A New Heartsease...

Foraging For Herbal Medicines - St. John's Wort Oil, Salve, and Tincture

St. John's wort tinctures, oil, and salve.

 

    The jar on the left is a tincture in "becoming" from St. John's wort gathered today. The jar in the center is the remaining tincture made three years ago. In the dropper bottle is tincture handy for immediate use. In the "Adams" jar on the right is a St. John's wort oil I made several years ago. And, in the small white jar is a salve, just made, from the St. John's oil.

 

The early morning sun at my back casts a long shadow on the forest trail near my condo where I gather an abundance of edibles and medicinals.

 

    Things are growing and blooming! And, it's the perfect time to admire flowers and forage for medicinal herbs that grow along the forest trail. Come with me and I'll show you what I've gathered on today's walk, and what I'm making!

    St. John's Wort!

    It's native to this part of Northern Idaho and is a great bee plant, too. St. John's is used internally in tincture form  to treat mild to moderate depression. Externally, as an oil or salve, apply it to wounds, itchy spots, rashes, external inflammation from scrapes, abrasions, and insect bites.

 

St. John's Wort grows right along the forest path. It's bright yellow flowers exude a red juice when crushed.

 

    I gather the "aerial" parts which are the top four to five inches of the plant - flowers, stems, and leaves. I use St. John's wort to make an infused oil, a salve, and an alcohol-based tincture. 

    When infused in olive oil, the rich, red oil - with a slightly chocolaty scent - may be applied directly to the skin and rubbed in. It may be heated and mixed with beeswax to create a salve.

    In ancient times St. John's wort was used to heal sword wounds. As an oil or salve I apply it to cuts and scrapes. The salve is used similarly and is a easier application than the oil when applying it to one's hinter parts to soothe the irritation of hemorrhoids or the sting caused by bladder infections and other irritations and chafing.

    I use St. John's to reduce the pain of backaches, sore muscles, and arthritic inflammation by applying it in combination with arnica salve or cream. Arnica quickly removes the pain, however, the effect is short-lived. St. John's works more slowly penetrating deeply to the cause of the discomfort. They seem to be synergistic when used together. It's as if the St. John's wort "carries" the arnica cream more deeply into the tissues.

    A great combination for treating my occasional back spasms is to rub the area with a combination of both arnica cream and St. John's salve or oil, and additionally take oral, under-the-tongue homeopathic arnica Montana or a homeopathic backache remedy such as, Hyland's Backache Relief. Relief from back pain is pronounced in 24 hours and usually completely gone in about four days as opposed to the excruciating two weeks  of recovery when using over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

    While I do visit my doctor, dentist, and vision specialist for regular checkups, I also self medicate my non-serious bumps, bruises, and "owies" with my own homemade remedies. They're way less expensive, and easy and fun to make. They add to my efforts toward greater self-sufficiency, and get me outside and into Nature's abundance and bounty!

   

I will snip these aerial parts into one-inch pieces to make them easier to add to a jar and to provide more access points for the "menstrum: (usually alcohol, vinegar, or glycerin).

 

Recipe: St. John's wort Oil

Fresh or dried St. John's wort, cut into one-inch pieces, if fresh

Olive oil (avacado, almond, jojoba, etc.)

Mason jar

     If using fresh material, fill your jar to just below the shoulders, lightly packing it down. If using dried herb, fill it about half way, pressing it in. 

    Fill the jar with oil up to the shoulders. Use a knife to release any air bubbles caught in the material and oil. Screw on a lid and allow the material to infuse (macerate) for about six weeks. Shake it every so often and check to be sure fresh herb material is submerged in the oil.

    After six weeks strain off the red oil, pouring it into a clean, dry jar, and discard the herb. Store your oil in the fridge or a cool pantry or cupboard.

 

St. John's wort oil after infusing (macerating) for six weeks, then straining off the used herb. I'll use some of this oil made a few years ago to make a salve.

 

    The following recipe may be increased to make make several jars of salve.

 

Recipe: St. John's Wort Salve

1/2 cup St. John's wort oil

3 tsp grated or pelleted beeswax

4 to 5 oz jar

    Pour the oil into a small pan. Add the beeswax. Heat gently until the beeswax is completely melted. Stir occasionally to be sure oil and beeswax are well mixed.

 

Heat the oil and beeswax on medium-low until the beeswax is melted, stirring occasionally. 

 

 

Pour the mixture into a clean, dry jar. Four-ounce Mason jars work well, too. Add a label.

 

    Allow the salve to completely cool. As it cools it will begin to turn opaque and harden. Initially, it will look like it's not going to harden, but it will.

 

Solid and opaque, - shadowing and reflection makes it look loose but it isn't - your salve may be stored at room temperature, and is ready for use.

 

    I seldom suffer from depression, but I do make and keep some St. John's wort tincture on hand when my mood needs a lift. I used it  often during the Covid years.

    I take a dropper full - about .50 to .75 ml - three times a day in tea, water, juice, wine, or directly under my tongue holding it for a few seconds then swallowing. It may take up to a week to notice a lifting of mood. 

Recipe: St. John's Wort Tincture 

Pint or quart jar

Fresh or dried St. John's Wort

Vodka or brandy (vinegar or glycerin, if preferred)

    If using fresh herb, lightly pack it into the jar to just below the shoulder. If using dried herb, press it into the jar filling it halfway. Dried herb is twice as potent because all the water has been removed and it will soak up more of menstrum.

    Pour your menstrum of choice to completely fill the jar to the shoulders whether using fresh or dried herb. When using fresh herb be sure the menstrum covers the herb. Poke with a knife to release any bubbles or air pockets. Add more menstrum, if needed.

    Screw on a lid and place the jar in a dark spot - cupboard or pantry - for six weeks. You may need to add a bit more menstrum as the herb soaks it up. Shake the jar occasionally and check to make sure any fresh herb is covered so it doesn't mold.

 

    In upcoming posts I'll share how I make most of my own household cleaning, medicinal, and cosmetic products!

 

 

Realizing that half a pint jar wasn't going to make enough tincture to last until next spring, I went back out and gathered enough to fill the pint jar to the shoulders. This way I'll be sure to have enough to use and share, if needed.

 

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Notes:

    St. John's wort is known in many areas as a noxious weed, sometimes called "Klamath weed". A weed is simply a plant whose efficacy and virtues remain unknown to us.

    I only gather as much as I think I'll need of any herb or edible. Dried herbs retain potency for only about a year - unless infused in oil or tinctured then they'll last for years. I simply plan to gather new material each season.

    I always leave some flowers, seeds, roots, leaves to allow the plant to propagate itself and to photosynthesize sunlight.

    I never gather all the plant, but only about 10- to 20% that's present in any patch.

   When using fresh herb, you'll need twice as much as if you're using dried. If you dry the herb it will shrink by about half as the water evaporates away.

    When making an infused oil, I generally use dried herb as the water content of a fresh herb may cause the oil to mold. There is a process by which to extract the water but it's simpler and more natural to simply dry the herb first. Molding isn't a factor when using alcohol as the menstrum.

    I prefer to use olive oil to make my herb-infused oils because I "feel" and "sense" that it penetrates into the skin layers more deeply. Also, olive oil doesn't go rancid as quickly as other nut, flower, or seed oils. I do use almond oil, or in combination with olive oil, for making cosmetic products.

    As the prices increase due to inflation it becomes a real money saver to make as much of your own medicines, body care items, and cleaning products as you can.

