Back in the old days, I didn’t feel we had a need for meetings. I thought forays were enough. Indeed, many people attend forays and enjoy a hike in nature with friends. I’m still a hundred percent for forays but I believe we can further enrich our mushrooming knowledge. I am especially inspired by the work that Brad Bomanz and his group are doing by documenting Missouri fungi. I want to contribute to their ever-growing list of vouchers on our website. Most times after a foray, folks don’t feel like sitting around to do identification work. We’re ready for a shower, lunch, or just to get on to other things.  Besides, we need the reference books, the internet and maybe a microscope.

Over the years I have enjoyed the times when the club gets together for our annual meeting, a workshop or special lecture. We have a terrific group and there's always great interaction when we get together. Steve Booker is my partner-in-crime on these bimonthlies and I want to thank him for his enthusiasm. We are proposing, and have set dates, time and place for MOMS bimonthly meetings. (Bimonthly is an odd word in that it means both once every other month and twice a month.)  The dates will be regular: the second Tuesday of every odd month. (If you have Microsoft Outlook, you can create a recurring appointment.) If you keep your calendar the old fashioned way, the dates for 2008 are be March 11, May 13, July 8, September 9 and November 11. We will meet at seven o'clock in the evening at Powder Valley Nature Center . I hope that's convenient for you and hope you can come. Occasionally, we may meet at other locations.

This first meeting, we can simply talk discuss what kind of things we'd like to do with these meetings. For the first one, I'll bring a slew of books for people to look at. You can bring something for show and tell, too. In most months we will bring in fungi specimens. Last year I could have made a species list of thirty different mushrooms just from our little yard. Store your specimens in a paper bag in your refrigerator until we meet. Don't forget to label the bag so that no one assumes it is edible.