Giant Mushrooms, Giant Ichneumon Wasp

On June 28, 2008, while driving along General DeGaulle on the West Bank of New Orleans, I saw these giant white mushrooms in the "neutral ground" (median strip) while stopped at a light. Grabbed my Treo smartphone, snapped this picture out the window. Diameter of the larger one is about 6" i'd estimate.


Then on Wednesday evening 7/9/08, while having dinner at Applebee's with Anthony on General DeGaulle, I noticed a really large wasp on one of their windows (outside), and again grabbed the Treo and snapped this picture. I believe it is likely an Ichneumon wasp of some sort, but unusually large, full length from antennae to tip of ovipositor was at least 5". She was twisting her wings lengthwise, back and forth in their sockets, and moving her head, looking around, with eyes that sure looked green to me.
Here is an article on another species of Ichneumon Wasp, but the one I saw was somewhat larger, basically tan body and ovipositor, but greenish head/eyes.