Abounding, Lacking

This is the November essay, belatedly.

It has been the year of Hypholoma fasciculare (sulfur tuft) and Suillus caerulescens (fat jack), the first blooming out the end of every toppled log, the second filling the woods like so many flopped and forgotten pancakes. Cat’s tongue abounded, as did lobsters, the fluffy whiteness of Amanita smithii, silvery aniseed toadstools, and crisp Russulae of …