It’s funny how sometimes you don’t notice certain things until someone points it out, and then you can’t stop noticing. Recently I tagged along with a wild mushroom hunter in Flagstaff who provides mushrooms for a local restaurant. She’s an expert in telling the difference between mushrooms that are tasty and ones that are poisonous. Since then it seems I can’t hike in the woods without seeing mushrooms popping up through the ground. Although I still don’t trust myself to pick them.
If you are curious about mushroom hunting, check out the Arizona Mushroom Club. They sometimes have outings with mycologists who can teach you how to safely pick mushrooms.
Pat Shannahan/The Arizona Republic
