On the Forest Floor – Morel Mushroom Watercolor

The next few posts will feature some treasures I find while hiking in the woods. Walking slow and scanning the floor with my eyes, helps me notice things amongst the leaf litter which can be in camouflage and easily overlooked.

Today’s watercolor is of a morel mushroom. This mushroom is popular with shroom heads (term of endearment, not making fun of), who religiously hunt these mushrooms down for their culinary possibilities.

The morel mushroom is also called the “May mushroom” because that’s the month you’re expected to find it and sure enough it was.

Here is a photo of the moral next to Mr. Puffy, a toy mouse who is about 3 inches long and maybe 1.5 inches wide and used for scale.

Do you see how the morel seems to disappear around last year’s dead leaves? That’s why I love to take my time when exploring in the woods. I don’t want to miss a thing!

It’s fun to take a break from landscape paintings and work on some still life for a change.