A January Snowshoe Excursion
Preparing for an upcoming snow camp, Andy and I set out today to see how we'd do on snowshoes and check out potential campsites within our walking distance. Andy borrowed snowshoes from our brother, Dave, I had a new roll-up deer drag I had never used. When we...
Firestarter
I experimented with making firestarter today. First, I filled the cups of a cardboard egg carton with dryer lint, scraps of paper, and wood debris from the bottom of my firewood box. Then I...
The Last Pole
I peeled the last pole in a set of forty today. I cut them for the longhouse next spring. It should be a party. ...
Winter Picnic
OK, technically December 3rd is still fall, but the day was short and it was cold. ...
Seasonal Features
March 2016 ...
Good Morning
12/22/25 6:45 36F (2.2C) Cloudy and dark with a light breeze blowing. It wasn't raining when I took the garbage to the curb, but it is working up to it. First, the rare, then occasional drop of cold wet on my face. Then widely scattered droplets, more...
Good Morning
12/21/25 6:30 32F (0C) Winter Solstice. Cloudy, frozen and dark. Cold, moonless, and without stars. There is nary a breath of wind. The leaves have been brushed with frost, the deck is slick with ice. Winter has arrived. ...
Good Morning
12/20/25 6:45 34F (1.1C) Cold, clear, calm. Ducks rise from the pond beyond the fence. I hear their wings beat the still air; their quacking fades as they circle east and disappear. I had expected overcast with light rain, perhaps snow. It is cold but...
Good Morning
12/19/25 7:00 35F (1.6C) Overcast. Cold with a slight breeze. Damp and gloomy. Scattered drifts of slushy snow melt into the muddy grass. The rooster crows, forlorn and still locked in the coop. A bird squawks, a dog barks. A disgruntled crow croaks from...
Good Morning
12/18/25 6:45 38F (3.3C) Dark, raining. There is no wind. The sky is a uniform , dull gray. It is raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock. By 7:30 I begin to see snow mixed with the rain. Very wet, more like raindrops with texture, a portent of...
Flip
Originally common in Colonial taverns and waterfront dives, flip is basically a beer hot toddy. Andy tells me it does nothing to improve the flavor of beer and I haven’t found anyone who actually likes it, but the drink is steeped in history and it is fun to...
Simple Chanterelles with Shallots and Spices
I wrapped the cooked chanterelles in foil and placed them behind the cylinders of my Triumph to keep them warm on my ride to town. When I got to work, I topped a plate of biscuits and gravy from the cafeteria with wild...
Bannock – a traditional camp bread
I seldom measure. Sometimes that works out well for me; other times it works out better for my dogs. Be that as it may, in the spirit of dashes, dollops and three-fingered pinches, I offer you this recipe for bannock, a traditional camp bread made in a skillet....
