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Thursday, April 09, 2009

Looking for Mushrooms

Howdee all,

This is Morel Mushroom Season and I really would love to find some yummy morsels. Those that know me…know I love picking shrooms and have a nice supply of dried Chanterelles and Porcinis, that I picked.

Morels are being found all around the United States now…check out the highlighted links below to see if they are popping up in your area.

I am here in the Sand hills of NC. I don't know if Morels grow here in the sand. I have been looking at the Morel Mushroom maps…kind of like looking at birdie migration maps…It shows you where they are popping up. I noticed that they were seen and picked about 30 miles north of here in Sanford in a town park and also an hour north in Raleigh….so they are around!

morels

I thought I would check some parks around the area and not drive to Sanford. The issue here is the soil is mostly sand. Sanford and north are clay soils.

I didn't find any mushrooms….but I did find a nice park in the town of Southern Pines and had a nice walk.

Beautiful gardens….spring has sprung in North Carolina.

CIMG2971

I took this picture of the bench for Adele…she likes cement furniture, so do you think this will work Adele?

CIMG2972

CIMG2967

I have been trying to take photos of butterflies…It is hard with a point and shoot camera…..I chase the poor little things all over the place. I got lucky here.CIMG2895

Yesterday, It was cold outside and I still had a cold..so I stayed inside and set up the scope and did some digiscoping…not the most clear..but i am working on it.

I find the little birds very difficult to capture.CIMG2926

I think tomorrow I will go north to Sanford and look for mushrooms, and bring my Binoculars to look for migrating birdies.

The big Question is …Should I look up or should I look down??

23 comments:

  1. Warren and Lisa StrobelThursday, 09 April, 2009

    Up or down? Choices, choices... :)

    Funny, just this afternoon I heard a piece on NPR by Julie Zickefoose about her annual search for Morel mushrooms.

    Good luck!
    W&L

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  2. LeedraThursday, 09 April, 2009

    Is that an Anhinga in the water in the first photo of the park? I enlarged to see if it was a Great Blue Heron and it looks like an Anhinga, mostly under water.

    Leedra’s Photos For Fun

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    Photography By Leedra

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  3. Dawn FineThursday, 09 April, 2009

    Warren and Lisa,
    Oh cool..I might have to find that Npr online.

    Leedra,
    Ha..You are very observant...There is a statue of a Great blue Heron..but it fell over and just the head is sticking out and at a strange angle.

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  4. beachgrlThursday, 09 April, 2009

    those morels are the coolest looking mushrooms. How exciting it would be to find them, such treasures! Del would like the bench. Love the goldfinches. They are almost done with their molting.

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  5. GaelynThursday, 09 April, 2009

    The birds will wait, or not. But the morrels are only around for so long. Hope you find some. I'm not in the right place for them. And I love shrooms.

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  6. Allen of Eating Out LoudThursday, 09 April, 2009

    I love morel mushrooms! I grew up on a farm in Michigan and I spent many hours hunting for shrooms in our woods. I no longer live there but my parents always tease me with their find. Last year, they found a patch of 6-8" tall morels.

    Happy hunting!

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  7. AnonymousFriday, 10 April, 2009

    I havn't seen any morels over here in WA State yet, but we still have plenty of dried ones from previous seasons.

    Those garden photos are beautiful. I think I am going to have to follow the spring bloom across the country one of these years.

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  8. TinkFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Those are cool looking mushrooms. I hope you find some. Great job with the photos too. Have fun making that bench for Adele. I know you can do it.. LOL

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  9. KimFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Wonderuful photos of the park. I love the butterfuly picture.

    I have always wanted to forage for mushrooms, but have never been brave enough. I look forward to living bravely through you this season as you search for them. I hope you find them real soon!

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  10. ChickyFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Very cool! The mushrooms and the birds, hope you find some.

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  11. ShelleyFriday, 10 April, 2009

    I love Morel mushrooms! The butterfly and finch photos were beautiful - your finches are coming out their molt faster than mine!

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  12. MaineBirderFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Your mushroom photo is making me hungry! Beatiful images Dawn!

    Thanks for visiting My Skywatch.

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  13. MissyFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Hey Dawn - Lovely new pics you took... I see that you were using Windows Live to post those pics where it has the 4 in a row? Wicked cute!

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  14. NCmountainwomanFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Morels are just wonderful. The only mushroom I dare to gather since its look is so distinctive. Happy hunting!

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  15. AprilFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Gorgeous North Carolina garden. I can hardly wait for the butterflies to show up here. Also, a beautiful photo of the heron for your BPW post.
    Have a great weekend.

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  16. AdeleFriday, 10 April, 2009

    Yeh the bench is cool make me one or make it two.

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  17. jayedizedSaturday, 11 April, 2009

    Interesting on the Morel! I wish I could help find you some. We have a lot of different mushrooms (summer months) but I've never known which ones are OK. My grandparents used to gather them here when they visited. Unfortunately the only thing I remember about it is Gramps trying to convince me "if squirrels eat them, that means you can eat them." I love watching squirrels carry mushrooms waaay up the trees.

    Glad you are enjoying NC. It's a lovely time of year here. Wish I was closer to that area - I'd enjoy a hike with you. Lovely shots of butterfly and Goldfinch!

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  18. TinaSaturday, 11 April, 2009

    Dawn,
    Up/Down?? Such a decision..could you really NOT look up? lol...teasing of course!!
    Love your photos on this post and the little collages below them..also visited your digiscoping voting site and voted for your blue wing teal!! One of my fav. shore birds!
    Hope you are feeling better today and get rid of that cold b/f Easter!!
    Question: How do you know the mushrooms you pick haven't been sprayed with insecticides ...or are healthy..maybe a silly question..but I've seen people gathering mushrooms, here in Pa, a few times and always wondered that..
    also if I give you my e-mail address could/would you share info on buying a scope..and also any books ?? about digiscoping..I'm quite interested and have looked at some but I'm so new to all..I'm feeling a bit over-whelmed. I need someone to start me at the beginning..on what to read, look at?? If you choose not, I'm totally ok with that too! :))

    Do have a good Easter..maybe you will get some 'shrooms" in your basket that are choc covered??

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  19. Dawn FineSaturday, 11 April, 2009

    Sandy,
    I have no problem helping you with the digiscoping...I am a beginner...I use no books..
    I have a few links to digiscopers on my sidebar, which I could send you.
    These folks know what they are doing. I will give you all the info I can..but really for me it is a matter of getting lucky..LOL..

    I use just my point and shoot with a scope and a home made adapter..my husband made. I just use auto settings and no more.
    send me your email.

    I also think you can go to my blogger profile and send me an email from there.

    I would love to help you..I am going out today to do some more digiscoping of feeder birds.

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  20. Dawn FineSaturday, 11 April, 2009

    Thank you everyone for the kind comments...
    It is nice that you visit..and nicer that you take the time to comment!

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  21. Dawn FineSaturday, 11 April, 2009

    allen of eating out loud..

    just curious, how did you find my blog?

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  22. Chuck DilmoreSaturday, 11 April, 2009

    Wonderful site!
    Incredible photography - wow!

    Thank you for the loveliness,
    Chuck

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  23. cindyzlogicFriday, 17 April, 2009

    dawn, those Goldfinch pics are wonderful and beautiful!

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ok what do you really think?????