June 3rd, 2022
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Easter Longhouse.
We had family up for an Easter Bunny BBQ Saturday. It was the first gathering we'd hosted since The Contagion cast its shadow across the land. We had all been vaccinated but it still felt weird, invitng people, even family, into our home after two years of isolation....
Atomic Lighter – Rechargeable Plasma lighter
I bought this for a fly and camp outing last year. I wanted a reliable ignition source which was safe to carry on an airplane. This is also wind proof and really nice for cold weather, when butane lighters become unreliable. It recharges with a USB charger. I wrapped...
Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica)
Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), have serrate leaves resembling mint, arranged opposite on a square stem. Nettles can grow well over 6 feet tall. They are common along streams and rivers and damp, fertile ground throughout the United States. Probably the most...
The Nettles Are Pushing Up.
I collected some stinging nettles down along Indian Creek today. Might try making some soup later. Still no sign of Verpa or morels yet. After I was done foraging, Mike and I went up the Oklahoma Road to see if there had been flooding where my snow camp...
Overindulgence
I ate berries all day. When I stood up from the toilet it looked like I'd house-trained a bear.
Morning Song
https://youtu.be/JG7__rFsYHY 4/20/2022 5:00 am
April Freeze
Thick frost crusts the ground Overhead, countless stars are blinking All around me the orchard fans thunder
Quiet Morning
It is a quiet morning so far, but soon it will wake. The birds will start to chatter, a rooster will crow and several more will answer. Somewhere up the canyon a dog will start a conversation which will last for hours and involve most of his neighbors. The frog chorus...
Windless Morning
5/16/22 530 40f A windless morning the sky laced with clouds and dotted with stars. The moon waxing gibbous casts a blue glow through the oaks. A frog is croaking "good morning"
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...
Rusty Brogue
I recently discovered Shanky’s Whip. A dark, sweet liqueur, somewhat analogous to Drambuie, Shanky’s Whip is a mixture of Irish whiskey, vanilla, caramel, and other ingredients. I have been mixing equal parts of Tullamore Dew and Shanky’s...
