Katherine has been out and about, following her inclinations, which are reliable. She found a small lake with bronze lily pads floating on it. She sent us a picture of it, from “somewhere in Charlevoix County.” The lily pads, she says, might be new this year or left over from last year. “Have to go back to see if they get bigger,” she says innocently. “Not quite sure where but I could find it again… only by following my nose.” Annnnnd I suppose she might spend a little time nosing around in the woods near the lake, especially under the ash trees. Maybe for just a little minute.
Uh huh. At this time of year usually gregarious Michiganians become taciturn to the point of surly. They sneak out of the neighborhood with net bags stuffed in their pockets and a gleam in their eyes. They say they are running errands, shopping for socks, rotating the tires, yawwwwn. They are looking for morels in secret places.
OK, we are looking for morels, but I never find any unless I’m with someone else who knows what they’re doing. Or with architects. Architects see the world differently from you and me.
So, Katherine . . . nice lake. Where exactly is that lake, hmm?
Meanwhile I have it on reliable authority that an Antrim County industrial site is full of the succulent little fungi. I have my net bags and my gleam. I’m sneaking out of the house at dawn. I’ll let you know how I do.
Torch Lake Views 
Reggie
April 29, 2010
As I’ve never heard of morels before, I had to Google it.
Now I know: Ahhh! Shrooms!
It’s such a strange concept to me that people would wander off into the forests and the fields looking for mysterious and potentially deadly fungi. I’d be really nervous of picking the wrong ones and ending up in hospital. Or worse.
I look forward to reading more about your intrepid adventurings, Gerry.
Gerry
April 29, 2010
The very cool thing about morels is that they are almost impossible to confuse with anything else. They are therefore a tremendously popular item among beginning mushroom hunters. There are entire festivals devoted to the luscious fungus around here. Usually we find them in May, but Mama Nature is capricious.
Reggie
April 30, 2010
Entire *festivals* celebrating the flavours and joys of fungi? How strange, and how intriguing!
Gerry
April 30, 2010
If you had ever tasted sauteed morels it would not seem strange to you at all.
Katherine
April 29, 2010
My lips are sealed!
Gerry
April 29, 2010
I knew it!
P.j. grath
April 29, 2010
Have you had more rain over on your side of Grand Traverse Bay? We’re all hoping for rain, talking about rain, pretending we want rain for all kinds of reasons, but YOU know the real reason we need it now, don’t you, Gerry? Rain and then warm sunshine–yes!
Gerry
April 29, 2010
Dry as a bone over here. Big puffs of dust rise from the roads. A nice, gentle, warm rain would be very welcome, yes indeed.
Cindy Lou
April 30, 2010
Ooooooh…..if the morels are out down there, it shouldn’t be too long before they make their appearance up here! My son and his girlfriend have a number of spots they go, but won’t tell anyone where they go….morel hunters are worse than fishermen. That’s OK though as they share…sharing is good! :}
Gerry
April 30, 2010
Although a good part of the joy of morels is finding some, I am perfectly content to let others bring me some, grin at me in that Heh-heh, I know where to look way that they have, and disappear to hunt for more. I have tried to follow, but wily are the ways of morel hunters.