It's Big, Round & White

The Moon actually had some competition here in the End of the Rainbow Valley on Sunday as Natureman has anxiously been visually scouring the hillside for our own 'terrestrially' moons.

Natureman's newest title
"Puff Ball Boy" 

Heading out with a plastic grocery bag our hunter and gatherer, Natureman, returned home within 15 minutes. I looked up from my Sunday Morning TV program and asked if anything was wrong and why he was back so soon. He blurted out, "Look what I found," as he emptied his cache load onto the kitchen island. "You've got to be kidding," I exclaimed. Natureman had certainly found some Puff Ball mushrooms.

Definitely more mushroom than needed so we shared one with our gastronomic appreciative neighbor, Patrick, who proceeded to post his Puff Ball mushroom on FaceBook labeling it as a "beautiful Calvatia gigantea (giant Puff Ball)  14" x 8.5" +/-. Weighed in at 4.5 lbs. Tasty!! Plentiful, über fresh. Looks like mozzarella or Wonder Bread but tastes better!"

Dehydrator shelves filled

Dried Puff Ball slices less than half the size they previously were

Seriously, take a look at my first attempt dehydrating Puff Balls. 
Here's just one tray of slices after dehydrating. Light as a feather.

All that mushroom fit into 5-qt packages. 
Pretty remarkable, isn't it? 
This winter there'll be plenty of mushrooms for soups/whatever recipe. Just need to soak a bit in water to rehydrate and VOILA Puff Ball mushrooms.

The important thing about mushroom hunting is knowing your mushrooms. Here's a youtube link should you want to know more about the Puff Ball variety: PUFF BALLS