The Perhaps Bag

Day 364: During the Krushchev era when food shortages were common in the Soviet Union, Russian shoppers (particularly women) would carry a string bag called "avoska." The word translates roughly as a "perhaps-bag," as in "Perhaps today there will be bread," or "perhaps I will be able to purchase an egg." At this time of the year, I carry my own version of the perhaps-bag: a gallon ziplock, a clean plastic grocery bag, or sometimes when I forget, the spare cloth field bag I keep in the trunk of the car. Today, "perhaps" paid off big-time. While hiking a disused trail, I came across several flushes of Shaggymane mushrooms, my favourite soup-fungus. I had a "perhaps-knife" with me as well, having cut 'shrooms with my thumbnail more times than I like to admit. These are just a few of the best. Shaggymanes are a members of the Coprinus family, i.e., inky-caps. They deteriorate into black goo in just a few days. Tune in tomorrow for "Shaggymane Hunting 101."