Fungus Mosses Lichens

The Winnipeg River (above) meanders through the Whiteshell creating lakes throughout. Above are some rapids where Pelicans sit to catch their fish. The photos below show terrain typically found in the Whiteshell.  Roads have been “cut through” the rocky terrain and the forest is full of lush undergrowth, tall stands of Boreal Forest trees and many different kinds of mosses and lichens.   I personally find the mosses and lichens both beautiful and interesting ( check out a previous blog under Mosses and Lichens for photos). Fox, deer, black bears and beavers are common sights here as well as a variety of  forest dwelling birds, owls, herons and other waterfowl.

Below:  rocks line the highway edges.

Below is the sign welcoming visitors to the Whiteshell.  Note the “turtle” on the sign.  The Petroforms (a sacred site to Aboriginal Peoples) are located in the Whiteshell.  One of the Petroforms is a turtle symbol representing “Turtle Island” which is another name for North America. According to First Nations teachings, the Turtle represents the teaching of Truth. You can find a “Gallery” dedicated to the Petroforms which inlcudes contact information on the right hand side of this page.

In addition to the lakes, beavers in the park have created numerous marshes which in turn provides habitat for birds, turtles and waterfowl to name a few.  Many of these marshes are filled with beautiful pond lillies. Below is a photo of a marsh filled with Water Calla Lillies.

The Whiteshell is less than 2 hours from Winnipeg and is a very popular cottage area. There are a number of hiking trails in the Whiteshell for persons with varying skill levels.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Moss and more moss!  Everything in the rainforest is wrapped in blankets of beautiful moss that sways from branches, clings to tree trunks and coats the ground.  One cannot appreciate the enormity of the old growth forests until you have walked in one.  Today a few photos from Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Mushrooms are fungus that come in a variety of colours, sizes and shapes.  They can be edible or extremely poisonous.  Best not to pick any to eat unless you are with an experienced mushroom harvester or know for sure what you are picking. I have eaten many harvested wild mushrooms over the years but I know that my relatives who picked them knew what they were getting and they are delicious prepared in cream sauces, with meatballs and in soups.  Favourite mushroom patches in the Interlake area are sometimes well kept secrets as they are a treasured food commodity.

I’ll try to get some pictures of wild Black Morel’s ( a treasured edible mushroom in our parts ) but I’ll probably have to bribe an old-timer to show me a patch!

I like taking photos of mushrooms at the ground level as it makes for a much interesting photo.

Enjoy!

Sharon