Happy Anniversary to Us!

Today is my 23rd Anniversary with my incredibly loving, patient, wise, fun, gorgeous and determined wife, Jenna.  We had a truly wonderful day celebrating it with our 6 children... including enjoying a viewing of our crazy wedding video with the kiddos.   What laughs we had!  Then it hit me:

Watching my Dad make a few comments and give us his blessing "on camera", I was compelled to do some quick math, about how old he was in that video...

He was only 3 years older than I am now.

Yes, now I feel old.

😮👴

The Cat Is Out of the Bag

The Hotel on Block 46, in Whitefish, MT
(photo credit:  Flathead Beacon)

Well, a few months ago, I hinted that "Something New" was coming.  Now that my current employer has been notified, and my new venture has an inked contract, I can tell you, too:

I will be leaving my current employer as of January 15th, 2016, in order to pursue a new career in Finish Carpentry with my dear friend and pastor, Charlie Frederico of Berean Bible Church of Kalispell.  Over the last 2½ years, having been in very close contact with Charlie and his lovely family, I have learned that he is truly a man after God's own heart, a skilled "tent-maker" in the ministry, who pours all he has into every relationship, every task that the Lord sets before him.  I look forward to furthering our friendship and brotherhood in Christ as we labor together with our hands.  This will also represent a major shift in another area...

For the last 4+ years, I have been working in vocational fields that are somewhat outside of my personal interest.  In 2016, I will begin to get my hands on WOOD on a regular basis... and get paid to do so!   :-)  (See my portfolio here)

Those of you who know me well can imagine how elated I am at the thought of this.  Charlie and I -- and a few others -- will be installing all the doors, windows, cabinets and trim for the 89-room Hotel, pictured above.  We should be done in the Summer, then moving on to the next project.  My hope is that this line of work will afford me (God willing) the flexibility to begin building our house in the Spring.  I will admit that I am a little nervous about doing carpentry for a living -- I really want to do it well!  But as we are fond of saying: "It ain't rocket surgery!"  :-)

I praise God for every opportunity He brings... and for every trial He allows.

A Decision, part 2

(Image from StoneMill.com -- posted here for inspiration's sake :-)

Well, in my last post, I mentioned that Something New is coming, and it is.

But this is not that.

This is something else.  This post has to do with our home building plans.

In my post back in February ("A Decision"), I wrote about the decision to take out a construction loan to build our home.  Well, it seems that we may have to go a different route, given certain financial obstacles that are proving repeatedly difficult to overcome.  And so, we are grateful to God for this "trial" (James 1:2-4), for it will compel us to build with little-to-no debt, but requiring great resourcefulness.  I am truly thankful for the necessity of having to go this route.  Why?  Because once our house is built, we will own it free and clear.  We will not be beholden to a 30-year mortgage.  And in America's current economic landscape, that may be vital.  (Perhaps I will not be enslaved to the 40+ hour work-week, for the rest of my life, after all?  That'd be good.  :-)

A few things of note:

• Montana's "building code" requirements are extraordinarily minimal; so while we will strive to build everything "to code", we will only be bound by excellence of craftsmanship, within the bounds of frugality.
• We already have water (a well), electricity and phone/DSL going to the property.
• We have always had our sights set on heating the home with wood, since that resource is abundant at the property site.  That decision remains.

In summary, here's how I see things unfolding, Deo Volente:

1. We will install a septic system and a (mostly-finished) basement.
2. We will temporarily roof the basement and live there, while we plan to build our timber framed home above it.  The basement will be 1,280 sq.ft... which is at least 200 sq.ft. larger than the place we have been renting (!) for the past 4 years.
3. All former rent payments (and all other available resource$) will go toward purchasing building materials, prioritized by immediacy of need.  Building materials (both purchased and gathered/salvaged) will be stored in a timber-framed barn, which we will build on the property (near the 40'x80' garden), as a "test build" in preparation for building the home.
4. Once the Timber Frame House Plan is complete, and the timbers designed and fashioned, the frame will be constructed, clad with SIPs and roofed. (Timber material will have been harvested from our property, milled and stacked.)  Basement occupancy will continue, until...
5. When interior walls and flooring have been framed and clad, the family will "move in", and continue with the "finishing touches".
6. Estimated completion time: 5 years from start date.

This is all I have time to write... thanks for reading, and we'll keep you posted.

