Monday, April 13, 2009

My Camera for a Morel?

Howdee All,

I went out yesterday in search of the elusive Morel mushroom.

After dropping my sister off at work I decided I would drive the back roads of Sanford and stop when I was in an area that looked like it would have Morels.

The first place I stopped looked pretty good, a low area, creek, Tulip poplar trees. I pulled the car off to the shoulder and got out to look around.

I scanned the creek and low and behold…across the creek was a beautiful little golden morel glowing in the sunlight. I was so excited….but i had to cross the creek.

There was a fallen dead tree over the creek, a nice wide tree. The creek was only five feet across but about knee deep. I decided to crawl on all fours over the log to reach the beautiful Morel… I was half way across when …Plop….my camera falls out of the case on my hip and into the creek.

I had no other choice but to go in after it and I knew I needed to rescue it fast before the water damaged the camera….So in I went…clothes,shoes and all…up to my knees ..pulled out the camera and since I was already wet..crossed the creek toward the Morel.

My thoughts were now about my camera….I tried to turn it on…no go…dead….dead..

I could do nothing…..it was wet…..I took out the battery and shook the camera……put the battery back in…still nothing…

Oh well…I decided there was nothing I could do for the camera…..and picked the Morel…how bittersweet…I found a few more morels in the same area…and left when I was sure there were no more.

I would have loved to have taken photos of the creek, the log, the lovely morels growing in the woods…but my precious camera was no longer working.

Boo Hoo…

I searched several more areas that day and found about ten morels in all. Not a grand bounty, not big specimens that I have found before…but nice little ones…Proof that their are morels around.

I put my camera in the sun and let it dry out. By the time I went to pick up my sister, my camera was turning on but the screen was cloudy and it wasn't acting normal..but I had hope that it might pull through.

And so far….it is getting better each minute….

It decided to show off and take a few photos…at the nursery..CIMG3080 CIMG3074 CIMG3076 CIMG3079and last but not least..

the cause of its drowning…

Morel Mushrooms! CIMG3087

My camera continues to work and today it says it will try some bird feeder digiscoping.

Its still a bit under the weather and is in no mood for a Morel mushroom foray.

And, besides,the Blue Grosbeak showed up at the feeder today.

We have our priorities.

32 comments:

  1. Oh My!! I am guessing that the "morel" of your story is to get a better more secure camera bag....haha
    Congrats on your morels! By the way, Dad just told me about the shed story and what Jeffy did for him. What a nice guy you have!

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  2. I do hope the camera will totally recover. And that you got a few morels. Enjoy them.

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  3. I'm glad you saved your camera and also found some Morels. Glad your camera is working again. Looks like you had quite the adventure.

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  4. I hope your camera makes it! You deserve a big bag of morels for your efforts!! :-) Your flowers looked beautiful so looks like your camera will be okay....

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  5. Such an "oh, my goodness" story about your camera but one with a happy ending..and I thought you were going to barter your camera away for a few mushrooms..after reading the title to this post :)

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  6. The morels were DELICIOUS. Dawn fried them up with a bit of egg and flour. They look a little like brains so we ate them with some fava beans and a nice chianti. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..SLUP..SHUDDER

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  7. Dear Dawn,
    Morels are delicious! Very happy camera is on the mend. She does seem to be feeling okay...the photographs of the pansies are perfect! Do hope the water was not too cold!
    A fun morel story.
    Sherry

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  8. So what's the "morel" of the story?
    Glad your camera decided to dry out.-I take it that you eat those?I would like to eat some wild stuff but wouldn't dare unless someone who knew what they were doing showed me first and then ate the fist bite.

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  9. Glad your mushroom adventures didn't turn into a complete camera disaster. I've been lucky enough to have a ready supply of morels in the yard most years (none so far this year though). When are you likely to be in Connecticut - perhaps we can blog about meeting up for some birding?

    Luke

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  10. How fortunate you are that your camera is working after a dip in the water.

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  11. Wow, what an adventure Dawn. Glad you saved the camera and it's thinking of working again. But best of all you found some elusive morels. Sure hope you sauteed those lovelies for dinner.

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  12. Dawn, my heart sank as I was reading this and was so happy to read that your camera worked in the end! I always worry about dropping my camera and getting into a situation like you did. The neck strap to the camera has been my saving grace so I don't drop it. Those mushrooms are lovely to look at. I bet they taste great too. They better after all you had to go through to get them! ;o)

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  13. Beachgrl,
    Yes that is a good Morel of this story..I love my little camera case..but the Velcro has been a bit iffy lately. Yeah Jeffy got him a good shed..something they never would have done on their own

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  14. NC mountainwoman,
    So far the camera is A OK..thanks

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  15. Tink,
    Yeah I love adventures...just wish i didnt have to get wet.

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  16. Shellmo,
    Yes my camera seems to be much better and is happily taking photos.
    I will continue to look for more morels....

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  17. Tina,
    LOL ..i think I must have made a pact with the devil to get that presious morel...but thank goodness I got out of it!

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  18. Adele,
    yes they were delicious werent they!

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  19. Q,
    Yes the camera is doing well and happy to show off what it can do.
    The water was warm...and thankfully it was not cold out..I walked around with wet shoes and socks all day..my pants dried quickly.

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  20. Larry,
    Beach girl said the Morel of the story was to get a new camera case..I think she may be right.
    I ate the shrooms and they were awesome..and I am still alive..
    You want me to send you some if I find anymore...tee hee

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  21. underclearskies,

    Oh..where in Ct do you find the morels...GPS coordinates would suffice..LOL...
    We will be in Ct. mid june and most of july.
    Would love to get together for some birding adventure.

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  22. Andy,
    Yes...I was getting a bit sad...but now I am thrilled.

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  23. Gaelyn,
    Yes..sauteed those morels and they were scrumptious.

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  24. Kallen,
    I might should learn a lesson from this...new camera case or neck strap might be helpful. and the mushrooms were very yummy!

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  25. Congrats on the morel but oh what a story about the camera. The nice photos are proof that it's ok? You make me want to go out and look for morels. But our nights are very cold still--33 degrees so they wouldn't grow then would they?

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  26. Hope your camera recovers totally. Also, hope you left some Morels in each spot so there will be some there next year. I was in the Smoky National Park yesterday, also looking for Morels (can't pluck them there) to photograph, with no luck.

    Leedra’s Photos For FunLeedra’s Greeting CardsPhotography By Leedra

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  27. Appalachian Lady,
    When your nights are in the forty's and you days in the high sixties to seventies..and you have had some decent rain Start looking. Let me know if your find some...I love to be jealous...tee hee

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  28. Leedra,
    I hope you find some to photograph..
    They do need 40 degree nights and around 70 days...and of course a good rainfall.

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  29. You might should? HAHA that is soooo southern a saying. Did you do that on purpose?

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  30. I would just die if my camera stopped working! I would have jumped in too, to rescue it if mine had decided to take a swim.

    Those pics of the flowers and mushrooms are great considering a wet soggy camera took them.

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  31. Karen,
    Thanks for stopping by..Yes I had no choice but to jump in. My camera works but is not back to normal.
    a bit buggy..Oh well..it still takes photos.

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  32. Wow, what an adventure. I am glad that your camera still works- that is amazing considering what it went through. As much as I walk in the woods- I have yet to find a morel. I guess I need to read up on them and learn their preferred habitat and then purposely go and look for them. I did enjoy discovering the Judas Ear Fungi this past year- I was surprised that something so ugly and kind of slimy looking was perfectly edible and used commercially in Chinese soup recipes. But now you've got me interested in morels. They must be something to go through so much trouble for. :)

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ok what do you really think?????