Monday, November 15, 2010

Mushroom playground

Frost had a big group playdate at our house yesterday and its hard for Wren to join in when the friends are 10 and 11 year olds.  He is really out of his demographic but utterly misreads the situation and takes it personally.

I offered to take him for a walk in the stroller.  Before we left Wren said "We are not going looking for mushrooms today!"

I agreed.  "We are not going to look for mushrooms but I might pick one if I see one."

Wren:  BUT YOU SAID we are not looking for mushrooms.

Me:  No, we are going for a walk but if there was a mushroom...

Wren:  We are not picking mushrooms.  DAD!

Josh:  I think Mummy means that If there is a mushroom by the path she might pick it.

There was a mushroom by the path.  Wren became a bit exasperated.  He said "THIS IS BORING".   However, he liked picking the Blewitts because they were in a half circle and easy to get to.

Mushrooms being ID'ed.  They include  Suillus Albivilatus
Leratiomyces Ceres and a mystery Tricholoma which resembles
Odora.

The ones that made it to the pot.  I made a highly reduced
"Mushroom essence" a la Cafe Flora to use
on the Portabello Wellington next week.

Found another flush of Blewitts on our walk as well as a lovely
crop of young chlorrophylum rachodes near Teacher Andrea's house.
Wren enjoyed playing at the playground but was concerned that the swings had been taken away to replace the safety surface.  The swingset frame is now bare - not swings hanging there - and looks skeletal which fit the cold, dark weather.

This morning Wren asked when the sun was going to come up.  It was 10am and I told him the sun probably wouldn't come out today.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Shannon

I do enjoy reading your mushrooms posts. We are kindred spirits in that regard. I wish I had as wide a variety to pick as you do.

Best wishes

Morrie

Shannon said...

Thanks Morrie,
I really enjoyed reading about your mushroom exploits too. I wish I had started mushrooming years ago - its such fun.

While Seattle always has good mushrooms, we had a weirdly cool summer this year, a warm fall and lots of early rain which produced an amazing year for foragers and mycologists alike.

Everyone is saying what a great year for mushrooms it was.