fungi and complexity

actions create consequences

Today’s sunrise was utterly sublime.

It followed a marvelous display of purple and pink as the clouds managed to add such welcome colour.

I filled the watering can, fearful the lower humidity might lull me into thinking the summer heat is drying things out less powerfully. While the last few days were indeed delightful, warmth and dry conditions persist.

Upon finishing on the front patio, I spied these curious fungi. I found similar ones peaking out of the mulch about three weeks ago but they appeared to melt in the heat within a day.

I don’t know what kind of fungus they are. Fungus and I don’t mix often, for food or decoration or anything else. I know i often see fungus appear following heavy rain or, has occurred this summer, when I water too thoroughly. The ones in my huge planters out front, however, are cream coloured and substantial as they stand defiantly amid the petunias.

Today’s creatures are delicate and translucent gray. I assume they resulted from rains last week but their translucence is so peculiar. It’s as if I can see through them but that’s not entirely true. Perhaps they are ghostly green rather than translucent. Hard to describe them too clearly.

I think they appeal to me right now because they are simple. Nothing else in our world seems simple today with complexity multiplying. Please don’t get me wrong as I adore complexity—it’s one of the reasons I still passionately love national security strategy. I am working with a colleague to ignite in non-specialists (I love John and Joana Q. Public in Burlington as my term for who I want to reach) the drive to learn and participate more fully in our discussions about our role in the world, our strengths, the threats, and everything in between. That effort is consuming much of my time these days as we will offer our first workshop in early October but it is consuming energy resulting from the complexities of the world and of most effectively presenting it to others. It is also, of course, rather satisfying.

These fungi, however, remind me that we often come across simplicity and complexity simultaneously. The translucent gray fungi poke out of the soil, craving water and undisturbed time to last for merely a day or so. At the same time, examining the details of the shape, wondering why some mulch sticks to a portion while other areas remain untouched even though everything rose from the same location fascinates me.

As usual, my favourite question arises: why does the mulch stick? Why the colour? Why there rather than somewhere else in the yard?

I am nothing if not consistent.

As everyone reading this knows, there is a great deal of greater complexity in our society right now. If you’re one of the loyal readers outside of the United States, I am confident your countries each has its own trials and tribulations. Actions occur everwhere. And actions unwaveringly create consequences.

Even for the fungi.FIN

P.S. At 3.46 pm, the fungi have left the building—and everywhere else…..