Mother's Day Mushroom

It has been a very busy couple of weeks for me.  There was our school's super fun auction (Where my personnel-hemorrhaging band played after much hand wringing [me] and practice [us]. And successfully, might I add.  I had way too much fun!) and a big craft styling job for Family Fun's Back-to-School clothing feature which you will have to check out in Septmber because there are some really awesome projects in it.  I was left utterly exhausted.  Bed at 7:15 one night and basically the walking dead for many days.  So, the pictures I want to share of the opening of BIG spring in my life are a little dated now, but too yummy and fun to not document.

Above is a photo of a morel mushroom.  They sprout up around Mother's Day in old orchards and lucky, lucky me, I've got one of those!  They are so delicious that my entire family ignores all of the beautiful, shiny poison ivy leaves, marches right through them, and even weaves their hands past the perilous plants to snare these craggly fungi with abandon.  Ok, maybe I am shouting at everyone a little to be more careful, not to rub their eyes (for heaven's sake!), and to try a little harder not to trip into the biggest patch of P.I. they can find (my poor 4 year old tripper...I mean, trooper).  My kids wouldn't actually even try to eat a mushroom, but they do like to hunt for them! 

Our friend Terry and Harry on the hunt.  

Little brainy looking things, aren't they?

Just because apple blooms are pretty and smell divine.

The best part about going to the orchard - a (slow) ride in the truck bed!

Catherine's legs sealed with plastic bags and duct tape.  I can report that she did NOT get poison ivy.  Maybe I got a little.

Pasta with morels, goat cheese, and asparagus from the farmer across the road.  The table wasn't silent, but we didn't really talk either.  Well, the kids did, but only Ava's mushroom loving friend Ben was actually eating what we were eating.

This is another example of why I love living here.  Just when you think you really can't take another day of winter, spring comes.  With gifts.