 

Making a salve is so simple. All that's needed is infused St. John's wort oil (made with dried herb and olive oil), some beeswax, and a jar!

 

 

 

     

How I Roll - Camping the Jeep Gypsy Way - Space-Saving Dehydrated Food for the Road!

My home-dehydrated foods are an essential part of my Jeep-camping pantry!

 

    I love car camping and exploring! I love my Jeep...and, I love to eat! However, fitting a couple of weeks worth of food into a car - along with all types of additional camping equipment, including a bed, can be problematic.

    Along with food, water, camp stove and spare propane, two utility bins, suitcase, and more, means that I have to use space efficiently and neatly. Presently, I don't have a rooftop cargo bin (but do have a "soft" cargo bag which I don't use) so everything must fit neatly into the Jeep.

 

All of the dried foods shown in the previous photo, when organized into this small bin, provide two to three weeks of food along with a few canned and "pouched" items.

 

    This bin consists solely of dried and dehydrated foods and mixes. In the bin I carry angel hair pasta (cooks in two minutes) and tortellini (10 minutes), homemade instant mashed potato mixture (instant potatoes, Butter Buds, powdered soy milk - all I need is to add water and a shake of salt), white and brown minute-style rice, cashew gravy mix, a commercial turkey gravy mix, pinto and white beans, corn and mixed vegetables, sliced bananas, apples, mixed fruit, tomato slices, corn chowder mix, tabbouli salad mix, tomato soup mix, tomato powder, dried red or white onion, diced mushrooms, green beans, Soy Curls (dried soy product used like chicken), kale, and pesto sauce mix.

    Everything is in 1/2-cup to 1-cup storage portions in Ziploc-style bags with the air pressed out by hand. As small as these portions seem, each will make several meals because dehydrated food is so condensed by the removal of moisture that only two or three tablespoons reconstituted in water makes for a nice size serving portion.

    I've concocted my own single-serving soup mixes so that two to three tablespoons of mix, plus 1-1/2 cups of water makes up the perfect (for me) serving of soup.

    Of course, proportions are likely to vary with different folk's appetites and considerations of what constitutes acceptable portion sizes. For me, a 73-year old woman, I feel well fed, and there's no leftovers to store which can be problematic without an ice chest...except when cold-weather camping.

    

    

The size of my food bin with the lid on is 14-inches long, by 10.5-inches wide, and 3.25-inches high.

 

The food bin sits on the floor pushed against the base of the front passenger seat. Forward of the bin I store several gallons of water and a spray bottle of one-to-one vinegar/water solution for cleaning dishes.

 

On top of the bin I can carry two six-sectioned wine totes (although for this photo I removed one of the bags) for illustration purposes.

 

    In one of totes I carry bug sprays, bear spray, sunblock, a backpackers candle lantern and spare candles, a sewing kit, cords for Jackary - its solar panels and chargers, my Kindle reader, solar string lights, and two rechargeable head lanterns. Whichever bag is closest to driver's (my) reach will have an orange or an apple on top for a snack while driving.

    The other wine tote carries a small tin of teas, sweetener, my coffee-like beverage mix and soy milk powder to mix and froth, small bottles of soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, Tabasco, a wee jar of chicken broth powder, a tin of hot cocoa mix, some Ramen noodles, a couple Cup O'Soup, a couple toasted seaweed snacks, some Dove chocolates, a can of chili, tuna pouches, a couple 6-oz cans of juice, and a couple of tinned tuna/bean salads.

    The Wild Planet tinned tuna salads aren't cheap! But they make a quick and very tasty roadside lunch. I try to buy them on sale when they're a dollar or two less. Wild Planet makes three flavors...two featuring white or kidney beans, and one with pasta. Pouched plain and flavored tuna is purchased on sale and is easy to stow in its flat packs, constituting a single serving that when mixed with one or two single-serving pouches of mayo may be spread onto bread or crackers for a quick, satisfying snack.

 

Single-serving pouches of mustard, mayo, and catsup may be purchased on Amazon as can the Tomato Powder which I decant from its jar into a small Ziploc bag for stowing in my food bin. Canned items fit nicely into a wine tote.

 

    While I make some pre-mixed dehydrated dishes to cook in camp, most of my dehydrated veggies are used as ingredients. I make dehydrated versions of the foods I cook at home and use a few recipes snagged from backpacking Internet sites.

    By adding a sprinkle of dried cheese, such as cheddar or Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil or soy sauce, some toasted nuts, simple dehydrated dishes may be elevated a in flavor.

    The addition of oils - olive oil, ghee (clarified butter - no chilling needed) seems to add a bit of fulsomeness that dehydrated foods often lack, although the only thing removed during the drying process is water - fats remain and most fat-soluble vitamins. It's likely that some vitamin C is lost during dehydration.

    There are many recipes online - and books - for making dehydrated meals you can make ahead of time. Of course, one can purchase pre-made backpacking meals but these are rather expensive.

    Another option I sometimes take along for a change of pace and palate are the aseptically pouched "Tasty Bite" Indian-style meals such as curries and vindaloos, etc. They don't need refrigeration. I'll cook up some minute-type rice to go with them for a very filling meal. They're tasty and vegetarian, so if I can't finish the whole meal in one sitting, I'll store the rest for the next meal without the worry of any meat going bad.

    Another consideration, if the weather is cold, but not freezing, is that toting along fresh foods becomes an option.

     In each wine tote a keep a written list of the contents so I can see at a glance what's in each tote so I don't have to remove things to look for the thing that's stored beneath something else or go through both totes to find something. 

    I home-dehydrate many of the foods and mixes I take. It's more economical. Living in a condo I no longer maintain a vegetable garden, so what I dehydrate is purchased in season and on sale to save money.

 

Here I'm chopping up a bag of fresh, on-sale onions for dehydration. Once dehydrated they can be added to recipes in chopped form, or I can make them into onion powder with a grinder. Either option adds flavor and convenience, making them easy to take along on trips.

 

    Because there are some veggies that require blanching and a citric acid dip to retain color, one of my dehydrating "hacks" is to purchase bags of frozen veggies that I defrost, then dehydrate. Frozen vegetables are still a good deal and cost less than fresh. And the trimming, blanching, and citric acid treatment has already been done saving me lots of extra work.

    Favorite frozen vegetables for dehydrating are mixed vegetables, corn, peas, carrots, green beans, and bell peppers. I prefer to dehydrate my own kale as frozen, store-bought kale usually retains the tough center rib and isn't as tasty fresh or dehydrated :(

    Re-hydrated kale doesn't need a pre-soak if I'm dropping it into a soup I'm heating up. Kale is only pre-soaked - which takes only a couple of minutes - if I'm including it into a pasta dish. I can even pre-soak kale by dropping it in with boiling pasta during its last couple of minutes of cooking. The kale gets drained with the pasta. In rice dishes, I drop it in when I add the water at start of cooking.

   I don't usually purchase frozen fruit for dehydration for two reasons. First, because as fruits defrost, they emit lots of juice. Second, I'm not a big fruit eater, so I only need it for light snacking or to make my "overnight" muesli. I sometimes will buy fresh fruit to dehydrate as well as purchase some already dried for snacks.

    For Overnight Muesli I'll soak rolled oats and some fruit in water or juice - just covering the ingredients - in a lidded container overnight. Then in the morning I add some reconstituted soy milk, some nuts, and a bit of sweetening for a tasty, easy breakfast. In cold weather I can heat the mixture in a pan on the camp stove. 

