Wild asparagus, morel mushrooms and strutting Toms

A wild turkey struts and displays for hens in my woods - barely 200 yads from my  door.
photo by Jonathan Schechter


Three great events of Mother Nature occur every May just about now as the first of  lilacs gone wild struggle to bloom in my meadow. Morel mushrooms poke their convoluted heads up through old leaves. (I have already been eyeing a few under a dying apple tree near my old barn.) Wild asparagus - gathered from an abandonded railbed at the edge of my property - was added to an omelette a few mornings ago.  But the grand event of the great three events of spring are wild turkeys.  A great Tom, with his beard dangling, proudly strutted about a sunny spot on the trail I created through my woods. The hens seem uninpressed. They turned and walked away. At least on this day.