As I formulate my thoughts about Earth Day — I’m drawn to memories and the enjoyment of a campfire. Sitting by a campfire you may have experience many of these same sights, sounds and feelings:
Feeling the heat against your legs and face
Watching sparks dance against a night sky
And listening to the fire crackle and hiss with burning embers
Not only is fire essential for the survival of many plants and animals, but for our own life as well. Below is a list of uses fire has given us.
Fire provides:
Warmth
Cooking
Water purification
Cauterizing wounds
Removing Seeds from chaff
Melting hardened substances
Dry our clothes
Communicate at a distance
Food preservation
Repel insects
Seeing in the dark
Keeping animals out of camp
Security
Of course, the list goes on, but I want to bring to attention what truly happens when we experience a campfire.
Centuries ago — Neanderthal’s would huddled around a fire to keep warm and most likely shared stories of that days events. It brought light when it was needed and time for bonding.
Today, families enjoy campfires for many these same reasons. We gather around a campfire, share tales, sing songs and dine on hotdogs and laugh over burnt marshmallows. Many families have made campfires a tradition.
Campfires creates memorable moments everyone will cherish. Once the fire gets roaring and everyone settles in with their favorite beverage — listen to the stories and be sure to include your own. You can spice things up with a few creative ideas such as:
Everyone writes one topic and throws it into a hat; the first person starts off by drawing one slip from the hat and begins a story using their topic. Once you get to a stopping point, pass the hat to the next person — again, draw one subject and continue the story and so on…
I clearly remember camping and sitting by the campfire as a kid and I’ll make sure my daughter has similar memories to share with her family someday.
From Fat Man’s Landing…sitting around a campfire…Celebrating Earth Day.
The word S’more came from the fact that when your mouth is full of marshmallow, melted chocolate and graham cracker and it taste so good you can’t wait to have another, so you say — “Can I have S’more (some more)!”
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, crumbs and malted milk powder. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13×9-inch pan.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over crust.
Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 4 to 5 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars tightly covered.
Super easy my friends and really yummy!
“If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire. For we have some flax golden tales to spin.
Come in! Come in!”
~ Shel Silverstein
Located in the heart of the Twin Cities Metro area, TCOA consists of a growing number of outdoor enthusiasts who thrive on sharing new experiences, while building camaraderie with others who also appreciate the great outdoors.
Get Off the Couch
If it’s exercise you’re after…come breath in the fresh, clean air and feel rejuvenated. Join us in planning fun-filled activities such as hiking, biking, camping and many other exhilarating outdoor pleasures.
Outdoor Learning Activities
If you’re interested in knowing more about the outdoors…growing TCOA connections in the community have led to a plethora of learning opportunities, including how-to camping seminars, wildlife identification field trips, local geocaching events and more.
The Right Gear
Having the proper equipment is essential to every safe, successful outdoor experience. If you’re a little low in the outdoor gear department, don’t worry. TCOA’s 1000-plus membership allows us to pool our efforts, so participants have access to the appropriate equipment for their event. Additionally, local sponsors offer informative seminars highlighting equipment, tips and techniques to further ensure that our outings proceed as planned.
Community-Grown Success Starts with our Members
As the foundation of our growth and success, TCOA members are committed individuals who generously share knowledge, volunteer and help plan outdoor activities while engaging others to do the same.
Join us in pursuing our mutual passion for the outdoors! FREE! Join TODAY!
When the nights are cool and the days start getting warmer you’ll find us out tapping maple trees, collecting sap and making homemade maple syrup — but even more fun is celebrating our harvest with family and friends. Below are some unique Fat Man’s Landing Libations to keep you warm and smiling.
Hot Pants (Hot Drink)
1/2 oz Amaretto
2 oz Dark Rum,
1 oz Maple Syrup,
1 tsp Butter,
1 pinch All Spice
2 oz Hot Milk
Altitude with Attitude (Cocktail)
2 oz Absolute Vodka
1 oz Maple Syrup
1-1/3 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 or 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Lemon zest for garnish
Kiss Me Fat Man (Martini)
3 parts Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch
1/2 parts DeKuyper Barrel Schnapps
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
dash Angostura Bitters
White MountainParfait (Non-Alcoholic)
2 scoops Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
3 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Milk
splash of Club Soda
top with Whipped Cream
True Canadian (Shooter)
2/3 oz Absolute Vodka
1/3 Maple Syrup
All I can say is…“Keep the sap and the beverages flowing!”