    For re-hydrated beans, such as pinto, white, and kidney beans, I purchase bags of dry beans, cook them up, then rinse and drain them and set them on the trays of my dehydrator. They dehydrate beautifully and re-hydrate nicely for soups and stews.

 

Fresh onions into dehydrated onions, and dried, then cooked beans into dried beans. Once dried white beans become a little darker.

 

    I try to carry only foods that take no more than 10 minutes to cook as a way of being frugal with my propane supply. The longest cooking item I have is tortellini pasta at 10 minutes. Although tortellini may be purchased fresh, I buy "Barilla Collezione Tortellini" stuffed with dried spinach and cheeses that doesn't require refrigeration.

    Veggies and beans should be pre-soaked ahead of adding to recipes to cut down on cooking time.  I usually pre-soak in a bowl with hot water to cover. I use the soaking water to make soup, pasta, or rice in order to preserve my water supply. Sometimes I drink the soaking water as a mineral-rich broth/tea. Pre-soaking of veggies and mushrooms usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes before the start cooking.

    Here's my mushroom hack: 

 

I remove and chop the mushroom stems and dehydrate them. The fresh mushroom caps will be used in home cooking. Dehydrated stems to the right of the knife go camping with me for use in making sauces and gravies, or adding to recipes.

 

    While not a vegan, I mostly eat vegan-style when on the road, saving meat and cheese dishes for eating at occasional restaurants along the way. I don't carry an ice chest on trips longer than a few days, so items that need to be kept cool aren't part of my long-trip menus. I do take TVP granules (textured vegetable/soy protein) that when soaked and flavored has the texture of hamburger. The TVP may be rehydrated in water with a dash of soy sauce and some beef or chicken buillion granules to better approximate meat.

    Potatoes are rather a pain to dehydrate. They must be peeled, sliced, blanched, citric acid-treated to prevent browning, and COMPLETELY dehydrated. A hint of moisture will cause the entire batch to blacken and mold.

 

I used to dehydrate my own potatoes in my Nesco American Harvest dehydrator, but now I have another hack so I can tote them along on trips and save myself lots of prep work!

 

    Although I can take a few fresh potatoes as they don't require chilling, I have another hack so I can enjoy spuds besides the instant mashed potatoes I take along.

    I purchase boxed au gratin mixes that come with a pouch of dehydrated potatoes and one of powdered cheese. I use the cheddar cheese mix in other recipes - to sprinkle on or in foods - and the dried, sliced potatoes for soups or for frying. These pouched potatoes have had all the processing, soaking, acid treatment already done. They are completely dehydrated and the pouch contains about four servings, so I have enough for several meals.

    The potatoes need about 20 minutes of re-hydration in hot water, then patting dry with a paper towel or clean cloth. Then they can then  be fried in a little oil with some re-hydrated onion or dropped into a soup or stew mix. Boxed meals are still relatively inexpensive so I "dissect" them to fit my needs.

    I'll also purchase boxed Kraft cheese and noodles...not to cook together (ick). I use the pasta in my own recipes and the cheese powder to sprinkle into dishes needing a cheesy flavor. I can mix the powdered cheese with a little water or milk to make a sauce or dip, or roadside nachos. Added to instant potatoes, cheese powder elevates ho-hum instant potatoes into savory cheesy mashed potatoes. Powdered cheese is tasty on popcorn, too.

    While I do pre-make some dehydrated meal mixes, most of my dehydrated veggies are used as ingredients for making familiar home-style camp meals. 

    While not everyone wants to go vegan in order to camp, one can buy canned meats...chicken, beef, bacon, Spam, small tinned hams, etc. I don't usually buy many tinned meats because I take a minimum of canned goods (as a weight consideration), and dehydrated soy products as tasty meat analogs. 

    It's good to taste test recipes for dehydrated foods prior to camping to be sure you'll enjoy eating them.

    In addition to dried veggies, one can take along flour for making flat breads, ready made tortillas - corn or flour - or mixes for making pancakes, cornbread, etc.

    There's so many easy, frugal, and efficient ways to eat well on the road!

     From the road...bon appetit!

 

    .

How I Roll - Camping the Jeep Gypsy Way: The Ice Chest

 

I've had this ice chest for over 30 years! The egg carton is to show scale as I don't recall how many quarts it is.

 

    I've car-camped for years and much of my camping equipment is...old, mostly because it still works and it fits into my 25-year old Jeep just right. I did have to buy a new camp stove last year as my 40-year old Coleman finally gave up the ghost. I tried to get new parts, but it was obsolete, and I couldn't find parts for it.

 

I like this type of camp stove - a simple burner that screws onto a propane cylinder. It takes up minimal room in the Jeep.

 

    When car camping, adding just one more thing, and not keeping things in their designated place, results in a chaotic jumble very quickly. Presently, I don't use a rooftop cargo carrier. Everything must fit inside the Jeep.  So, on the scale of ice chests, mine is, of necessity, small.

    I've looked at new ice chests and the really good ones are really expensive, but keep ice only a day or two longer than less expensive models. My old ice chest fits perfectly into the niche I have for it in my Jeep. Admittedly, my Playmate ice chest is meant for day trips and picnics where long term ice-retention wouldn't be an issue. Still, it's what I have and it seems to hold ice as long as other types.

    I prefer block ice, but it's become hard to find, likely because ice chest users don't have to replace it as often as cube ice which just doesn't last long.

    It seems the type of ice available for sale is determined by profit and not convenience. Additionally, block ice doesn't leave me much room in my ice chest for food! So, I've come up with a solution that works well for me!

    Because I don't want my food floating in a sea of melted ice, I've made a compromise that works well for me. I simply freeze three plastic bottles of water to keep food cold in my ice chest. The frozen water bottles last longer than cubes, so essentially I have three bottle-shaped ice blocks encased in plastic that fit in the Playmate! 

    Frozen water bottles are especially useful when desert camping. Although I always tote along several gallon jugs of water, if extra is needed I can thaw and drink the bottled water in the ice chest. I don't use those frozen gel packs that some folks like. You cannot drink them if need arises, plus the gel is toxic and I don't want it near my food should one leak.

 

 

    

I freeze bottled water to keep perishables cold for several days. Three 20-ounce bottles fit the bottom of the chest perfectly.

 

    I simply save and refill the same bottles which means I can have a cold ice chest without spending any money for cube ice or making my own in my fridge's ice maker. I refill the washed empties with tap water and freeze them ahead of a trip - two days in my freezer is sufficient for a good, solid freeze.

    Three 20-ounce size bottles fit perfectly side-by-side on the bottom of my ice chest leaving plenty of room for food. Of course, this only works for short trips of two to four days before my frozen water has melted. By then my fresh food has been eaten and I rely on canned, dehydrated, and other eatables that don't need to be chilled.

      I don't use those cheap, flimsy water bottles that snap and creak as one changes elevations. I buy and reuse sturdy water bottles that don't flex much, and they're less likely to be punctured and flood my ice chest.

 

If you're refilling water bottles, leave room for expansion as the ice forms. If using  new bottles, drink some of the water, before freezing them.

 

    I usually fill the bottles to the shoulders. Then put them into my kitchen freezer for a couple days ahead of my trip to be sure the water is frozen SOLID. Partially frozen water won't last as long.

 

A couple of days among the frozen fruit and veggies and I've got a tidy source of ice that stays frozen longer than cube ice and doesn't wet the contents of my ice chest when it melts.

