Work, Heat, Family, And Summer Mushrooms.

Perhaps you have not noticed,  but I have not blogged for what seems like... FOREVER!   I blame work for most of my problems.    Working 48 hours last week and having very little time to even wind down each day leaves very little time left over for blogging.  Too bad we need that money so badly....  But hey!  The next check should be HUGE!  (Hopefully...)

Moving on.   The HEAT!   A few weeks ago..( so so it seems anyway)   a cold front moved through and brought lots of pleasant, steady rain.  Wonderful temps!  And pretty much Awesome Iowa Weather.  ( as good as you could hope for this time of year.)   BUT!  ( There is always a but.)   That weather went away and changed...   just in time for Cheryl's Mom and Dad to drop in for a visit.


We had such wonderful plans for them.   Lots to time to think about activities and sites to see.  We even had several options in the event one or more of those events could not be realized.  But one thing that ALL of those events had in common was that they were outside activities.  Bike rides, walks, picnics, even some nature and mushroom hunting....  All required that the weather be as nice as it was last week.   So you can probably guess what happened.

Angry Chinese Waitress!  

Yesterday was possibly the HOTTEST DAY we will have this summer.   It was so oppressive that even a short walk around our scenic "pond" was more than any of us could bare.   There was really no point trying to continue...  the heat set the tone of the day and the mood of the visit.   Not OUR mood so much...  But rather the mood of the Chinese hostess that was bussing tables at the restaurant we dined in.   We did not want to spend all of our time inside eating food.... But mainly we went there for the air conditioning.   That plan was unfortunately shared by everyone else in Iowa City.  And the Air conditioning must have been maxed out because it started to get hot inside there.   Luckily, the hostess's aim was slightly off and Cheryl and her Mom were not injured in the process of cleaning tables. But that is a different story.

I suggested walking down a shady path to hunt for some early summer mushrooms,  but even that was over taxing.  We found a few field boletes and could see where some summer oyster Mushrooms were beginning to sprout.   But the heat cut the experience short.   the rest of the time we spent huddled around the AC in our small apartment.   Ah well.  What can you do when Mother Nature throws a wrench in you plans...

Small Inkey Mushroom

Common in Gardens. Lasts 2 hours!

The Parents are on their way back to Michigan today and the weather has reversed 180 degrees!  It has been a pleasant, breezy day with mostly cloudy skies.   Perfect for light walks or bike rides!  Isn't that just the thing!  Grrr. 

Tight gills

Possibly Milky mushroom.

However, I will never turn my nose up at good weather.   It is simply unfortunate that the cooler temps and overcast skies could not have come by sooner.  But for today,  Cheryl and I enjoyed our typical 16 mile bike ride and even had enough energy to hunt form some Mushrooms in the hills. 

Unknown Bolete Mushroom

Polypore underside

Now before this post gets too long,  I should note that the entire idea of hunting mushrooms this late in the year came from finding several mushroom species IN OUR YARD!   After last week's rains,  a bunch of Field Boletes and Chanterelles popped up in our yard next to the vines I have been watering.   I can't wait to try the Chanterelles!  They are a "Choice edible" mushroom. 

Field Bolete, small... but very tasty!

I have already tested the field boletes and found them Very Tasty!   They taste like a cheese...  similar to Feta cheese.  (And actually smell a little like them when they warm up.)  I'm still alive, so I guess they are safe to eat.

Chanterelles!  In my yard!

Chanterelle, top view.

So now I have a basket of mushrooms that need to either be identified, cleaned, or prepared for eating.   Several of these species I already know,  while others have to be researched.   As a rule, if I can't ID it off the top of my head, then I will not risk life, health nor comfort in eating an unknown fungus.  It's just how I roll... 

Even now, I stumbled upon a species I am familiar with, but have not looked at with a fine level of detail.  The Milky Mushroom.   There are many mushrooms in this family, so it may be a challenge to correctly ID it.  While not poisonous, many are bitter, hot or too peppery to enjoy.   However, VOLUMINOUS-LATEX MILKY  Lactarius volemus is considered a choice edible mushroom.  ( It smells like fish!)   I'm pretty sure we at least have the family down because it bleeds white milk and stained Cheryl's fingers brown!  ( two Identifying characteristics.)  Now all I have to do is smell it and see if it reminds me of Carp.

And finally,  The summer Oyster Mushroom.   We found an entire LOG of them.  I found a couple that were large enough and fresh enough to harvest.   These guys are easy to Identify.   They also are out this time of year.   AND  I have been eating  this species from HyVee!   (Yes!  They sell them in the store!)  They are very good.   I'm planning on cooking some up with rice later for dinner.


As for the others,   we have Slimy Caps, large Boletes, Jelly Fungus, and a number of other small brown mushrooms I hopefully will be able to Identify.  I can't wait.    I'm also very excited that I discovered another log with a huge population of oyster mushrooms.  I guess it will all be about timing trying to get them before they get tough and shrivel up.

Unknown. Possibly cinnabar Chanterelle.

Possibly Jelly ear?

Possible Milky Mushroom. 

Hat filled with Goodies!

Can't wait to find out what I have discovered. 

Hope everyone is enjoying the day after last week's heat wave.  I was hoping for a cooler summer.   July 4 is right around the corner... and that will be our 8th anniversary for migrating here to Iowa. Not too much to celebrate at the moment.   We still have to go to work tomorrow.  And that always seems to take a bit of the festivities down a bit.   Thanks for stopping in.