The Happiness Of Chanterelles.

 I was having one of those days today....  where you think things are slightly spiraling out of your control...   Call it....  "Overwhelmed".  So I went out for some Forest Therapy.  Because nothing gets me calmed down better than a walk in the woods...  Usually alone.  

And then God reaches down and blesses me.   He has a certain way of doing it.   Funny how he seems to know just the right combination.  

First:  I found a ripe Mayapple/  I have never found a fully ripe one before;  mostly because everything wants to eat them!   But today, I found one and was able to sample an elusive fruit.    And it was wonderful!   Like a sweet plum!  But without any pit in the middle.   It was a great start to the nature walk. 

Soon after,  I found a few mushrooms.   Nothing terribly special.   A Field Bolete and a few Russulas.  But then....  Chanterelles!  

I thought the Chanterelles were over after my last forest find.  IT had been several weeks and I have not really been able to go out much at all.   And then there is the "competition" out there.   Those faceless folks who steal forage in my secret favorite spots.  Imagine my surprise when I started finding a few in a spot where I have never been successful before.  

And then there was the Deer!   Three of them.   A nice touch.  I like seeing animals and talking with the wild things.   They did not seem very afraid of me.   And rather than run off,   they decided to stop and stare for a while.    

And then I found the Mother Lode!  HUGE Chanterelles all around the deer.   After a while,  I wondered why the deer were standing there so long, and as they slowly walked away,  I wandered up to where they were standing.   HUGE numbers of Chanterelles!   So many I could not fit them all in my basket.  I ended up leaving a number of them in the forest, because I simply could not carry them out.   Looks like we will be enjoying he fruits of nature for the next few days.

During the process,  My worries disappeared and I simply enjoyed the moment and the fun of finding.   Funny how God can fix the day in the best possible way.  

I should also mention that I had been fishing a bit after the school meetings.   A couple small pnds around here have a large supply of greedy green sunfish.    And an occasional bluegill.   Nothing huge, mind you,    but lots of fun on a fly rod.  

Shoreland School Faculty Meetings are under way and there is that feeling that pops up where you think you are in over your head.   But I have had that feeling before in many other situations and managed to survive them.   So I guess I just have to let that excitement of teaching overwhelm the fear of failure.   And when I do that,  and pause to consider my purpose in this whole thing,  I find that those fears fade away to a distant background noise.  

That being said,  I will continue to pray for guidance and help every chance I get.   I find myself praying a lot lately.   And I don't think that is really a bad thing.   In fact, perhaps that is the whole point!   With God, everything is possible!   And after my latest personality evaluation,   I guess being a "True Believer" is my number one quality.  Well,  Having "faith" in my belief or something like that.   Core values....   

Regardless,  I shall continue to press forward and do my best.   Because I have already spent enough of my life building the foundation with failures and life lessons.   And with fewer days ahead of me than behind me...  Now more than ever...   Every second counts!