So many mushrooms up here in the mountains. So many different sizes from diminutive to quite substantial. So many different colors from the expected tan or white, to bright red, turquoise, lavender and periwinkle blue. Some that are sought after because of their legendary tastiness to some that can bring on serious illness or even death, if you eat just a small amount.

Don’t depend on my photos or this post to decide you should collect and eat wild mushrooms. For the most part, I only take photographs of mushrooms that I find in the woods. No eating them. I leave the risky stuff, like eating them, to those that are more brave or crazy than I am.

These mushrooms are Morels (Morchella). Yes, the type that I mentioned earlier with a legendary tastiness. They’re quite common here in the Blue Ridge.

The middle of April is when I start thinking they’ll be making their presence known. Bring on some nice rain and they’re sure to be found. The fruiting body of a fungus. Morels or Merkels.

Though thought of as flourishing in the woods, I found some growing in my yard when I was living in Arlington, Virginia. Certainly not the country. Our yard DID have eight mature oak trees, but certainly not the woods either.

I’ve never seen one but there are other mushrooms, called False Morels, which could be mistaken as True Morels by someone hunting up Morels. Some pictures of these counterfeits look to me like masses of earthworms. I’ve seen them described as looking as though the mushroom has been stepped on. Another sure giveaway is that True Morels when cut in half lengthwise are totally hollow from its tiptop to the bottom of its stem. No cottony fibers, nothing, just hollowness.

If you’d rather have a Morel that you can keep forever, or light for a romantic dinner, here’s a suggestion. I got this Morel candle at my favorite store here in Stanardsville, Noonwhistlepottery.com. I don’t know if they have any of these candles right now but I think you’d enjoy the visit if you stopped in! Tell Holly and John I said, “Hi!”