Mussheess......

Up at the crack of dawn, about 9.30am, and prepared to set off to take our NZ visitor Dale on a Tiki tour of the whole canal network.
Well at least a trip as far as Cropredy and return to Aynho.
The morning was mild but quite foggy  but when the skies cleared after midday it was quite warm.

Approaching Aynho Weir lock we spied several mushrooms in the farmers paddock. Quickly into reverse thrust with the intention of nosing into the bank alighting and picking a few fresh mushees then escaping back to the boat seemed like a good plan.
Then Leonie suggested as the lock was close she would walk back down the paddock while I showed Dale how to operate a Lock. No sweat.
And the plan was going awesome, I had the NB in the lock, Leonie was head down and arse up picking fresh mushrooms, when the farmer drove to and across the bridge above the lock to feed out some cattle.
Christ I said to Dale hope Leonie's back before he returns from dropping off the hay.
But no, the picking was too good, too easy, there must be a prize if she fills  the whole bloody bag.

The farmer returns and crosses the bridge then parks up his JCB then walks to the centre of the bridge looking down on me and Dale and two hikers who were just passing.
"Who's the Lady out in the paddock " he says, the hikers say they didn't know she wasn't with them, Dale looks at me I put the NB in forward" Fast' and exit the lock.
The next lock, Nell Bridge, is only 400 metres  further on so we'll wait there should be safe.

The story goes that the farmer then drove his JCB to meet Leonie probably realizing her bag would be too heavy to carry. After a short but pleasant conversation where Leonie even offered to share or forfeit the booty the nice farmer said " no, on yer way".


Leonie returns from paddock shopping..... caught up at the next lock....

It wasn't a Tesco drop off....


Not a bad sight....

 

 

3 Quid a kilo....


after a bit of cleaning they were ready for......

Eating with some ham, didn't have bacon, fried in butter...


Or.......

In a mushroom sauce....

Leonie gave some to the hikers when she caught up to them on the towpath, an Aussie couple on a hire boat and some kiwis on a boat in Banbury along with a pommie fellow boater in Banbury....

Tomorrow Truffles.....