Tag Archives: nature

Tuesday Thoughts: Man’s Heart Away From Nature Becomes Hard

man's heart away from nature becomes hard

“Man’s heart away from nature becomes hard.” -Standing Bear

One of the unexpected benefits of living in our Airstream has been getting closer to nature. I’m so much more aware of the seasons than I was when we lived in an apartment. I can now head into my backyard and see the beans growing or the field barren. I hear the rain on the roof and I  can feel the hot sun through our windows.

I used to think I wasn’t an outside person. There’s bugs and creatures and humidity out there! But there’s also a softness and quietness about living closer to nature. Nature is the ultimate minimalist.

love,
melanie

Tuesday Thoughts: Nature Does Not Hurry

Nature does not hurry

Mother nature doesn’t hurry, but she gets shit done.

Here’s hoping your Tuesday is full of unhurried productiveness!

love,
melanie

Tips and Tricks for Campfire Cooking

Tips for campfire cookingWe’re pretty much cave people now. Livin’ in the woods, not brushing our hair, makin’ jerky. Before we start picking bugs off each other to eat, I thought I’d share tips on my new favorite, cave (wo)man way to cook– AN OPEN FLAME!

The thought of a large open flame near my beautiful home still scares me a bit. I usually make George actually start the fire, but I’m not afraid to saute and grill like I’m Bobby Flay once the flame dies down.

Here’s some of the best tips I’ve learned from our campfire adventures.

1. You don’t have to go camping to cook over a fire. Building a fire in your backyard (if it’s permitted) is even more fun because you don’t have to lug all that stuff around. Plus, if you are cooking something a little stinky, like fish, it doesn’t smell up your house!

2. Build your fire with dry, untreated wood. You’ll never get a fire started with wet wood and you definitely don’t want to build a cooking fire with chemically treated wood. Umm, gross.

3. Learn how to correctly build a fire. We’re partial to the pyramid or tenting method.

4. Don’t limit yourself! Campfire cooking doesn’t have to be all hotdogs and hamburgers. I’m all for a good greasy burger and some Heb Natties, but campfire cooking can also be adventurous! If you have a cast iron skillet, you can cook almost anything on a fire! Which brings me to the next tip…

5. Have the right equipment. You don’t need a lot of stuff to cook on a fire. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Cave men cooked with sticks. A lighter, a cast iron skillet and an old oven or grill grate works great. (Get it?!) It’s what we use! You can make almost anything in a cast iron skillet. I should be their spokesperson, I love ’em so much. I’d also recommend a heat-proof oven mit, like the Ove Glove. I thought that thing was an infomercial joke, but, man it works!

6. Remember the oil and spices! Throw some olive oil, salt, pepper, your favorite spice and a potato or protein into a tin foil envelope. And voila! You’ve got a hobo packet. Really, that’s what they’re called and it’s delicious.

Cooking on Campfire Coals

7. Be patient. Don’t try to cook when the flame is still high. Wait until the flame dies down, or wait until there are only coals or wood chips left. You can even cook directly on the coals or wood chips! (See photo above!)

8. Be safe. If you are ready to go to bed or leave the area, be sure to douse your fire with water. Fires can get out of control real quick and “only you can prevent forest fires.”

9. Keep it fun. Campfire cooking is all about fun. It always requires marshmallows and maybe a few beers.

Have you been campfire cooking? Got any tips? Let me know in the comments.

love,
melanie

 

 

 

Love Adventure

Last weekend, George and I went on a motorcycle ride to the Great Dismal Swamp. Although the swamp isn’t far from our house, it was quite the adventure. Prior to the trip, I had only rode on George’s bike at about 45 mph. I’m not afraid to admit that at 70 mph, I was holding on for dear life. George is terribly ticklish and he said I had to stop holding him in a death grip because he might die from laughter. I managed to get a few snapshots on the bike after I got my courage up.

The swamp has a man-made canal! Next time, I want to take my canoe down the canal.

We had a picnic and watched boats sail down the canal.

We made jokes about this guy’s “dingy” hanging out.

And on the way back home, I got up my nerve enough to take a couple of pictures from the bike.

What kind of adventures do you have planned this weekend?

love,
melanie