    

    If your ice chest is bigger than mine, you'll be able to freeze larger water bottles, which will give you ice for a much longer time. You'll have to freeze those bigger bottles for as much as a week!

 

Due to the tent-shaped top of my ice chest I can pack food into it above the level of the sides.

 

    One disadvantage of mine, and other ice chests, is that while the sides and bottom are insulated, the tops are not. That seems to be the main difference between the really expensive ice chests and the cheaper models.

 

As a temporary (it's been in use for three years now) form of insulation for my ice chest lid, I'm using a sheet of bubble wrap that I've taped to fit over the top, and extends down the sides to make it less likely to blow off. 

 

     Eventually, I plan to cut some Reflectix - left over from making window covers for the Jeep - and glue it onto the lid of my ice chest for a tidier, fitted solution. A blanket can also be used to add insulation to the top of an ice chest, as well.

    If I'm planning a long Jeep trip (and I'm planning several), I sometimes leave the ice chest at home and simply take foods that need no refrigeration, such as onions, potatoes, citrus, bananas, apples, canned goods, pasta, rice, and dehydrated fruits, veggies, and mixes.

    I home-dehydrate foods (cheaper than buying them) and create my own mixes so I've amassed an entire small bin-pantry of dehydrated ingredients and mixes that sit on the front passenger floor of the Jeep. I can stack other items on top of the bin while traveling.

    In an upcoming post I'll share how I roll and cook on those longer trips, with no ice chest along, relying instead on a few canned items, but mostly using my home-dehydrated ingredients for meal prep!

 

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Red Wine and Balsamic Vinegar Pickled Eggs

 

These were my addiction! Savory, a little sweet, less acidic bite than other brands, and I can't eat just one! But I came up with something better for me that's just as tasty!

 

    There are few chips on the market that beg me to eat more than a few, but red wine vinegar flavored chips are my Waterloo! And, I will admit that on a couple of occasions I've eaten (inhaled) the entire bagful in one sitting. Bad me!

    Of course, if you've noticed, most chips have succumbed to "shrink-flation". Smaller bags, less product, and more $cost$. Oh, don't forget the ubiquitous "settling of contents" excuse, all with the result that you basically end up with half a smallish bag of chips.

     Even so, eating the entire contents of a bag of chips - even with shrink-flation and settling - is not a practice I want to indulge very often.

    So, I decided to come up with a protein-rich, low calorie, low-carb snack that had all the zest and savor of those red wine vinegar chips, but was better for me and lacked the "guilt" factor.

    These pickled eggs hit the mark and you CAN eat just one...maybe two, but it's doubtful you'll need to oink out on the entire jarful. They're so satisfying that one (or two) is enough. Usually...except for the BIG GAME and a sofa-full of snackers. Believe me, they'll want more!

    These pickled eggs go well with a martini, beer, wine, sparkling water, even a glass of champagne. I don't drink soda pop, so I can't say if that's a good combination. Probably it is because many folks like chips and soda together and it seems the pickled eggs would likely harmonize, as well.

    And, they're a quick snack that's easy to tote along, a nice appetizer ahead of a meal, or something to serve guests that drop in unannounced for a visit and a drink.

 

If you'd like a clearer brine, use kosher or canning salt.

 

    To begin, I looked at the ingredients on the chip package. I saw that in addition to red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar was also used. So I included some in the brine for the following recipe. Be aware that this brine will color the surface of the egg whites.

    I used a quart canning jar. Simply increase the recipe to fill larger jars.

 

Recipe: Red Wine and Balsamic Vinegar Pickled Eggs (makes 6 pickled eggs).

Ingredients:

 

I've drained the boiled, cooled eggs on a clean towel

 

1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns

2 - 3 cloves of garlic, halved

1/4 cup sweetener of choice (I used Splenda)

1 TBS sea salt, canning, or kosher salt

6 extra large boiled, peeled eggs

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup water

1 TBS balsamic vinegar

Process:

    Place eggs in a pan and cover with cold or cool water by about 1/2-inch. Bring the water to a boil and boil the eggs on medium-high burner for eight minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid. Let the eggs sit until cooled enough to handle - about 2 hours. Rinse in cold water and peel the eggs,  placing them into a clean jar. Add the peppercorns and halved garlic.

 

Ready for the hot brine.

In a small sauce pan add the water, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and sweetener. Bring the brine to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for five minutes. Pour the hot brine over the eggs in the jar, add a lid and band and allow the jar to cool until warm enough to handle before refrigerating.

 

Ready to refrigerate.

Refrigerate at least two weeks before sampling to fully absorb and meld the flavors. Pickled eggs keep up to a couple months in the fridge.

 

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Notes:

    After a couple of weeks the whites of the eggs will turn a deep, rich brownish-red.

 

 

The white of this egg has turned a rich, dark color.

 

The vinegar coloration only stains the outer surface of the egg white. The inside portions remain white.

 

    For this recipe I recommend allowing the eggs to marinate in the brine for two weeks before sampling. I tried them after just one week and the garlic flavor hadn't quite blended into the other ingredients yet. After two weeks the flavor was perfectly balanced.

    After I acquire some white balsamic vinegar I'm going to try this recipe using white wine and white balsamic vinegar for the brine to see how it turns out. I may try some multi-colored peppercorns for a change-up, as well. 

    If you're using small eggs, boil eight instead of six.

 

 

 

 

Jalapenos Part 2 - Jalapeno Pickled Eggs

 

Jalapeno Pickled Eggs are a nice appetizer with beverages when guests stop by. The resulting "pickle" results in only moderate heat, but a nice savor!

    If you have extra eggs you need to use up, as I did when I kept chickens, or you simply want to purchase some extra eggs to make this recipe, you'll be glad you did!

    If folks drop by unexpectedly or even if you know their coming, you'll always have something to serve even if your fridge is nearly bare. Pickled eggs keep in the fridge for three to four months, so make extra and you'll always have some on hand, especially if every month, or so, you make a new batch! This way you'll never run out.

    The eggs, once boiled and pickled, make a quick and handy protein-packed snack, a savory addition to salads, and a totable snack, too.

     My favorite way to enjoy these is with a martini or margarita. They go well with champagne or a crisp white wine, such as Pinot Grigio and Chilled Rose' is nice, too.

    This is an easy recipe because no canning processes are required.

 

Recipe: Jalapeno Pickled Eggs (makes one six-egg jarful)

    For every six eggs, you'll need a clean quart jar. I use canning jars as I have many of them. But any glass quart jar with a big enough opening to insert the ingredients will do.

    If you're careful not to touch the flesh, pith, and seeds of the peppers you won't need to wear kitchen gloves. The pepper oils can remain on your hands for hours causing a sting if you touch your eyes or any other moist areas, such as your nose!

    Simply double, triple - or more - the amount of ingredients for the number of jars you want to prepare.

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs

1 cup cider or white vinegar

1 cup water

2 to 4 TBS sweetener of choice (I use Splenda or liquid stevia)

6 small or 3 large cloves of garlic, halved

2 jalapeno peppers, stem ends cut off, seeded, and halved

1 tsp cumin seed

1 TBS canning or regular salt

 

Method:

    Place the eggs in a sauce pan with water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and gently boil the eggs for eight minutes. Turn off the burner and cover the pan with a lid, allowing the eggs to sit until cooled and the pan is only warm to the touch. Remove the eggs and peel them.

 

A spoon makes a handy tool for removing seeds and pith.