Little Birthday in the Woods

For her birthday, my Dear Bride wanted us all to do some work on our future home site.  So we all willingly obliged, cutting up some firewood for next Winter, and weeding the garden area.  It was a lot of fun, and the children all did their part.  Thanks, Uncle Dave Graham, for letting us use your tractor & log splitter!

The Firewood Production Line!

Every time we ask Ellie to smile, she also sticks out her tongue...

 

...See?

Wood stackin' & haulin'

A Decision

Years ago, when we began this dream of building our own home in the woods of NW MT, we soon became aware of a decision that would have to be made, which would affect many other facets of our life, for decades:

To mortgage, or not to mortgage?

We could build our house little by little, over the course of several years -- even decades (!) -- only as (or if) the cash became available.  We'd probably be living in an old single-wide trailer on-site as we built the house piece-by-piece.  Perhaps by the time our children had grown and had children of their own, our house would be finished...

-OR-

We could assume a construction loan/mortgage, take on the responsibility of paying it back over the next few decades, and enjoy the privilege of spending those next years in that house with our children, having made not only the house, shoulder-to-shoulder with our dear family and friends -- but also having made many memories, and having given them a crash course (pun not intended) in home construction.

------------------------

Now, perhaps I can hear the cries of "go debt-free!" from all the Ramsey-ites.  I don't disagree that being debt-free is a blessing.  Still, under the circumstances, the mortgage -- and finishing construction in under 1 year -- was the way to go, for us.  It was no small feat to bring our family of seven (now eight) from SoCal to NWMT.  We did it, in part, to pursue all the things we couldn't afford in the uber-inflated economy of California:

• wide-open spaces
• agricultural pursuits like chickens/bees/high-volume gardening
• no HOA telling us how to use our land
• hunting & trapping wild game on our property
• even the simplest thing of owning a dog, with room for it to run around on.

All these things center on having a warm, safe, dry and secure "home on the range."  To be constantly pushing back that dream of a "clean, well-lighted place" would undoubtedly frustrate and exasperate my family (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 13:12).

So wisdom was sought after... and received.  And then we acted.  We secured the most trustworthy General Contractor & Carpenter that the Flathead Valley has to offer, and we are currently pursuing a construction loan.  Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward, by faith.  I will post as much of the process as as I am able, here on this blog.  Thanks for taking the time to read, and may the Lord bless your days, as you trust -- and rest -- in Christ.

The Price Tag

"We get what we want, but there's always a price."

Our move to the wide-open spaces of Montana, from the populous (and expensive) confines of Southern California has been one of the best life-decisions my dear wife and I have made (by God's grace) in our 21 years of marriage.  (I feel fairly confident to speak on her behalf in this matter :-)  Here are some of the other choices that have benefited us greatly, or allowed us to simplify our lifestyle in an effort to pursue contentment with godliness (1 Timothy 6:6-11):

• Owning one car, and using public transportation when necessary.
• Becoming a one-income-earner family, allowing us to consistently supervise our children's growth and development in accordance with our faith, without relying on (i.e. paying) someone else to do so.
• Home-educating our children, using readily available and straightforward materials, drawing out our children's God-given aptitudes and interests, in accordance with the Scriptures.
• Avoiding involvement in "organized team sports", in order to minimize unnecessary drains on our family's time, attention and finances.
• Preparing most of our food at home, in order to facilitate nightly dinners together, be more healthy and save a lot of money.

Like Abraham in the Scriptures, we left all that was familiar to us and, by faith, moved to a land that was "foreign" to us.  Now, we live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and while our means are still humble, God has blessed us with so many incredible relationships and opportunities, including the ongoing effort to purchase and build a house on our own acre-and-a-half of fertile, wooded land.  We are so very grateful to Him for His provision.

Still, this undertaking has come with a price or two.  We are now much further (2-days' drive) from some dear family members, whom we miss very much.  I had to leave the comfortable and familiar venue of "full-time paid church staff work" (notice how I avoided the term "ministry" -- that's a blog post for another day).  Instead, I had to practically change careers, spending at least 2 years before I began to feel confident and adept at this new line of work (2-way radio and internet installation, and radio tower groundwork).  And ultimately, having my earnings reduced by at least 50%.

