lilac picking, bee swatting, mushroom hunting time

[Cedarman]

Here in So In we are having a good old fashioned spring with major thundershowers, hot weather, warm weather and cool weather. 

The lilacs are blooming brilliantly and the aroma downwind is overpowering. I love to pick a bouquet and set them in the kitchen.

I have swatted over 150 carpenter bees that have been attacking our house.  They must love red cedar.  I declared war this year.  They can live in the dead logs in the woods or down at the mill, but the house is now off limits.  Actually it is kind of sporting, but not too sporting as I use a tennis raquet.

And the mushrooms are finally up.  Not a banner year, but enough to get a few good messes and liven up the restaurant talk.

Plus all the other neat things that spring brings.  Thank You, Lord.

[Burlkraft]

Here in Wisconsin.....we're still waitin' for those little morels to poke their heads out ;) ;) ;)

The ground is a bit cool yet....but as my Grandpa always said...."When the oak leaves get the size of squirrel's ears, the morels will be there."

I checked yesterday and they are still buds.......but a couple more days and I'll be out huntin' 8) 8) 8)

[wesdor]

Here in northwestern Illinois it is still a bit too cold.  I was out Sunday afternoon and didn't find any Morels.  Haven't had a chance to get out since then, but our lilacs are still just buds.  With the rain we have been having, I hope this is a good morel year.  Time will tell. 

In addition to all the details you have mentioned I really appreciate the "sea of green" that emerging leaves form on trees.

Isn't this a wonderful will that we live in! 

[IL Bull]

I picked a small mess of morels Easter Sunday. 8)  I am in central IL.

[MULE_MAN]

We had Mushroom's & Crappie for supper Monday evening  8)

Mushroom didn't have allot of size to them,  : were still
pretty dry around here & could use a good rain here in
Central Missouri

[Engineer]

OK I gotta know, 'cause I love mushrooms.  Where do you find morels (i.e. what sort of terrain, vegetation, soils, etc.) and when should I be out lookking for them if they are there?   Here in VT, we have daffodils blooming and honeysuckle greening up and that's it.  Trees won't be leafing out for at least a week, maybe more.

[MULE_MAN]

Here in Missouri I look for them in moist areas allot of time on the South side of a
hill sides & find them around Dead Elm Tree's, around Ash tree's
and even Sycamore trees'  Where your at Engineer I don't  know if it's warm enought,  ???
After a nice rain a person can ususally find a good mess of them

[ohsoloco]

Engineer, I was thinking the same thing  ;)  Mule_Man, you mentioned them being around trees, but are you talking in the woods, or in more open areas  ???  Never had any morels yet, but I do have a connection that hooks me up with oyster mushrooms  ;D

Mushrooms and crappie....that's a meal fit for a king! 

[RichlandSawyer]

Morning folks,

   The little shrooms are finaly popping here in central Iowa. All this wind keeps drying out the good morel hideouts.
But i managed to grab a picture of this one before he ran and hid in my bag.

[SwampDonkey]

I did see my first bumble bee today. The hazel nuts are in flower now, they have a tiny red female flower similar to butternut, the air is full of alder, hazel, poplar and willow pollen. I have no allergies, but when your walking through that stuff all day the air is just yellow-green with pollen. :D Achew!!! The ground has dried up alot this week. In that last 3 days I've marked out 65 acres of thinning.

[Burlkraft]

RS,

That's one DanG cute little morsel there ;D ;D ;D ;D

I'm goin' out huntin' today. It's still a bit cool, but we have had plenty of rain, so I'm hopin' to find a few for dinner tonight...........Morels fried in butter is better than Gritz,  Boys  8) 8) 8)

[RichlandSawyer]

I saw a show on TV awhile back that talked about how in Italy they use dogs to find truffels. They said that years ago they would use pigs!!  aparently pigs have a very good sense of smell, so i figured if a italian pig could find truffels then a michigan born, Iowa raised pig should have no problem finding morels!!!


I went into the woods with Toots on point and when he got on the scent it was "bar the door katey", he was going like a one armed paper hanger in a wind strorm.




Here is Toots with the fruits of his labor.




Thats SOME PIG!!!

[KGNC]

Those are some big truffels!  ;)

[Furby]

He can even help with the frying too! ;)

[Woodcarver]

My better half and I are going to check out the morel situation tomorrow.  Might still be a little early here in Central Wisconsin, but we had a good rain and a warm day or two, so it's worth checking.  If nothing else it's a good excuse for stroll in the woods.