 

    After the eggs are cool enough to handle place the prepared peppers and garlic into the jar. Add the eggs.

 

This jar is ready for the brine.

    In a small pan prepare the brine by adding the remaining ingredients - water, vinegar, sweetener, cumin seeds,and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil on a medium boil until whatever sweetener you've used is dissolved.

    Carefully pour the hot brine into the jar (a canning funnel makes this a snap). Screw on a lid and refrigerate. Don't open for at least one week, two weeks is preferable, so the flavors can penetrate the eggs.

    If desired you may rinse the pickled egg with water and dab dry with a paper towel prior to serving.

    The eggs last three to four months in the fridge.

 

* * * * *

 

If you use regular salt instead of canning salt your finished brine will be cloudier, as in this batch, although flavor will be the same.

 

Notes:

    Using cumin seed instead of ground cumin will result in a cleaner look for serving your eggs and prevent additional cloudiness.

    You may use either cider (my personal preference) or white vinegar. White vinegar gives a crisper look while cider vinegar brings a brown cast to the brine and the egg white. If you use cider vinegar with the "mother" still in it, as I sometimes do, your finished product will naturally be more cloudy.

    If you like a tangier egg, use less sweetener. Four TBS sweetener gives a savory-sweet flavor.

    Honey is the original sweetener for this recipe so may want to try that instead. 

    

    

 

    

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

    

Jalapenos Part 1 - Jalapeno Salsa/Sauce (Just four ingredients!).

Not mild, but not too hot (at least I think so)...jalapeno peppers may be used green or in their red, fully ripened state.

 

Make a little or a lot! Four pint jars last me about six months before I have to make more. Nice too, for gifting to your salsa-loving friends!

 

    When I lived in my Folk Victorian farmhouse in Elsinore, Utah (where I called this "sauce", rather than "salsa"), I used to grow a row of jalapeno peppers. I smoked them (on the BBQ), dehydrated them and canned them in slices and as salsa.

    When I grew my own, I'd let some ripen to red - they have a more complex, mellower flavor - and I'd make the red version of this salsa.

    Now I live in Northern Idaho in a condo, so I purchase my peppers from the grocer. Seldom do markets carry fully ripened jalapenos.

    You'll need a food processor, a pair of rubber kitchen gloves, a knife, 4 pint canning jars + one 8-oz. jar - clean and sterlized (I usually sterilize one more jar than I think I'll need, just in case), 5 or 6 lids and bands, a canning funnel, a ladle, a steam or water bath canner, jar lifter, a towel to set the finished jars of salsa upon, and a damp paper towel to wipe the jar rims...probably an apron and maybe a spoon.

    If you want to remove all or some of the seeds (I don't for this particular recipe), a spoon can be a handy tool to slip out the seeds and pith.

 

After cutting off the stem end of the pepper and slicing it in half, hold half the pepper down with one hand. With the other hand slip the spoon between the flesh and seedy pith lifting it out along the length of the pepper half. Repeat with all or some of the peppers, if desired.

 

    A pair of clean kitchen gloves will prevent the pepper oils from stinging your skin...and the inadvertent rubbing of one's eyes even many hours after washing your hands with soap and water. The oils are impervious to soap and water for up to 24 hours and rubbing your eye will result in a stinging eye, but no permanent damage. If you do this, flushing the eye with cool water will give relief. 

    If you choose to put the seeds and pepper tops down the garbage disposal, simply stand back as the oils will rise from the disposal and if you inhale them you'll cough. Use the same precaution - standing back - after you've ground them in the food processor, before removing the top.

 

Recipe: Jalapeno Salsa (approx. 4-1/2 pints)

2 pounds fresh jalapeno peppers, topped, halved, seeded, and roughly chopped.

4 cups white vinegar

1/4 + 2 tsp canning salt

8 cloves of garlic peeled

    Add all the ingredients to a food processor fitted with the blade. Grind until all the ingredients are uniformly ground, but not completely liquefied. Pour the mixture into a large sauce pan.

 

 

The resulting pepper slurry should be slightly chunky, but uniform.

 

    Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for five minutes. The mixture will change color to an olive-green as it cooks.

 

Color change of cooked mixture. You can see the seeds I left in. They remain whole through the processing.

 

You can sterilize your jars in the dishwasher or wash them and set them into hot boiling water, to cover, or over the steam canner's boiling water with the canner lid in place for 10 minutes. Here, I've sterilized the jars for 10 minutes in the steam canner, removed the lid, and the hot jars are ready to fill.

 

    Place your canning funnel on top of the jar to be filled and use your ladle to fill it to within 1/4-inch of the top of the jar. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rim of any of the salsa. Top the jar with a lid centered on the jar, add the band and finger tighten.

    If you're left with salsa insufficient to fill a pint jar, you may add the remainder to a smaller jar, and process it with the pint jars, or place it in the fridge for use within the next four to six weeks.

 

The lids should be placed into lightly simmering water, not boiling water as this may warp the seals. Simmer for 10 minutes, then the turn off the burner. The water will remain hot until all the lids are removed and placed upon the jars.

    

    Set each filled jar upright in the water bath or steam canner rack. Continue until all the jars are filled and in the canner. Turn up the burner to high. When the canner is ready - full, rolling boil for a water bath canner - or following the processing instructions for your steam canner, begin processing for 15 minutes, adding five minutes for each 1,000 feet you are located above sea level.

    When the time is up turn off the burner and allow the canner to rest for one minute. Use hot pads to lift the lid so the steam is directed away from you - especially important when using a steam canner - and place the lid/top in a safe spot out of the way.

    Using a jar lifter, or clean dish towel, remove the hot, boiling jars from the canner and place them on a clean towel to cool and dry.

 

Hot jars, contents still boiling - hence the look of contents separation - draining on the cutting board. The small jar was gifted to a neighbor after cooling.

 

    Upon lifting the jars out of the canner, or a few minutes afterward, you'll hear "pings" as the jars seal. Finger test the lid seal after the jars have cooled overnight - 12 to 24 hours.

     Don't attempt to tighten or remove the bands until this time period has passed. Then you may remove the band, if desired.

     Press the center of the lid to be sure it doesn't flex. If you cannot finger-lift the lid and it doesn't flex, wipe your jars clean with a damp cloth, dry them, give them each a shake to remix the contents, date and store them.

    * * * * *

    A jar of jalapeno salsa makes a nice gift! Add a square or circle of decorative fabric tied on over the lid with a piece of ribbon or cording, to add a touch of decoration for gifting.

    First securing the fabric over the lid with a rubber band makes tying on the cord much easier.

    Jalapeno salsa is delicious on Mexican food, hot dogs, and egg dishes...anywhere you'd like to add some savor and a bit of heat.

    Enjoy!!!

 

 

* * * * *

 

    Upcoming, in Part 2, I'll share my recipe for Jalapeno Pickled Eggs!

 

Note:

    

    

    I use a steam canner, not a steam-pressure canner, in place of a water bath canner. It uses far less water - only a couple of pints - than a traditional water bath canner so I'm not lifting a canner full of several gallons of water.

    The processing times are the same as for a water bath canner.

    Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for when to begin timing - when the steam from the vent holes reaches at least a 15-inch long, unfluctuating stream - and for cooling-before-opening at the end for the canning process.

 

 

A Happy and Prosperous New Year!

May all the "eggs" in your 2023 "basket" hatch!

 

May your New Year be Kind, Prosperous, Happy, Blessed and bring all your wishes to fruition!