All that notwithstanding, I wouldn't change a thing.  And now, we have a beautiful new "Made in Montana" addition to our family, firmly "anchoring" us to our residence here, as it were:

Meet "Elliana Mercy Calvi"

So, for those of you contemplating leaving the bustling metropolises of SoCal (or any other densely populated area) for the rural life in wide-open spaces, I would first caution you to be aware that there is a price to pay.  You'll have to trade one lifestyle for another.  It may cost you your "nest egg".  (As the joke goes, "How do you make a million dollars in Montana?  Bring 2 million." :-)  You may have to leave the comfort of your extended family... but who knows?  Some of them may follow you there.  In any case, any major life choice is inevitably followed by a lengthy period of adjustment, as you know.  But for those of us who live by faith in our Creator and Redeemer - King Jesus - our hope and trust in Him is never misplaced.  He provides everything we need!

"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."

1 Timothy 6:17-19

So go ahead and grab hold of the rural dream.  With Christ, all things are possible.  Desire Him above all else, and He will work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28).

As always, I welcome your comments.  Have a fruitful day.

--Ric

"Sweet Dreams are made of this..."

The gear arrives on site, brought by "The Bee Man"

More than three years ago, before we moved to Montana, the dream was planted in our oldest daughter's heart to pursue beekeeping as a hobby.  If I remember correctly, she mentioned it casually in a conversation one day.  That week, I grabbed a book from the library for her — "Beekeeping for Dummies", I think (though she's certainly no dummy).  From that point on, she began a voracious appetite for knowledge about bees... an "independent study program", if you will.  So naturally, upon arriving in these wide open spaces, she wanted to take the plunge and acquire a colony of her own, ASAP.  Being big fans of local honey, the Dear Bride and I agreed we would help her pursue the matter, in God's timing.

As it turned out, we have become acquainted with a wonderful family with much experience in the the Bee-o-sphere (among many other skills like canning/preserving, gardening, etc).  The Dad is someone I also happen to work with at my job with the Martin City Water District, near Glacier National Park.  Anyway, to make a long story short, this "Bee Man" (not his real name, of course :-) has hooked us up with his supplier, and our adventurous daughter now has her own colony!

The two boxes with the removable frames inside, will make up Emily's hives.  The other box — the screened one with the can of sugar syrup in the middle — will be discarded once the colony is transferred to the hives.

The queen was lucky enough to get her own little "travel suite" for the journey, which the workers are quick to cluster around

Look closely... the queen inside the box has a green dot on her back, indicating that she's young, and ready to do her job.

Getting ready to shake them in

The stragglers need a little more persuasion

Mama and the girls look on...

Emily is fearless!  :-O

Looks like the girls want to join F.B.K.A....

"Future Bee Keepers of America"  :-)

"If you build it, they will come."

 The next day, we went to check on "the ladies" to see if their queen had situated herself... She had!  The weather was cold and breezy, which helped calm the hive, it seemed.

Congratulations, dear daughter.

What in the world is a "Frolic"?

 Photo from AmishAmerica.com

I was talking with a couple of my brothers in Christ recently, when the subject turned (OK, I turned it :-) to the building plans for our home in the woods, beginning in the Spring/Summer/Fall of this year.  I told them that it became clear to me LONG ago that there was no way I could accomplish this endeavor with my pea-sized knowledge of construction (or lack thereof).  I then asked them, if I put a date on the calendar (say, over the course of some upcoming three-day weekend), would they come out and help us "raise the roof" and eat a bunch of food?  One of them, who's had extensive interaction with the Amish in both Montana and Maine, said, "Absolutely!  The Amish call it a 'frolic' or a 'work-bee' ".  They were both quite enthusiastic about the possibility of helping building our home, which came as no surprise to me, given the reality of the love and Spirit of Christ operating in their families' lives.  (Not to mention that they both have some serious labor forces in their families!  :-)

Then I got to thinking.

God has blessed me with such dear family-in-Christ in other locales as well, several hours' drive away, but reachable nonetheless.  I suspect there may be many who would like to visit Montana in the Summer (a gorgeous time to visit here; isn't it always?), and perhaps swing a hammer or heft a saw in productive fellowship on the outskirts of beautiful Whitefish, Montana.