An elderly couple emerges from their home after a long winter and are now being pulled by a new presence and their dog.
Another neighbor reaches high from a step-ladder to hang a basketball net. All these messages tell me it’s spring!
Buckets hang on the side of maple trees, my ears drum and my eyes focus on a glistening drip and I feel in sync with nature.
Soon the bounce of a basketball beats in unison with running sap.
The glow of a blue flame and the hiss of gas becomes a burning light as the show begins!
Clouds of steam begin to rise from the pot, swirling like a tornado after a old maple grove.
The smell — like melting cotton candy and the rush of hot steam lifts the winters chill from around my head, as it passes through my nose and into my brain. The transmission my soul receives is that this is one of natures best gifts.
As I stand over the pot, feeling the steam massage my face, I begin to wonder? Would someone ever pay to sit in a bath of maple syrup? I suppose someone already has —
Today, I will simply bathe in the enjoyment of making homemade maple syrup and will savor this experience, while eating Sunday waffles with family and friends.
Nature finds me every year — when the water drips from my roof, the brown breast of a Robin magically appears outside my window and my curiosity turns to homemade Maple Syrup and scouring the WEB for Maple Syrup Tours and where to buy tapping equipment.
March is the time when words like, “sugar bush, spile and sugar maple begin to flow through the minds of experienced and want-to-be tappers. This weekend I visited the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for their Annual Pancake Brunch & Maple Syrup Tour. It was a beautiful day, with many adventurers and families looking to explore and enjoy the taste of real maple syrup — poured over stacks of hot pancakes.
For me — the beginning of each season is like the opening preview to a great movie and waiting is summers performance. Until then, I will smack my lips, and watch, as I savor syrup made from my own maple trees.
A group of Hooded-Megansers beat their wings against the water as they fly away from beneath the undergrowth. Wild Roses, Dog Wood and young saplings dip their branches into my favorite Crappie lake. Walking closer — two Grey Herons fly over the trees.
“That’s odd?” I thought to myself. “That’s kinda early to see Herons.” It’s the middle of March and all the lakes are still frozen – but not this one! Because of the heavy snow and potential of winter kill, the Minnesota DNR has underwater aerators running to keep the water open.
Sadly, looking down into the water lay thousands of pale-motionless dead fish! Only the silhouettes of shadowless bodies identify what kind of fish it was. Sunfish, Crappies and Largemouth Bass completely litter the shoreline.
What is Winter Kill?
Winter kill happens during long-harsh winters like the one we had this year. When deep snow covers shallow lakes, the lake is sealed off from the atmosphere and cannot be recharged with oxygenated air. Ice and snow reduce the amount of sunlight reaching aquatic plants, thereby reducing photosynthesis and oxygen production. Deeper Twin Cities lakes with larger oxygen levels can withstand the stress and will usually survive.
In desperation, I’ve seen shore-owners with plows and snow-throwers trying to remove the dense snow pack to allow more light to penetrate the ice.
February, is generally the most critical month. This is about how long smaller lakes can stand, as the rate of oxygen consumption increases by living aquatic organisms and depletes the supply of oxygen stored in the lake.
As I make a few cast….my memories of a great Crappie lake may be all I take home today.
With the Yukon loaded to-the-gills and the Beasty Boys playing, fish were soon pulling at our lines and New York strip steaks flamed over a hot grill. The air was filled with laughter and the cold night sky danced with green and purple Northern Lights.
This is my kind of night out-on-the town – swilling a few cold beverages and pickin up a few Walleyes to take home!
A blizzard came through Saturday, which really turned fishing around. My buddy Brian and I caught our limit of Walleyes and Saugers by 3:00! The other ice-house came in at a close second.
2010 produced some huge sheds — Found not too far from my house were these pair of 12-point antlers; scoring a record 91 3/8 for the right and 89 5/8 for the left! How I would love to see a deer that massive!
The video below is kinda shaky, but worth a watch…check it out!
