1st November 2021 Dr Beena Devi
Hello everyone. I hope everyone is safe. Today my musing is about mushrooms. I am sure many of us love to eat mushrooms. Today’s painting is from a photo posted under Margot’s challenge from Art by Paul Clark. I found this early morning photo of mushrooms a challenge. I had to paint in the early morning light. However, I did not know how to paint “Bokeh”. So let us keep that for the next time:) shall we? In this painting, I have used salt as well as the negative painting technique.
Let me share my thoughts about mushrooms. There are many varieties of mushrooms. Of course, some are inedible and poisonous. One of the highly prized mushrooms is the truffle. Unlike mushrooms, truffles grow underground at the roots of trees. They have a long history used in cooking. However, the two world wars devastated this industry. After that, they became expensive and used only for special occasions.
Many cuisines use mushrooms for cooking. They are rich in Vitamin B and, hence I call them “happy” food😊. I recently found out they are great anti-oxidants. Thus, a healthier the reason to eat them😊. When I used to go trekking in the jungle, we would be excited to see wild mushrooms. They were in bright colours and poisonous. The general advice is: do not take anything from the jungle.
Most times, the word mushroom is associated with benign reasons. Yet, a mushroom cloud is allied to a nuclear explosion. One of the first mushroom clouds seen was before the atomic era. In 1782, an unknown artist depicted mushroom clouds from the attack of Gibraltar by the Franco-Spanish forces in a painting.
Sometimes, I am puzzled by the dichotomy of a word ☹. It is like anything in life. A day can be a good or bad day. Is that strange? The day is just a day. But the events that occurred on that day would define that day😊. Let us try to make each day a bright day and let mushrooms make us happy😊😊.
Till the next musing, stay safe and be at peace.
4 thoughts on “Mushrooms”
Hi Beena, I love reading your posts because I can learn many new things such as Bokeh, (I have looked up its meaning) negative paintings (I’ve watched a YouTube video by Paul Clark on negative painting) and something about the subject mushrooms. Yours is a light-hearted read and I can picture you trekking in the jungle and chancing upon wild mushrooms. I could even see your sparkling eyes and nice sweet smile. I could even smell the freshness of the air and hear the euphony of sounds made by the teeming jungle creatures. Such are the feelings your simple writing evoke in me. Keep it up- your paintings and musings as they keep this old heart throbbing with excitement. I look forward to your next post.
Hi, Jen, am so glad you picture me so vividly with shiny eyes and a smiling face, instead of me being sweaty and tired:). Of course, seeing the mushroom in the wild jungles excites most of us. They are brilliant in hues and come in all kinds of shapes. Thanks for encouraging me to write my musings. Sometimes am never sure if anyone reads these thoughts:):). Well, at least I know someone does and am glad to be at your service:)).
Haha, Beena, your happy food made me think of magic mushrooms immediately. Psychedelically happy 😄. They look very like your mushrooms. But I know that just painting alone is enough to carry you to another realm.
Hey, thanks for educating me on those psychedelic mushrooms. Do we get them here? Maybe I should try.:):). We all need some happy food.