Young people dominating the music field is more common than young people in the world of film, at least when you're talking about people behind the camera. Consider, for example, the fact that The Beatles were together, recorded about a dozen albums (some of which are among the best of all time), and then disbanded before any of them had turned 30. The world at large, therefore, seems to freak out a little more when a filmmaker puts out something impressive while they're still in their early 20s.

The first snow of the season was a few days ago. Just a couple of inches, not enough to bury the last of fall’s glory yet. Today will probably be the last of the frosty fall mushrooms and leaves. It’s been a prolific fungi season. The sheer numbers of fruiting bodies have left me standing with my mouth agape in awe more than once.

I headed out to nearby English Point State Park. It was spectacular! One and three-quarters miles in three hours. That’s a good wander!

All of the wonderful distractions are tiny. Without a closer inspection, they look ordinary. But get in tight, and they are everything extraordinary! I bought a macro lens just for this time of year (a specific lens for extreme close-ups of tiny things). Now, I just need lighting for the dark forest floor and a short tripod to stabilize my lens… With every hobby or creative endeavor, there’s always just one more thing you need.

I cast my eyes down, scanning the leaf litter, duff and deadfall for interesting mushrooms, lichens, leaves and other tiny treasures.

Frost crystals coat the shaded twigs, fungi and leaves. The mushrooms are frozen solid, yet retain all the appearance of life. This presents the unique opportunity to pick them up whole and place them in a more photogenic location!

The low-angled winter sun peeks through the woods in focal streaks and rays. While the light is a dramatic addition for photography, in this instance, its energy immediately begins to melt the subjects. Frozen mushrooms wilt before my eyes, stems curling under the weight of the saturated caps diving toward the ground.

The frost coats the leaves and mushrooms like coarse grains of sugar. I am endlessly fascinated. I came home with a couple hundred images, about one hundred of which I kept! Clearly, these are some of my favorite things!

If you’re interested in purchasing or licensing any images you see here, please email me at SNewenham at exploringnaturephotos.com, and I’ll make it happen.

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The post A Frosty Fall Day appeared first on Exploring Nature by Sheila Newenham.

These crispy pastry pockets are stuffed with mushrooms, spinach and feta, just like your favorite Greek restaurants. We use olive oil spray between the layers of phyllo dough instead of melted butter. They make a great do-ahead meal, so we recommend you double the recipe and freeze some for future lunches and dinners — they’re perfect when served alongside Greek salad!

Active time: 40 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Mushroom and Spinach Phyllo Triangles

Ingredients 

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb (454g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp dried dill
• 6 oz. (170g) raw baby spinach
• 1/2 cup (75g) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Olive oil spray
• 12 defrosted phyllo dough sheets 
• 1/2 cup (123g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt, for dipping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and dill and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Reduce the heat to low and add the spinach, stirring after each handful, until all of the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a fine-mesh sieve or colander and press with the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the feta cheese and egg until combined.

Carefully unroll the phyllo dough and keep it covered with a clean towel to prevent drying. Mist one sheet of phyllo with olive oil spray and place a second sheet on top. With the short side facing you, cut the stack in half lengthwise. Place 1/4 cup (58g) filling on the bottom left corner of each strip. Fold the corner diagonally to form a triangle, then continue folding upward as you would fold a flag until the entire strip is enclosed. Tuck in any loose edges and lightly mist with olive oil spray. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make 12 triangles.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Serve with the Greek yogurt, if desired.

Alternatively, freeze the unbaked triangles on a baking sheet until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F (177°C) for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 2 triangles, plus 2 tbsp yogurt

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 260; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 46mg; Sodium: 593mg; Carbohydrate: 38g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 12g

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin D: 3%; Calcium: 14%; Iron: 17%; Potassium: 583mg; Vitamin A: 178%; Vitamin C: 20%

Originally published: October 8, 2020; Updated June 2026

The post Mushroom and Spinach Phyllo Triangles appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

A public restroom stall shock that had nothing to do with cleanliness.

Whether you’re looking for a Pokémon frappe, chocolate chip sandwich, or surprisingly high-quality T-shirt, Japan’s convenience stores have got you covered. As a matter of fact, it can start to become easy to become desensitized to the very wide variety of things you can find in a Japanese convenience store, but earlier this month a customer at one in the town of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture came across something that still managed to shock him, as the late-night shopper found a gun inside the shop.

Firearm ownership is heavily regulated in Japan, however, so the gun wasn’t something the store was selling, and it wasn’t out on the shelves between the boxes of Pocky and packs of melon bread either. Instead, the customer, who was at the store at around 12:35 a.m. on June 3, found the gun in the store’s bathroom. After he stepped into a stall, he noticed a belt hanging from a hook ordinarily meant for bags or coats. Attached to the belt was a holster, and inside the holster was a pistol.

We’ve often discussed how life in Japan isn’t like anime, but reality here is also very different from video games, and you generally won’t find weapons just lying about in real-life Japan like it’s an RPG. An odd exception, though, is bathrooms, which periodically turn into unintended armories when police officers use them and forget to take their guns with them once they’re done doing their bathroom business. That’s what happened in this case as well, with the firearm being traced back to a police officer with the Yamaguchi Prefectural Police who was on duty that night and had stopped by the convenience store roughly 40 minutes before the customer found his gun.

The customer informed the store staff about the forgotten weapon, and the store then contacted the policer to report its discovery. The officer has admitted to accidentally leaving his weapon behind, and the Yamaguchi police have pledged to reassert to all officers the importance of making sure they haven’t left their gun behind and unaccounted for when moving from one location to another.

In addition to convenience stores, in recent years there have also been incidents of officers accidentally leaving weapons behind at a restroom in an airport and even one within a police station.

Until recently, most police departments prohibited officers from making use of convenience stores while on duty and in uniform. With such regulations being eased, though, the frequency with which police firearms are brought into stores will likely continue to increase, so hopefully officers will remember to take them back out too.

Source: TBS News Dig via Yahoo! Japan News via Kinisoku
Top image: Pakutaso
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