October 14, 2014

Look What I Made!

Last winter, I went to a local workshop on how to grow shitake mushrooms. (Here's my utterly gripping report, with pictures.)

I parked the incubating logs in the shade beneath the cedar that grows so close to the kitchen window that next year I will be able to store coffee mugs on it. I watered them a bit and then promptly forgot about them.  This weekend, when I was putting my garden and yard to bed for winter camp, I checked on them. One was upright but no closer to bearing mushrooms than I am.  The second one was lying on its side in the dirt, which is exactly what it is not supposed to do.  I yanked it up and holey moley, look what I found:
Its about the size of two open fists. And now its in the kitchen, where I am trying to decide whether to cook it or worship it.






11 comments:

  1. i vote for Worship first , then EAT.
    We ARE What we EAT

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    1. Better Jews than I am actually first bless the creation of everything they put in their mouths. I love the intentionality of this but never remember to do!

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  2. if i could grow these i would be ECSTATIC, like Beyond ECSTATIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. Based on the photos you've been showing this season, you are almost there.

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  3. i do love how you too are able to forget stuff-that-seemed-very-important-at-the-time and then be utterly surprised and grateful when the bountiful appears 'out of nowhere'

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    1. Its the one good thing of not being able to remember anything anymore anyway, isn't it?

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. Try again:

    Steps in the process of honoring what you found:

    1.Worship the photo, then prepare to feast!.
    2. Give thanks for the meaty ambrosial taste that is forthcoming.
    3. Saute in a bit of butter and a smidge of olive oil along with with garlic, fresh Italian parsley and a bit of cayenne pepper.
    4. Plate the mushrooms, raise to nostrils, inhale that woodsy delicious aroma while giving yourself a pat on the back for even finding this bounty.
    5. Lastly tie lovely ribbons around the stumps of your spawn apartment towers, your oak logs and stand a moment in silent tribute. Don't know if they can be reused but if they can, well the ribbons will let you find them again!

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    1. This is so very cool, Marti. Except step 2A is clean the thing, which has been lying the dirt mushroom side down. That was an adventure. And also, only one stump gets a ribbon (will definitely do this and show you photo)...to paraphrase some guys from high school, the other one doesn't get anything if it doesn't put out.

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  6. oh how delectable!
    and re the one that doesn't put out I find that a well intentioned threat... ie "if you don't do anything before our next visit you are going on the compost heap" works wonders, have seen plants that haven't flowered in years respond exceptionally!

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