Let it rain!

It's been a rainy spring, by Colorado standards.  And during our past two rainfalls, I've been intrigued to notice bright orange and yellow growths popping up on the piney ground-cover in front of our apartment.  

At first I thought these were flowers.  But upon closer observation, they looked more like dollops of apricot jam than anything floral.  Before I could photograph these unusual growths (or even get a very good look at them), the sun came out... and the jelly-like blobs retracted into small, hard lumps.  

Then this morning it rained again -- and lo and behold! -- the jelly-like blobs were back.  I wasted no time in observing them carefully... and identifying them (with the help of google) as dacrymyces palmatus -- a type of jelly-mushroom that thrives in moist conditions and grows primarily on pine-type plants.  

The dacrymyces palmatus (also called "Witch's Butter") are apparently edible... and while I don't plan to taste them, one website said they are sometimes used in soups.   As for me, I will just enjoy these little bursts of color out our front window, until the rain clears and they disappear again...