Lives Forever

Although this is considered a wild plant, I have never run across it in the wild, but I did run across it in my own front yard a few years ago ( planted from a cutting made from a friend's plant ) This plant is so easy to propagate. Anyways, I almost forgot I had it and then remembered that I used it last year all summer long in salads.  It is very crispy while being very juicy too, succulent like.  It's leaves remind me of cactus, minus the spikes.  With a little research I found it had numerous medicinal uses as well.

wood ears

I gathered these little gems last year and dried them for future use.  They are wood ear mushrooms.  I reconstituted them in chicken broth, took them out and chopped them up and threw them back in the broth for an excellent egg drop soup.  Yum