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En​chanted 

Nature Tours Inc.

THE FOREST IS CALLING! 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATH AND YOU WILL NEVER SEE THE WORLD THE SAME WAY AGAIN.

The Log


An ongoing series of informational entries

We obviously think a little differently than John Pinette about hiking, but it's still a funny skit. If you want to skip to the hiking part, fast forward to minute 5:05.


The Enchanting World of Nature is Calling You

Come and Enjoy An Educational Hike With Us

THE ENCHANTED NATURE NEWSLETTER

Issue 23

November 2022


Greetings Enchanted Nature Community


Welcome To The Enchanted Nature Newsletter

Seasons Flow

"The blessedness of waiting is lost on those who cannot wait, and the fulfillment of promise is never theirs. They want quick answers to the deepest questions of life and miss the value of those times of anxious waiting, seeking with patient uncertainties until the answers come. They lose the moment when the answers are revealed in dazzling clarity.” 

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer-

Autumn is coming to a close and the winter solstice is a few weeks away. 

The holiday season is upon us. 

Sometimes the constant flow of seasons from one into another combined 

with life's challenges can be overwhelming. 

We make efforts to complete projects before the weather changes. 

Preparations must be made for the seasonal weather patterns. 

It's common to hear people wish that it was always summer. 

Summer brings challenges of its own with oppressive heat and humidity. 

We have all heard the adage, "Remember, it's a journey, not a destination". 

The quote is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The seasons are going to flow whether we like it or not. 

Try to make the most of each season that you're given and find enchantment in nature.

Remember...

If you choose not to find joy in the snow, 

You will have less joy in your life

But still the same amount of snow! 


We want to wish you all safe and enchanting adventures as we head into December.

Plan your adventures with safety in mind. Be prepared for the unexpected.

PICS FROM OUR READERS

Thank you to all who sent their pics!

Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, mushroom hunting, wild mushrooms

Don Depoy of West View, VA submitted these pictures of what appears to be Golden Scaleycap mushrooms (Pholiota aurivella).  Thank you for sending a picture of the fertile surface too, which is gills. This helps with identification.

Mushroom Hunting, wild mushrooms

Patti Spahn shared this spectacular photo of a Carolina Wren serenading the forest.

WOW! Great pic Patti! Thank you for sharing with the Enchanted Nature community.

Bear's Head Tooth, Hericium americanus

MANY THANKS to all of you that make the newsletter better by sharing your pics!

Please send us your enchanting pics and any queries: [email protected]   

You can also text your pics & questions to (540) 324-8778.

PICS FROM THE WRITERS

Here's a bit of a hint for this month's video. We hiked out to a waterfall and were enchanted by nature.

Woodland Cyclamen, Cyclamen Persicum

Cyclamen persicum, commonly called Woodland Cyclamen or Hardy Cyclamen is putting on a pretty display before winter arrives. The delicate pink flowers are pretty and the leaves are competing for attention too.

Sycamore tree

After the foliage has fallen from deciduous trees, the beautiful patterns that the branches form against the sky is certainly something to appreciate. The light/white bark of Sycamore trees is striking.

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Legendary Mushrooms?

by Victoria and Christopher Vacher


With Thanksgiving behind us, we are officially into the "holiday season". Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Eid-al-Fitr, Kwanzaa, Rohatsu, Solstice, Christmas, something different or more than one of the celebrations, we wish you joy. 


If you live in the United States, you will no doubt soon see images, displays, or parades that include a Santa Claus figure.

Maybe you've heard about the ties to Coca Cola advertising that popularized the current image of Santa Claus. If you make an online search of Santa Claus images, you'll find that the icon has had many personas. 


With our dive into learning mycology, we have discovered a fascinating legend/history of a connection between Santa Claus and the mushroom Amanita muscaria. This mushroom is commonly called the Fly Agaric.


Amanita muscaria is an easily found and widespread mushroom. 

This fungal fruit has been incorporated into holiday decorations, post cards, and even the video game Mario Bros. Children’s books have established associations with fairies, magic, mystery and such to this most recognizable mushroom in popular culture. The striking bright red cap with white spots has been the archetypal mythological mushroom as far back as the Vikings, Druids, and shamans the world over.