So, here it is:

If you're interested in being a part of our family's biggest project to date, a labor of love that will represent the culmination of a lifetime of prayers and dreams, please consider joining our "Frolic" this Summer.  If you are seriously considering making the trip to join the effort and fellowship, please leave a comment on this post, or send me an email, letting me know when you might be available.  If you are unable to attend, please pray for the Lord's protection, provision and wisdom as we build.  This will undoubtedly be a very long project, overall, but we would be honored to enjoy your company for even a small part of it.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

An Open Letter to My Younger Self -- Part 1

A while ago, I heard a song that (barring a few crass references) got me thinking about the last couple decades of my life.  Now, I'm only 44, and that hardly qualifies for large quantities of reminiscence.  Still, since I can't change my past, the best I can do is pass on what little wisdom I may have acquired.

I must first make a few disclaimers:

• I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and I believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.
• I grew up in a broken home.
• I am a veteran of the U.S. Army.
• I have never been financially wealthy.
• I spent the majority of my "career years" as a pastor of worship for modern evangelical churches.
• I have willingly left that line of work, nearly 2 years ago.
• I have never started or maintained my own business.
• I have spent most of my life in Southern California, but am now a grateful "transplant" to Northwestern Montana.

OK, on with the program.  So as to refrain from the appearance of judgmentalism, I will address this letter to my 18-year-old self.  Some of these points, I have done.  Others, I wish I had.  Those of you who know me will know which is which.

Without further adieu...

________________

Don't even think about going into debt for a college education: Unless you're going after becoming a corporate attorney (perish the thought!) or hit the lottery, that monstrous obligation will haunt you for DECADES to come.  (Notice how I didn't say "become a doctor".  I'd sooner go through life with my hands tied behind my back and a leash around my neck.  Same thing.)  No, spend your youth EARNING a living.  Even a modest income, properly stewarded, is better than spending buckets of borrowed capital on a slip of paper (a "degree") which probably won't mean a darn thing in the world you will see unfolding.  Don't pay to learn... GET PAID to learn a business or trade.  Then, become the leader.

Learn to MAKE or BUILD things.  DO something with the energy of your youth.  Pursue a career and life-path that will allow to you to step back from your efforts and say, "Look at THAT.  I made that.  I'm responsible for that coming to be."  There is a world looming in the distance which will not be friendly to those who cannot build a dwelling, cultivate a vegetable garden, hunt and prepare one's own meat and stitch up a wound.  Spend a significant amount of time and energy learning how to survive in the wilderness.  Be willing to do things, to solve problems, which most other people will avoid.  There is tremendous value in that.

Stay in shape.  Don't let yourself become lazy or complacent in the area of physical fitness.  Stay strong.  Create a lifelong habit of physical exertion.  You never know when you're going to have to run harder, swim farther, climb higher, or carry more than you ever thought you could.  Be ready.

Buy fertile, wooded land as soon as you possibly can.  Build a modest, simple, small and smart home on it, BEFORE you marry.  If you can do this, without getting bogged down in debt (preferably debt-free), you will alleviate yourself of the "life of quiet desperation" which Thoreau warned against.

Marry a woman whose Bible is worn out from use, and who is beautifully contented with the simple life God gives her.  A woman who spends very little on the things which mean little, and who is not afraid to pay cash-on-the-barrel for things that will last for decades (Proverbs 31).  Pour all of your manly love and affection into her alone, and don't waste your character on pursuing anyone else -- not even the thought of anyone else (Matthew 5:28).  And marry young.  Start having children (lots of them) as soon as possible.  Do not ever say something diabolically foolish, like "I don't know if we can afford to have any more than 2 children."  Be fruitful.  Multiply.  Trust God that He is better at providing for you and your family's needs than you will ever be.

Don't get comfortable in this life.  This world is not -- I repeat, NOT -- your home, if you have wisely and rightfully put your trust, your very life in the hands of King Jesus.  Be ready to say, "Where He leads me, I will follow.  What He feeds me, I will swallow."

Learn how to get along with all kinds of people.  Make the Golden Rule your life's theme.

_________

Well, it's getting late and I'm getting sleepy.  Perhaps there will be a Part 2 to this post.

What would you say to someone much younger than you?  Leave a comment below.

Local News

Lots of things happening around here... For starters, Here's our girl in her first newspaper photo, which was taken last Saturday, October 13th, right before we started gnoshing on some free burgers at the local hardware store.

Last month, we were dropping my Bride off at the airport to visit her family down south, and Caleb took the opportunity to slip into one of his favorite cars at the rental yard...

 

Shortly after she returned (thank God!), she made our youngest girl a special three-year birthday cake... Not that it took three years to make it, of course:

(It's ineffable how delicious that cake was.  Thanks to "Grammie" for the recipe!)

