Morels and Kids

Yes, we've notice lots of trucks stopping on our road lately.  You see, across from us is a wild area, where a church intends to build.  

We see trucks pulling up and people getting out, just for a few minutes. 

We see Kathy and Troy next door, walking hand in hand to the back of their ten acres.... with a basket. 

Here's what they are after: 

In the middle, like a fairy cap.

You will laugh when you realize Keith and I are starting our ninth summer here and we never knew WE had morels growing on our land!

After a long talk with Troy, I decided to investigate yesterday after feeding the babies.

As a friend said to me this morning "But they're so squishy".  

Indeed, they were.  And, they were growing amongst the "leaves of three" so I was pretty stealthy about it.  I cannot tell a lie, I also reached through the fence to snatch some out of the Spehar's copse of trees. 

There are more down there. 

I washed the outside dirt off them, and then took each, and cut them from stem to stern in four pieces. 

Yes, they were a little limp then. 

After they were pretty clean, I rinsed again, covered them with water, and salted them.  I did this so that any little critters on them (ants) would be killed.  

We let them sit for an hour, in the fridge. 

My photography skills are awesome. 

Then, I took a semi-dry morel... dunked it in egg... dredged it in flour... 

and...

Into a hot iron skillet, with, yes, a HUGE chunk of butter melting in it. 

It soon turned to this:

Almost there (and yes, I made a mess)

O. My. Sweet. Goodness. 

Here we are, just about ready to sit.... we had the first hamburgers grilled outside this year, some corn on the cob, and the morels.  Keith got little slider buns.  We melted some real butter for the corn, what the hey. 

In the old days, we would have had a hamburger each, and multiple pieces of corn and all the mushrooms.  As it happens, Keith is dieting and I am cooking differently now.  Keith weighed in officially this morning and has lost 19.8 pounds!!!!  Our hamburgers are slider size (just as good) and we splurged on the mushrooms (delicious) and corn (equally as delicious!) 

The rest of the mushrooms went to the chickens in the henspa, who went gaga over them. 

We have enough down there for another helping, at least.  We hope they spread. 

They are going for 20 to 40 dollars per pound on Craigslist right now in our area! 

Here's Kody butting Aunt Abby this morning as she tried to come into the barn.  I had to sit and laugh, she helps me feed them daily... and gets a squirt in the mouth for herself.  The babies play with her, and when she sits, they will come over and half-stand on her. She is completely unfazed by them. 

They have been the absolute blessing this past week... so funny to watch, and sweet to care for.

They have the run of their pen now, and can come in and out as they will.  Their feeder is inside... when they are ready for it, but I am getting an outside covered feeder from a man who kept Nigerians this weekend.  

He told me we would absolutely fall in love with them, and he was so right. 

Here's Kody giving grandson Chris a thank you for the rock pile he made for them to play on last week. 

That's it for a sunny day from Calamity Acres.