Things are Really Going to the Dogs Around Here

First it was Madness, and now this: I went out to get the mail today and found these growing in the barkdust at the base of the mailbox.


WHAT. THE. HELL???

The one above is apparently more "fresh"... also note that opening pod-thing at the base, which I think is the start of a new one. The one below is further along in its life cycle:


There are also some that are completely shriveled and turned to mush. I didn't notice them yesterday so I'm guessing they have a relatively short/fast life!

Aren't they the weirdest things you have ever seen? Does anyone know what they're called? Obviously they're some sort of fungi but are the freakiest mushrooms I've ever seen! And how would I Google them, anyway? "Mushrooms shaped like dog penis and chicken feet"?

And OH MY GOD, I just Googled it and guess what? It is totally called the Dog Penis Mushroom!!!!

As one blogger said about Googling to search for it, "Took a picture, came back inside, googled 'dog penis mushroom'. Ok: I know better ways to identify living things; I am one of about 230 people who own a copy of G.W. Hudler's classic Magical Mushrooms and Mischievous Molds, for pete's sake. I understand character keys and taxonomy, and I know where to find the online species databases. But when you want to identify a mushroom that looks like a dog's dick, man there's nothing faster than the straightforward approach." So glad I'm not the only one, ha ha!

Here is a photo of another one and it's interesting that she says the mushrooms last about six hours. Here is a page on it, which indicates that I'd better actually pull them up or they will spread--and Jason is obsessed enough about the lawn damage the Verizon guys did, imagine if it started sprouting dog penii everywhere!! It's enough to make one feel faint.

Although I do think I'll put on gloves, first.