We are on our regular camping trip. This is our home away from home. It was grey with periodic heavy showers. Here's your first peek at the bamboo handled machete by Bear. Thanks buddy. Took some time to wax the sheathe. The best color was wear I heated the sheathe first with the metal hot chocolate cup. Other activities. Our friends celebrated another anniversary at camp. This is their eighteenth. About 8-9 years ago, we formed our 4H chapter. At that time, I gave the kids backpacks and a full kit. I am so happy to see them still being used. And impressed they have lasted this long. We played with food and used it as a science lesson. Thank you to Bear and Bear's uncle for the tako (octopus). Just know that I am not flashing you a dark hole. That is the mouth with the beak inside. Clowning and hamming with a full frontal tako facial. The kids examine the beak. They liked that and the eyes, but were less enthused with the innards. Prepared the tako several ways including poke (marinated and raw). Also did pulehu (grilled/blackened). That was a big hit and it disappeared fast. I didn't get pictures. But I did use the bamboo machete for fire prep. It split very hard seasoned oak. The oak was really hard and knotty. At one point when I was batoning through a knot, the machete bent around the knot. But when the wood was split, the machete true and straight. It also carved curls, but I prefer scandi to convex for that. When I was pulehuing the tako, a herd of cats appeared when I turned around. As the sun sets on the mountains. Some camp fire pics. The hot dog grilling fire. The Lord of the Flies section of camp. The kids made and tended the fire. Sometimes they go nuts and build a giant bob fire. I complimented them on the reasonable fire tonight. The cloudy skies opened clear patches so we could glimpse stars and constellations. And someone not on camera (not me either) blew a loud one prompting philosophical discussions.
I see I need to work in another trip to HI and get out of Honolulu when I do. Nice countryside as long as eating octopus and uncooked fish is optional.
My wife bundled up like an Eskimo. You might not see the double hats and the mittens. It got down into the frigid 60's. My little monkey (total daddy's girl) and i scoffed as we went to bed in our skivvies.
While we were having breakfast MRE's, the heavens opened up on us. So much for my plan of packing up dry. It came hard and the clouds were practically on us.
Was surprised looking over what I posted now that I am home. The night time in the tent shot was pretty sharp consider it was dark, I used a camera phone, I didn't use a flash only the light from my headlamp.
