Summer Fun!

[your_comforting_company]

I've been thinking about all the summer fun we're going to have this year when school lets out in a few weeks.

We are planning on doing some exploring of the great outdoors this year as I feel all my kids are old enough now to participate. My youngest son's interest in primitive technology has me really excited to see what he can manufacture in a wilderness setting to make life easier. He's already devised a set of tongs and he is driving me crazy for more ideas of stuff to make (but I'm not giving in!!).

This summer, we are going to go to my great-grampa's old place, which is also some of our hunting land with a campsite, and LOTS of cane growth. One of our projects this summer will be building a camping hut, complete with smoke-hole in the middle, purely from raw materials found around the camp. I have lots of bones saved up and we intend to make several tools and weapons from them, including acorn grinder, atlatl handle and dart, hammer, hoe, saw, .. all kinds of things! This is going to be the best summer ever!

There really isn't anything better than watching your kids grow up keeping ideals close to their heart that are close to the earth.

I thought it might be a fun discussion to talk about some of the things we are planning to do this summer, bounce ideas off each other, and share tips and pointers for keeping it fun, educational, and eco-friendly.
Lets hear those plans and ideas!!

Here's my oldest boy working on his very own bone knife with stone! Gotta love those south Georgia cavemen!!

[crashdive123]

Sounds like it will be a rewarding summer for your kids and you.

[Winnie]

If you're talikng bamboo cane, how about trying a primitive flute/whistle? Also If it is Bamboo and the canes are big enough, they make wicked good starter bows when split and sanded(another use for your sinew store too!)

[your_comforting_company]

Some good ideas there winnie! Thanks!
What have you all got planned for the summer?

[your_comforting_company]

I've been doing a little reading on home made boats. I think it would be a fun project for the summer too.

And of course, fishing with home made cane poles is always good summer fun.. especially in Spring Creek where the water is always 68*

I'd like to see the boys make some bone hooks AND use them, and catching fish with them would be a big bonus.

home made boat, pole, line, and hook. Good times await!

Did I mention I like fishing?

Nobody else has any fun plans for the summer??

[Alaskan Survivalist]

I always take the month of July off and don't plan it at all. I just follow the good weather. Most of the time will be spent on the water but the seas will determine whether it's Seward, Homer, Whitier or Valdez. Did I mention I like to fish? I do like to shoot up to Ester for the 4th of July Parade and have some friends to see up and down the highway. I won't know what I'll do until after I've done it but it will be fun. It is every year.

[BENESSE]

YCC & AS, that all sounds wonderful!
I can't imagine a better way to chillax and get close to earth and heaven.
Lucky kids, YCC! They'll have a blast.

[Swamprat1958]

I am taking the better half and my kids to Yellowstone this summer. We are leaving May 29th and plan to take a motor home from Little Rock west across OK to CO. Then across the Rocky Mtn. National Park to Dinosaur National Monument. Next we will go north through Jackson Hole in to Yellowstone. We have 16 days to see as much as we can see and then get back to Louisiana.

I hope to be in Yellowstone no later than the 5th of June and spend as many days there as possible. But there are too many places see. The main objective is Yellowstone so some of the side trips may have to be cut short to reach Yellowstone with enough time to see everything we can at the park. The last time I was in Yellowstone I had only 2 days to look around, I cold have spent 2 months in the park. It will be a little better this time, but Yellowstone is incredible!

[Winnie]

Pssst Swamprat, it's May 14. Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?

Or did you mean JUNE?

[Swamprat1958]

Pssst Swamprat, it's May 14. Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?

Or did you mean JUNE?

Thank you Winnie, I guess the is a case of early onset "old timers" getting to me. It was supposed to be June.

[Winnie]

I'm glad to hear it Swamprat! I really didn't want you to miss such a wonderful sounding holiday(don't forget pics!)

[justin_baker]

Well, this summer i am going to try the bowdrill for the first time. I will have plenty of time and everything will be dry as a bone.

[crashdive123]

Thank you Winnie, I guess the is a case of early onset "old timers" getting to me. It was supposed to be June.

Or wishful thinking maybe? Enjoy the trip. Sounds like it'll be a great one.

[Swamprat1958]

I'm glad to hear it Swamprat! I really didn't want you to miss such a wonderful sounding holiday(don't forget pics!)

I will have more pics than I know what to do with. My photobucket account is going to be loaded!

[Winnie]

This summer I will be staying home. No holiday this year. But I'm looking forward to some long walks, lots of time in the garden and sharing the odd cup of tea and a scone with the girls.

[Swamprat1958]

This summer I will be staying home. No holiday this year. But I'm looking forward to some long walks, lots of time in the garden and sharing the odd cup of tea and a scone with the girls.

Winnie I have heard of scones all my life, but I really don't know what they are. Would you care to enlighten me?

[your_comforting_company]

I think it's like a biscuit.

[Winnie]

Here's a recipe Swamprat.
I'm not quite ure what an American biscuit is. We call cookies biscuits. All very confusing!

http://britishfood.about.com/od/eore...ruitscones.htm

Lovely with lots of jam and butter, oh and a cup of tea!

[Swamprat1958]

I agree it is confusing, why can't everyone just speak English (Daniel Webster's version)!

Here is what we call a biscuit.
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Here is a recipe for them.

Biscuit Recipe: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use pastry blender, two knives, or fingertips). Add the milk and slightly beaten egg and stir until just combined. (The texture should be sticky, moist and lumpy.)

Place mixture on a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently until it comes together and is a smooth dough.

Roll out dough to 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thickness. Cut out biscuits with a lightly floured round cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg and milk mixture and bake for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the biscuit comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter.

Makes about 12 3-inch (7.5 cm) biscuits.


Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/Biscuits.html#ixzz0oDFgVy9T

Biscuit Recipe:

2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar (optional)

1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup (180 ml) milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Topping:

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/Biscuits.html#ixzz0oDFpR7UK

[Winnie]

Ah it would seem the only difference between a Scone and a Biscuit is an egg! Or in the case of Fruit Scones an egg and some dried fruit.