A Bear Et My Kayak – Part 2
An Empty Camp ...
Zodi Shower
I've used solar camp showers and never been happy with trying to wash myself under the dribble of tepid water they provide. The water doesn't get hot enough, there isn't enough of it and there isn't enough pressure for a satisfying shower experience. The Zodi propane...
Halloween at Chanty Camp
...
A Bear Et My Kayak – Part 1
Pistol Creek Longhouse June, 2022 It had been three years since I had set up my first big longhouse – enough time to forget what a pain in the ass it was and for it to sound like a lovely idea. Why not take a couple of weeks off, set up a forty-foot longhouse on...
Making a 12′ Drop Cloth Tipi
Making a tipi can be tedious; it involves sewing numerous strips of canvas together until you have a large enough piece to cut your pattern from. Buying a pre-made cover is expensive, for the same reason. For several years, Billy Maxwell has been telling me...
Skeeter and The Veteran
The online literary blog BarBar has published a couple of my stories. Click the link below to read them. Vernon Wade says “My chicken yard is a battlefield.” Read the story “Skeeter and the Veteran.” — barbar (bebarbar.com)
Yes, you are
Why do you argue with me, when I tell you how beautiful you are? Why do you roll your eyes and say, “No, I’m not.” as if I have no idea what I see with my own heart? You turn the stereo up so loud a deaf kid could dance to it, miming the lyrics with a provocative...
December 10th
Sitting in the dark, listening to the heavy, wet snow slough off the branches of the oaks. There is a steady drip from the trees. It was snowing a little bit ago, but for now it has stopped. I hear the crash of a shed collapsing not too far away. The rooster is...
The Tea Pot
It is a quiet morning, the light still dim. Everything seems calm and muted, even the birdsong heard through the open window. I turn on the light over the stove and set the kettle on for tea. We had a very elegant stainless steel art deco kettle, but the bottom warped...
Overindulgence
I ate berries all day. When I stood up from the toilet it looked like I'd house-trained a bear.
Irish Toddy
My new favorite is an Irish Toddy. Place a slice of lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice in a mug. Cover with scalding water, leaving room for one ounce of Shanky's Whip and one ounce of Irish Whiskey. Give it a stir and enjoy. Repeat as necessary....
Nettle Soup
Stinging Nettles are a nutritious early season foraged food which can be found throughout the United States. Gloves and garden nippers and a little care make it possible to harvest them without getting stung. Drying or boiling the plant neutralizes the stingers,...
Foggy Meadow
Foggy Meadow This layered drink reminds me of dense fog blanketing the field behind our house. The club soda calms the anise flavored Pastis, allowing it to play nicely with the rich caramel and vanilla of the Shanky's Whip. I think you will enjoy this. Ingredients ...
Mushroom Stuffed Burger
I had some fresh chanterelles, a half a pound of ground beef and some grated cheese left over from last night's dinner. It was lunch time, I was hungry. A stuffed burger seemed like the obvious solution. Ingredients ½# ground beef 1-2 medium...
K.P.
Nothing beats a meal cooked over an open fire and eaten outdoors, but how do you deal with clean-up? Dirty dishes and scraps of food are sure to attract pests if not attended to. Rinsing your cook ware in the creek will leave an unsightly mess on the stream bed and...
