Early May 2024 Nature Log

Foraging, Lushness, New/Returned life

May accelerated into full bloom much faster than I could keep up with. There was suddenly so much to see. I think it has always seemed like the trees regained their leaves all of a sudden, but this year, I confirmed that it really does happen that way. It’s true that the buds spend a long time slowly unfurling and preparing to open, but once the leaves start emerging, they are out.

And, the trees are celebrating. This particular emergence—of a hickory tree—feels particularly party-ish to me. Doesn’t it just look like a party hat decorated with confetti and long bud sepals? Emilio has been saying it, and I have to say that I agree this year: Spring is underrated.

The greens are just so beautifully variable. Nothing has sunk into the easy forest green that we will become accustomed to across the summer months. Instead, we are graced with electric lime and brand-new chartreuse. I could spend this whole newsletter on the colors. And have you gotten up close?

Witch Hazel

These baby spring leaves are so delicate to the touch. They are papery-thin, soft, undamaged, fresh. (P.S. My dad gave me another one of his old camera lens 🤠.)

Red-Winged Blackbird

Plus, I didn’t really think about it before this month, but it’s an especially rich thing to discover what lives here. We moved as this place moved into winter. Now, so many creatures are emerging or returning! I’ve become an avid (and amateur) bird watcher in a short span.

We’ve also seen many-a-garter snake and toad sunning themselves on the forest floor. Allow me to make a bird digression:

Indigo Bunting

Gray Catbird

Cardinal (through a window screen)

The winter forest is beautiful in so many ways, but these spring forests have become unrecognizably lush and lovely.

Gorgeous nettle patch

This already looks like a painting to me

Flowers

Of course the arrival of spring has brought more and more flowers to my life. This little scene of violets is enough to make my whole week happy.

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I was stopped in my tracks by this patch of heartleaf foam flowers.

Chartreuse glow of cypress spurge

Fringed Polygala

Solomon’s Seal

Northern Starflower

I have also loved red columbine, though I haven’t really gotten a nice photo. I’ll be on the lookout.

Mushrooms

We started noticing lots of these little capped mushrooms early in the month. We were on the lookout for morels and other foraged treats, so every sign of a mushroom felt like a good one.

I was pretty blown away by this beautiful hexagonal polypore.

We found tons of these young hemlock reishi mushrooms (we think!), which will grow into highly medicinal and beautiful shelf mushrooms.

Emilio also spotted these tiny mushrooms that are maybe the smallest I have ever seen! They are on the edge of the stump pictured earlier in this post.

We did find one morel…but we didn’t eat it! Through a series of friendly events, it didn’t go home with us, but don’t worry, it was still enjoyed! But, I haven’t even mentioned the most exciting mushroom spot of the month yet.

Foraging

I foraged a lot of flowers this month! First a small recap from last month—the dandelion root tea was delicious. I am now trying to figure how to harvest enough root that I can drink it all winter! It’s like chai mixed with hot chocolate mixed with a flower. Delicious!

Dandelions really are one of my favorite plants. I harvested cups and cups of petals for a couple different treats: soda, jelly, and syrups. I’ll be honest in saying that the soda was good and refreshing, but maybe not worth the petal harvesting and fermenting time. On the other hand, the jelly is delicious.

This was only the beginning of the floral jellies.

The violet jelly might be the best of the bunch? It’s certainly the most beautiful.

The lilac jelly is also quite beautiful and smelled so good. But, it’s still yum, but probably the least tasty of the bunch (very very sweet!).

And, though both of these things are cultivated, we harvested our first arugula from our little garden.

And, I bought rhubarb from the farmer’s market for more jam.

But the biggest foraging find so far this month was in oyster mushrooms!

I have eaten oysters before, but this was my first time foraging them! I was very excited. I battered and fried them to eat with dinner!

This is really only an update from the first half of May. So much is happening! Maybe catch you in a few weeks for the rest of the month. Thanks for looking!