Christmas Firetruck Parade 2025
https://youtu.be/tQEbCDfb41s A small town tradition, the annual Christmas Firetruck Parade rolled through our neighborhood this evening. In years past the neighbors have gotten together around a bonfire out by the street to watch them go by, but that...
Good Evening
11/18/25 6:00 42F Just got back from a mushroom foray with Walter and Mike. We went out around 1:00. It was an overcast day with enough breaks to provide adequate sun to navigate through the trees. Immediately we spotted Amanita, Lepiota, Russula and Stropharia. Our...
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
1/16/26 6:30 34F (1.1C) It is quiet, calm, and cloudy this morning. Dry, with very little dew. A tiny sliver of moon glows wanly through the clouds beyond the maple. Tomorrow morning it will be absent altogether. Walter Dawg is nearby, ever vigilant, ...
Good Morning
1/15/26 6:30 35F (1.6C) Overcast and still. The rooster is complaining. Ducks chuckle down by the creek. A dog barks in the distance, far up the canyon. Walter is laying by the back door, staring this direction. The general tenor of this morning is muted and...
Good Morning
1/14/26 6:30 28F (-2.2C) Calm, cold, clear and frosty. The moon is just a fingernail low in the southeast. I didn't hear coyotes but Walter did. He was barking earlier, but has settled down for now. Ducks rise from the pond, muttering "good morning." They...
Good Morning
1/13/26 6:30 32F (0.0C) A frosty morning, filled with stars. The crescent moon is low in the southeast, just beginning its transit. The coyotes set the dog off this morning. They sounded pretty close. They've settled down and Walter is in the house, so it...
Good Morning
1/12/26 6:30 31F (0.5C) Dark and icy calm. The moon, waning last quarter, hangs S SE, in a strand of clouds. A light east wind blows tufts and streamers across the stars. Walter Dawg has toured the perimeter. Finding everything in order, he is resting...
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...
