Thanks for reading my updates on the weekend. One class left. Before I get to that, though, there was Saturday night. One of the classes is a camp stove cooking class. You don’t have to settle for weenies on a stick when you are camping. This class showed the participants how to cook all kinds of game in a lot of different ways. Then that class makes food for us all to try Saturday night.
Here is the spread:
Mostly venison and fish items. Here were some of them:
Pate – no thank you.
There was a venison pizza, cajun bass bites, fried smelt. Plus a crockpot of venison chili. Those ladies did so much work to get this ready for all of us!
I had just a few things because I had a late dinner from my ‘extended’ hike earlier in the day (and too many M&Ms).
I like the Asian style venison egg roll the best.
Sunday was the most relaxed day. Still early, though. 8 am class for Wildflower Identification! You all know I have pretty good knowledge of garden flowers. Wildflowers are a totally different story. I know maybe 3 LOL. We learned about how to go about categorizing flowers to use an identification guide.
Regular and irregular flowers, number of petals, leaf types. We tried a couple different guides to see which ones we liked. You can either go by color/picture or using a system of answering questions about the plant to narrow it down (kind of like 20 questions, only for flowers). Here are some of the fun ones we looked at:
This is a nightshade:
This one is moth mullein.
I just liked both of those flower colors! Funny how both of those flowers are almost like Mardi Gras.
Flower ID is hard. Our brains were tired after that!
Getting back to flowers I know. Here are some more pictures from the grounds of Silver Bay.
Bee balm!
My sister was teaching her other class (hunter education) in this building :
and I sat on that big porch waiting for her to finish before lunch.
Yeah, I could get used to it.
After lunch it was to home after the need for a car jump and melted jumper cables (that was fun… ) . It felt good to get home.
This was my second BOW weekend. There are just so many classes that I want to take. If I get a chance to go next year, I am hoping for archery or crossbow and map & compass.
It’s really just a great program to try something really new and different in a safe environment with instructors and no pressure. There were some women from NYC that were doing everything totally opposite of their city life just because they wanted the experience. They have also come twice and took everything from shotgun to rifle to cooking game and nature crafts. No fear to try anything. Good for them!
Here is the link to the national BOW page where you can see if there is a workshop in your state. These are funded, so programs can be discontinued. You also don’t have to live in the state the workshop is in, so if you like to travel – go for it!
Back to regularly scheduled program now…
The feast looks great. I would have had some pate, but no crackers.
The last day looks nice and relaxing. Cute wildflowers, I don’t think I have seen either of them before.
The even have BOW programs in Canada…nowhere near me, but there are some. Who knew? 😀
Looks like you guys had a total blast. I’d be all over that pate, it’s one of my true food loves. In fact, we’re having it tonight!
I’ve never been camping and I don’t like lamb so the gaminess would probably deter me from eating any red meat in the wild. I’m fond of seafood though so fish would be a safe bet (that is if we can catch any!)
I love the gorgeous flower pictures!
Looks wonderful, Lori! The food too! Enjoy being home–no matter what, there’s no place like it! But we do need to get away once in a while, and I’m glad you did.
I would’ve been out of luck at the dinner buffet as I don’t care for venison or most fish. I’d have had to eat M&Ms! 🙂
I’m on the BOW mailing list, but so far I haven’t been able to swing it financially. Maybe next year. The Arkansas group has a high ropes course AND kayaking. Even better, they give preference to first-timers. 🙂
I’ve loved your posts about BOW. We’ve been having a bit of weather drama here for the past several days and were without power until last night, but every once in a while my 3G would kick in and I was able to read bits of posts and see pix. Loved the Indian Pipe picture. I also loved your choice of courses–just what I would have chosen.
So much fun Lori! Thanks for the link, looks like a good time for a girls weekend away. I’m not a fan of venison but love fish. My dad is an avid fisherman so I grew up eating fish he caught.
What a great weekend Lori. I don’t think they have something like this in Holland but if they did I would sure like to do it sometime too.
Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it.
such a fun fun fun fun weekend.
I need to find me a camp or retreat to try, too.
Gotta check this out and see what’s close to me. Maybe Cammy and I can hook up…wouldn’t that be a hoot??
No venison for me. I’d have eaten more M&Ms 😉
I have friends who camp regularly all summer and they are quite the campfire cooks. It really is an art form in and of itself!
NOt a fan of the foods so I guess I would have lost weight! 😉 I want to be sitting with you on that porch & that view – amazing! So glad you enjoyed & had fun AND GOOD WEATHER! Was it last year that the weather was bad? I remember pics.. :-O
Have a great day!
–sigh– such a magnificent view from the porch. I could get used to that too!
I’d have to skip all the fish and venison though. I don’t eat either, don’t know why about the venison, but am too stubborn to try them. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful weekend with us Lori. LOVE the porch photo. I’ve never tried venison before, so sign me up!!! I’d give it a go!
Hope your 4th of July was fun.