Good Afternoon
11/9/25 Clear, sunny, and warm. We decided to forage for cranberries and mushrooms instead of doing yard work, so Amy, Walter, and I piled into the car and headed north. We picked up Mike on the way and by noon, we were on the road to Trout Lake....
Halloween on the Big Lava Bed
It was a beautiful, crisp autumn day when Kent and I drove north into the Big Lava Bed. The road was rugged, just ruts worn into jagged rock, winding between collapsed lava tubes and stunted trees finally arriving at a flat...
Good Morning
11/2/25 6:00 40f Overcast and calm out on the lava bed. The weather has moderated. It was still dark when I made the treacherous trek to the latrine. I was relieved when it hove into view. Andy and Kent put some much appreciated effort into its...
Good Morning
11/1/25 8:00 Temperate but raining hard. We had a puddle form by the door last night. It has grown to a lake with a river running into it. Constant rain all night with no hope for it letting up today. The tipi won't draft and is filled with smoke. We had...
Good Morning
10/31/25 8:00 cool calm and beautiful . A lovely sunrise Halloween morning out on The Big Lava Bed after a beautiful moonlit night. Got a slow start this morning and had breakfast for lunch. ...
Good Morning
12/29/25 7:00 39F (3.9C) Calm and clear with a faint breeze out of the east. Monday morning in San Carlos. The whine of leaf blowers fills the air. After breakfast we walked from San Carlos to Lynne's house in Redwood City. Christmas decorations were...
Good Morning
12/28/25 6:30 41F (5.0C) Calm and clear, night still lingers dark. The moon, half full and waxing brightly into the wee hours, has set. Amy is asleep. I am enjoying the solitary peace of early 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...
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...
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...
Irish Toddy
My new favorite is an Irish Toddy. Place a slice of lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice in a mug. Cover with scalding water, leaving room for one ounce of Shanky's Whip and one ounce of Irish Whiskey. Give it a stir and enjoy. Repeat as necessary....
Nettle Soup
Stinging Nettles are a nutritious early season foraged food which can be found throughout the United States. Gloves and garden nippers and a little care make it possible to harvest them without getting stung. Drying or boiling the plant neutralizes the stingers,...
Foggy Meadow
Foggy Meadow This layered drink reminds me of dense fog blanketing the field behind our house. The club soda calms the anise flavored Pastis, allowing it to play nicely with the rich caramel and vanilla of the Shanky's Whip. I think you will enjoy this. Ingredients ...
Mushroom Stuffed Burger
I had some fresh chanterelles, a half a pound of ground beef and some grated cheese left over from last night's dinner. It was lunch time, I was hungry. A stuffed burger seemed like the obvious solution. Ingredients ½# ground beef 1-2 medium...
K.P.
Nothing beats a meal cooked over an open fire and eaten outdoors, but how do you deal with clean-up? Dirty dishes and scraps of food are sure to attract pests if not attended to. Rinsing your cook ware in the creek will leave an unsightly mess on the stream bed and...
