The Iowa Summer Heat Wave.

It has been very hot this last week here in Iowa.   The heat index is around 104 ( or more!)  today.   And it certainly feels like it.   Well,  for us,   we have been inside most of the day...working. 

Sometimes we wonder if we would rather work in the AC or run/bike in the insane heat.   Trust me,  it is a difficult decision.   For Cheryl and myself,  work is a form of imprisonment...  Even though we work for Pearson...  Perhaps one of the best "jobs" we have had.   ( Yeah, I said it... so what?)  The current project is a little challenging.. But the people on the project are cool and the leader is awesome.  They even gave us Rootbeer Floats this afternoon.  ( possibly to thank us for staying the entire day on a Friday... in the insane heat!) 

But the heat has effected us and encouraged us to not bike this evening.   Instead,  I will show off the pictures of the Mushrooms we found last weekend  near Pella.

Dead Ash Trees. 

I'm not sure I mentioned this, but there were a number of Ash trees that had been killed by the Emerald Ash Borer.   Pretty little monster...  Emerald green and very destructive. 

Well,  the Trees were sprouting up Golden Oyster Mushrooms!   It was unfortunate that we could not gather any.   Forst, it was very hot.   Second,  it was far from home and they might not have made it home in the extreme heat.   And lastly,   the Project was going to begin Monday and our Pizza plans were going to be put on hold until the project is over.

Besides,  many of the clusters were rather old.   I think I could have found a few that were still fresh, but, why bother?   Instead, I took some pictures of them and tried to spread the mycillium around to other trees that had not yet been populated.

Golden Oyster Clusters!

King Bolete. ( penny bun) 

I bring this up because we checked out the trail in Coralville after work today, trying to find a Bolete or two.   ( We found a couple!   Small orange ones.)   I doubt we will find any of the Penny Bun boletes until late August.  (acording to my blog...) but one can still hope.

Boletus miniato-pallescens

Hope everyone is staying cool in the middle of this heat wave.   Things are supposed to cool down next week... so they say.   But this weekend will be hot.   And Cheryl and I plan on biking in Muscatine.  Wish us luck!