serve as an opportunity for micro-restorative experiences and a promising tool in preventing chronic stress and stress-related diseases."
Take a deep breath, hold it, and let it out slowly as you relax.
NATURE IS CALLING, WILL YOU ANSWER
There are many proven health benefits to spending time in nature. It has also been proven that just looking at images of nature can provide multiple health benefits including: reducing depression, speeding healing, improving your immune system, preventing dementia, improving your mood, and increasing happiness. We plan on ending each newsletter with a short video of a natural scene. Hopefully the videos will provide you with some of the benefits listed above.
Stay safe and enjoy nature
If you haven't taken the time to explore our website, please do.
There are a lot of free educational resources to enjoy
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