Magic Mushrooms

Every year since we have been at this house we have had mushrooms come up in a ring around this stump.

I never really thought to take a picture of them, and my husband never let them linger long enough for it to occur to me.

But last year with neither of our dogs around to worry about (we didn't know if it would poison them if they ate the mushrooms) and curiosity to see just how big the circle would get, led to this picture above.

The circle was so defined our neighbors wanted to come take pictures of it.

I was enchanted by it, sure that fairies lived there and resided in each mushroom.

As I splayed myself on the ground frustrated beyond all reason that the pictures I wanted I was just not going to get with the camera I had.... I couldn't help but wonder at them... these lowly little mushrooms, that when left to their own devices would arrange themselves in such  manner.

Was the tree stump they grew around a special tree? It was cut down long before we moved in so I wasn't sure ( I have since learned it was a Willow tree),

What was it about this place in our yard that these little guys would show up year after year in a gradually widening circle?

they were just so cool.

I would find myself staring out the window time and again still amazed and delighted by them.

But alas...I googled them, these "Fairy Rings" and learned the true nature of why they occur.

It made me sad.

I guess I had hoped to see a bunch of different people throwing out different reasons as to why they grow like this, but none of them really having a scientific explanation.

There is an explanation, and it DOES make sense.

But still...

what if fairies really DID live there?

What if it was a Fairy village that only becomes visible to us once a year for a short time?

What if they came out and danced on the grass in the moonlight while we were sleeping?

I hope they come back again this year, and I want to show them to my daughter..and explain to her about fairies, and possibilities, dreams and enchantment.

I hope she enjoys them as much as I do

I hope they are magic to her.