Hunting season began today, so it makes sense that the safest place for a deer to hang out would be in our front yard, since I can't shoot one against the backdrop of our neighbor's house.  That's generally considered bad sportsmanship.

(Besides, these gals are too small, anyway.)

The children went over to a neighbor's house and picked almost 200 lbs of apples, which we've been juicing, canning and dehydrating for a week straight.  The Dear Bride is rockin' the applesauce:

Montana sunsets in the Fall can't be beat.

...And after the rain, rainbows like these are an almost weekly occurrence:

Blessings to all...

--RC

The Finger of God

Last week, I was able to snap this picture while walking with the family, and the Lord brought a cool "object lesson" to my mind, which I hope to articulate with you.  Here's the picture:

That's my hand, holding my 2-year-old's hand as we walk down the street with the family.  Cassie and I have a particular way we hold hands: She grips my finger (which more than fills her tiny fist) and I wrap my remaining digits around her hand and wrist.  This way, she takes responsibility for following my command to "stay close" and hold on to me, particularly in potentially risky environments.  But far more than her small efforts at clinging to her protective father, it is I, in fact, who is claiming (and walking in) the ultimate responsibility for ensuring her well-being.  I see this as a very reassuring allegory to our walk with our Heavenly Father, as discussed in Philippians 2:12b-13 --

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

We who trust in our Saviour are simply and feebly gripping His finger, per se, while He is in fact wrapping His mighty hand all around our very being.  We love Him, only because He first loved us.

So try it, sometime.  On that next little walk with a dear little person, try this grip, and let it remind you of how much God truly loves you, His dear child.

Crowded Cabin

Lately, I've been checking out every possible library book about owner-built dwellings.  You know: log cabins, "pole-buildings", even off-beat stuff like cordwood cabins and yurts.  In nearly every case, these manuals are written by people who have successfully built their own home... for a family of three or less.

What the heck?

Is there some unwritten rule that says: "In order to be able to build your own home from scratch, from sustainable resources, without paying an arm-and-a-leg, your birthrate must be less than the average for say, Russia."???  Come on, authors, aren't you aware of the Demographic Winter we're having?

Well anyway, My wife and I are the proud and vibrant (albeit often-harried) parents of five (5!) incredible children.  And yes! --  we fully intend to build our own home, on a strict budget, big enough to accommodate our family and the occasional visitors.  This is a major part of the vision that the Good Lord has planted in our hearts, decades ago, and we believe that He will see it through.  We have a goal of accomplishing this task without debt; for debt, in the economy-to-come, will become the enslaver of hundreds of millions of people.  (Look what it's done to our nation's well-being, thus far!)

So, if you are wandering through your local book retail store (if they even continue to exist apart from Amazon :-), and you happen to spot a title that looks something like "How To Build A Sustainable Cabin for a Large Family Without Completely Losing Your Sanity or Family Unity", buy it on the spot!

After all, it'll probably be mine.

Have a blessed day, friends.

Guest Post

A sister in the Lord ("Enola Gay" of the Paratus Familia blog, whom I've actually never met :-) writes today's post.  I pray it admonished and encourages you as much as it did me:

Unintended Consequences

What's Next?

(View from the top of The Homestead)

Yesterday, my dear bride and I celebrated our 19th year of marriage.  I don't have to tell you what an incredible person she must be to put up with yours truly for nearly two decades (longer, if you count our entire relationship)... if you'd like details on the kind of woman she is, look up Proverbs 31:10-31.

When we first began our life together, we both had the seeds of desire for "Wide Open Spaces".  And as long as we lived in the city, dog-gone-it, those seeds just would not stop sprouting, in our minds.  So, while still living in Metropolis, we dreamed about our Homestead:  40 acres of half-timbered, half-pastured land, with a year-round creek running right next to our home site.  We'd build our log-home from the trees on the property (without so much as making a dent in the forest's aesthetic appeal), and live happily ever after.

Well, it seems our Provider has revealed His own set of details.  Like, "Move to the country FIRST, by faith, and watch for Me to unfold the remaining details."

