Today was our first field trip with the Puget Sound Mycological Society. About 50 people were there, too many to actually find mushrooms. And it was really too cold to find the Verpas (early morels). BUT we (Kate and I) got some great information about morels, the season this year, and where to go.
We did walk around the park it was held at in Monroe, Washington, but it was too muddy, too cold and not quite right for finding mushrooms. However, as I was walking and staring at the ground, I realized that there were plants that were just starting to sprout, and they looked remarkably like stinging nettles. When Kate caught up, I mentioned that they looked like nettles, so what does she do? She stuck her hand right in them! Sure enough, she was in pain from the stings, but she continued to harvest the nettles bare handed! Yikes, I used a pair of scissors on my swiss army knife to cut the stems and then used the scissors like tongs to carefully pick up the nettles and put them in my basket.
I am off to the store for the rest of the ingredients to make Stinging Nettle Soup. Will post the recipe I end up using and how it comes out.
I have had this before at a class I took on Wild Edibles in the PNW. So I am pretty sure I am going to really love it.
Caroline
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
03-25-11 Trailer is almost ready
So the only thing that I have really enjoyed lately is fixing up the trailer. Here are some before and after shots.
BEFORE:
What you can't see is the smell. Very musty and old, rather like Grandma's back room where the well was.
Now, after scraping, fixing, filling holes, new windows, priming, painting, laying a new floor, lining the shelves, spending time with the dog inside, and finding the best bedding:
AFTER:
It also has new tires and smells GREAT!!!! excellent tip: put dryer sheets in musty places.
I cannot wait to go camping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Caroline
BEFORE:
What you can't see is the smell. Very musty and old, rather like Grandma's back room where the well was.
Now, after scraping, fixing, filling holes, new windows, priming, painting, laying a new floor, lining the shelves, spending time with the dog inside, and finding the best bedding:
AFTER:
It also has new tires and smells GREAT!!!! excellent tip: put dryer sheets in musty places.
I cannot wait to go camping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Caroline
Thursday, March 17, 2011
2011-03-17 Mushrooms and Upcoming Tests
It is spring time and you know what that means....................MORELS!!!!!!!! I am busy slowly working on the trailer to get it ready for the first mushroom forays of the spring. There are morel sightings in Texas and Georgia, but none here yet, we are the last of the areas to get them. But there is a foray by the Puget Sound Mycological Society for Verpas (early morels) on the 26th of this month. Very very exciting. It is not too far from here, so it could be a day trip.............the trailer still needs tires before I can take it out. This weekend is the RV show at the Tacoma Dome, so I will be perusing the purveyors to see if anyone has a show special on tires. Already printed my discount coupon for the show.
The dog is very excited about camping. Every time I go out to the trailer, he hops in and lays down on the newly recovered cushions (meaning that there are muddy dog prints on my beautifully covered fabric cushions. Oh well). He just watches me putter around in it, and you can see his little mind dreaming of chasing squirrels and sitting by the campfire............I am excited too!
So the next tests that are coming up are a bone marrow biopsy on April 8 (ick, not looking forward to that at all) and then some cognitive testing to see what the effects the drugs are having on my ability to think. Although I can tell you right now, I am highly distractable and not likely to remember anything you said five minutes ago.....oh, shiny, sparkly object..............what was I saying???????
Anyway, I won't have the biopsy results until the week after the test, but will post them as soon as I know anything. Dr. O expects the results to be excellent, and if so, that means no more biopsy for at least 2 years!!! Wouldn't that be great???
Off to scrub the trailer floor so I can lay the new peel and stick tiles and be ready to move stuff in!!!!
The dog is very excited about camping. Every time I go out to the trailer, he hops in and lays down on the newly recovered cushions (meaning that there are muddy dog prints on my beautifully covered fabric cushions. Oh well). He just watches me putter around in it, and you can see his little mind dreaming of chasing squirrels and sitting by the campfire............I am excited too!
So the next tests that are coming up are a bone marrow biopsy on April 8 (ick, not looking forward to that at all) and then some cognitive testing to see what the effects the drugs are having on my ability to think. Although I can tell you right now, I am highly distractable and not likely to remember anything you said five minutes ago.....oh, shiny, sparkly object..............what was I saying???????
Anyway, I won't have the biopsy results until the week after the test, but will post them as soon as I know anything. Dr. O expects the results to be excellent, and if so, that means no more biopsy for at least 2 years!!! Wouldn't that be great???
Off to scrub the trailer floor so I can lay the new peel and stick tiles and be ready to move stuff in!!!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
2011-03-14 Great Weekend
Hi there,
No news is good news from me. I have been busy, trying to get some little amount of work done, and then the Army invited me down to CA for some training as the FRG Leader (kind of like the den mother of the unit), and there was a ball to attend! Very fun, but am now exhausted.
Will write more later.
Caroline
No news is good news from me. I have been busy, trying to get some little amount of work done, and then the Army invited me down to CA for some training as the FRG Leader (kind of like the den mother of the unit), and there was a ball to attend! Very fun, but am now exhausted.
Will write more later.
Caroline
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