Michigan Morel Madness

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Our friend Larry "Tree" Lonik, "The Mushroom Man", passed away April 15, 2003
after doing what he loved best: stalking morels. Click here for our tribute and his memorial.
Larry Lonik Tribute

Click here for Current Conditions.
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

The ice has melted from the rivers, lakes, and ponds. The sandhill cranes have returned to the fields.
The earth is warming. The sun is rising higher in the sky.
And suddenly one morning, two little heads pop up. It's my husband, Bill, and me. We grab a cuppa and head for the woods. It matters not that it's raining.
Or chilly. Or still dark. They're out there. They're growing.
And someone else might get there ahead of us. They don't. We eat well that night, and dream of mushrooms in our sleep. Can you find 9 mushrooms in the photo above?
Some are bigger than others... Bill and I both hunted morels before we met each other,
so that was just kind of a clincher...
Fishing was the first date,
Morel-ing was the second.
In absolutely no time
A life-long romance beckoned.

The first meal shared was bluegill,
Asparagus and morels -
A tasty start so magical,
They soon heard wedding bells.

Now these two have a ritual
Each year in the spring -
They head for the northern woodlands
To hunt for the Mushroom King.

Marsi Parker Darwin 1995
all rights reserved
Back to Top We love morels so much, we incorporate them into our work.
Now you can have morels close at hand all year long.
The perfect gift for the morel maniac in your life!

These "fan lamps" cast a beautiful glow in the evenings, year-round.
A single trillium is flanked by morels (blacks and yellows) using absolutely killer glass.

These babies look great lit or unlit, night and day.
They sit on a wooden base and are lighted with a nightlight bulb.
Measuring 8" tall and 11" across, they're priced at $115 each.

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For the bedside, we offer single and multiple nightlights
that can be plugged into the wall socket from $15 to $22.
The cut-out, double sided multi-stage sandblasted units are a steal at $45.
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My morel pendants are practically guaranteed to help you find more mushrooms.
For one thing, they are just plain lucky to wear around your neck.
For another, everyone knows it is best to fix that image in your mind,
and this is a built-in reminder of what you're looking for!

I use real tiny black morels (I know, what a waste...) for $18, and when I run out, or if you want yellows,
I use photos I've taken and you save a few bucks. They're $15. Add $2 for shipping, please.
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SOLD OUT. Let us konw if you want to order. Back to Top
This lamp was a gift from Bill on our second wedding anniversary.
It's one-of-a-kind, designed and built by the master himself.
But for the right price, he might make a similar one for you.
Inquire within. Back to Top

Only Bill would turn a grass catcher
into a morel-catcher!
Don't you wish you could just mow your lawn
and harvest a bumper crop...?

A Happy Man
OK, turn your computer off now and go to sleep.
They're out there, and you'll need your rest to find them.
Good luck. Let us know how you do.

Glass Slots Croquet Websites
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Let us know if you have a page you'd like to link.
Morels and More Morel Mushroom Hunter's Club Frank's Michigan Morels

Morel Mania The Great Morel Morel Heaven

A few photos from 2001 - not a great year...
but Spring 2002, on the other hand....
W * O * W

After a slow start (we searched for days and weeks and miles for the early blacks, to no avail) this spring has been the best in years. Cool weather and plenty of moisture, and we are happy campers once again.

This odd couple was found on the same day!

We crawled on our bellies through the underbrush on Mother's Day weekend, but it was worth it - Bill and I picked NINE POUNDS of mushrooms!!!

Marsi the Morel Queen!

the hard-earned bounty...YUM.
oh yeah, where did we find 'em?
IN THE WOODS!
SPRING 2003 FIELD REPORT We thought spring would never come to Michigan this year. It was a lonnnnng, cold, snowy winter with no thaws. Then we had a cold April - frustration city! We picked a few blacks mid-month. Then came the blessed rain. The ground is spongy and now they're starting to pop. We found 137 greys in an hour on May 8. We're finding tight greys mixed with mature yellows. If the weather stays on the cool side we could have a good season. Fingers crossed....

First we spotted the triplets on the right, then saw the trio on the left.

My man COOKS!

Our old corgi Buster, "Buzz", was featured on TV up north when he was a pup. We told the reporters that he and Nan, his aunt, were morel-sniffing dogs. This was Nan's last season; she was 17. Buzz is almost 10 and still going pretty strong.

Bill gets lucky twice: morels and a nice shed, right out back on our property.

SPRING 2004 - Early Report

We had a lot of snow this winter and hoped for a good season, but it's been a very dry spring, and we're getting a late start. Bill and a friend found these two blacks in mid-April, dry and shriveling already. Soon after, he found several greys.
We'll keep you posted....
2005
I started a new co-op gallery in 2005, so the spring kind of got away from me. Check this out for a whole different kind of mushroom: West of the Moon Gallery

2006
Only shot two photos this year:

First one Bill found April 14, 2006 - that's early for Michigan. Morel rings!

2007
It was a wierd winter, with an early spring followed by snowfall (we had a green Christmas and a white Easter!) and then it was dry...so we got a late, slow start. A few blacks in late April. Then we went up north, around Mancelona, in early May and Bill found a grand total of 5 grays. Back home we started finding them again, fresh grays and whites.

HAPPY HUNTING!

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