FLEXTAIL Tiny Pump x 2024

FLEXTAIL Tiny Pump x 2024

Andy bought one of these little pumps for his Thermarest pad a while ago. I laughed at him for buying another unnecessary gadget. Until I got a huge self-inflating sleep pad from Sportsman's Guide. It is supposed to be self-inflating and it kinda is, but deflating it...

read more
A Morning Walk

A Morning Walk

6/8/25 9:00 75f (28.8c) Walter and I  took a short walk up Swyers Drive this morning,  while it was still cool enough to enjoy it.                                      ...

read more
Camp Chef Compact Fire Ring

Camp Chef Compact Fire Ring

          I have had this Camp Chef propane fire pit for several years now. I use it when fire season bans prohibit traditional wood campfires.       When I  hooked it up last week the regulator was leaking gas, so I  ordered a...

read more
Good Afternoon

Good Afternoon

6/4/25 2:30 Clear sky, breezy 70f (21c). Some photos from this afternoon.                                                      ...

read more
Making a Camp Bed Big Enough for Two

Making a Camp Bed Big Enough for Two

Planning for an upcoming camping trip Amy and I decided to purchase a sleeping bag and pad wide enough for both of us. We ended up with a Guide Gear self inflating pad and a King Camp Snowflake  300D                  ...

read more
Good Morning

Good Morning

    2/8/26 7:45 40F (4.4C) Overcast and wet. No wind. Mist drifts down the ridge through the the dark silhouettes of tall conifers. The sky is sodden gray and leaking. It rained all day yesterday.  Apparently, it rained all last night. It is raining now....

read more
Good Morning

Good Morning

  2/7/26 7:00 41F (5.0C) Calm, overcast , dry. It continues to be unseasonably warm. Last night Jody, Dave, Amy and I went to Portland where we met Andrea and Josh and enjoyed the Winter Festival of Lights. It was beautiful and surreal.  An all ages rave in...

read more
Good Morning

Good Morning

    2/6/26 6:45 40F (4.4C) Still air, cloudy skies, dry, with no wind. It is quiet so far this morning. A few birds are chattering. Occasionally one will flit by. A pair of ducks flew up the canyon,  chuckling as they passed. Walter Dawg has made his rounds...

read more
Good Morning

Good Morning

      2/5//26 6:15 40F (4.4C) Calm, overcast with a light mist. Another tranquil morning . The moon, waning gibbous behind the clouds, lends the sky a dull gray glow. The cat is eating breakfast on the front porch. The dog is in watchful repose on the...

read more
Good Morning

Good Morning

    2/4/26 6:00 40F (4.4C) No wind, no rain. Somewhere behind the clouds the moon is smiling. Owls call back and forth.  A dog barks up the canyon and Walter  answers. A car hurries by, headlights flashing through the oaks. Overhead,  the distant rumble of a...

read more
Roast Pumpkin and Chanterelle Soup

Roast Pumpkin and Chanterelle Soup

Deborah Moran posted a recipe for roasted pumpkin and chanterelle soup in the Cooking With Wild Mushrooms forum. It sounded so good, I knew I had to try it. I modified the recipe slightly and cooked it last time we went camping. Rich and creamy, with a smokey flavor...

read more
Leucoagaricus rachodes

Leucoagaricus rachodes

  Leucoagaricus rhacodes, sometimes spelled  rachodes (it is also known as Agaricus rhacodes, Lepiota rhacodes, Macrolepiota rhacodes, and Chlorophyllum rhacodes), is a stately and delicious mushroom,  despite its somewhat confusing taxonomy. Brilliant white with a...

read more
Pie Iron Tuna Melt

Pie Iron Tuna Melt

We were going to do tuna melts in the pie irons at Fungal in the Jungle, but Wayne and Peter fed us so well we never got around to cooking for ourselves. I was really looking forward to seeing how potoato bread worked in the pie iron, so a couple of days after we got...

read more
Mulled Wine

Mulled Wine

Hot spiced wine is a perfect way to take the edge off the drizzly season.  We made this in a 2 1/4 gallon cast iron potjie suspended over the fire from a tripod. It would work just as well in a crock pot on low.     Ingredients    2 bottles of red wine...

read more
Carbonara

Carbonara

This is one of my favorite camp meals. It only takes about twenty minutes and it is delicious. Dried lobster mushrooms work best in this dish. They hold up to cooking, add a marvelous flavor, and the water used for reconstituting them dyes the pasta orange and infuses...

read more