FLD Dutch goes 'shroomin'

I was honored.

The "mushroom queens" invited FLD Dutch and me on a morel mushroom hunt.

Unless you live in Northern Michigan, you might not understand the significance of the honor. Morel hunters guard their sacred grounds with their lives.

Stephanie, her mom Fran, her sister Yevette and her daughter Lilly, (and Yevette's friend Jay) didn't even ask me to wear a burlap bag over my head as we drove to their secret spot deep in the Huron National Forest.

That, my friends, is an honor.

Lilly gave us all handmade name tags as we grabbed our onion bags to head out into the woods. My tag read, "Morel Adams." Another honor--I guess she thinks I take a lot of photographs!

FLD Dutch sniffs out some fungi on an old log. Those aren't morels!

The evening was warm, the woods dry, the morels small and elusive. Stephanie said, "We just need a bit of rain for them to really pop."

Stephanie holds up a nice morel. Her mom, Fran is on the left with her onion bag, and Lilly is to the right. Lilly is an eagle-eyed morel hunter!

After three or four hours, the veteran crew had a fairly good take. This rookie found three.

My first two were a pair!

This one stuck out like a sore thumb! (sorry)

Here's some perspective for you on its size.

I admit I became distracted.

A yellow trout lily.

Trillium!

Wildflowers bloomed. Natural springs bubbled. The setting sun cast long shadows through the hazy-budding trees.

FLD Dutch laps a drink in a natural spring.

I said, The rate of reinforcement isn't high enough.

My comment would have been funnier amongst a group of dog trainers.

If the morels were as copious as the deer droppings that Dutch sniffed out, I might not have lost focus. 

Deer-doo hunter* FLD Dutch looks at the camera. "What?" he seems to be saying.

*Dont' worry, FLD Dutch got lots of practice with "leave it" during our hunt and his ingestion of said morsels was very limited.

Eastern Market at Easter-time

A quick, pre-Easter trip to the city and FLD Dutch proves to be a real trooper. Crowds, wagons and buggies, street musicians, kids, and shopping--Eastern Market in Detroit.

Good boy, Dutch!

FLD Dutch poses among the Easter Lilies.

We can't get Dutch to look at the camera!

He's still looking at me!

Poetry: Haiku

The following is a Haiku that is part of my "running with my dog..." series (I run with my personal dog, Gypsy). Included is the picture (taken a few summers ago) I used to construct a "performance" of the poem.  (You photographers out there should recognize my reference to a "cooling filter!")

running with my dog . . . in late June

cooling filter skies
belie the opposite effect--
hot sun burns blue through

Picture of a large sunflower, set against the dark blue sky.

And here is my "performance" of the Haiku,
"running with my dog in late June"

 

Poetry: Spring Haikus

Just a couple of spring Haikus.  (Be careful where you walk!)


"temps in the 60's"

spring rain raises worms
to masquerade as pick-up sticks
leave no where to walk

"too early"

birds chirp, burning beak,
my nose is Tahquamenon
Falls--aahhhhhh--allergies

Running in April in Michigan, or...(another FIB!)

I penned this poem earlier this month after a run with my dog Gypsy, but the sentiments are still appropriate after the temperature extremes this past week!  (It's another FIB, check out Gregory K's blog:  GottaBook.  Thanks again, Gregory!)


Running in April in Michigan or, Nature's Disenchanted Intimacy

Two
days
ago
we ran hot,
skin sizzled to touch.
Today, measured breath is frigid.