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...

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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.                                      ...

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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...

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Good Afternoon

Good Afternoon

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

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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                  ...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

  9/3/26 6:00 49F (9.4C) AQI 23 Cloudy, damp. The waning half moon glows behind a thin veil of clouds. The dark is slow to leave this morning. It rained all yesterday and most of last night. I expect it will rain more today. Good.  We were overdue.    ...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

  9/2/26 7:30 55F (12.7C) AQI 15 We were promised rain but it has not yet materialized. The sun is above the ridge and shining through broken cloud cover. Southwest winds aloft,  no breeze on the ground. My pumpkins are still setting fruit. A vine has climbed the...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

  9/1/26 5:30 55F (12.7C) AQI 79 Under the waning moon, a bat flickers through the trees, a startling motion passing in front of patches of pale light. A little later, the school bus rumbles by. Birds chirp and begin to chatter. A duck grumbles in the shadows....

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Good Morning

Good Morning

  8/31/26 4:30 48F (8.8C) AQI 24 The air is still and dark,  the night sky stippled with stars. Overhead,  the waning moon, still plump, is shining brightly. I am up early,  foregoing my habitual soak, because Bill invited me fishing. Good morning.    ...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

  8/30/26 5:30 45F (7.2C) AQI 20 Dark and clear. A faint breeze sways the top of a birch as the moon, just past full,  settles in the west. The sun, still only a rumor, accepts the morning hand off. The dim early light shifts from west to east. Good morning....

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Broth

Broth

  Waste not, want not. Take every opportunity to turn left overs and the scraps from carving meat into broth and stock. The turkey carcass after Thanksgiving, the bone from a roast or that steak, wings, scraps, what’s left over from that deli rotisserie chicken...

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Rueben Handpie

Rueben Handpie

  Last camping trip, we made reubens in the pie irons. They were fabulous! Ingredients rye bread oil, butter, or lard thin sliced corned beef 1 small can sauerkraut horseradish sauce Swiss cheese   We preheated the pie irons over hot coals while assembling...

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Roasted Pepper and Eggs

Roasted Pepper and Eggs

Amy found a recipe for roast pepper and eggs in Backpacker Magazine. I think the original recipe called for doing all the prep at home, but since we were car camping, Amy did it in camp. It was simple and made a wonderful breakfast. Ingredients: Yellow or Red Bell...

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Spam Pudgies

Spam Pudgies

Dave was a little skeptical of the lunch menu- Spam pudgie sandwiches cooked in the pie irons. Straight from the can, Spam is unappealing, pallid, pink and soft. The prevailing flavor is salt. Heated, it darkens, becoming almost brown. The texture gets firmer, even...

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Kentucky Mule

Kentucky Mule

  I don't care for vodka, so never acquired a taste for Moscow Mules. Bourbon, however, is an entirely different story. In camp or on the back porch, the Kentucky Mule is sure to refresh. Go ahead, have another. You deserve it. Ingredients   1 oz bourbon-I...

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