The original figure of Santa Claus is thought to have originated in the Nordic countries. The shamans in this region oversaw the use of the Fly Agaric as part of their winter solstice celebrations. There are chemicals in the Amanita muscaria that can cause a "magical" experience and make people feel like they are communing with nature. Muscimol and Ibotenic acid are the chemicals. For some they can also cause very unpleasant and unhealthy side effects and there are anecdotal reports of death.


The shamans that used the Fly Agaric mushrooms are said to have dressed in red clothing with white spots and entered the snow-blocked homes to distribute the mushrooms through an opening in the roof!


Take a look at this video below:

Amanita muscaria are quite cosmopolitan in their growing habitats and tend to grow at the base of trees where decaying matter feeds the mushrooms. It is up for debate as to exactly when people started putting evergreen trees in their houses to mark the holiday, but the connections are quite interesting. 


Shaman would tie the red mushrooms on strings and hang them on trees to dry in preparation for the winter solstice celebration (red balls hanging from a tree)... Nordic shamans depended on reindeer for their way of life. Reindeer eat  Amanita muscaria and it's believed that ingesting the mushroom causes a feeling of euphoria that encourages them to jump higher and run faster. Perhaps these mushrooms might cause them to seem to fly. It is easy to understand how someone under the influence of the mushrooms, seeing the reindeer jumping and the shamans red outfits, could imagine they were flying.


We may never know for sure if this is the origin or just an influence on the image of Santa, but it makes for interesting conversations at Christmas gatherings.


Please be safe! 


Be kind to nature and one another.

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Enchanted Nature News

This is the 2 year anniversary of

The Enchanted Nature Newsletter!


We want to express our appreciation to all of you who have been reading, contributing and spreading the word for our monthly newsletter about nature. 

THANK YOU ALL!

For those of you who can't get enough mushroom info, 

check out the weekly mushroom posting at:

http://friendsoffungus.com/the-fungus-among-us.html


Give the gift of nature! We now offer gift certificates. They can be customized and emailed for any occasion. The gift certificates are available at our Trading Post


IF YOU'RE HEADING TO THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY, 

You're invited to enjoy an afternoon with us and we're sure that 

"Our Local Friends" would love to meet you too. These are small local businesses that we support and feel confident recommending. Keep an eye on the page, as we expect the list to grow.

Flow

is this month's video theme


Flow

This month, you'll find yourself sitting next to a waterfall. The beautiful white bark of Sycamore trees reaching for blue skies provides a lovely setting. The water above the fall arrives calm and then tumbles over the edge. The drop  causes splashes, sounds, and ripples. Just a few feet further downstream, the water calms again. We all have tumbles in life. We need to constantly remind ourselves that our lives, the seasons, and the universe is in a constant flow. Let's try to enjoy it, appreciate it, and treasure both the exciting splashes and the calm flow.


FEELING RELAXED? IF NOT, BACK UP AND TRY AGAIN.


NATURE IS CALLING, WILL YOU ANSWER

There are many proven health benefits to spending time in nature. It has also been proven that just looking at images of nature can provide multiple health benefits including: reducing depression, speeding healing, improving your immune system, preventing dementia, improving your mood, and increasing happiness. We end each newsletter with a short video of a natural scene. 

Hopefully the videos will provide you with some of the benefits listed above.

Findings reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, suggest that keeping a few snapshots of greenery around yourself might be beneficial. When participants viewed the natural images in the experiment, their stress levels lowered, thanks to the activation of their parasympathetic nervous system – which controls certain rest functions. "Viewing green scenes may thus be particularly effective in supporting relaxation and recovery after experiencing a stressful period and thereby could serve as an opportunity for micro-restorative experiences and a promising tool in preventing chronic stress and stress-related diseases." 

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Please be sure to share this newsletter with your friends. 

Word of mouth is the best advertising.


Stay safe and enjoy nature


If you haven't taken the time to explore our website, please do.

There are a lot of free educational resources to enjoy


If you wish to unsubscribe, simply drop us an email at [email protected] 

with the word, "unsubscribe"

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