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...
Good Afternoon
6/4/25 2:30 Clear sky, breezy 70f (21c). Some photos from this afternoon. ...
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 ...
Pretty Not Bad
Amy and I drove up to Disappearing Lake. The water level is dropping fast; I think it will be a short season. We talked about paddling the beaver pond but the shore was teeming with mosquitos so we went back down to South Prairie and put in. ...
A Day Spent on the Water
My friend, Joe Castaldi, built a beautiful, sixteen foot gaff-rigged Melonseed Skiff from the original plans. He sent word he was planning to launch her for a maiden voyage down at the Hood River Marina, so I showed up yesterday, bright and early to...
Good Morning
3/21/26 5:30 48F (8.8C) Faint breeze with stronger gusts. Clear and starry above, surrounded by a ring of low clouds The nieghbor was walking around his farm with a flashlight, which piqued Walter's interest. He's gone inside and the dog has...
First Day of Spring
3/20/26 7:15 46F (7.7C) White tufts rip free of the cloud bank to the west and sail across the blue expanse above me. Doves compete with the other birds in an impromptu This Morning's Got Talent show while the dogs in the canyon bark loud applause. I...
Good Morning
3/19/26 6:30 44F (6.66C) Calm, mostly clear with a few scattered clouds. The last day of a winter that never came. A duck and a wren were having a round robin this morning. Some sparrows joined in, with occasional commentary from the rooster. Good...
Good Morning
3/18/26 6:00 42F (5.5C) Calm, cool, dark No rain. Birds twitter. A few stars twinkle, fading as the morning glow begins. The neighbor's dog is yapping, setting Walter off. He reluctantly heeds my call and trots sullenly back to the deck, flopping down...
Good Morning
3/17/26 7:00 40F (4.4C) Calm. Mostly clear. A delicate lace of thin white clouds decorates the blue sky overhead. The fragile wisps begin to tinge pink as sunrise approaches. There are orchard fans rumbling somewhere north of me and sprayers are whining...
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...
Lobster Mushroom Hash Browns
The combination of shredded Lobster mushrooms, potato, sunchokes and a little diced red onion, give these hash browns a unique flavor, filled with the umami of Autumn. Ingredients 1-2 potatoes, grated sunchokes, grated, equal to the amount of potatoes used an...
Plaki with Lobster Mushrooms
Plaki with lobster mushrooms over rice pilaf Plaki is a Greek fish casserole. This is another very flexible recipe: essentially any seafood available with whatever vegetables and mushrooms which may be in season, baked in a tomato sauce, and served over rice or bulgur...
Beef Stroganov
What can you do with a bucket of chanterelles? I don’t like them dried and you can only eat so many omelets. You can freeze or can them, but they are never as good as when they are fresh. Ah, Stroganov… Stroganov is tasty, and you can use a ton of mushrooms if you...
Roast Bacon Wrapped Chanterelles
Roast Bacon Wrapped Chanterelles Fall mushroom season is just around the corner. Soon we will be tromping through the woods and, with a little luck, collecting buckets full of chanterelles. There is no better way to conclude a successful foray than to sit around a...
