The Nettles Are Pushing Up.

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...

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Throwback Thursday -Tipi Fiji Java

Throwback Thursday -Tipi Fiji Java

Thad and I decided to roll and smoke one last joint on the library lawn before going in. I don’t know why we thought that was a good idea; probably because we were stoned. We hadn’t  quite  finished  smoking the doobie when we found ourselves surrounded by Hood...

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Freight Sleds

Freight Sleds

Winter camping can mean carrying heavy backpacks in deep, slippery snow. Awkward at best. But if you can slide your loads across the snow what was a hindrance can become a help. Something as simple as a cheap, child's sled can make all the difference in the world....

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Good Morning

Good Morning

12/27/25 9:00 50F (10.0C) Sunshine, blue sky mixed with clouds and no wind. Another late night, up past midnight, slept in, dark dreams of the resistance forming, troop carriers rolling through the streets. We returned the rental car this morning, and rode the train...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

12/26/25 6:30 52F (11.11C) Cool and calm.     Broken clouds are patchworked across the blue sky in the subdued light of a quiet dawn. The wind and rain are taking a break. Perhaps like myself, they are enjoying a brief respite from the holiday frenzy. I had...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

      12/25/25 8:00 56F (13.3C) Broken  clouds, light wind out of the south; the rain has paused for the moment.  We were trapped in a stairwell but escaped to the condo lobby. There was a power outage; it closed the fire doors and shut down the...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

  12/24/25 5:30 57F (13.8C) Overcast, warm and dark, with a moderate breeze blowing from the south. I woke up early and  managed to blast Amy with light several times fumbling with unfamiliar switches.   12/24/25 11:30 Christmas Eve. 59F (15C) Raining and...

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Good Morning

Good Morning

12/23/25 5:30 38F (3.3C) Foggy,  still, dark. Amy and I are spending  Christmas in California. We drove to Portland and caught a plane to San Jose, where we got a rental car and drove over to San Carlos/Redwood City. Lynne, Camille and Allie were minding the store at...

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The Bombardier

The Bombardier

The Bombardier is a drink inspired by the early days of military aviation, when the British airforce was still part of the Royal Navy. Pilots and their crew were issued a daily tot of rum, just like the sailors were. To stave off the cold on long sorties over No Man’s...

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Pie Day: Mom’s Pies

Pie Day: Mom’s Pies

  Mom bakes all sorts of pies. Two of my favorites are her apple pie and her rhubarb pie. These are pretty straight forward fruit pie recipes, but they are consistently the best pies to be had. Tarting them up would only detract from their wholesome...

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Hot Toddy

Hot Toddy

The hot toddy has long been a favorite cold weather libation around my house.  Easy, steaming hot, packed with vitamin C, sweet, sour, and alcoholic, its just gotta be good for you! Substitute liquors, try different sweeteners, use any citrus you feel like using; it ...

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Pieday: The Crust

Pieday: The Crust

          With the holidays upon us, my thoughts naturally turn toward pie. That's not really true. I think about pie all the time, but on holidays and special occasions, my mother's pies are a traditional part of the celebration. Her pies are worthy of celebration in...

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Lamb Kabobs

Lamb Kabobs

  Lamb Kabobs This recipe pairs the subtle fruitiness of fresh chanterelles with the sweetness of dried apricots. When you arrange the mushrooms on the skewers, sandwich them between a dried apricot and a chunk of lamb, so the mushroom absorbs the flavor of the...

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