After nine months of getting our footing in NW Montana (the first 3 months, we lived in a tent — no joke), and after much prayer and consideration, we have resolved ourselves to purchase (from a dear relative) three+ acres of gently-sloped, well-timbered land in Whitefish.  Not "pasture land", in the purest sense.  No creek.  No electricity yet.  However, with the provisos offered in the deal (no interest on the loan and free rent in an adjacent home for the duration of our construction, among other providential features), it woud be foolish and discontented to pass it up.  We'll be planning and building our home as frugally as possible, with an eye toward warmth and dryness.  :-)  Though we have not yet entered into the official (legal) agreement, we have begun, by faith (and with the land-owner's permission) to clean up the deadwood around the property, cutting it and sorting it into either "firewood" or "construction material".  All the kids are excited to help, and we have had many a picnic there, building up sweat equity.  Here are some pictures of our work, thus far.  Enjoy!

"Normal Kingdom Business"

Big thanks go out to Dad & Mom for having us over last night for "hanga-burgers" (what the Dear Wife used to call them as a child, I think).  This photo op was forced upon me, but it was fun, after all:

This morning started out really well, since the Man-Cub and I got to go over to Manly John's house and have a "prayer breakfast" with some authentic and Christ-like brothers in the faith.  We had huckleberry pancakes (a Montana treat), farm-fresh eggs, and sausage.  Hungry yet?

--------------

On my lunch break today, I picked up some books I had put on hold at the library.  (Both were about timber framing houses, which causes me to salivate with delight... but I digress.)  As I was leaving, I browsed the used-books-for-sale rack, and for $1, picked up this title:

I had never heard of the author, though I have heard of (and appreiate) WORLD Magazine, which she writes for.  I googled her name, and here's what came up.  I hope you enjoy it.

A Happy Accident

In my last post (which, admittedly, might have been a bit confusing), I forgot to go into detail about a single event which really made the whole evening as memorable as it was.

Sunday afternoon, "The Puff" (our nearly-6-year-old girl) was successfully wrestling with the bike she inherited from her 10-year-old sister ("Munchkin").  The "Man-Cub" (13-year-old son) was using a jump-rope to hitch a ride ─ on his inline skates ─ from Munchkin on her bike (which she inherited from her 15-year-old sister, SweetPea).  I think the Dear Bride was pulling out some dead flowers from the planter in front of our porch, and little Miss Cougar Bait (our 2½-year-old) was napping.  It was a GLORIOUS Montana Spring day, and it was shaping up to be a nearly perfect evening, as well.  So, determining that we should stay up late and enjoy it (the sun sets around 9:15pm, presently), I started packing the car for a little outdoor cook-out on our future homestead land (more on that, later).

Knowing that we should cook up the 4 trout the kids caught the day before, I grabbed our cast-iron griddle


and our propane camp stove


and our "fire bucket" (a 5-gal bucket & lid from Home Depot, stocked with everything I need to get a fire going; doubles as a seat).  We arrived at "The Refuge" ─ our working title for the homestead ─ at about 6pm, meeting my parents and my Uncle there.  My Uncle Dave was towing his restored Airstream trailer (a beauty!), which he was going to set up on the property.  We all made it safely up the driveway (which was rocky but dry, with a 9% incline), and by the time we had parked and leveled the trailer, we were all getting hungry.  So I broke out the camp stove, found my bottle of propane...

...and realized we had left the propane pipe (the part that connects the fuel to the stove) back at the house.

RATS!

After my Dear Bride and I blinked at each other in disbelief for a few minutes, I had an epiphany:

The early homesteaders didn't use propane!!

I rifled through my fire bucket and found some old dryer lint (makes a suitable fire starter), a lighter and my folding "pack grill".

(Yes, I know the early homesteaders didn't have these things, either; but hey, "baby steps".)

The kids helped me round up some rocks for a makeshift fire ring and voilá: Instant Primitive Grill:

The trout turned out GREAT, thanks to my pioneer woman (who later grilled up some potates in bacon grease).

Special thanks to my Uncle, who brought his formidable trout-filleting skills to bear on the feast.  (We had also brought along some hot dogs, in case the fish idea bombed.)  Everyone had plenty to eat, and Miss Cougar Bait kept clamoring for "more fishy".  :-)

After we topped everything off with some homemade Choco-chip cookies (thanks, SweetPea and Munchkin), I found myself thanking the Lord for the happy accident of not being able to use propane.  The outdoor fire pit was much more authentic.  We didn't get home until after 10pm that night... and little Miss Cougar Bait talked excitedly and incessantly, the whole way home.

Something tells me we'll be getting to bed much later during the warmer months, when the sun lingers outside until well after 10pm.  The seasonal life is the life for me.