A Pleasant Day in Muscatine.

Muscatine on a Cool Morning.

We traveled to Muscatine this morning for our Weekly River Run.  The mornings have become almost chilly lately!   We try to get up earlier so we can enjoy the cool air, because it does not last long.   Once the Iowa Death Sun comes out, the temp shoots back up and makes it tough to do anything outside.

Plenty of Sun.

But at the very least,  the cool air with the pleasant breeze blowing off the Mississippi is enough to make 7 miles endurable for Cheryl. 

Grain trucks are working Hard!

Same for the Barges.

The air in Muscatine during the week smells of fresh baked bread...  All the time!  It is Wonderful!  I imagine... Only if you do not live there.   For the folks who live there,  the constant bread smell might either be annoying or they become nose blind to it.  Either way, I'm sure there are far worse smells out there that city folks might have to endure.  Fresh Baked Bread smells sounds like one I would not mind so much.

Picking Wild Plums.

Right from the tree.

Over the last few days,  we have been gathering fresh fruit from the trail.  More wild plums have been found and we have have been picking them for some fruit drink experiments.   I may have mentioned before that we were trying to harvest some wild yeast for the future.  Possibly for either sour dough bread or possibly future Beer projects.

Fermentation going on. 

Cheryl tests out the Carbonation
Pressure.

But Cheryl found that we can make carbonated soda using just the yeast we find out in the wild.   We juiced up some of the plums and put them in sugar water to ferment.   After 24 hours,  Cheryl bottled up three 16 ounce bottles.  She "tested" one today and discovered that YES!  There is a high level of Carbonation!  ( She made quite a mess.)   The remaining two bottles are currently in the fridge cooling down..  so maybe we will be able to sample one tomorrow.

Amish Watermelon.

Carbonated Watermelon
Beverage!

This opens up the possibilities!   We are currently trying our hand at a watermelon version using the Amish watermelon that we know and love. ( The Local Amish guy grows the sweetest and juiciest watermelon.  Seriously!  I have tried LOTS of watermelon over the years.   We even purchased one from Muscatine farmers market for a side by side comparison. ....  No contest!)  If we can manage to bottle up that goodness into a fruity drink that tastes like the actual melon,  that would be awesome!

Peach/berry pie.

Cheryl's First Latices
crust top.

Other than that,  Cheryl has been baking up a peach pie with a few of the berries we have crammed in the freezer.   It appears our 'hand pie as you go' method is taking too long in moving the berries out.   I guess we are ultimately limited by how much we can eat at a time.  ( Not that I'm in a hurry to eat everything..)   The large pies seem to require more ingredients and less pie crust.  Probably best for our waist line if we do not eat all of that pastry crust.

And finally...  My writing.  I finally finished my 7500 word story that I have been working on since this little "Civil War" we are currently experiencing.  I will have to polish things up a bit, but then..Maybe I will be able to begin work on another story.  My writing seems to cut into my blogging.  Apparently, I can only write one "theme" at a time.  If I blog,  then I won't be able to work on my story and vice-versa.

My goal is maybe.. just maybe..  to make a series of short stories that are enough for a fill a book by themselves.   The theme?   Why,  the Pandemic!  Why not?   There is certainly plenty of inspiration out there.  Along with a bunch of "what if s?"  My current story is about how we "expatriate" a bunch of anarchists who renounce their U.S. Citizenship.  People always say, "If it is so bad, you are free to leave any time..."  Well,  I wondered what that would happen if we actually kicked them out

One of these trees is different.
Can you spot which one? 

Does this mean Fall is coming?

Another long post...  How do I have so much to say all the time?   Cheryl and I do literally nothing all day.   We run and bike in the mornings and evenings.   Sometimes traveling to Muscatine.  How do I fill 2 pages of Blog post on just that?   Ah well,  thanks for stopping in and putting up with my bad punctuation and endless run-on sentences.   I hope everyone is having a good week so far... Judging from the trees in Muscatine... Fall is right around the corner!   Thanks for stopping in.

When NOT To Listen To The Mushroom Nerds...

WARNING!  This is a rant!   Sorry 'bout that.   I started this yesterday, and it seems to have taken on a life of its own.   It might be boring,  it is definitely long...   Read at your own risk...

It is difficult to articulate when one should NOT listen to an "Expert".   However, one of the many good things this Pandemic has revealed is that the "Experts"... are still human. And like ALL humans... they get things wrong.   Now I could go off on my theory of experts trying to rule the world with their unquestionable knowledge of a subject, but I will try to focus on something much smaller... Mushrooms.

