Morel heaven

When I was a teenager back in Ohio, I loved this time of year, or maybe two weeks earlier, depending upon the weather. No, it wasn't spring fever or the nearing end of the school year that made May a favorite month. No, it was the growth of one particular plant and the hunt for this elusive, epicurean delicacy.

I'm talking about mushrooms, or morels.

I forget when my father first took me mushroom hunting, and like most mushroomers, he had a couple of favorite spots. As I grew older and weather turned warm in May, I'd rush home from school grab a paper bag and venture out on my own, confident in my ability to return with the treasured prize.

Morels are the easiest of all the wild mushrooms in North America to detect. Although the colors may vary, the tell-tale sponge-like quality makes them stand out. But standing out and finding them are two separate things. It just depends upon where the mushroom spores land. I remember finding a few in a small, and I mean small, grove of trees near our house one time. My dad's favorite spots were in a wooded area along a creek or the abandoned fruit farm near our home. Either spot could usually be counted on to provide the bounty we sought.

Thinking about those days brings back warm memories of the time I got to spend with my dad, whose been gone for most of my adult life. And for all the times I returned home with an empty bag, the time spent with him or by myself, searching for morels is something I'll never regret.

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Monuments Men

Although I haven't seen it yet, the new George Clooney film, "The Monuments Men," has drawn attention to one of the little-known stories of World War II, the effort by the Allies to save precious cultural treasures from the ravages of war. The film, which is based upon a book of the same name by Robert Edsel, follows a platoon of soldiers as they attempt to discover and retrieve artwork stolen by the Nazis.

But while Monuments Men, who were officially members of the "Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) section under the auspices of the Civil Affairs and Military Government Sections of the Allied Armies" according to the Monuments Men Foundation, fanned out across France and Germany, another group spread out across war-torn Italy. Nicknamed the Venus Fixers, these curators, art historians, preservationists sought not only to recover artwork, but to preserve ancient and historic structures and works of art, alerting the troops about the existence of the pieces in the vicinity of the fighting. An article in the January 2014 issue of the "Smithsonian" magazine discusses their efforts.

While the film has drawn attention to this story from World War II, the work of the MFAA continues today, according to the Feb. 17, 2014 issue of "Time" magazine. They worked to preserve ancient treasures in Iraq and brewing conflicts in Syria and Mali have drawn their attention aw well.

If you want to learn more, the Monuments Men Foundation (www.monumentsmenfoundation.org) has information on its website along with listings of works of art and even documents that remain missing all these years later. It's worth a look.

Now, on a personal note, I know it's been a while since I updated this blog. It wasn't that I didn't have things to write about (and thanks to Luna who stepped in during my absence), it was just a lack of the urge to write. Blame it on the holidays and post-holiday letdown. I'll try to resume a normal schedule again.

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My Daddy's Crazy, Part 2

Luna here again.

I told you before how I thought my daddy was going crazy when he started stringing lights in the trees and bushes outside. Well, now, I think he's gone around the bend and it's time to seek professional help for him.

You see, after he finished putting these lights and other things he calls inflatables in the yard, he's now talking about putting up a tree in the house. I ask you, why would anyone want to put a tree in their house.

And just today, he started to put these things he calls Hallmark ornaments up next to the ceiling in the dining room. I don't know why he'd want to put them up so high, out of our reach. They look like they'd be fun to play with. I've got Uno and Dewey on the case, however. They've been eying the proceedings and when the get on the stepladder, they're close. Now if they can just figure out how to scale that final three feet to reach them.

Okay, back to this tree thing. I've heard Daddy say he has a plan to deal with us. I don't know why he'd need a plan. I mean anything that comes with the tree is probably something we should kill. I can look outside and see these things crawling through the shurbs next to the window, which prevents us from getting to them, so if he brings a tree inside, why that'll make it easier for us. So, despite whatever his plan is, I'll put the Mighty Hunters (Uno, Dewey, Trey and maybe even Grim) on the case and they'll take care of anything they find.

