Tree Mushrooms...

One of my favorite past times as a child, was to sit in trees. I can only assume it is because I am so short...perhaps being tall for a few hours was some form of reverse psychology. (smile) I had one favorite spot that hung over a meandering creek. These tree mushrooms grew along the bottom. They made the perfect foothold~ the boost I needed to even reach the first branch! I could have designed the first "fun" rock walls in 1979 if I would have sketched & marketed this idea! hee hee~ Anyhow...one day a huge mushroom broke off. At first I put a pout on thinking I was becoming too big to climb trees. Then I pressed my nail into it to check the texture etc. ~ and viola! ART! I always carried a pocketful of necessities. (never faired well on laundry day...sorry, mom) A few nails. String. Marbles. Old coins. Spearmint lifesavers (that's a whole 'nother story)...So I slipped the mushroom into the back of my pants, (ewwie thought as an adult) finished my way to my favorite spot, pulled out one of my old rusty nails and began to carve. What fun! They sat perfect on the side that was attached to the tree...so I kept them on a limb close to the trunk...a small "pocket" of sorts. My first sketchbook was a collection of tree mushrooms in an old leaning tree. Needless to say, after a few days I had to find a new foothold. I had chipped all of the tree mushrooms off and carted them to higher grounds for a higher purposes. With a hammer in my back pocket, several of dads HUGE nails & some scrap 2x4's I was off to build a new path to my favorite branch...and my private studio limb.
Wouldn't it be fun to revisit that tree? I wonder if another young person ever found it to be the most wonderful secret place.
My hubby found these tree mushrooms along the canal for me...I haven't taken a carving "nail" to them yet...they are treasures!
Hope you have a wonderful day...