Chlorophyllum molybdites, "The Puker!" 
(Hint: Green Gills) 

Ah! Mushrooms.  Small, little things.  Pretty, Healthy, Tasty, Medicinal,  Useful! But also toxic and sometimes deadly.   So... best to avoid and  never eat them...right?  I mean... some are deadly!  DEADLY!   Others might make you sick...  We are talking tummy aches here. Tummy Aches!  Diarrhea.  Sometimes even vomiting! In fact, there is a mushroom named "The Puker!"  So... It is  best to lump them all together as "dangerous."  That is the ONLY way to be safe.  Or so they say...

Really?  ALL gilled mushrooms? 

But is it now?  How about actually doing a little research  and investigate which ones are poisonous or toxic.  You may be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.   And there may be a secret out there that is just waiting to be discovered by someone willing to put in the time to educate themselves.

Paul Stamets helped get me into this world.

And that is what I have been doing over the last 5 years.   And in that time, I have discovered an entire WORLD that is visible, but largely ignored by everyone else. Come to find out,  LOTS Of mushrooms are edible.   Delicious!  In fact.  And they are fairly easy to separate out from the toxic ones.   The deadly poison ones are usually fairly obvious and easy to avoid.  ( They are, however, fairly common and easy to find.) Once you have a working knowledge of what is deadly,   what is safe,  and what is questionable... you can begin getting your feet wet..  or dirty..  and enjoy the  hidden world that appears right before you.

But how do you gain this knowledge?  You listen to the "Experts", Right? You have to follow  someone's footsteps if you don't want to make a deadly mistake, right?    Well...  this is true.  There are books and videos out there that can help you a lot in big ways.  But ultimately,  it is YOU that has to take the plunge.  Now, before I get too far..  I would strongly suggest you do not go out and randomly eat any mushroom you see without having some clue on what type it is.  But in the end, all of the books in the world will not be able to try the mushroom for you.

And so it goes that many "experts" tend to error on the side of caution.  It makes sense, if you think about it.  They do not want to be held responsible for someone's mistake if that person happens to eat the wrong mushroom.  But there is a limit to the responsibility of everyone.   Where does YOUR responsibility end, and MINE  begin?   And Who, in the end, pays the price for a mistake?   I would say that you are responsible for your own health. (No "expert" is going to force you to eat a mushroom...)   Otherwise the experts will have you sitting at home, avoiding human contact and all of the dangers that could possibly happen from this world.  ( Wait!  That IS happening right now!)   But back to mushrooms.

But we have... and lived to tell about it. 

An example:   I have eaten "poisonous" mushrooms for much of my childhood.   The "False Morel" was one of the few mushrooms we could readily find in Yankee Springs during the spring.   We would bring whatever we found home and Mom would cook them up in some gravy or something.  We did not die... I don't even remember getting sick.   It Probably was not the best practice, but we knew of their "Toxicity" and cooked them thoroughly.  ALL Of the books I have read have these mushrooms labeled as "TOXIC!  And explain the chemical processes that happen that cause the health issues.  As an Adult,  I see no reason to continue eating them..( There are too many better alternatives out there.. and why take the risk?)   But that is my choice.

Discovering mushrooms is like exploring the Stars.   Everything is new ( to you) and unexplored. ( to many!)   There is a risk, but there are wonderful rewards in being able to find, identify, and ( if edible) enjoy the tasty, hidden foods that are out there for the taking.  It gets you out into the forest, ( forest bathing, Mental health.)  it offers you to get a little exercise and fresh air, ( always a good thing, physical health.)  and  challenges your mind with unlocking a new mystery. ( Offers an education!)   What is not to love?

My little flow chart on what to do with a newly found mushroom. 

I have a process for my exploration of the Fungi Kingdoms.    After I bring a mushroom that I have never seen before home,  I key it out.  If they mushroom at the end of the key is similar to the one I brought home,  I log on to Google and type in the name.   Usually ( not always)  I will encounter numerous mushroom pictures from  hundreds of people from around the world.  Some are mis-labeled!   I always check out multiple pictures before settling on what my mushroom could be.    I read up on it and sometimes even blog about it.  If it is edible... I usually pass on the first go around.

Chicken Fat Bolete
(Suillus americanus)

But the second or maybe even the third time I find them,  I re-read up and, if I still want to try it,  I cook up a little bit to see if it is worth pursuing.  Sometimes I find a Gem ( Ash Bolete)  Sometimes a Dud ( Chicken fat mushroom)  But, no matter how many books I read telling me it is "safe"... I am the one who has to sample it to be 100% sure. 

And so,  I find that I can not really go on any Mushroom sites, because the Mushroom Nerds will tell you the mushroom you have spent the last several years Identifying is wrong.   Wrong how?   They won't tell you what it is.. just what it isn't.   I will give them the benefit of the doubt that they are not trying to create doubt in you, but instead are splitting the hairs of the mushroom families.

Old man of the wood? 

Old man of the woods? 