How I Roll - Camping the Jeep Gypsy Way (Part V: A Few Last Thoughts)

Camping at City of Rocks State Park 21 miles outside of Deming, New Mexico.

    

      Trailer, RV, van, or car camping?

    All things considered, my advantage consistently comes back to car camping in my Jeep.

    I might add a Weathertech bumpstep to my trailer hitch to facilitate easier climbing into the back of the Jeep. And, if for some reason I need more storage room, I can purchase a Thule or some other brand of rooftop carrier. It all comes down to simplicity and the economy of money, motion, and energy...and using what I already have.

    Sometimes what we already have is the only and best strategy to fill a need or purpose. The question I often ask myself is, "Can I solve this problem or issue using what I already have?"

    Most often the answer is "yes"! Sometimes a bit of re-purposing is also required.

 

I have made this word - "simplify" - an ideal to apply to most areas of my life. Car camping certainly fills that ideal.

 

    The "wisdom" I would pass onto anyone considering car camping or even living in a van or automobile, is that "less is more". It's the tendency for most of us to pack more food, take more clothes, and more odds and ends than we really need...just in case.

    Grocery stores, laundromats, and hardware stores, etc., are nearly everywhere we go to fuel up our tanks. It's easy to resupply, and to replace something that's been lost, misplaced or that we forgot to bring.

    I usually pack enough food for three days if I'm taking an ice chest because I know I can easily restock. When relying on canned and dehydrated fare, I take five days worth. I can always resupply as needed when I'm in town making a refueling stop.

    When first beginning car camping, I took way too much stuff. Too much stuff in a restricted space is not efficient if I constantly have to move things to get to things. Since then I've pared down to essential needs and a few luxury items. 

    As an example of paring down, for last year's autumn trip to the south end of the U.S., I bought a golf cart sized Little Buddy heater that simply screws onto a small propane canister - the type I use for my camp stove.

    I didn't use the Little Buddy even once and have since removed it from my camping gear. I discovered that I can heat my car using my camp stove (windows cracked open for safety) while warming a pan of soup or boiling water for tea. Two "birds" with one stone, so to speak...and less stuff to pack and haul.

 

On a rainy or cold day spent inside my Jeep I can simultaneously warm the car and heat soup or water for tea. I usually take two propane canisters - one in use the other as spare. They're easy to find at supermarkets, hardware, and camping stores en-route to anywhere, however you will pay much for them if purchased at a gas station mini-market. 

 

    Go on a few car camping trips, and you'll likely discover you've packed more than you need for a solitary trip, or for two people. Traveling with more people and/or kids requires a whole other strategy...tents, rooftop luggage and to-the-ceiling supplies!

    If I car camp with someone, we take two cars. Having a second vehicle is simply less cramped for sleeping purposes, and the security of having a second vehicle is nice for more remote trips where if one conks out, there's another vehicle to escape in. On a two person, two-car trip, I sleep in mine and my companion sleeps in his or hers. Most of the time my camping trips are solitary simply because I'm retired and have few constraints on my time.

    Car camping is a good lesson in minimalism! It's also nice to have room to move around inside the car when you need to spend time cooped up inside due to bad weather.

    It's important to keep the inside of the car neat and organized. It's hard to locate a needful item if nothing is stored in its own place or returned to its place. Having to move stuff to find stuff soon becomes a drag. So, I pack to minimize having to do this.

    Besides the "needs" of a car bed, mobile kitchen, personal care and clothes, a few tools, tarp and stakes, portable potty, camp chair, etc., I find that a few luxuries add immeasurably to the voluntary minimalism that is car camping.

    Good, tasty, easy-to-prepare food is to be looked forward to, and savored after a day of hiking, exploring, or driving. If I have a comfy bed and soul-satisfying meals I can weather "the minimal" much more happily and easily.

    A few luxuries that I enjoy while car camping are a glass of wine or a martini at day's end. A hot, cup of tea warms me body and soul after arising. So does a cup of hot cocoa on a cold morning or at a nighttime campfire.

    Soups are one of my favorite cool weather meals that are  warming and satisfying. They're also easy to prepare when traveling.

     Canned, or prepared with my home-dehydrated herbs and veggies, soups and stews - a bowl of chili and anything pasta or spud-based - don't take up much room and are quick and satiating. These are my "comfort" foods. Frying, sauteing, simmering, stir-frying, and over-the-campfire are other cooking methods I employ while car camping.  

 

Not just soups! Here, I'm cooking orecchiette ("little ears") pasta over hot coals for a scampi dish. The shrimp mixture was cooked simultaneously in a pan on the camp stove.

 

With some sourdough bread to sop up the savory juices, this was a tasty dinner accompanied by a glass of wine. Car camping does NOT require suffering!

 

    While I do cook most of my own meals while car camping there are times during my trips when I'll stop at a restaurant and enjoy a meal, too.

    On a refueling stop in town, I may go over to a nearby market and buy enough shrimp, fish, or meat for a single meal if I haven't brought an ice chest. Apples, banana, oranges, potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, even cheese, brocolli, cabbage, and celery can go without refrigeration - or an ice chest - for several days, especially if the weather is cool. 

    During long car camping trips I'll overnight at a hotel to enjoy a refreshing shower and to escape occasions of really bad or dangerous weather. Otherwise I'm not opposed to spending a rainy or windy day inside the car reading, knitting, playing a game, sipping tea and supping on soup and a hunk of crusty, artisan bread.

    "Cozy"for me, is where I find it and that is usually where I'm camping and traveling in my Jeep!

    My Jeep's four-wheel drive insures that I can access areas that most RV's cannot. To me that capability of getting away from it all is invaluable and needful. 

    At times the society of others is also needful, and one's fellow campers tend to be gregarious and welcoming!

 

Nature's beauty and moods are so much more present when car camping.

 

    It's simply impossible to ignore nature's wonders in my Jeep with it's eight windows on the world. Front, rear, and side windows make it impossible not to enjoy beautiful views of places, scenes, sunrises and sunsets.

    When I had my RV it was not much different than being in a house. Yes, it had a few well-placed windows, but from my Jeep I have wrap-around visibility during the daytime.

    Car camping provides me with a constantly changing panorama of "million dollar" vistas as I move and camp from place to place...no need to have a mansion with its unchanging $$$ view!

    Here in the U.S. we are so fortunate to have so many places to visit where we can enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature. National and State parks offer improved campgrounds and free dispersed spots to camp, as do dirt roads heading off into the middle of nowhere!

    Nature is healing. It provides an ineffable and sublime balm to our bodies, minds, and souls. Cities provide luxuries and entertainment, but are bereft of the "ensoulment" that is found in intimate contact with nature. Car camping is my passport to this enrichment and enhancement of self and the silence of self found in wide open spaces.

    We often tend to think of ourselves as differentiated from nature when in fact, we are body- and soul-bonded with it. Cities tend to reinforce the illusion that we are separate from the world around us. We are not, and spending time in and with the woods, the deserts, mountains and seashores - other lifeforms - is a reminder that we are intimately connected to the world and life around us.

    We cannot survive without nature's air, water, foods, and materials.

    No other species seeks to destroy for profit, the very foundation of its existence. By spending time in nature and letting it renew and awaken our souls, we harmonize and balance ourselves with the greater world around us. We also perceive and experience the innate kindness of others. People are at heart kind and helpful regardless of the divisiveness that is perpetuated by and through media. 

