the picnic table,
“Come see this,” he says softly.
Suzy pulls on her wool socks and boots and climbs out behind him, the red plaid blanket around her shoulders. Under the blanket she has on her electric battery jacket. It makes a world of difference for her out in the cold.
Frost covers everything. The grass, picnic table and the windshield of the van.
“Look at the grass,” she says. “It’s sparkling.”
“Every blade of it.”
She steps down, laughing, and the grass crunches under her boots. The cold weather finds a way to talk to us. “I love that.”
“Me too.”
Eoin heads for the woodpile and lifts two thick oak logs off the top. He carries them to their portable fire ring.
“I’ll get the kindling,” she says.
She pulls the pine bundle they gathered back in July from the blue bin and stands beside him, handing it over one handful at a time. He tucks the shavings between the logs, then crisscrosses the thin sticks on top.
He strikes a match on the stone and slides it under the pine. The flame catches. The pine crackles and pops.
“There it goes,” she says.
They stand together, hands out toward the flames, until the oak catches.
She fills the blue enamel percolator from the water jug, scoops in the coffee, and passes it to him. He sets it on the iron grate.
“Hungry?” he asks.
“Starving.”
“Steak kind of morning?”
“Steak and everything.”
He smiles. “Then let’s do it right.”
She climbs into the van and comes back with the cooler bag, setting out a thick steak, a whole head of broccoli, a bag of Brussels sprouts, celery, and a bunch of carrots with the green tops still on, cuts off the green tops, pulls the broccoli into long spears, rinses the veggies, and drops it all into the pot with the whole brussel sprouts, the celery, and water.
Eoin sets the pot on the grate. “Vegetables first.”
“Just like always.”
Down the dirt road, a door shuts. A man and a woman come walking up the road together. Out in front of them trots a medium-sized dog on a yellow retractable leash. The leash clicks and whirs as the dog pulls ahead, tail going wild when it sees the campfire.
“Good morning!” the woman calls.
“Morning!” Eoin calls back. "Come, warm your hands!”
“Something smells wonderful up here,” the man says as they walk over.
They hold their hands out toward the fire. The dog jumps, wanting to be petted.
“Well, hello there,” Eoin says and scratches its ears.
“That’s George,” the woman says, laughing. “He picks his favorites fast. He’s still a pup.”
“I’m Ray, and this is my wife, Linda,” the man says. “We’re from Billings, Montana. Came up for the cold, believe it or not.”
“You came to the right place,” Eoin says. He introduces the two of them, and everybody shakes hands across the fire.
“How long are you two staying up here?” Linda asks.
“Until the snow tells us to leave,” Suzy says.
“Same here,” Ray says. “We’re in the camper at the bottom of the hill. Stop by anytime.”
“Thanks for the invite! We will,” Eoin says.
Linda rubs her hands together one more time. “Enjoy that breakfast. Come on, George.”
The leash whirs back in as George takes one last sniff of the campsite and trots off after them.
The pot of vegetables starts to steam. A few minutes pass, and Eoin sets the heavy skillet on the grate beside it. “Let it get good and hot.”
He seasons the steak on both sides with ginger, garlic, onion, and parsley powders, sea salt, and black pepper, pressing it in with the spatula, then holds his hand over the skillet. “Ready.”
He lays the whole steak in the pan. It sizzles a warm, cozy campfire sound as if it were answering Eoin’s hungry stomach. A rich, savory aroma of warm ginger, garlic, and onion drifts across the campsite, filling the air with the sweet pine smoke from the fire.
Suzy closes her eyes and breathes in, thinking how thankful she is for the blessings and the health benefits of living this lifestyle.
“Mountain breakfast,” he says.
Eoin picks up the tongs and peeks under the steak. “Not yet.”
The fire crackles. Eoin reaches over to the woodpile, picks up another oak log, and sets it in the ring.
What can a quiet morning like this one teach two nomads about the rest of their days?
Can’t wait to find out what happens next? The full story of Suzy and Eoin’s mountain morning is waiting for you in Themers. Join free and read all three episodes now.
