From psychedelic to kitsch, the simple mushroom is popping up in stores and all-over the news and social media. Not so much for eating (although I know many people that don't like fresh mushrooms at all, but will happily drink mushroom tea or sprinkle dried, crushed mushroom dust onto their salad) but they're definitely on trend and enjoying an unexpected moment.
I've always loved eating them, but my mushroom happiness comes from visiting them in my grandparents' garden. A lovely English garden with a lot of life crammed into it - it was perfect for young children to play in. We loved hiding in the secret, wooden garden that was covered in roses and vines, sneaking fresh raspberries from the fruit and vegetable patch, and following the crooked path that led to the clothes line far, faraway (well at least it seemed far, faraway when we were little). But the best bit of all was sitting on the green grass, making daisy chains, and watching the mushrooms to see if we could spy a fairy. Because everyone knows that fairies live in mushrooms.
Once considered the love/hate vegetable of almost everyone (except vegetarians, of course) this cute fungi is now being featured on linens, pillows, jewelry, home décor, and, of course, in our vitamins and our tea. So, when another image popped up on my Instagram feed, I began to wonder what made them suddenly so cute and appealing?
We know they're good for us (and have healthy medicinal uses) but we've always known that, so I really think it's because of the fairy tales, and people searching and yearning for simple things to make them smile. Show us a cartoon mushroom, and we think of nursery rhymes, bedtime stories and childhood - any childhood. It's a quick fix for the often jarring, busy world we're living in right now.
We want everything quickly, including our solutions, so why not let the solution be a mushroom? They're non-political, cute without being too juvenile, and, they're inexpensive and easy to find. What could be better? Love them or hate them, here's what you can do to get some instant, heartwarming benefits from the simple, but lovable mushroom:
Buy a toy mushroom and keep it in your pocket for good luck (or to fidget with).
Decorate your shelves with an assortment of ceramic mushrooms.
Make your bed with new, retro sheets, sprinkled with cartoon mushrooms and kitschy woodland critters.
Use a mushroom bookmark when you read.
Put one or two in an often-used cupboard.
Place a mushroom decorated pillow on your sofa.
Hang a vintage, botanical mushroom picture in your kitchen.
Rediscover a favorite fairy tale from when you were young.
(p.s. just to reassure my mum - no magic mushrooms have ever been used lol - my mind just wanders off in different directions :-)