This photo was taken about 6:30 in the morning on the second day of a 3 day camping trip that George and I took over the weekend.Our destination was the magnificent Columbia Wildlife Refuge in eastern Washington. We had a fantastic trip, which included everything I wanted - a great day hiking, several canoe paddles, time to do some camp-cooking, and clear skies at night so we could enjoy the Milky Way.
The weather was perfect, with temperatures around 80 degrees, a few scattered clouds in the morning and then full sun the rest of the day.
We made morning coffee, loaded up the canoe, and explored Lake Susan. 
Little Lake Susan is nestled in the Columbia Wildlife Refuge, a 23,00 acre tract that hugs the Pothole area. It abounds with seep lakes:"Columbia Refuge is a scenic mixture of rugged cliffs, canyons, lakes, and sagebrush grasslands. Formed by fire, ice, floods, and volcanic tempest, carved by periods of extreme violence of natural forces, the refuge lies in the middle of the Drumheller Channeled Scablands of central Washington. The area reveals a rich geologic history highlighted by periods of dramatic activity, each playing a major role in shaping the land. The northern half of the refuge, south of Potholes Reservoir, is a rugged jumble of cliffs, canyons, lakes, and remnants of lava flows. This part of the Scablands, known as the Drumheller Channels, is the most spectacularly eroded area of its size in the world and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1986."
Lake Susan, Katy Lake, Canal Lake, Heart Lake, Windmill Lake are all lakes we have canoed - all kinds of potholes.
We decided to camp at Lake Susan because the camping area was in a grassy pasture, it was right on the water, and hiking options were perfect. 
Within just a few feet from camp there were cliffs and boulders ready for exploring, and cattle trails that meandered all over the open range.The trick was to explore all the expansive gullies without bothering the cattle. As it was, they had their grazing patterns, and kept on the move.
We had to climb up to this bluff though, to check out our options for trails. At one point a thundering herd of about 8 ran past us through a ravine, eager to put some space between us and them. The cattle were here first, so we just chose trails that got us from 'point A to point B', away from them, which took up most of the afternoon.Last year we camped for a few days on the bluffs overlooking Katy Lake, one of my favorite destinations in the Refuge.
We hiked around this lake, and further beyond by several miles, until we explored two more lakes. I packed trail-mix, fresh apricots, some zucchini bread, green tea, garlic bread grilled with olive oil, and feta cheese. 
Rather than bring a jar of brushetta, we just carried along a few packets of prepared Salsa, to pour over the toast.By late afternoon we were back in camp, and while George sat and read I set up my cook station, with a place for my charcoal grill, my pots and pans and my cooler. I'm so accustomed to camping in remote areas, that I seldom set up a kitchen around a fire-grate or picnic table. I just have a 'sit-down' kitchen, with my stuff in a circle. I sit on one of the coolers, and place a large cutting board on my lap. I use it to cut and chop, like a counter. I think these 'outdoor kitchens' are my favorite - with expansive views and the sounds of birds (cattle and bullfrogs!)
On Sunday I grilled tilapia, a fine-tasting white, flakey sunfish found throughout the world. It was one of the most delicious meals I've ever had! I prepared a stuffing for the fish, grilled it with 3 ears of corn, and had assorted veggies on the side.
The tilapia was stuffed with cooked celery, onions, tiny colored carrots, garlic, chorizo sausage, finely cubed Greek pita bread,cumin, salt and pepper. (I found patches of sweet wild celery (Apium graveolens) along Lake Susan, so picked a large bunch for the dressing. It was better and sweeter than anything I've grown in my garden. It must be triple-washed, though, as a precaution against giardia). 
I put the tilapia in a wired basket, so that it would hold it's shape and not loose it's stuffing.
I basted the tilapia with fresh lime juice and olive oil, then placed the squeezed lime peel near the opening of the fish, to keep the stuffing in. 
It only took a few minutes to grill the corn in their jackets.
Once done, it was super sweet, crisp yet tender. I made pancakes both mornings, a banana-apricot buttermilk pancake on Sunday, that I served with chorizo sausage, and this blueberry type on Saturday.
I put berries inside this pancake and sprinkled some outside. Of the two, I loved the apricot-banana one the most - it was so good I didn't take time to photograph it. Just gobbled it down!I also grilled steak, bratwurst, fried potato skins, and marinated veggies - sweet peppers, carrots and celery, cauliflower, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, etc. Additional photos and text are in our Flickr account. Check out the 'innovative' sagebrush basting brush that I made from desert sage and cattail threads - an emergency tool I quickly made, to baste the fish and veggies! I swear, I was meant to forget my basting brush just so I could make it!
