the force is strong with this one
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
August 20, 2022
June 23, 2018
up at the river with cú, mmxviii-vi-xxiii
Four miles before 8:30.
Painted bunting!
I think the snake is a bull snake, maybe a corn snake? Super mellow. (Update: blotched water snake.)
August 27, 2017
March 21, 2017
February 25, 2012
some days you know you'll remember forever...
...like the day my son invited me to an overnight backpacking trip at Enchanted Rock.
January 14, 2012
garden camping, mmxii-i
I awoke to moonglow on the tent walls, the chilly air redolent of woodsmoke. The smell took me to a lot of places in that pre-dawn space, but as I shivered awake it struck me that the backyard wasn't one of them. I got up and went in the house. Bren was sitting at the kitchen table working on a puzzle. She hadn't been able to sleep, and had gotten up and built a fire in the hearth. And now this too will be one of the pre-dawn places to which the smell of woodsmoke takes me.
January 7, 2012
December 23, 2011
December 17, 2011
garden camping xviii continued, still
I've yet to take the tent down this month. I've also lost track of how many nights I've spent in it - I've been sneaking in a few work nights here and there, as well as weekends. It's been cool and damp most of this month. Nice change.
December 7, 2011
garden camping xviii continued
The tent was still all wet through Monday so I left it up. Since on Tuesday I had a conference close to home and didn't have to get up early, I camped out on Monday (night 30). It was 32 degrees when I got up. Skipped last night - the forecast was 23-27, and I had to get up early anyway. (Frost on the windshield this morning - our first.) At this point I figure I'll just leave it up and get out there when I can. The cold isn't a problem - my 55-degree travel sack works as a liner inside a heavy old Walmart bag. The limiting factor is having to get up at 4:00 a.m. and go to work. (As I'm sitting here typing this I wonder why that makes a difference. Mountaineers always get up early. Hmmm.)
December 4, 2011
November 25, 2011
garden camping xvii
Nights 23-27. (Several hours of rain overnight Friday into Saturday morning, with only one small leak where I left a vent in the fly open.)
November 20, 2011
garden camping xvi
Nights 21 and 22.
We got an unexpected refund from our insurance company, and REI had the Kelty Coyote 80 on sale. Woot! My "get out of Dodge" plan is taking shape. Bren and I spent all day yesterday working on our 72-hour kits (items in red are not in the pack yet). This is not an ultralight set-up: it weighs in at 42 pounds, and it's packed pretty tight. I need to shed six pounds of equipment to keep it at 20 percent of my weight. The backpack is nice...I was intimidated by all the straps and zippers at first but after loading everything in it, it all seems well thought out.
We got an unexpected refund from our insurance company, and REI had the Kelty Coyote 80 on sale. Woot! My "get out of Dodge" plan is taking shape. Bren and I spent all day yesterday working on our 72-hour kits (items in red are not in the pack yet). This is not an ultralight set-up: it weighs in at 42 pounds, and it's packed pretty tight. I need to shed six pounds of equipment to keep it at 20 percent of my weight. The backpack is nice...I was intimidated by all the straps and zippers at first but after loading everything in it, it all seems well thought out.
November 10, 2011
November 6, 2011
garden camping xiv
Adventure no. 14, nights 16 and 17 this year. Cold yesterday morning - mid-40s, but it stays pretty warm in the tent with the rainfly zipped up. This morning was much warmer - mid-60s, with light sprinkles. (Woke to fighting cats, the barking of the neighbors' dogs, and the early morning hollerings of grackles and bluejays.) A cardinal and a wren came foraging to within a foot of the tent door this morning - nice.
I ought to just move into the garden permanently, but then again I haven't had to deal with a rainy or snowy night yet, and the summer nights, with lows in 80s and 100 percent humidity, are kind of miserable. This time of year, though, is fantastic.
October 29, 2011
garden camping xiii
I had a couple extra days off this weekend so I turned this week's excursion into a multi-night adventure. Nice temperatures: low- to mid-50s at night, high 40s in the mornings.
(I think I need to round out my equipment with a more compressible sleeping bag and a backpack...my current set-up is great for backyard or car camping but not for getting out into the backcountry.)
October 22, 2011
garden camping xii
72 degrees in the evening, 62 upon awaking. Now THAT's camping weather!
Much as I've been enjoying the garden, I have three must-visit sites on my Texas bucket list: Big Bend Nat'l Park, Palo Duro Canyon and McKittrick Canyon. Each is an 8-10 hour drive from here...must make plans...
Much as I've been enjoying the garden, I have three must-visit sites on my Texas bucket list: Big Bend Nat'l Park, Palo Duro Canyon and McKittrick Canyon. Each is an 8-10 hour drive from here...must make plans...
October 14, 2011
garden camping xi
On our walk this evening at dusk Ondine and I saw a pretty screech owl on a branch above our trail with the sky all pink and orange behind it.
October 7, 2011
garden camping x!
My tenth backyard adventure this year.
The utility district abutting ours has put out signs declaring, "Stage 3 emergency watering restrictions - absolutely no outdoor watering of any kind." Our district hasn't gone that far yet (we can still hand-water) but probably will soon. Crazy dire. We need days and days of ar-eh-eye-en (we dare not speak its name lest we jinx it). It's been close a few times lately, but keeps missing us. We had a nice breeze last evening - nothing better than falling asleep to wind in the leaves - and a 40 percent chance of something something over the weekend. Cross your hope springs.
A handheld 10-second exposure (+5 EV).
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