The Morel Monkey

Just got back from a fantastic weekend morel hunting. As regular visitors to the blog may recall, this is not my first morel trip
http://2007littlebugger.blogspot.com/2008/05/oscars-first-camping-trip.html.
But I'm much bigger now and able to help. As you can see from the photo, it was a good thing that I could help because I really found a lot!

Now I know some of you believe in Santa, and others the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy,which is fine, but I'd like to tell you about the little known and elusive Morel Monkey. On certain damp May nights the Morel Monkey hides morels all over the woods for hungry morel seekers to find. If you want the Morel Monkey to leave you lots of morels you have to be good little conservationists all year long and then you will be rewarded. If you want to "butter up" the Morel Monkey a bit, you can also leave offerings of spring grilled asparagus or rhubarb pie. I guess we were all good little conservationists this year because we got a HAUL!
For those of you not familiar with how this works, here is some photo documentation. First, you need to gear up for the field. Long pants, long sleves, hat, good boots, and, if you have trouble walking long distances due to your height (I'm only about 30 inches tall) you need a good Papa Mule or Mama Lama to carry you.

Next you check the map so you know where you are going

And of course you need a good collecting bag. I prefer paper, but it's really your choice.

Then, everyone starts walking and looking at their feet while occasionally looking up and scouting for dead trees. You really have to think like the Morel Monkey to find where he hid them. We knew the Morel Monkey was being especially generous when he put them all over the woods AND in the open field. When someone finds a morel they have some personalized way of sharing with the rest of the group that they have found some. My mama does a little jig and makes a whole lot of Yippee's that carry through the woods. My papa is more calm and just belts out "hey, could use some help over here!"

Again, if under three feet, be careful not to get lost or left behind or eaten by the ticks. People get pretty excited about the mushrooms and may be prone to forgeting to pick up the short people. Don't hesitate to squawk loudly if your Papa Mule or Mama Lama isn't going where you want, or if you want to get out and walk on your own for a while. You have to give the Mule and Lama clear directions and don't let them get out of line or they are impossible to get back under control.

As the search goes on, everyone gets rather spread out as everyone follows their own inner Monkey Whispers (when the Morel Monkey tells each person where to look for their morels). Then when everyone either has enough morels, can't carry anymore, or just gets hungry, we all come back to the house to feast. This year we ate fresh trout, fresh asparagus, boiled nettles, rhubarb crisp and MORELS! (OK, i didn't try any of the feast, but maybe next year). Here is me with my Mama Lama. She was delighted as this is the first year she got more morels than ticks.

And then to top it all of, Papa took me for a ride in the canoe! And I saw the Morel Monkey out of the Corner of my eye sneeking on up the hill. Have you ever seen the Morel Monkey?