I just can't resist posting photos of these gorgeous Amanita muscarias as the winter solstice approaches.
I love the association with Santa, whom I like to think of as a Shaman of the northlands who learned from observing his reindeer the magical flying properties of the Amanita muscaria mushroom. I imagine he drinks his sacred tea then floats up and out the smokehole of his yurt to journey the cosmos with his reindeer guides on the longest dark night of the year.
All photos by me. First was taken at the Washington Park Arboretum Japanese Gardens in October 2016. The second was outside Woodland Park Zoo in October 2015.