    ...but back to the functional aspects of car camping...

     Powering devices or all types is a question I get from those I meet on the road. I take a variety of devices when I'm on the go...a cellphone, my Kindle, sometimes even my laptop. With these devices I can stay in touch, read a book, watch a downloaded movie, play games, listen to music, email, text, even work/write, and pay bills!

    To power my devices I use my Jackery 240. It will charge all my numerous times, especially my phone and Kindle numerous times, less times for the laptop. I have the solar panel for it for those sunny days in camp, but most often I charge it before leaving home or in the car while driving. If popping into a hotel for a night I take it in and charge it in my room. It can also run a small 12-volt, rechargeable fan for nighttime, in-car cooling, on occasions when I need a cooling breeze. 

 

 

My Jackery is invaluable when camping and for the occasional at-home power outage to keep my devices charge. 

 

    In case I need to charge my Jeep battery I have a portable charger that also has ports for charging my cellphone or Kindle, although I tend to keep this charger solely for charging the car battery, if needed.

 

I haven't yet had to use this battery charger, but feel more secure knowing that it's in the zip compartment that covers my spare tire. I also carry a can of emergency tire patch, and bear spray there, as well. 

 

    In addition to my solar Luci Light mentioned in a previous post, I have a Coleman, D-battery powered lantern, and a collapsible backpacker's candle lantern.

     It's so easy to meet most of your needs, requirements, and simple luxuries on the road, camping in your car!

    While car camping may, at first, be perceived as an exercise in hardship, lack, and minimalism for those who haven't tried it, it is for me, an adventure, experience, and renewal that I look forward to and repeat as often as I can.

    This ends the series on "How I Roll - Camping the Jeep-Gypsy Way". I may share future camping trips as they arise, but for now, I return to posting on my other usual topics.

    Coming up in the next post will be a recipe for a delicious, easy and tasty recipe for Grilled Scampi/Shrimp Toasts. This recipe captures all the goodness and "comestibility" of Shrimp Scampi...hold the pasta, please...and instead, put it on toasted sourdough slices! Yum!

 

Finger food, or eaten with a fork and knife if you must, Grilled Scampi Toast is delicious and nicely pairs with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, or best of all...champagne!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

    

    

 

 

 

 

How I Roll - Camping the Jeep Gypsy Way (Part IV: In-Jeep privacy Hacks)

Setting up camp at the Bluewater Lake State Park in New Mexico. On this fall trip there was only one other camper in this vast park and he was on the far opposite end of the campground.

 

    In this post I'll cover some of the miscellaneous considerations of car camping such as privacy after dark and while sleeping.

    My Jeep has a windshield, six side windows and rear hatch. I simply don't want anyone to be able to see me reading or watching a movie after dark. Nor, is the idea of someone peeking into the car while I'm snoozing a happy thought. And, at 72-years old I sometimes need to pee during the night and wouldn't want to put that spectacle on view when I turn on a light to do so!

 

 

A product called Reflectix, or its generic brand at Home Depot, is the choice of many.

 

    Reflectix is basically bubble wrap sandwiched between shiny, reflective vinyl. It not only confers privacy but supposedly adds an insulating factor. Maybe in cold conditions it might keep the inside of a vehicle one or two degrees warmer, if that.

    Reflectix is fairly sturdy and stands up well to repeated use.

 

I made brown paper templates for the six side windows of the Jeep. The fold marks are because I store the templates in a file folder in case I ever need to make another set of window covers for my Jeep.

 

    Using a roll of brown paper, the Jeep's window frames became templates by cutting off pieces of paper larger than the window, pressing the paper over the window, and pushing it up against the window frame. Then I traced the resulting crease using a felt pen.

     Scissors were used cut out the pattern and refine it slightly to fit snugly into the frame covering the glass completely. After cutting the pattern to its desired dimensions, I taped it to the  Reflectix with painter's tape and cut the Reflectix to its proper contours for each window, I used clear packing tape to cover all the cut edges of the Reflectix. The tape also added a bit more stiffness allowing me to tuck the edges more easily into the window frames. I  labeled each window cover so I'd know at a glance with window it fit.

    I only needed three patterns because, although each of three windows on each side are different, they match their opposite side windows perfectly. Simply by flipping the three pattern over I have patterns for all six side windows of the Jeep.

    Due to the hinges and electric cord on the rear hatch window,and its curved shape, I didn't make a template for that one or the windshield. For the windshield I purchased a windshield cover from Weathertech that protects the dashboard from sun damage and helps insulate the inside of the car from heat. Reflectix likely works better for this purpose than insulating a vehicle from the cold.

    Another advantage to using Reflectix on the windows at night is that its reflectivity maximizes whatever lighting source you may be using after dark. It bounces the light around much as a mirror would without being blinding or annoying.

 

 

To store my Reflectix while traveling, it's slipped behind the passenger seat, between the seat and the head of my bed. It can also be stored under the bed, as well, to keep it flat.

 

    Over time I realized that I really only need Reflectix on the two driver's and passenger windows. 

    On the set of windows at and behind the rear passenger doors - if the weather is warm - I purchased and use a set of mesh window socks that allow air in and keep bugs out.

I had hoped that these socks would fit the driver's and passenger doors - the seller on Amazon indicated they would - however they are two small, so I now use them on the rear passenger doors, whose frames are smaller. And they just barely fit at maximum stretch.

 

One of the side window socks. The sock fits over the door frame allowing the window to roll up or down between its two sides. They are very stretchy and at full stretch, when tabbed into place they barely cover the window frames properly.

 

The window sock fits over the top of the door allowing the window to be rolled up or down inside the sock. I haven't centered the seam or tab properly so as to illustrate what the tab/s look like. If the sock is properly centered the tabs don't  show from either inside or outside when the door is closed.

 

    In the photo above you can see that there's a gap at the bottom of the window which might allow insects in if the window was rolled completely down. When the socks are correctly centered  and tabbed to the insides of the door frame they cannot be seen when the door is closed, and the sock completely covers the window. 

    Having the socks on the rear passenger frames allows a cross breeze over my bed. They also provide privacy during the day, however, at night if a light is on in the car, I can be seen lying on my bed.

    For privacy at night I install my factory-fit (to my vehicle model) Weathertech windshield cover. Reflectix is installed inside the frames of the driver and passenger windows obscuring the inside of the cab from view.

    Privacy "curtains" are Velcro-ed over the rear side and hatch windows. I use small Velcro tabs to attach the curtains. I can also attach a pair of curtains over the window socks. The curtains simply hang inside over the socks.

 

I've attached tabs on either side of the four rear side windows and back hatch window.

 

    The square Velcro tabs were purchased at Joanne's Fabrics in their "notions" section. To stick the two-part, self-adhesive tabs to the vinyl areas on each side of the windows I cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol to remove any grime or oil in order to maximize adhesion.

    Instead of purchasing and altering house curtains to provide privacy, I simply attached the Velcro's matching tabs to 39-gallon Hefty yard and garden bags at two points along one side of the bags so they'd meet the Velcro adhered to either side of the windows.

 

While the Velcro tabs adhered securely to the window frames, they didn't attach quite as well to the Hefty bags, so I stapled the tabs to the bags.

 

While not a fancy answer to privacy at night, my Hefty bag curtains are lightweight, don't require curtain rod or ring attachments, fold flat when not in use, and have a far slimmer storage profile than cloth curtains. 