A special occasion centered around the enjoyment of the outdoors and to celebrate the fall harvest with friends; once again we gather to tantalize our taste buds with unique dishes — all cooked with wild game. Starting with a variety of appetizers, such as Pickled Dried Venison with Home-made Wine Cheese and Pickled Northern Pike served with Pineapple Infused Vodka. Leaving our guests guessing, we sampled (for some, their first time) Dove Pate and Pheasant White Chili. The main course was Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin served over Garlic Mash Potatoes and my own steak sauce, made from reduced stock and carmelized onions.
It only goes to show that….the Gods must have been hungry when they create wild game, because it sure is good!
Another great fishing event held on Lake Ann in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Families from all over the Twin Cities came out to enjoy a beautiful winter day, while fishing to win prizes and consuming chocolate Smores roasted over a wood fire. Also, for those not working so hard to catch fish — there was ice skating, sledding and a horse-drawn sleigh rides.
To me, the history of the Juicy Lucy hamburger comes from the “Grill” and coffee shop in New Brighton, MN, which has been closed now for well over 35 years! Many local folks passing through town, especially the locals who hung out there for most of their lives, remember the Famous Grill and the most wonderful woman Marge who was famous for her mouth-watering burgers. She was a treasure and permanent fixture in that town. Sadly she’s been gone a long time. I had the pleasure of working with her in the 70’s. Marge kept me on my toes at the New Brighton Municipal! Many try to copy her burger — few succeed! If my memory hasn’t failed me…here is how her recipe goes:
Ingredients:
3 lbs of extra lean burger
American cheese
Swiss cheese
finely chopped onion
salt/pepper to taste
Make a normal sized hamburger patty and place 2 slices of fresh American cheese and 1 slice of Swiss cheese and as much chopped onion as possible on top, then add another hamburger patty and carefully seal the cheeses/onion inside. In a large heavy skillet place each burger and cook. After turning once, poke burger with a toothpick to let out steam, taking care NOT to lose any cheese (this is the tricky part). Cooking a 1/3 pound burger without letting the juice, cheese and onions run out takes talent! Serve on a buttered bun with all the condiments! For me, that is a true Juicy Lucy!
A writer for Matt’s Bar has this on his blog: A recipe from John T. Edge’s book Hamburger & Fries. (The Juicy Loosey)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cheese
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
4 buns
Finally, add your favorite condiments and toppings
Procedure
Place beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix well. Portion into eight even balls of meat. Shape each portion into a thin round patty that’s slightly larger than the cheese slice.
Fold cheese slices in half twice, so you have a little stack of quartered cheese slices. Place a folded cheese stack on four individual patties, covering cheese with remaining four patties.
Tightly crimp the edges of the patties together to form a tight seal.
Did you make a tight seal? I hope so, because it needs to be TIGHT to avoid a blowout as the cheese melts and creates steam. The cheese will try to find its way out of its meaty prison!
Preheat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan to medium heat (or fire up a medium-hot bed of coals on your backyard grill) and cook burgers over heat 3 to 4 minutes on first side. Burger may puff up due to steam from melting cheese. This is normal. Do not be alarmed.
Flip, and using toothpick, prick top of burger to allow steam to escape. Allow burger to cook 3 to 4 minutes on this side.
Remove patties from pan or grill. Bun those suckers, slap some condiments on, and dig in.
Other suggestions I may offer….If you have ground venison, go right ahead and give it a try. But, you better add ground pork, so those edges will pinch together and hold as you flip your burgers.
The basic relationship between predator vs. prey is well-known. There are laws of nature that we not only embrace, but take an active role in. This begs the question of some as to whether our hunting/gathering instincts and behaviors are innate or learned. I whole heartedly believe that it is innate. Now, I won’t argue with someone who testifies that certain behaviors can be learned or introduced and then further explored and fine tuned. There’s no doubt of that, but If you look at every single living organism on the planet, everything from an ant to an elephant, the shortest blade of grass to the tallest tree, and even bacteria, in and around us, along with all microscopic living organisms, our most basic purpose is the same and that is — to survive. I don’t care what living organism we’re talking about, we all inhibit the basic will and termination to exist. Continue Reading »
FML Outdoors.com 