Fairies Danced Here

I found this "fairy ring" growing in my favorite grove of trees on our property. The way the light reflects off the grass, it glows as if it's on fire.

Fairy rings are the product of the spreading mycelia of one of 40 or 50 varieties of mushroom growing in wooded areas, either above or below ground. Fungi can deplete the soil of readily available nutrients like nitrogen, causing plants growing within the circle to be stressed. This leads to plant discoloration. Some fungi also produce chemicals that act like hormones called gibberellins, which affect plants by causing rapid, luxuriant growth.

In Celtic folklore, fairy rings were said to be where fairies had danced the night before. If a human steps into the ring he or she is compelled to join the fairies in their wild dancing, which would seem to last for a few minutes but in fact lasts for seven years or more. The unfortunate mortal dancer can be rescued by having someone outside the ring grab hold of his or her coat-tails.

So far, I haven't had to pull any of the kids out. :-)