For Valentine's Day, I went for a "hike" of roughly four miles on the Bud Blancher Trail. I put that word in quotes because it wasn't that long ago that 14-16 miles was an "average" hike for me, with anything under 10 not being worth a term stronger than "a walk." There were those days in my 50s when I'd cover 20-21 miles as a "long" day-hike, and even one which measured out at 29 miles and 7000' cumulative elevation gain and largely off trail when I was nearly 60. Ah, how the mighty have fallen! But that said, I still enjoy getting out there, especially when there are little gems like Nidula niveotomentosa to find. This "bird's-nest" fungus is characterized by its creamy white tomentose cup ("fuzzy") and its dark, free-floating peridioles (the "eggs"). It is fairly common in the Pacific Northwest, and should not be confused with the larger Nidula candida which has pale periodioles.
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