  For instance:  Old man of the woods (Strobilomyces strobilaceus)  And it's Look-a-like (Strobilomyces confusus).  They look practically Identical, unless you have them side by side and are able to microscopically peek at the spores.  Will a mix up kill you?  Or are the nerds just playing the "I know best" game?    I don't really care about the taxonomy... just if it is edible and safe.  Close enough  is always the game you play.   Many Amanitas are toxic or deadly... But a few ( very few) are edible and even ( they say...) tasty.  I will not be testing any Amanitas for food.   The risk is too high.

But many Boletes are safe.  Even if you are simply in the "Ball Park", you will be eating a mushroom that is safe,  just not as "choice" as the one you may have thought you were getting.   You figure these things out through experience.    Not by listening to the "Experts".   And there is only one way to find that experience... getting dirty.   By the way,  While hunting mushrooms I discovered just how much I dislike Poison Ivy...  So the education is ongoing!

I would never consider myself an expert.   How arrogant is that?   I might have  a little more knowledge that the average non-mushroom hunter.  I will concede that.  But I would hope that I never tell anyone else they are doing it wrong, simply because it does not line up with my methods or processes.  There are lots of ways of doing things, and everyone will find a method that works for them.   I only wish other people had the same philosophy of learning/teaching. 

Who Needs Hair When You Have Photoshop?

Having a little fun  with Abs and Hair...
Move Over Fabio!!!  The Great Ethan Allen
is here!

I made a discovery today.   All those years of trying to stay in shape and lose weight could have been avoided..if I had just learned how to use Photoshop.  Ok,  In reality, I have never used Photoshop.  Mostly because it cost money... and I have no money.  Especially for my own Ego...

However,  I do have 3D Paint!  It may not have all the features of Photoshop, but it is FREE!  And free is a good price when you are a frugal Scrooge like me.    Cheryl wanted me to make a cover to her romance novel.  "A Man Of Her DREAMS!"  I think was the criteria.   So.... I obviously had to be in it.

And that is when I also discovered not only do I gain those elusive 6-pack abs that have evaded me,  but I also gained HAIR!  Now,  I'm not bald.... I'm just bald-ing.  There is a difference!  (At least that is what I tell myself.)   I normally keep my hair short so it is not as obvious to the casual stranger. 

But, as I  wasted valuable time on this little project,  I discovered I suddenly have FABIO hair!

Who wouldn't want to paint their face and carry around a big sword? 

Not bad!  I like the way the sunlight makes it glow.    I could never have this in real life, of course.   (All that conditioner and blow drying...  what a bother.)  I have always been a little suspicious of men who have long-er hair..  Do the Chicks really dig it?   I doubt it.   ( At least that is what I tell myself.)

I seem to have a lot in common with Mel Gibson. 

But that got the ball rolling.   I suddenly wanted to see how I would look as any other handsome hero!   I find that I may have more in common with a younger Mel Gibson.   Hey,  it makes you wonder what could have been had I entered into the movie biz...

But Cheryl said I should tap into the Swedish Heritage that I never brag about.   After a bit of searching for the Norse People...  I found one that worked for me.   Of course... there was a beard involved. 

Hmm... I may need to shave after
this...

I can't grow a beard.  Well,  Not a very good one anyway.   Instead of looking like Moses or Thor,  I end up looking like an aged, scraggly Abe Lincoln.  It never comes in very thick.    But never fear!   3D Paint to the Rescue!

Tapping into my Norse Heritage. 

My Brother....   This is actually pretty close to real life.

If I had more time, I would play around with the color more.   Perhaps fuss with the matching... but at some point, the experiment has to be finished.   Call it a "Dead Line" for the blog.  I think it is good practice for when I Troll My Brother on Facebook...  downloading the "selfies" he posts and stamping them on some zanny and hilarious background that makes him look as ridiculous as I have always imagined him to be.   (Revenge for all those fights I lost...  Sweet!)

Hops are just forming. 

Other than that Tom-foolery,  Cheryl and I went to Muscatine today.   We ran 7 miles, ate burgers at Tee's and went mask-free shopping at the Hyvee, due to that county not having  compulsory masking.  (It is not a LAW! No one voted on it....  yet there are fines?  Is this still America?)

Hops!

Climbing up the walk way.

I also found the wild HOPS that are growing along the trail.  They are growing up a walkway near the edge of the Mississippi.  I did not have time to inspect them for cones just yet, but perhaps when the ones around here begin to develop, we will check them again and maybe I will be able to harvest a few. ( If I don't already have a ton from the Kewash Trail.)

Growing through the slats. 

Hope everyone is having a fine weekend so far.   There is a hint of light at the end of the tunnel, as Muscatine had the Watermelon 5K/10K run today.   Perhaps Races will begin again soon. Even though all of the races Cheryl signed up for this year have already canceled.  ( Or gone Virtual)  The pandemic can't last forever... and People will eventually have to start living again.   Until that time.. I will spend my time working on my abs and hair...  And maybe even my physical fitness... Virtually!   Thanks for stopping in.