Week 4: In Pictures (mostly)

I am tempted to not write anything at all. Not because week four was less busy/crazy, but because I finally received my new (awesomatic) camera and took over 500 pictures, and also because it's Saturday night, which means I'm tired and due to return for week five tomorrow morning (a.k.a. laziness). Here are some pretty things:

Okay. Here I go... Monday. Cadie and I went into Palm Desert to do our "big shop." Costco, Vons, Trader Joe's, and Best Buy. Some Mondays we have 15 stops- places like Target for tablecloths, Sport's Chalet for lanterns, Clark's for teas, Verizon, Stater Bros, farmer's markets, gas stations, it goes on and on. But Monday we worked quickly because it was over 100 degrees. Crazy hot. I like hot, but about ten minutes into schlepping/packing away our two carts of Costco goods into the car, I was toast. Toasted. Burned. We were back up the hill by noon. Good job.

On Wednesday, Cadie, E.J., and I went into Anza to fill our propane tanks (we cook on propane stovetops and in BBQs), get some more fruit from the Produce Guy, and a few things at True Value. After all that fun (woohoo), we made a stop at the Hamilton Museum. It was THE BEST. Margaret Wellman Jaenke showed us around the local museum, which is located in the historical Contreras House. Pictures speak louder than words (that's the expression, right?):

I really recommend learning more about the early Anza homesteaders and Cauhuilla people who ran (and) run cattle all through the valley. Here's a link to a great book written by Margaret: http://tinyurl.com/3ke8ftx

On Friday we had guests from San Manuel come with some young students to sing bird songs and check out the area our students are surveying/excavating:

The kids are great and camp is exciting. Here are a few randoms:

Those crazy kids from top (and left to right) are Kevin, Liz and Elia, and Erin, John, Christine, Danny, Kevin (again) and Ashley

Also this happened:

Aaaand lastly, here are a few excavators. Dirty, exhausted, happy:

(top to bottom, left to right: Christine's excavator's tan, Elia, Chirstine, Anne, Ashley, Barbara, Dan, Bill, and Ryan, and Ashley with ventilation)

Week 2: What I can remember...

Here's another picture stolen from my friend Mark Woodson... He spent this last week (week 3) with Cadie while I was sleeping in and eating food cooked by other people in San Diego (more on that later)... I leave tomorrow morning for week four, and I promise to take some notes because after a week of sun, swimming, fish tacos, and a few drinks- I have forgotten 97.4% of the goings-on of week 2. But, I will try to piece it all back together...

Week 2: Storms and Sister. Our week starts on Sunday. And because Independence Day fell on a Monday, Cadie and I decided to cook up a big BBQ Sunday to give us plenty of prep time, and to allow visitors/friends/family to join us. Burgers, hot dogs, cole slaw, potato salad, deviled eggs, and pineapple upside down cake (and probably more, but no camera/bad memory). It was all really good. I think that in the field- the classics taste so good!
Monday was interesting. Usually Cadie and I do all of our major shopping, but because of the holiday, many of our store were closed, so we somehow put together another dinner of shrimp curry, basmati rice, green beans, and naan. And later that evening, a little after 10 p.m., my SISTER and her friend, the magnificent Molly, arrived!!! The girls had come all the way from Charlotte, North Carolina, and I was ecstatic that they made our camp one of their stops (for more on their roadtrip, you can visit Molly's blog here: http://thesouthredux.blogspot.com/2011/07/3000-miles-in-12-observations.html
It was Sarah's first time camping, and she did great. After a couple glasses of wine, she slept in a tent! It reminded me of my first times camping. Our family aren't exactly "outdoors" types. Not at all, actually.
Tuesday was great too. Cadie gave me the morning and afternoon off to spend time with my sis, and Mike was still in camp too (he took an extra day off!). Mike took the girls to the excavation site and a rock art site while Cadie and I planned our weekly menu and shopping trip. When they got back, we drove into Idyllwild for lunch at my hippie place. The girls left from there, which was totally sad, but I've never ever seen Sarah look so tired, and I really understood her need for civilization. Mike and I returned to camp and the second rainstorm to help prepare pesto pasta with grilled chicken, steamed artichokes, and ratatouille. Mike grilled the chicken in the pouring rain, and it was the bomb.
I can hardly remember what happened on Wednesday other than I had a nap after lunch (a rarity), but was rudely awoken by the LOUDEST thunder I've ever heard. I mean LOUD. It made me sit straight up in bed, like in the dang movies! Dinner? No idea.
Thursday? Oh! Yes, I remember we made a trip out to Anza (only about 15 miles away) to make a trip to our farmer's market, hardware store (to replace some broken screens), and to refill 5 propane tanks... And I got a burrito ;) Dinner? No idea.
Friday was a blur of cornmeal pancakes, bacon, leftovers for lunch, and a happy ride down the hill thanks to Dr. Sapp. Very happy because I was only a couple days away from San Diego (and moments away from a hot bath!)...

Week 2: Rain and Sistah Sarah

I promise to be good and write a proper post tomorrow, but for now, I'm in a San Diego hotel room (in my pajamas) cruising the interwebs to catch up on all the good gossip, jokes, my Facebook, and other really important things...

I'll remember week 2 for the outrageous rain/thunder storms and my sister (!) coming to visit with her energetic/excellent friend Molly for a day (too short!). Here's a pic (the only pic of the week, I'm afraid) of us having lunch at my favorite hippy cafe, Nature's Wisdom (I know, right?) in Idyllwild:

Another field season is here...

Which means another five weeks of cooking and camping! There are a few changes this year, all good. First, we're not in Big Bear anymore... We're in Garner Valley somewhere between Idyllwild and Pinyon in the mountains above Palm Desert, camping on private land surrounded by pine, oak, sage, and Wellman cattle. This location is very special because there are a few buildings on the property, like a guest house we call the "cook shack" and a large garage we use as a pantry and school house. This is the first year we have a BED and... Wait for it... Electricity! We have refrigerators and a freezer. We cook with the help of electric juicers, food processors, and stand mixers. Technology is good. Here's a picture of our outdoor kitchen and garage called "Purgatorie Hill." Interesting.

The things that remain the same are good too, though. The staff remains nearly the same with the addition of Thalia, former student and amiga, and E.J., Cadie's son. And Mike came up to set up and help bbq the first weekend. Here's E.J. and Mike showing his more serious side:

The reason I come back every summer, Cadie with Daniel

And return students Tim Murphy and Mat Lowe, I don't even remember this/have any idea what's up with the knives ;/

We have cool camp dogs, Roxy, Tiger, and here's Nilla:

And the food is still really good. In a week, we served 280 breakfasts (like blueberry lemon pancakes with bacon), 280 lunches (I can't tell you how much lunch meat we've burned through), 280 dinners, cakes, cookies, muffins, and snacks (innumerable). Here's a picture of bbq pork and asada tacos with kimchi made lovingly by Mark Woodson. Woodson also took all of these pictures (Mike and I are waiting for our new camera to arrive). Thanks Mark!

Everything is going great. Week one is over, the menus for the next four weeks have already been planned, and I look forward to getting to know the students better this week. So far, they are hard working, nice, and like the food. That is great. Now, it's nap time... See you next week!