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Children’s Activities: NAME THAT ‘SHROOM! July 2013 Written for Triangle Mommies Blog Copyright ARLADEAN ARNSON

With all the crazy wet weather we are having here in North Carolina, it has been a boon year for mushrooms. You can see them in the forests, in the country and even in many urban/suburban neighborhoods!

I have found at least three different types along my walk in the mornings!

So, I have invented a new activity for the kiddies: NAME THAT ‘SHROOM! This activity includes a hunt-and-find outdoor game and a make-it-yourself field guide.

First the HUNT! While traipsing through the woods or sticking to the sidewalks, be on the lookout for interesting shapes and colors and textures among the landscape. Mushrooms come in many different colors and textures.

**PLEASE BE AWARE, especially with children, do not touch the mushrooms you find until you know for sure that they are safe. You don’t want the kid to accidentally ingest the sample.

It is best to take a digital picture of the mushroom from all angles. Try and get the tops, the surrounding area, underneath the dome and the stems too.

Now off to the library, or the internet, to see what great treasure you have found! See the guide below for some titles and websites.

Things to figure out: What is its name? Where does it normally grow? What are its tell-tale features? Is it safe to touch or to pick? Is it edible?

Once you find out some of these basics, you and your little one can create a great little field guide of your own back yard. Include pictures, drawings, facts, and even spore prints in a little self-made or store-bought sketch book. See website #1 for how to make a spore print.

Then the next time we get weather like this again, your little field guide will help you identify what pops up in your yard!

BOOKS:

1. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides)by NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

2. The Mushroom Book For Beginners: 2nd Edition Revised : A Mycology Starter or How To Be A Backyard Mushroom Farmer… by Frank Randall

3. The Complete Mushroom Hunter: An Illustrated Guide to Finding, Harvesting, and Enjoying Wild Mushrooms by Gary Lincoff

4. A Field Guide to Mushrooms: North America (Peterson Field Guides) by Kent H. McKnight, Vera B. McKnight and Roger Tory Peterson

WEBSITES:

Urban Mushrooms: http://urbanmushrooms.com/index.php?id=69
American Mushrooms: http://americanmushrooms.com/lawnandgarden.htm
Mushroom Expert: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/index.html
The Mushroom Patch: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/index.html

“Escape from Happiness”

Horizon Theater, Atlanta, GA 1995

“Escape from Happiness,” Canadian playwright George F. Walker’s outrageous story of a typical late 20^th century family that is pre-occupied with reasoning why bad things happen to them, offers a hilarious satirical look at family matters in the ‘90’s.

Set in the cheery yellow kitchen of a typical family, the story centers around the recent beating of Junior, one of the main characters of “Escape form Happiness.” The mystery of who did this terrible thing and why sets the stage for Walker’s “manic and eloquent” satire. As the play progresses, the action becomes more outrageous as the characters become more introspective.

The ever-ending need for family members to search for clarification on different levels along with Walker’s ironic mishaps lighten the tone of the mystery without giving way into farce.

Shelby Hofer and Jill Jane Clements both give outstanding performances as Gail, the family’s stubborn youngest daughter, and Nora the bickering yet heroic Mother.

Although the ending is a little surprising and abrupt (more because of delivery than dialogue), this contemporary satire offers a hilarious look at modern urban family life.

“Escape from Happiness” runs through February 26 (1995) at Horizon Theater. For information about showtimes and ticket prices call 584-7450.

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CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY ARTICLE – Name that ‘shroom