Sometimes, Simple is Best

By Keith Fisher

I went camping last weekend. I had planned to leave the house by ten, noon at the latest. I could’ve been writing or doing other work but I ended up doing busy work while I waited for my brother.

When we arrived, I barely had enough time to level the trailer and light a fire in my portable fireplace before darkness fell. (Not enough time to cook a Dutch oven meal.)

So there I sat, enjoying the comforting glow of a great campfire, when my hunger made my mind stray to thoughts of what I could make for supper. I asked Dad, and he didn’t want anything. My daughter had eaten chow mein before we left, so I was left with my hunger and thoughts of a solitary meal.

I grabbed the bratwurst and hotdogs. The marshmallow roasters, condiments, buns and a soda. I staggered back to my chair and proceeded to roast a brat.

After watching awhile, Dad caved in. He asked for one. I gave him a roaster. My Daughter came out of the trailer, sniffed the air and asked for a hot dog.

Ahh . . . life’s simple pleasures. It wasn’t Dutch oven cooking but it was just as good that evening. The icing on the cake came when the setting sun cast beams of light around the backside of Mount Timpanogos.

There was a full moon all night and the fish were able to eat at night, so fishing the next day, left a lot to be desired. I got some work done on my novel, and I made banana pancakes for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch.

My purpose in going on this trip was to let my daughter get some fishing in and to be with my family. I also hoped to get some writing done. My Dutch ovens didn’t get used, but I got some editing done. We had simple meals but they were good. My Dutch ovens will be ready for next time, and hopefully, my editing will be done.

One word of advice: If you have a camp trailer, turn off your propane between camping trips. I got up to reset the warning light on the fridge about thirty times before my brain figured out that maybe there was a connection to the fact the furnace wasn't working. 1:30 a.m. is not a good time to find out that both Propane tanks are empty. I had to use my shorter, cooking bottle, and I had to rig it so it would fit.

Here's my recipe for banana pancakes. Enjoy.

Banana Pancakes

Mix up your favorite pancake batter, cut up a banana into half-inch chunks. Sprinkle them on the pancake before turning pancake over. Cook other side, and you have Banana pancakes. This also works for other kinds of fruits and raisins. Let me know if you find a good combination.

Return to the Neighborhood.

Shake or Bake

By Keith Fisher

It started out as a great family, fishing trip. The full moon prevented us from catching any fish but we had fun playing with crawdads and chatting. I made waffles and eggs with real maple syrup a friend brought to us from Alberta. This syrup isn’t the thin, runny stuff we get in the supermarket, It's so thick you have to wait for it to ease out of the bottle. I discovered if you leave it in the sun for awhile, it will pour easier.

Now, as I was saying, the trip started out great, but like all good things, there was a lesson in it for me, maybe two or three.

Back in 2003, after a frustrating experience with my camp trailer, I came home and bought a new camp trailer. It was more out of pride and anger than deliberation. I had a better job then—I figured we had the money. Don’t get me wrong, however, I’ve never regretted buying the new trailer. It has brought us much joy and family togetherness.

Our trailer has a retractable awning attached. It's nothing special, not like the motor home parked next to us. I watched that camper step out in the morning, push a button and the awning unrolled on its own, but I digress. My awning came with specific instructions that if not obeyed, would void the warranty.

Last weekend, we were camped in the middle of the campground, on a very hot sunny day—RV’s were all around us. A microburst wind came out of nowhere. It blew my awning up, and over the trailer, tossing camping gear, and awning parts, everywhere.

This devastating event would’ve been easier to swallow, but mine was the only camp in the whole campground affected by the wind. After the event, I looked around with a vengeful eye, hoping at least one other awning would have been taken.

I promise, I’ll repent of my vindictive attitude, but why me? Okay, I’ve got it under control. Would you like to know what I recommend?

First, leaving the awning up was not an option. We were in Renegade Campground at Strawberry Reservoir in Utah (no trees). At 6000 feet the sun will rip your hide off. So it was either risk the shake of the wind or bake in the sun.

Second, forget the instructions, detach the vertical legs from the trailer, and anchor them to the ground. Not with tent pegs either. Have you ever seen the size of stakes they use in the circus to anchor a tent? You get the idea.

A 20-pound double jack has become part of my camping gear. Along with some thick rope and 2-foot long, 1-inch thick stakes. As for my awning, I’m still in shock. I’ll let you know how it turns out. In the meantime, I have two easy-up canopies I can anchor down.

As for microburst winds, I was scheduled to give the lesson in Priesthood meeting on Sunday. I considered getting out of it and staying over Saturday night, but the wind convinced me I’d better go home and do my duty.

Here’s a cooking tip for you. If you cook on a free standing propane stove, consider getting a shorter set of legs for it. You can sit in your lawn chair. And relax while you flip pancakes. It also makes watching a waffle iron much easier.

Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood.com newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more. Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.

Return to the Neighborhood.