Chapter 3: A family tests their morels

It is always a good thing, everybody always agrees, for an extended family to go on a perfectly friendly Sunday hike in search of morels. One Sunday in May, 2011, the Bunyard family and some of their friends went out together to see if any morels were up yet where the Bunyards live in eastern Wisconsin. This early in the season, extra eyes are especially helpful.

Even if you don’t find any morels, a family hike where everyone strolls as a family outdoors is always worth the footwork.

Of course they were all eager. None of the family had seen a fresh morel growing around their farm since last spring. Their morel craving was palpable that perfectly bright day.

And then somebody spotted a morel.

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Others heard the announcement, and there was sudden and complete happiness shared by all. Joy was sincere for the lucky morel finder, and there was also joy again when somebody else spotted another morel in a different place the others weren’t looking. And then one more. These were the first morels of the season. The long wait was over.

This friendly togetherness continued  to bear good smiles when others spotted yet more morels. Somebody now had a bag with quite a lot of them. The bag was swollen.

People who had not yet found a single morel looked at the morels that had been found by the others, then smiled once again. There were sincere smiles everywhere. This was a beautiful family outing among morel-loving friends.

And then a few more morels were found. Somebody clearly had more than anybody else. And the smiles were right there, held tight, on everyone’s friendly face.

Friendliness was all around.

They often stated their happiness.

And then, eventually, they all went home. The Sunday afternoon morel hunt was over.

In the end, all were equally satisfied.

Not one of them, sometime later in the evening, would regret any part of the day, including those who had not found any morels at all, or just a few. None of the less fortunate would look bitterly at the fresh morels laid out for display in the kitchen where the satisfied adults were now drinking wine, swirling it in glasses, making happy toasts to the wonderful success they all knew.

Happiness was all around.