B2 — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
HOME & LIVING
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021
Pets Q&A: Dog owner worried about mushrooms in her lawn
BY JOAN MORRIS
The Mercury News
DEAR JOAN — I just
picked a mushroom out
of my lawn. I have two
beagles that eat every-
thing. Is this a dangerous
one? They are coming out
everywhere!
Anything nontoxic to get
rid of them if they are bad
ones?
— Sharon Stevens,
Newark, California
DEAR SHARON: When
it comes to animals and
mushrooms, veterinarians
tell us to treat all mush-
rooms as poisonous. That
way, you don’t have to
wonder about it, and you
can protect your dog from
a potentially fatal mis-
take. Even mushrooms
that are considered safe for
humans can cause stomach
upset in some dogs, so the
best thing is to remove the
fungi.
That’s easier said than
done.
The presence of mush-
rooms in your lawn can
be an indication that your
soil is healthy. Mushrooms
help to break down organic
matter, making nutrients
available to other plants.
They also can be a sign that
your lawn is getting too
much water — we often
Dreamstime-TNS
Even mushrooms that are considered safe for humans can cause stomach upset in some dogs, so the best thing is to remove the fungi.
see mushrooms popping up
after heavy rains — or that
your lawn may be suff ering
with a thick layer of thatch.
If you have a tree planted
nearby, the mushrooms
could be sprouting from a
dying tree root.
We also tend to have a
lot of organic material in
our lawns and fl ower beds
— looking at you, wood
chips — so you should
give your lawn a good
raking and cleanup, which
will help eliminate the
mushrooms.
There are ways of get-
ting rid of them above and
below ground, but some
of those methods would
put your dogs at risk, and
others can harm your lawn.
The use of fungicides
is not recommended for
people with pets and chil-
dren. Horticultural vinegar,
which is much stronger
than household vinegar, is
safer, but can kill the grass.
Spraying a mixture of
2 tablespoons baking soda
to a gallon of water will
slowly kill the mushrooms.
You also can poke holes in
the soil around the mush-
rooms and pour in a mix-
ture of 2 tablespoons dish
soap with up to 3 gallons
water.
The fastest and per-
haps easiest way is to
simply pluck them from the
ground, although that won’t
stop them from fruiting
again. You’ll have to keep
an eye out for new ones
popping up.
DEAR JOAN: I am
hoping you can shed some
light on our situation. We
have noticed rocks moving
in our yard over the years,
but they seem to be more
frequent ... at least every
fi ve days or so.
We have searched and
found no tracks or any
other evidence. Our back-
yard is completely fenced
in, as of four months ago,
and it is only one to three
rocks in one spot in the
yard. And yes, it is the
same rock, which is even
more mysterious.
Aside from these rocks
moving, we see no other
evidence of any animal.
— Cindy Heredia, Albu-
querque, New Mexico
DEAR CINDY:
My best guess is that
you have a raccoon vis-
iting your yard, one that
either has a highly devel-
oped sense of feng shui or
is looking for some smaller
critter, such as a lizard or
insect, that is hiding among
the rocks.
It might be worth
investing in a wildlife
camera and focusing it
on the bed. Or hiring an
exorcist.
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Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette-TNS
A spicy coconut sweet potato stew is just the thing to take the chill off of a cool autumn evening.
Slow-cooker sweet potato
chili to warm you up
By GRETCHEN McKAY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Did you (reluctantly)
turn on your furnace this
past week? I did, too, which
indicates it’s probably time
to snuggle up for winter.
It also means it’s time
to brush up on your chili
recipe repertoire so your
insides will feel as warm
and toasty.
Chili is a favorite fall
dish, and often includes
either chicken or beef.
This recipe gets its protein
from canned beans, with
sweet potato adding the
vitamin C and vitamin B6
that could help scare away
winter colds.
I used chipotle chili
powder, which added a
pretty fi ery kick to the dish;
the addition of yogurt just
before serving helped cool
it down. The chili was even
better the next day (I ate
it for breakfast) and it also
freezes well for those busy,
don’t-feel-like-cooking
nights when the microwave
is your best friend.
You can dish this
chili right out of the slow
cooker and into a bowl.
Or, serve over a bed of rice
or quinoa. Garnish with
fresh herbs and an optional
dollop of yogurt and/or
shredded coconut. It’s also
delicious with tortilla chips
crumbled on top.
SLOW-
COOKER
COCONUT
SWEET
POTATO CHILI
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 Granny Smith or other
tart apples, peeled,
cored and diced
2 large sweet potatoes or
yams, peeled and cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 poblano chilies, cored
and chopped
15-ounce can black beans,
rinsed and drained
15-ounce can garbanzo beans,
rinsed and drained
15-ounce can fi re-
roasted tomatoes
15-ounce can coconut milk
2 cups of chicken or
vegetable broth
1 tablespoon of your
favorite chili powder, or
more (or less) to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
2-3 teaspoons curry
powder, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper fl akes, to taste
1/2 cup plain yogurt, plus
more for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro, parsley
or chives, for garnish
Shredded unsweetened coconut,
for garnish, optional
Place onion, celery, apples,
sweet potatoes, garlic and
chopped poblano in the crock
of a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to
combine, then add beans, toma-
toes, coconut milk and chicken
or vegetable broth.
Stir again, then add chili
powder, cumin, oregano and
optional curry powder. Season
generously with salt and pepper.
Cook on high heat for 4 hours,
or on low for 6-8 hours. A few
hours in, taste and add more
chili powder, as desired, or a
pinch or two of cayenne pepper
if you like chili on the spicy side.
Toward the end of cooking,
open the lid to allow the chili
to thicken. If the chili looks a
bit dry, add a bit more broth or
water.
Just before serving, stir in yo-
gurt. Spoon into warmed bowls
and garnish with fresh chopped
herbs and a dollop of yogurt, if
desired.
Serves 8.
— Gretchen McKay
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