#Debbie’sSixWordSaturday – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

Dryad’s Saddle: A Remarkable Mushroom Discovery.

On Tuesday Coleman and I were enjoying a relaxing evening in the backyard. While waiting for Coleman to get our lawn chairs set up I noticed a rather nice size mushroom growing near the base of the tall shade tree in the backyard.

Not recognizing it I decided to look it up. I found out that it is a Dryad’s Saddle mushroom. It is also known as Pheasant’s Back mushrooms. It’s scientifically they are referred to as Cerioporus squamosus.

These type of mushrooms are saprophytic fungi which simply means they grow on dead or decaying wood, often growing at the base of trees or fallen logs. Typically when this type of fungi are at the base of a tree the tree is dead or dying. In this case the tree is still alive with green leaves in abundance. The other instance is that there could possibly be some compromised wood that the fungus is helping to break down.

Interestingly, these fungi help to recycle nutrients back into the soil making them a vital part of the ecosystem. If interested, the Dryad’s Saddle mushroom is edible , especially when it’s young and tender. Its flavour is described as mild and mushroomy, with a distinctive cucumber or watermelon rind scent carrying through to its taste when cooked. They are best to cook and eat when they are young, they tend towards toughness when they age.

Click on each image to enlarge.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-2026.09.19

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a pleasant and peaceful weekend. May it be filled with love, happiness, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Lone crow surveys silent world below …

Corvus brachyrhynchos

For the first time since moving to our current neighbourhood (back in March), I heard the Caw Caw sound of our first visitor in a long while. I happened to have been sitting on the porch with my granddaughter waiting for Coleman to arrive on the school bus. When I heard the cawing I stood up to see where it was perched. It was being watchful (scoping out the surroundings) atop a weathered sun-bleached utility pole.

What did I see when I looked up? The gleaming black feathers of an American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). American Crows are quite common here and throughout North Carolina. They can be seen from our coastal areas and on into our mountains. They are incredibly adaptable, thriving in urban areas, farmlands, forests, as well as in our coastal regions.

Let’s take a look at some interesting fun facts about the American Crow.

They are Master Problem Solvers: They can solve puzzles and use tools to get food for example, they can bend a wire to hook something out of a tube.
They have Excellent Memory: Crows are known for remembering faces, especially those who have been kind or unkind to them. They pass information about “dangerous” humans through their flock.
They have Complex Communication: They have a wide range of calls, more than just a simple “caw.” It is believed that they have different call for danger, for finding food, or even to distinguish individual crows within their group.
They are Social Creatures: Crows live in tight-knit family units. Their young often stay with their parents for several years. While they remain with their parents they help to raise their younger siblings (much like in a human family).
They have “Crow Funerals”: Who would have ever guessed? Whenever a crow dies, other crows often gather around it, sometimes ever for extended periods of time. This maybe a way for them to learn about potential dangers within their environment and it gives them an opportunity to mourn.

Click on each image to enlarge.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-2026.09.12

Birds of the Week CLXXXV

Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

Memorable Catawba River Fishing, Great Falls, SC.

This weekend in the United States is Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, some people still have to work on Labor Day (which is celebrated on Monday). Who really wants to work on a holiday during the Summer or for that matter any other long weekend.

*Impressive catch of freshwater*
*Bullhead Catfish, Crappie, and Bluegill*

I am remembering a Summer in 1963 (not in September, but in July) when I was vacationing in Great Falls, South Carolina with my family. We drove out from San Diego, California to visit my paternal grandparents and my dad’s brother and sister.

*Pictured from left to right:*
*My Brother, Larry;*
*my Uncle Eddie,*
*and my dad.*

On this particular weekend the men and boys went fishing 🎣 along the Catawba River in Great Falls, South Carolina. Why is it that the majority of times (at least back then) they never asked the girls or women to go fishing? However, they expected the women to cook up whatever fish they caught and brought home.

The Catawba River is just a short drive from my grandparents home. The “men“ landed an impressive catch of freshwater fish including Bullhead Catfish, Crappie, and Bluegill.

*My dad and brother*
*displaying their catch*
*of the day.*

I do not recall which one actually caught the most fish or if this was my brother’s first time fishing or not. I do know they definitely made sure to capture their catch with a camera for prosperity or probably to remember the funtastic time they had spending the day together.

*My Uncle and brother*
*holding up a string*
*of freshwater fish.*

Regardless of who caught what, or who caught the most, what mattered most was the quality time they had together. You better believe we had us a feast of fried catfish and other freshwater panfish for supper that night.

How do you like to spend a long holiday weekend? Do you get together with friends and family? Stay home and barbecue on the grill? Or just enjoy a relaxing weekend at home?

Click on each image to enlarge.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-2026.09.05

Location: Great Falls, South Carolina, USA

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Corvus brachyrhynchos

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