A Good Afternoon on Pistol Creek
The weather forecast was for hotter than blazes. It met or exceeded expectations, touching near 100f (38.7c) according to the thermometer app on Mike's phone. Anticipating the heat, Mike, Walter and I headed up to Pistol Creek to stick our feet in the water. ...
Walter Gets His Sea Legs
The weather forecast this afternoon was for hot to unbearable. Amy and I loaded up the kayaks, Walter jumped in the truck, and we all headed north to Goose Lake in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. ...
Good Afternoon
7/5/2025 4:00 79f (26.1c) Tuckered out after a late night last night. Amy and I ran up to Trout Creek Ridge and bought a stack of books at a garage sale, including Jack London, Earl Stanley Gardner, and Robert Service, for a...
Down the Rabbit Hole
When we camped at Peter’s place up above Lyle, I found some pretty, red rocks that fractured with a sharp edge and threw good sparks when struck against steel. They were granular, not glassy where they were broken, so the edge didn’t stay sharp very...
The Barge
Walter has been out in the canoe with me several times. He does well - doesn't seem to be very enthusiastic about it, but it beats being left home. The canoe isn't as much fun as my kayak but the kayak isn't big enough for the both of us, so I had...
Good Morning
8/10/26 7:00 59F (15C) AQI 32 The sky appears clear and blue, but the air smells burnt and I can see haze in the distant trees. The rooster is crowing and Walter has found something to bark about. Probably the orchard workers picking pears across the road....
Good Morning
8/9/26 5:15 58F (14.4C) AQI 18 No wind. The air is good this morning. Mostly clear, with a few wisps of clouds, very little haze and only a faint whif of wood smoke. The last sliver of the moon is rising in the east. Good morning. ...
Good Morning
8/8/26 5:30 59F (15C) AQI 80 Walter rests on the deck; the fingernail moon reclines on a maple branch overhead. There is a breeze, and the air quality index has improved, but smoke lies in the canyon and it smells worse than yesterday. Like a campfire someone...
Good Morning
8/7/26 5:30 59F (15C) AQI 81 Birch leaves flutter and cottonwood saplings sway in a faint breeze. The sky is hazy; lavender, blue, and pink. Birds are chirping. A quarter moon sits atop the maple. The wind shifted around from the west yesterday afternoon and...
Good Morning
8/6/26 6:00 56F (13.3C) AQI 234 The moon has slipped into its final quarter, suspended in a dirty sky, high above the maple tree. This morning is grey and smells like ashes. There is no wind. It is too smokey to enjoy a soak. Amy and I followed Walter around...
Mashed Potatoes
There’s not much to making mashed potatoes. They are tasty, filling and inexpensive. If you don’t finish them at dinner, you can fry them in butter for breakfast. Ingredients 1/3rd cup of buttermilk, more or less 4-6 baking potatoes, peeled and cut up 2 cloves...
Sparassis Lasagna
Essentially, I just substituted the Sparassis for lasagna noodles. I actually did half cauliflower mushroom and half noodles in the same casserole-my wife doesn't like mushrooms. I had some of each, and the Sparrasis half compared favorably in texture and presentation...
Borscht
When my wife and I were first going out, I had her over for dinner. I made this recipe. Almost everything in it came from my garden. Amy was so impressed. I hardly garden at all anymore, and I haven't made this more than once or twice since. I don't know why. It's...
Lobster Mushroom Tater Tot Tuna Sammy
Pie Iron sammies on a rainy afternoon in the tipi. How delightful! Ingredients tater tots 1 can tuna 1 small lobster mushroom butter or oil tartar sauce Allow Tater Tots to thaw and warm pie irons near the fire. While irons are preheating, saute thinly sliced...
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...
