Hubby has the next 9 days off! We will be taking a bit of a break for hunting, hiking, touring, and napping! Today the boys and I spent a few hours going through the logging roads up the Siletz River. We have been enjoying the hikes here on the east part of the lake as well.  Our neighbor is trained in forestry and was a homeschool mom. What a blessing for a neighbor! She teaches the boys about Conifer, Deciduous, and Evergreens – Cedar, Hemlock,  Spruce, Loge pole, Shore Pines, and Red Alders. Our walks are peaceful and educational – AND – a photographer’s dream. :)  The last walk she taught us all about Chanterelle Mushrooms, which trees to look under, what size to look for, what environmental /weather conditions. We came home with a small bag full that day and had THE BEST mushroom soup for lunch.  Today – while up at the Siletz River in the Logging Roads – the boys were walking and found several batches.  They remembered what they learned, and how to harvest them so that they would grow back.  Hubby is in the kitchen right now preparing over a pound for a great soup. Oh. Yum.

Wonder what else we will learn walking in the forest in the beautiful northwest this week? The boys are getting up before dawn tomorrow to go to the spot they scouted today. . . . .