A walk down the memorylane.

Back at my fathers old fishing spot, havn´t been back at this spot
for in the past 15 years.

Lately I´ve been feeling lost and misled, have often found myself wondering about what makes me happy and the things which makes me tick. 

I´ve been having this feeling of restlessness which I can´t seem to overcome - all I think of is how much I want to get out and to discover the world, I want to hike, fish and camp - living of the land and start to minimize my footprint on this earth, experience and learn as much as possible. 

I wonder how it would be like to not to have to think about money, work, education - my next move.

I feel trapped and clueless as to what is important and the small things in life that makes it worth living, I wouldn´t say I´m unhappy with my life I just wish that I had controll over what´s happening with myself and that I could´ve controll over my feelings. 

Not much but all I need.
Silky Gomboy Pro, Gränsforsbruk wilderness hatchet, Helle harding knife.
Trangia teapot and a primus 0.5l pot and some fishing lures. 

In search of a answer or atleast a little break from reality, I packed my bag with a woolen blanket, some tools and pots for fire prepping and food cooking.

I went out for a drive in without any idea of where I was heading. I thought about what I used to to when I was younger, what I did and where I found myself being where I felt at most happy.
I could remember being outdoors, in the woods or by a pond, running around on fields and jumping creeks. Building dams or cleaning up the creeks to ensure a good waterflow -just playing around and just having a blast! 

The water level of the river has risen making the field to become a part of the river.

After about 40 minutes drive, I found myself at my fathers old fishing spot, the exact same spot where I caught my first perch, might even be my first fish ever, I remember my father being proud of me and how happy I was. Posing by the mighty willow in my with Link shirt and showing of my trophy for the camera, this was probably the last picture which were taken of me as a happy child.
I can´t say that life was better then, divorses and custody desputes - a constant fuss, but at that moment in time, I sencerely was happy and at that moment - I fell in love with the great outdoors.

Male pheasant hiding from me, which I had a telelens to my camera to capture
it´s beauty.

While hiking my way through the wetlands in search for a spot to make camp and relax next to the river in this amazing autum weather, I tried my fishing luck (can mention that I had no luck haha!) and explored the surrounding for some great pictures.

Found some remainings from an old military bridge.

Foam on water creating a pattern which reminds me about animal prints. 

I found an old oak which were standing 6-7 meters from the river - made this spot to my campsite for this day, happy I had that wool blanket to sit on and rest my gear on without getting them soaking wet from walking through this marsch looking area. 

I find using a log fire method to build the base of your fire, working splendid and assures you to create a great coal very easy and almost effordless.

Build a base for your fire using a couple of split logs as a ground sheet, protecting the ground (even if it´s just for a while) from the fire and the fire from the moisture in the ground.
This will also ensure your fire to slowly build up a coal in the bed making it better for cooking.

Log fire on ground, next to the river and in a marsch looking enviroment so
wasn´t worried about the fire spreading. 

Then just start building your a log house around the base as high you want it to then start your fire using whatever method that you prefer - using this method will allow air to circulate better and this will help your fire to grow and keep it relative smokeless.

I always use a firesteel, most because it´s so practical and handy to always have in your backpack, car etc. but I wouldn´t mind learning how to use a bow drill!

Feeding the fire before heading down stream to try my fishing luck.

As the sun dusk approached my tummy was full and I headed out to try catching the sunset peaking through the trees, as I looked through the eye of the camera I couldn´t resist to think of
those posters from school of a water hole in an african savannah. 

Sunset over the marsch looking field I was hiking through -
makes me think of africa, doesn´t it?

Traces of tree larvaes´on an old and dead oak tree. 

As it got darker and darker I boiled myself a cup of tea and thought about my life and in what direction it´s heading, how I should cope with the changes which are to come.
I´ve always had a clear path to where I want to be and what life I would like to have in the future and I relized it´s now or never, why put your dreams on hold for noncens, why should I sacrifice my youth, my ambition and thrive for nothing worth caring for.
I will go fish, hike and camp - I will start to minimize my lifestyle and start to enjoy and expirience life as it is, I will venture out into the unknown and make this dream of mine become true!

Remaining coals from the log-building fire, hot and very effective.

