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At this time of year the Courier-Post newsroom is no stranger to woods walkers and the spring prize they discover - mushrooms. Friday morning was such a day when Elliott Butler of the newspaper’s circulation department inquired if someone would like to photograph some mushrooms that a man had found that morning and brought it.
While typically there is never a mad scramble for such photo opportunities, this chance perked my interest, since the man with the mushrooms is a Courier-Post newspaper carrier.
“Wait a minute! What’s he doing out picking mushrooms when he’s supposed to be delivering papers?” I asked Butler.
My inquiry was repeated a few moments later as I stared into a mesh bag filled with white morel mushrooms that was held by Bradley Griggs of Hannibal.
“I picked them after I’d done my route,” explained Griggs.
“Really?” I pressed, ever the determined journalist.
“Dedicated mushroomers have been known to pick by flashlight,” I added with a wink.
Griggs stuck to his story.
“The sun was already up,” he said, smiling.
To substantiate his claim that he hadn’t mixed business with pleasure, Griggs turned to Elliott and asked, “Gotten any complaints from anyone on my route about getting a late paper?”
As Elliott shook his head “no” a smile of vindication flashed across Griggs’ face.
Unlike most mushroomers, whose favorite hunting spots are as closely guarded as their credit card numbers, Griggs willingly reported that he’d found the estimated 4 pounds of mushrooms near Spencer Creek.
“Now before you go we need to talk about my photography fee,” I offered, hopeful of lightening Griggs’ bag.
When none were offered, I wished the hard-working mushroomer well, especially if he chose to exit through the front entrance where his treasure had been spotted by a number of my morel-loving co-workers as he entered the building.
Hearing no police scanner chatter about a man being mugged in the 200 block of North Third, I’m assuming the hunter did not become the hunted and he’ll still be able to search for more mushrooms this spring, after work of course.
At this time of year the Courier-Post newsroom is no stranger to woods walkers and the spring prize they discover - mushrooms. Friday morning was such a day when Elliott Butler of the newspaper’s circulation department inquired if someone would like to photograph some mushrooms that a man had found that morning and brought it.
While typically there is never a mad scramble for such photo opportunities, this chance perked my interest, since the man with the mushrooms is a Courier-Post newspaper carrier.
“Wait a minute! What’s he doing out picking mushrooms when he’s supposed to be delivering papers?” I asked Butler.
My inquiry was repeated a few moments later as I stared into a mesh bag filled with white morel mushrooms that was held by Bradley Griggs of Hannibal.
“I picked them after I’d done my route,” explained Griggs.
“Really?” I pressed, ever the determined journalist.
“Dedicated mushroomers have been known to pick by flashlight,” I added with a wink.
Griggs stuck to his story.
“The sun was already up,” he said, smiling.
To substantiate his claim that he hadn’t mixed business with pleasure, Griggs turned to Elliott and asked, “Gotten any complaints from anyone on my route about getting a late paper?”
As Elliott shook his head “no” a smile of vindication flashed across Griggs’ face.
Unlike most mushroomers, whose favorite hunting spots are as closely guarded as their credit card numbers, Griggs willingly reported that he’d found the estimated 4 pounds of mushrooms near Spencer Creek.
“Now before you go we need to talk about my photography fee,” I offered, hopeful of lightening Griggs’ bag.
When none were offered, I wished the hard-working mushroomer well, especially if he chose to exit through the front entrance where his treasure had been spotted by a number of my morel-loving co-workers as he entered the building.
Hearing no police scanner chatter about a man being mugged in the 200 block of North Third, I’m assuming the hunter did not become the hunted and he’ll still be able to search for more mushrooms this spring, after work of course.
