The Free Radical

The Master Recyclers are out in full force.

Mushrooms are great indicators of much going on beneath the surface. They are but the fruiting bodies of the actual organism which lives wholly underground… the mycelium. Generally, they take on the task of breaking down the hard-to-recycle materials littering the forest floor. The structure of their bodies resembles a neuronal mass, like a giant brain reaching through the ground. They are highly intelligent.

“Nothing Nature does is strictly circular. Natural cycles are spiral structures. A spiral, when viewed vertically from above, appears circular– think of a bedspring; a quick change of perspective though, reveals a structure allowing for growth– from the side, its vertical component becomes apparent.

“Evolution never moves backwards. We’re not bringing back the dinosaurs. In times of Great Change, it is understandable to long for ‘the good ol’ days.’ However, their ‘goodness’ has long been spent. What is truly Good is to move along the spiral pathway.

“The past is a memory– where experience was gained; it is not however a template for the future. That takes root in imagination– a place of novelty. Feed your imaginations with more than stale nostalgia!”

Mushrooms as food can inspire a few challenges, mostly due to their great variety, including deadly poisonous individuals… posing as lunch. Puffballs are safe, and are currently numbering in the thousands along my route. They are the true champions of tasting exactly like nothing. Fortunately they grow alongside some tasty companions on the Mesa like Wild Onion and Tarragon, so I can assemble something like a gourmet eggless omelette.

“Learn the lessons of history… within the correct context. The universe is an organism. As such, it grows and develops; it will never be a fetus twice. Please understand.”

I think I get it.