Helvella fungus, Home

While I would love to be engaged in mushroom hunting at this time of year, the favorite May fungi would be Morels and, alas, those are not found around here. But there are some species emerging and this one, which I discovered when I was walking into the woods to dump a bucket of stove ashes, had me scratching my head in amazement. It was rolled up like a hot dog bun and it had thick veins on each side of what some construe as a cup. Indeed, a common name for the fungus is Elfin Cup, and if it would unfurl, I could see the resemblance. Helvella acetabulum is actually fairly common in our woods, where it is thought to establish a mycorrhizal relationship with tree roots. Sorry to learn that it's not considered edible, but I was happy to make its acquaintance nevertheless. I wonder when the elves come out to drink.