I never thought into becoming a coureur des bois.  I am energised by every noise, every smell, every sighting from a grasshopper, to a butterfly, to a blue tit.  When I am in the woods, especially in mountains, I go  back to my roots, a simple man, happy with very simple things that life has to offer me.  You should see my face when I encounter a patch of Chanterelles.  I wish I could share with you the feeling that goes through my body like an arrow.  I feel like a Warrior.  A Mushroom Warrior !

Learning about everything the forest has to offer us is a big challenge yet, very simple.  Today we are sirfing on a big technology wave.  Our job is our status in life.  Our car is like a shirt that we do put on to please the eyes of others.  In my book, nature is my inspiration.  The only technology I do carry on me in the woods is my 30 year old compass as well as a plastic water bottle. If I was Italian I would call nature: L'ONORE !

To begin with,I followed a course with the Montreal Botanical Garden in Mycology. I was surprised by the quantity of ladies following this course. So, it was constructive as well as enjoyable.  I followed up by reading about 60 books subject, mushrooms.  Than I started reading books on botany.  The result:  The moment I go in the woods, I am identifiying flowers, green edibles, nuts, roots, and of course mushrooms.  I feel great.  I am alone, no boss, no wife, no car, no asphalt and no cement.  I feel like going into the woods right now.

Mushroom Hunting Tips

Join a school for a beginner's course in mycology.  Find a friend from your class.  Go out there, and start roming in the forest.  By your third outing.  There is no going back.  The greenery, the fresh air, the wildlife, the wild leeks, the fiddleheads, the mushrooms will get to you.  You will have to go back.

Interested ?

If you're interested in learning more about mycology, you can visit a good site called:  http://www.mushroomexpert.com/ 

Or

Drop me an e-mail for any question you might have:

paulbouari@sympatico.ca

April & May for Morels,  July and august for Chanterelles and Bolets, September and October for Bolete and those famous Oyster mushrooms.  What a delight.