 

    When my Hefty bag curtains aren't in use they fold up and fit into a Ziploc baggy. The baggy is stored behind the spare tire. The window socks, in their bag, are also stored there, as well. A label adhered to each Hefty bag lets me know which window and Velcro tab arrangement each bag fits. When in place the bags overlap so no light comes in between them And their long enough, hung horizontally, that no light comes under them, either. 

    The Hefty bags act as blackout curtains without the weight and bulk of fabric. And, if I hear a strange sound outside at night I can lift the curtain to take a peek.

    During the day, my Hefty curtains can be rolled up and secured above the window with a strip of Velcro or tied with string. If I were to use my Reflectix on the rear side windows it would be more troublesome to partially bend it to look outside. And more troublesome still, is that on a few occasions when I've bent a corner up to look out, the entire piece fell out of the window. Furthermore, I try not to bend my Reflectix so that it lasts longer

    Light at night to read, move about, and find stuff is essential. It doesn't need to be very bright. If you read a printed book, you'll want more light. I read my Kindle Fire and unlike some of the earlier versions of Kindle, the Fire screen is lit just like a computer screen. Therefore, I need only "mood" or ambient light at night.

 

My choice of lighting is a Luci Light. It's solar charged by sitting on my dash while I'm driving or in a sunny spot during the day. It has a low and high feature and a "candle" mode that flickers pleasantly. I fashioned a hook from rebar wire and it hangs from a bungee cord strung across the roof of the Jeep. The circular spot on the solar tab at the top adjusts the lighting functions. The light may be inflated by blowing into the nipple at its base.

 

    The Luci Light on its high setting is sufficient to guide my way around camp after dark, if needed, although generally I use a flashlight. The Luci Light operates for several nights on a single charge.

    In my next post, the last of this series, I'll extoll further upon the virtues and reasons why I use my Jeep as my "RV", and share some things I've learned about car camping.

   

 

How I Roll - Camping the Jeep Gypsy Way (Part III: Personal Grooming and Pottying)

 

A pop up tent, open at the top, allows for privacy when changing clothes, using a porta-potty, or showering.

 

    When car camping it can be nice, especially in proximity to other campers, to have a place for changing clothes.

    I don't always use the pop up tent, but always take it on trips. Stored collapsed and flat under the car bed it's only about 1-1/2 inches thick. I can change clothes in the car if I'm going to wear something easy to slip out of, or slip into.

    In the tent I can set my porta-potty on a small stool to elevate it to a comfortable height for sitting. A mirror, a roll of toilet paper, a towel, a face cloth can all be hung up inside on bungees and provided loops. The pop up tent has no floor or roof. If rain threatens, I throw a tarp over and tie it in place with cording and tent stakes. 

 

Behind the Jeep the pop up tent is rain-ready with its tarp. Tent and tarp are roped and staked to the ground in case of wind. If high winds threaten I collapse the tent and lay it on its side, sliding it under the car. A collapsible bucket for washing up dishes sits beneath the Jeep near the rear tire as part of getting ready for a rainy day. Only the camp stove and another wee item await stowing in the car.

 

    I haven't yet used the pop up as a shower stall yet, but plan on getting a solar shower which is essentially a plastic bag left out to heat in the sun. It has a hook on one end and a spray hose on the other for showering. The problem is that a tree from which to hang the bag so it dangles over the pop up is not always available. I'm working out a way to attach a metal arm, angled upward, to my luggage rack to hold the solar shower over the pop up. And, I'll need a mat for the bottom of the pop up so I'm not showering on dirt. After I collapse the pop up flat, there's an inventive and tricky maneuver that "folds" it into a circle so It fits into a convenient zippered bag for storage. While easy peasy to unfold and pop up, it usually takes me two or three tries to get the folding maneuver correctly so it collapses down into a flat disk. For spending one night at a campsite, I don't usually erect the pop up.

    When car camping my passenger seat becomes my clothes closet.

 

My suitcase holds clothes, underwear, casual shoes, towel and washcloth. Hiking boots are tied together with their laces and hung over the spare tire. Walking shoes are kept in the door well near my bed, and flip flops, for in-camp comfort, slip behind the spare tire so they're handy near the rear hatch.

 

    Riding on top of the suitcase sits my grooming bag containing everything I need for hygiene, grooming, some pharmaceuticals (allergy, eye wash, tummy, and headache meds) and showering needs. The grooming bag is secured by bungee to the seat back when the car is moving so it won't fly off if I have to stop suddenly or am driving a rough road.

 

If I'm taking an ice chest it will ride on the suitcase next to the grooming bag where the black shoulder bag is presently sitting. The ice chest is secured with a bungee to the seat back also. At night it sits next to the foot of my bed so I can easily access my grooming bag and suitcase in the morning without having to hoist the ice chest which is a light weight Coleman Playmate (why oh, why, did Coleman not insulate the lid?! ).

 

    During the day the ice chest is either in the shade of the car or a tree, or if there's no shade I can slide it under the car. 

    Now we come to the inevitable, and all-important question always asked among the RV, van-life, and car-camping crowd..."How do you potty?"

    While a somewhat indelicate subject, it is of vital interest how one, either car camping or living in one's vehicle, handles a need we all have. This is likely because everyone is always looking for a better method, an easier method, a more convenient method. RV'ers and van folk have more latitude in this department. Those camping or living out of their cars have less options.

    Camping in campgrounds solves the problem as they are equipped with either flushers or pit toilets. Dispersed camping or boondocking means this "how to" has to be addressed.

    At my age of 72-years, an added problem is that many seniors - me included - sometimes have to pee in the middle of the night. No way am I going to awaken myself, get out of my car, and walk in my PJ's to the campground facility...if I'm in a campground. Nor, if I'm not in a campground am I going to get out of the car and stumble around in the dark.

    So, I have a folding, compact toilet that has a multitude of uses - stool, footstool, and potty. And, of course, a supply of plastic bags, and some wood shavings - the type used for hamster cages.

 

Nice that this potty has a lid! For the occasional nighttime "whiz" I line the potty with a couple plastic bags, toss in a couple handfuls of the wood shavings, and put on the lid.

 

This Shinee brand potty has a toilet seat and a lid. The lid is a great feature because I can keep the potty next to my car bed for when needed. A simple fanny-shift from bed to potty is all it takes. I don't even have to awaken fully. The absorbent wood chips provide a nice cedar scent, too.

 

When all the Shinee components are folded and put together the Shinee is about two inches high for storage. When put together for use it stands about eight to 10-inches tall and sits securely without tipping. It has a handy storage bag and is carried in my miscellaneous bin.

 

    For the daily poop, I'll walk to the camp bathroom to accomplish the deed if I'm in a campground. If I'm dispersed camping I dig a hole and do the deed and cover the hole. I have a folding camp shovel for this and any other digging needs.

    There's a lot of controversy about burying toilet paper...animals dig it up. I keep a plastic bag handy for storing the used TP until I can dispose of it in a trash bin or can.

    I recently looked up the Shinee to see its current price and couldn't find the brand but both Amazon and Walmart have similar products, and many styles of camp potties to choose from. Most of the simplest (utilizing plastic bags) are under $30.

    Well, this post winds up the subjects of clothes, grooming, and pottying. In the next post I'll cover a few miscellaneous subjects that may be of interest to campers.

 

PS I think I know why Coleman didn't insulate the lids of their Playmate line of ice chests...because they're meant for keeping drinks and snacks cold for day trips, not long term ice preservation. Oh well, I use what I have!