October 21, 2026
In the Granite Seam
A narrow cleft in weathered stone,
Where spray and mountain seepage cling;
They rise in velvet caps alone,
Content with what the shadows bring.
No midday sun to warm the chill,
No open field to catch the breeze;
Just rock that drinks the river hill,
And dampness dropping from the trees.
Beneath the roar of falling white,
In quiet seams where mosses creep,
They carve a room without the light,
Where mist and shadow gather deep.
Tucked into a damp rock crevice near Buttermilk Falls in Long Lake, this small cluster of funnel-capped mushrooms thrives in near-perpetual shade. Sheltered from direct wind and sun, the fracture gathers steady moisture from river mist, stone seepage, and a dense collar of wet moss and fallen pine needles.
Field Notes: Macro environmental study captured on the Canon EOS R5, focus stacking frames to isolating the delicate decurrent gills and fine velvet cap texture thriving in the granite cleft.