It sounds like you had a fascinating day exploring the land near Calgary and Millarville!
The fungi you encountered, including the Purple-belted polypore, must have been quite a sight, especially with their guttation droplets.
It’s amazing how nature can produce such unique and beautiful phenomena.
Guttation is indeed an interesting process, often seen in plants but also observed in certain mushrooms like Fomitopsis pinicola.
It’s fascinating how these drops of moisture can resemble tears or sweat, adding to the mystique of the fungi.
Fortunately, the rain held off until you were heading back to Calgary, although those black clouds must have been a reminder of the recent tornado. Nature certainly has its way of keeping us on our toes!