Papa Mario - The Best!

Papa and me

He loved his red wine!

Mia Cracking Papa Up!

There are many things that remind me of my Papa Mario.  I have taken to drinking his favorite boxed wine since he passed away as a sort of tribute to him.  I have felt his absence these past few days for some reason.  Maybe because this was always the time of year when we used to set up our weekly family dinners on one night a week, and all get to see each other.  I remember one night not too long ago we had Papa and my parents over to the house.  He used to love to eat all kind of crazy shit.  This night he brought over pickled pigs feet. 

A True Clasicc

He actually got my meathead daugher Ailey to try one of the nasty things!  I did too.  I even pretended to like it to please my grandfather.  Ailey didn't!  He just thought eating that stuff in front of everyone was so fun!  I miss the old guy like hell.  I just wanted to post a few photos of him tonight to help me keep his memory fresh in my mind.  Damn he was a funny and good guy!  I will also include our favorite video of Papa Mario - His take on Heaven - or the hereafter as he called it.  Papa didn't believe in heaven - but to hear him tell it was just priceless.  If anyone deserved to make it there it was him.  I know he was standing in front of the pearly gates saying to himself - oh damn I have some explaining to do!  If anyone else had a grandfather that you just loved I would certainly love to hear about him!  


Other Papa Posts
http://www.wackydads.com/2011/01/papa-mario-on-american-chop-suey.html
http://www.wackydads.com/2010/12/papa-mario-on-heaven-hereafter.html




Love From Your Grandson,


Eric

Wordless Wednesday- Natural Beauty!

Wacky Mushrooms!

Mia and Ailey with the "Signorita".  This is one of the fool
proof four!

I know what your thinking!  No I am not doing any funny shrooms!  It is that time of year again when the kids and I get out in the woods and hunt down a couple of our favorite wild mushrooms.  The kids really get into this.  Yesterday we found a nice "Signorita" or Sulphur Shelf.  This is one of the most delicious mushrooms, wild or domestic that I have ever eaten.  My wife drools for the things whenever I get it.  It would be a great mushroom for a vegetarian because it's texture is very much like meat.  It is also one of the foolproof edible mushrooms which are the only ones I go after because I enjoy living!  There are some truly deadly mushrooms out there, such as amanitas, so it is nothing to screw around with.  If you don't know what your doing then go to a class or go shrooming with someone who does know.  Otherwise you can read incessantly like me and find out which mushrooms are actually foolproof to find.  Another mushroom that we love is called the hen of the woods, and it actually appears a bit like a feathered bird.  

Hen Of The Woods

Giant Puffball

Here is a photo of a Hen.  This is not one of the foolproof four, but it is a very distinctive looking mushroom that once you've seen it, is hard to miss.  These are really delicious, and I loved serving it with the pheasant that I cooked last fall.  These are usually found at the base of oak trees or stumps.

Chanterelles
Photo by http://www.saveourskills.com

Morels

The other 3 mushrooms that are in the foolproof four are the following.  Morels, Giant Puffball, and Chanterelles.  The Puffballs are easy to find and are all edible, but young aminitas can look like puffballs so stick to the giants.  Honestly I have never found any morels or Chanterelles so I don't know a whole lot about them except that they are supposed to be tasty!   

The thing that I like most about mushrooming is that it gets me and the girls out in the woods together and we really have a great time looking for these tasty treats.  We even serenade the signoritas at the top of our lungs, and it actually seems to increase our luck.  We call out at the top of our lungs "Ohhhhhhhh Signorita" and laugh like hell.  Give mushrooming a try sometime.  Even if you don't take anything home you will have a great time trying to identify mushrooms with a field guide and the kids will get some great exercise, as well as learn something about this world we live in.  Yesterday we climbed a huge rock that is in our favorite mushroom spot.  The kids love this, and it has become a yearly tradition to get a picture of them sitting on the rock during mushroom season.  Yesterdays shots are above.  Abby is missing because she was at a birthday party. 

This is a termite eaten tree that we found along the route that got knocked down by the recent hurricane. The kids got a kick out of seeing just how powerful those little bugs can be.  If you love being out in the woods this activity is definitely a must try!  



Happy Shrooming!

Wacky Dad