June 3rd, 2022
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Easter Longhouse.
We had family up for an Easter Bunny BBQ Saturday. It was the first gathering we'd hosted since The Contagion cast its shadow across the land. We had all been vaccinated but it still felt weird, invitng people, even family, into our home after two years of isolation....
Atomic Lighter – Rechargeable Plasma lighter
I bought this for a fly and camp outing last year. I wanted a reliable ignition source which was safe to carry on an airplane. This is also wind proof and really nice for cold weather, when butane lighters become unreliable. It recharges with a USB charger. I wrapped...
Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica)
Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), have serrate leaves resembling mint, arranged opposite on a square stem. Nettles can grow well over 6 feet tall. They are common along streams and rivers and damp, fertile ground throughout the United States. Probably the most...
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...
Good Morning
2/9/26 6:30 36F (2.2C) Cool, clear, and calm. It has stopped raining leaving a sprinkle of mist behind. But for a few clouds low in the southeast, the sky is clear. The moon, just past half and waning into the last quarter, is shining brightly down the...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
