Exploring Nature by Sheila Newenham
When it comes to morel mushrooms, I’ve spent more time looking than finding. Far more. With that in mind, I wasn’t optimistic when I wandered out this spring to check last year’s burn area for morels. Local lore says that morels grow exceptionally well the … Continue readingPatience is a Basket of Morels
The first snow of the season was a few days ago. Just a couple of inches, not enough to bury the last of fall’s glory yet. Today will probably be the last of the frosty fall mushrooms and leaves. It’s been a prolific fungi season. … Continue readingA Frosty Fall Day
The more I know about mushrooms, the more I’m amazed! There’s a whole other world under our feet. The Dramatic Ones Mushrooms are everywhere, from large dryads like signposts on trees to almost microscopic, colorful specks. The dramatic gills and unnatural colors are the first … Continue readingThe Fantastic World of Mushrooms
Forest. For. Rest. Fall in North Idaho isn’t known for its color. Our forests are dominated by pine and fir with accents of larches that turn gold before casting their needles each fall. I did not expect Gold Hill to be so gold with fallen … Continue readingGold Hill Trail – A Fall Hike
Winter and spring all in one walk. Round Lake State Park in North Idaho is a 200-acre preserve surrounding a 58-acre lake with hiking trails, multi-use trails, and a campground. It was chilly when I started out on the 1.8-mile Trapper’s trail roughly circling the … Continue readingRound Lake State Park, Idaho
I am fortunate to have a 4000-acre forest preserve out my back door. It is a respite from the chaos of the city of Chicago, 20 miles to the east, and the suburbs that surround it. From September through May I walk these woods several … Continue readingNew Treasures in Familiar Woods