I’ve developed a bike/run routine where I ride my bike about 5 miles, then run/shuffle a few miles to get to my mushroom spot, a grove of tan oaks, bay trees and redwoods. The ground was saturated with water, after recent rains. Creeks rushing, ponds full;  in one spot on the trail, water was bubbling out of a hole. Zilch in the mushroom department, maybe they’re waiting for some warmth, or maybe the recent cold weather has knocked the chanterelles underground until next year. I did gather some fiddlehead ferns, but just read that many varieties are toxic, so will proceed w. caution.

I realized yesterday, that it’s not just getting out in the woods or beach that I love, but the search for something to gather — food, flowers, bones, feathers — the hunter/gatherer genes. If all else fails, I gather images with my camera.

In beauty may you walk.

All day long may you walk.

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Went running in the rain yesterday afternoon, man was it cold! (us Californios are wimps in cold weather). Storm blowing in from the south across the ocean, wind and rain pelting the hills. Chanterelles are in hiding, but I found these under pines. Cannot identify in any of my 5 mushroom books. Anyone know what they are? Sure pretty. There’s just always something out there (away from the computer!) that makes me glad to be alive.

What a year for mushrooms! These were by the side of the road yesterday. Don’t know what they are but I’m don’t believe they’re inedible.

I’ve been gathering candy caps in the woods and putting them on a kitchen shelf in bamboo baskets to dry. The whole rooms smells like maple syrup (which is what candy caps smell like when dry).

The earth around here is feeling good after the rains. Such a relief after a few dry years. Also, after 5 years or so of hunting mushrooms I’m starting to understand the fungi world a bit. Here’s yesterday’s haul, a side trip on my Sunday run. The yellow/orange ones at top left are chanterelles; the cinnamon colored ones are candy caps—when dried they smell just like maple syrup. THE book for our area is All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms by David Arora, not only informative, but witty and fun.