Random Thoughts: Why do that ?

Monday, September 22, 2014

Why do that ?

My friends sometimes ask .. Why would you want to do that?
My answer is usually.. 'Just because'. People who know me know
that I love old fashion things. I also love doing things the old
fashion way. Some of the new 'survivalist' types are now honing
up on the old ways in case of some sort of disaster. Me, I just like
to keep the old ways alive. I had the pleasure last week of showing
a friends kids how to start a fire with a ferrocerium rod and some
cat tail fluff. Truly amazed them. I let them start fires with several
natural tinders such as Birch bark and some fat wood. Next time
they are out at camp we're going to try a bow drill, Something I've
never been real good at but.. It's fun to try.
It's true I sometimes still make my coffee over the fire although I
have been cheating lately and using a percolator on the stove only
because I don't like building a fire at six in the morning. I still
have the Mr. Coffee coffeemaker sitting on the counter but I haven't
gone that far yet. Over the weekend I made a Dutch oven full of
bean soup with smoked ham hocks over the fire, and a really good
corn bread in a cast iron skillet. In fact I was going to heat up some
leftover soup in the microwave this afternoon before I left and instead
I decided to try a new cooking set up I had seen on You Tube. So
off I went to chop up some limbs and stack some rocks and give it
a try. Well it wasn't pretty but it did work very well and was fun to make.
In fact I may improve it and make it a permanent addition. I like the
fact that it only takes a small fire and very little wood. Now I'm sure
the traditionalist would scoff at the altered aluminum grease pot from
Wal Mart but hey I should get extra points for using my hand carved
spoon...