 Before hiking back through the wetlands back to my car, I packed my gear and dispose the fire and restored the ground as good as I could ensuring not to leave some remains of me ever being there - other than a walk down memorylane and a clearified mind./ Andy

This winters first ice covered pond where I live.

The smell of acorns in the morning?

I've been reading and seen videos on youtube for a couple of years ,were people are talking about acorn coffee and how tasty it is, but I've always been a little doubtful towards it sence all the tannin in them.

But last week I decided to try to make some to see what all the fuzz was all about.

So a quick search through the internet led me to a couple of recipes so I made the best I could with what I found and here is how I did it. 


(I have to say that I did a batch before this one and I just boiled the acorns one time and it was horrible haha.)

Step 1. 
Gather the acorns.

A handful of acorns, luckily acorns are easy to come by here in Sweden!

It's best to pick them up from the ground when they are brown,
 Beware of hungry squirels and damaged or maggot eaten acorns this will make next step much easier.
(If it's damaged by a maggot there is a black hole on the shell. )

Step 2.
Sorting out the nuts.

Grab your partners pink bowl and go a head.

Take a bowl or two and start going through the acorns to make sure you don't any maggot eaten acorns in your coffee. 
(I washed them before to make it a little bit easier for myself to spot the holes in the shell)

Step 3.
Deshelling

I swear, you will hate acorns for a while after this.

This step is the most time consuming of them all. 
Lets enter a journey of never ending nut cracking and peeling.
I found it easier to slice them in half with a knife and then peel out the nut with another knife or my finger nails, do whatever that makes it easier for you. 
(Make sure to look for maggots or rutten acorns. Have fun, haha)

Step 4.
Chop/slice them up. 

It´s just like chopping onions, just a little bit harder.

Just go on and slice them or chop them into smaller pieces this will make next step a little bit
easier on you. 

Step 5.
Boiling.

I was so excited to se how much tannin it would
come from these.

Put all your acorns in a pot and drench them in water then bring the water to a boil and keep them boiling for a couple of minutes depending on the amount you collected.

I didn´t save the water but you can see how much
tannin the acorns released after just one boil!

Drain the nuts from the water and make sure to wash the nuts before you put them back in the pot and repeat the processes of boiling them and draining them 4-6 times before you´re done.

If you are out in the woods doing this, then you could put the acorns in a bag in a river/creek with flowing water for 24h.

This process gets rid of all maggots and pulls out the tannin from the acorns which will make them safe to consume. 

(It does smell alot so make sure your fan is on or open a window or two! If you want to dye some natural materials like cord, rope or leather then pure the boiled water into another pot and save it for later. 

Step 6.
Roasting.

 I painted our bedroom as I roasted my acorns,
multitasking is my thing! haha

(If your in no rush, let the acorns air dry for a couple of days in a dry room. I left mine over night.)

Take a frying iron and start to roast them on medium heat, make sure to stir so you don´t burn them.

If you want to roast them in the oven then.
Preheat your oven to 180°c (350°f).
Spread your acorns on a oven trey and begin to roast them in the oven.
Make sure to stur the acorns as you roast them so they don't burn.

(They should look like dry nuts and a little darker in the color without getting burnt when they are done.)

Step 7.
Grinding.

How it came out after a few seconds in the
coffee grinder.

Grab your coffee grinder if you have one or just use a blender/mixer of some kind to grind up
your acorns. 

If you´re doing this in the woods, then sanitize two rocks with boiling water, a flat one and one that is rounded then just go a head and mash your acorns with the rounded rock on the flat one.

(It should be a little bit thicker than pregrind coffee when you´re done.)

Step 8. 

Boil yourself a cup of acorn coffe/tea andjust enjoy!

Enjoying myself a glas of fresh acorn coffee.

If you have a coffe press then use it as you would with regular coffee, grab 2-3 tables spoon for a cup and wait 5-10 minutes before drinking.

Alternative, use a cloth tea bag and put it in boiling water for 5 minutes before pouring yourself a freshly made, cup of acorn coffee.

(You can get an allergic reaction from acorns even if you aren't allergic to nuts. Try to put some on your lip or tounge before you start drinking it.!)

Hope you enjoy this recipe and try it out it´s free! 

/Andy