Last week, my long-anticipated vacation to Jamaica included a surprising intersection between high and low points. The high point was a tour — arranged by Mike through his travel connections — of Goldeneye, formerly the Jamaican estate of Ian Fleming (where he wrote all his James Bond novels), later developed into a luxurious resort by … Continue reading Aye, Golden: Simply the Best
Author: Camp Host Chad
Save It From a Rainy Day
What with all the recent rain in California, I was reminded of the lower water levels at the Lake Nacimiento reservoir the last time I camped there with friends (and Scooter-Man) in 2015. So, I ask you, what better excuse to go camping than to check the status of the widely reported California drought? The … Continue reading Save It From a Rainy Day
Into Spring
Picking up where last we left off — Winter passing into Spring — here are a few images to celebrate the turning of the season:
Winter Cascades
Living in California with all the recent rain (for which I'm grateful), I've begun anticipating the change of seasons. Looking back at where I was this time last year, on a trip to Vancouver Washington, what strikes me is the difference between the season I expected flying in, and the one I found when I … Continue reading Winter Cascades
Bring on Summer, I’m Ready (At Last)
I subscribe to Bake from Scratch magazine, and last year they featured a recipe for "Atlantic Beach Pie" as their "Pie Recipe of the Year" in their May/June 2022 issue. Basically a key lime pie but with these variations: Regular limes, and more lemon juice and zest than lime. Saltine cracker crust (which tastes like … Continue reading Bring on Summer, I’m Ready (At Last)
Book Review: Wayfinding
The full title — Wayfinding: Poetry celebrating America's parks and public lands — really tells you everything you need to know about this book. Will you like the book? Umm... I started the book two years ago. At the time, it wasn't for me. I put it down. It gathered dust. But then... this … Continue reading Book Review: Wayfinding
Book Review: The Wild Trees
"A long time ago, I set out to do something. Now it looks like I've reached the goal. It's like if I die tomorrow, everything will be alright." He fell silent for a moment. "I think I've found out the secret of making a dream come true." "What's that?" "Just don't stop. Don't stop. Don't … Continue reading Book Review: The Wild Trees
Stack ‘Em Up!
tsundoku noun [C or U]The practice of buying a lot of books and keeping them in a pile because you intend to read them but have not done so yet; also used to refer to the pile itself. ~ Cambridge Dictionary You can also Google, "The art of buying books" and get the answer: Tsundoku. So then, my habit isn't "procrastination," it's ART! That said, here's a fraction of my … Continue reading Stack ‘Em Up!
Release, Embrace, Anticipate
I recently announced that "Release, Embrace, Anticipate" would be the theme for this year (referring to the Past, Present, Future) and then... (crickets) What happened? Did I accidentally release the present, embrace the past, and forgot all about the future? Well... maybe something like that. Sorry. Here's the scoop: Right after my last post, I … Continue reading Release, Embrace, Anticipate
Stop (Watching) the Clock!
A few observations: Every year for the past few years I keep hearing most everyone I know express eagerness for the prior/current year to be over, and the next year to begin. The belief/hope seems to be: New Year = Better Year. Every year for the past few years, the current year is rated worse … Continue reading Stop (Watching) the Clock!
Campfire Tales 