The Peacefulness of a Long Walk in the Forest
In my last post I reminisced about autumn and taking walks in the woods to gather wild mushrooms.
Nature has long been the place where I most feel able to find a sense of inner peace, particularly when the world feels a bit overwhelming and stressful.
On Thursday, we joined a friend for a day of hiking and mushroom gathering, the primary idea being to forage for chanterelles, which are an excellent eating mushroom. They grow in many places around these parts, it's just a matter of finding the right spot with a mixture of conifer and deciduous trees.
Yes, I do find it "safe" to gather wild mushrooms, but I have also been doing this since childhood, and am quite familiar with any potentially "bad" species out there.
Chanterelle in its natural habitat
We have gotten a fair bit of rain recently, after a very long and dry summer... which makes for ideal conditions for fungi. Aside from the edible ones, I enjoy spotting other unusual things on the forest floor.
This small mushroom with an almost black cap is very pretty in its own way... the top almost has the texture of suede.
Not something to eat, though!
Although it's part of the bolete family - which generally offers good eating - the red stem is a giveaway that it's somewhat toxic. Perhaps not deadly but it will definitely make you sick.
Knowing what is good and what is dangerous is mostly a matter of practice and experience. In truth, most fungi are edible, but that's not the same thing as " good to eat!"
Much of what we find in the woods is quite pretty but not worth bringing home. But definitely photo worthy.
By late afternoon we did find a fair number of chanterelles, definitely as many as in previous years. But that's OK, because there's still a good bit of mushroom season left!
Overall, though, I really enjoyed a day of complete peace, with no computers or phones. And it's not easy to put a price on that!
Our haul for the day...
Now we just need some good recipes!
Thanks for stopping by and have a great Sunday!
How about you? Do you find peace in nature?Have you ever gathered wild mushrooms? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!
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Created at 2023.10.15 00:55 PDT
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Your post inspires a healthy lifestyle and love for nature. Great photos with the tint and color of green nature. Thank you very much for the positive post. Have a nice day.