Learning to Wander Slowly: My First Foray
Did you know the term foray has multiple meanings? According to Merriam-Webster, for centuries it referred to an invasion or attack. Over time, however, the word took on a more peaceful meaning: a venture into something new.
A new interest, perhaps? A new hobby?
Well, that is exactly what I did when I joined my first mushroom foray.
As a child, my family used to mushroom hunt. However, that was much more of a competition to see who could find the most, and obviously the best. (Side note: it was almost always me.) But this event was different in all the best ways.
This foray was meant to be slow-going. A chance to stop and admire. It was a moment to genuinely wander through the forest, identifying and photographing these tiny wonders as we discovered them. No competition necessary.
Before leaving the house that morning, there was one thing I made certain I had with me: my new macro lens attachment for my phone. I wanted to make sure that I could capture the tiny things we might find along the way so I could share this new adventure with all of you, gentle wanderers.
When I arrived, there were already others gathered to explore. We introduced ourselves, and I quickly noticed that a few others also brought a camera or macro lens of their own. I excitedly asked if it was okay to stop and take photos along our path, to which they replied that it was heavily encouraged. And I knew at that moment that I had found my people.
And then the foray started. Within our first few steps onto the path, we started finding mushrooms. There were small ones, big ones, ones growing from the ground, and ones growing along trees. The guides that I was with were identifying each of them as we came across them. It was amazing to listen to them explain how to identify different species by looking at the cap shape and color, gills vs. teeth vs. pores, a veil vs. no veil, surrounding habitat, and what the stem attaches to, just to name a few. I was having the most amazing time discovering and learning.
A closer look at the underside of a mushroom cap.
We walked for about 2 hours, stopping to take photos, learning different mushroom types, and just admiring the beauty that we were surrounded by. It felt like every few feet, I was stopping to take a photo or ask what something was. And by the time we had finished, I felt like I had found and learned about more mushrooms than I realized could exist in one location.
Now don’t get me wrong, there is still so much I need to learn. Since then, I have purchased identification guides, pocket guides, and looked at more mushroom photos than I could possibly count. But nothing could beat the experience of that mushroom-filled day on the mountain.
Somewhere along the way, I realized that I wasn’t just looking for mushrooms anymore. I was truly noticing. I photographed an inchworm that I normally would have walked right past. At one point, I was almost lying down to photograph the underside of a mushroom cap, and discovered a tiny bug that was seeking shelter in its gills. And I even captured the moment a bee was collecting pollen from the anthers of a wild potato vine flower.
Because for once, I was giving myself permission to slow down and notice these small, extraordinary moments that I had never taken the chance to appreciate. I learned just how much beauty you can miss if you don’t truly look before taking your next step.
This may have been my first mushroom foray, but it certainly will not be my last.
