Mushroom Hunting

 The trees are beginning to burst with leaves.  The grass is starting to inch its way up and wild flowers are covering the forest floor.  Temperatures are beginning to warm up, not only in the day, but during the evenings.
Morel mushrooms are starting to peak their funny shaped heads above the earth.

This time of year, Joshua and I spend as many evenings and weekend afternoons in the woods as possible.  We both enjoy hiking the Southern Indiana terrain and hunting for mushrooms.  This has always been a task shared with our buddy Langston.  He is good in the woods, never strays far, always follows and doesn't mind the slow pace walking of mushroom hunting.  This year however, we are not able to bring Langston along.  He is beginning to slow down.  His cancer and amputation is beginning to show its effects.  He still enjoys a game of fetch and his spirits are still high.

Halle and Cadet unfortunately are not good at mushroom hunting.  They are great in the woods, but don't enjoy walking slowly on a leash.  When off leash, they can't stick near at our slow hunting pace.  They are always running out of site and distracting Joshua and I from the actual task at hand.  So, they enjoy the woods the rest of the year when we are not hunting.

Noodles has been attending our hunts.  She doesn't mind the slow paced walk.  If I stop for too long hunting an area, she lies down and patiently awaits for us to continue.  She sniffs the ground, the air, but mostly just enjoys looking around the woods while we walk.  It has been difficult leaving behind my buddy Langston, but when arriving home, he greets Joshua, Noodles and I.  I believe he understands that he is only not with us because he can not physically handle the hike.  He however, is in the thoughts of Joshua, Noodles and I on every walk.  Wishing he was hiking along side us.