Meanwhile, I don't have thumbs and can't figure out how to use his cell phone, so would someone do me a favor and call 911. My daddy needs professional help before whatever has affected him gets any worse.

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My Daddy's crazy

Hi, this is Luna again and I snuck in to use my daddy's computer while he's outside. You see, I think he's gone crazy. I'm watching him from the window and he's putting lights in the trees!

Now what sane person does that. And he keeps saying decorations along with last year. I don't really remember all that far back and besides, I was busy with these three hellions that mommy says came from me, but that really can't be the case, because they're nothing like me. But, that's beside the point.

The point is, I don't know what to do about my daddy. Why does he want to put lights in the trees. And, he's going to add something called inflatables. I'm not sure what that is, but mommy and daddy say there's one in the box on the table. That's what they say. All I see is a box. And it has a kitty on it. A large white kitty wearing a bow and red sweater. And smiling. I ask you, what kitty smiles. Well, maybe secretly, when our people feed us and pet us. But we never let them see us smile.

Okay, I'm going to watch my daddy closely. I need to make sure this condition doesn't get any worse. After all, I need his lap to sleep on during the evening while he tries to cross stitch. And it was real nice of him to get me this new chair to sleep on during the day. I'll keep you updated whenever I get the chance to sneak on here again.

Luna

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No Shave November

You might have noticed the guys on The Today Show look a little scruffy these days, as in they all lost their collective razors.

If you missed the announcement on Nov. 1, the male cast members and crew have taken a vow to not shave during the month in honor of No Shave November. The goal of this effort, according to the website noshavenovember.com, is to raise awareness "...by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.  Donate the money you usually spend on shaving and grooming for a month to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle."

I'd never heard of No Shave November before learning about it on The Today Show, and it seems like a worthwhile effort to raise awareness about cancer, particularly among males. However, I don't plan to let my facial hair grow, but will follow the other suggestion on the website and donate to the American Cancer Society anyway.

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Fall

Pumpkins. Colorful leaves. Apple cider. Halloween.

Yep, all sure signs that fall is here. Even though fall is a season that we don't experience in Florida like the northern states, there are still subtle signs that we're undergoing a change in the weather (and I'm not referring to the more obvious indications in various retail outlets). The foliage in the live oaks takes on a darker luster unlike the spring with it's a more vibrant green. As the rainy season draws to an end, the grass stops growing and begins to turn brown. The summer flowers (like the bromeliads in the photo) begin to die off.

It also means an end to hurricane season (Nov. 30) and we can cease watching the weather in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The humidity weakens and temperatures lower and there are days when we don't need to run the air conditioner.

Fall has always been one of my favorite times of the year, and even though I need to resort to the Internet to get my fall leaf fix, I still know it's here. (For once, it really felt like fall this year in Florida, something we hadn't experienced in a long time.)

And as October draws to a close, that mean's I'll turn my attention to the upcoming holiday season and begin preparing my annual outdoor lighting extravaganza. But more on that later. For now, I'm going to enjoy what's passing for fall at this moment.

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A Halloween Finish

    It’s finished!

Well, actually, I finished it during the last week of September, but at least I completed my wife’s Halloween cross stitch project in time for her to enjoy it during one of her favorite holidays. The piece is the “Haunted House Welcome” from Stoney Creek, and while I made a few modifications here and there, the finished product is fairly close to the pattern I followed.

And since I have some time now before Halloween, I ordered some guacamole linen from 123Stitch.com to complete a small design from Lizzie Kate called Hocus Pocus.

Speaking of Halloween, we were out last night and saw our first house decorated with orange lights in the shrubbery and a few other appropriate ornamentation. I’ve never decorated outside for Halloween, but maybe I’ll take a trip to Lowe’s or Home Depot and see what I can find.

What about you? Does anyone else decorate for Halloween?

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