Mother’s Day in southern Wisconsin holds a different meaning for some: it’s also – typically – the height of morel season.

Some of you are now asking a question that seems dumb to many of the rest of you: What’s a morel?

This is a morel:

This is a morel. Actually, two morels. And one that has already been cut.
This is a actually a picture of two morels. And one that has already been cut.

It’s a mushroom – a mushroom that is not commercially cultivated and thus requires a trek into the woods to find it. It’s also known as an incredibly tasty mushroom.

Not that I would know, because I don’t eat mushrooms. But I do enjoy hunting for them.

So, yesterday – Mother’s Day here in the States – I headed into the woods on a morel hunt. I figured it would be a good chance to get a little hike in and hopefully find a few tasty morsels to give to my mom as a bonus for her Mother’s Day present.

Choppy is on the morel hunt. She's like a truffle dog. Except she has no idea what we're looking for. And she gets bored of the whole thing after a few minutes.
Choppy is on the morel hunt. She’s like a truffle dog. Except she has no idea what we’re looking for. And she gets bored of the whole thing after a few minutes.

Things did not go well at first. I found one morel near my parents’ house, then it was nothing. Much hiking through the woods ensued.

Here is Choppy not helping the morel hunt at all.
Here is Choppy not helping the morel hunt at all.

And then, I stumbled upon the two morels in the first picture, above. And then things got a little morel crazy.

There are years when I would have been happy to find this many morels.
There are years when I would have been happy to find this many morels.

There were hundreds of them.

Here's a bowl of morels in the woods. This was only one of several bowls I collected.
Here’s a bowl of morels in the woods. This was only one of several bowls I collected.

Ultimately, we ended up with over 15 pounds of morels – 500+ in all. I’d call that a successful day!

I'm pretty sure this is a good day of work.
I’m pretty sure this is a good day of work.

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