Tim and I first discovered several colorful Amanita Muscaria under the big ol' evergreen tree where we lived in Seattle in November of 2009. I loved them, and had great fun finding out what they were. With connections to Christmas and to Viking lore they intrigued me. I wrote about it ( here ). The following year they arrived three weeks early during an unseasonable warm spell. There's a picture of one-in-the-sun ( here ). Yesterday Tim found another batch of them near our mailbox. Because of their slightly different color I think perhaps they might be a subspecies of the ( Amanita Muscaria ). Something sure likes their taste! I am keeping an eye out for tipsy slugs.

Here's a very small Amanita doing its imitation of a golf ball.
 

They grow very quickly.
 

Slugs and squirrels apparently enjoy a bite of them now and then.
 
 
Even half-eaten they're pretty.
 
 
You never know who else likes them too.
 
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