So many gems in here. Where do I start? Maybe with your caution about eating mushrooms after casual identification--don't do it! :) Then your discourse on the evolution of terms to describe Auricularia auricula-judae. How about the photos--wonderful. Even the title of your piece. It made me think of all the times I walked in the forest with all of this going on around me. I always had the visceral sense of the cycle of life. Your up-close look enhances the beauty and awe I felt when surrounded by so much visible and invisible activity.

Edit: Too late to upvote, I'm sorry :(
Edit #2: I am sharing on Twitter :)