# 258: Ten Essentials

As I prepare for a trip, here are my ten essentials for travel, plus a recipe for Onion, Cheese & Butternut Squash Crustless Quiche to use up what is on hand before I go.

What Does It Take?

The land already had a 300 square-foot cabin on it where we lived for five years while building a post and beam home back in the 80s. That tiny space taught me that one can be very happy when living with just bare bones and necessities. The truth is that it really doesn’t take much. The cabin will always hold some of the happiest memories of my life…even the times I climbed down from the sleeping loft on a pole ladder in the middle of the night only to step on a stray Lego. It was a big ouch then but now brings a smile to my heart and sweet memories are essential. Yes?

Big Red (photo by me)

This was our truck—a big old 1940s era two-ton Studebaker named Big Red. He came as part of the purchase of land. He used to be a forest service truck that could transport crews on fold down benches in back on each side. When it came our way, there wasn’t even a bench seat to sit on in the cab, just a pair of rickety wooden chairs with sawed-off legs. Seat belts? Dream on.

Big Red didn’t go very fast but could sure haul a lot—big pieces of timber for the frame, shingles for siding and roofing, plywood, car-decking, plumbing and electrical materials. He rumbled down roads, happy to still be in service. He knew what to do.

Living Small

When you live small every wall and surface is utilized with hooks and shelves and an empty space isn’t vacant for long. If something comes in, something else goes out. Spices, sewing supplies, socks…It’s amazing how creative you can get with storage when four people are living in just over three hundred square feet. Tiny house living is like that.

The Cabin holds many happy memories. (photo by me)

My Ten Essentials for Travel

Friday, I fly to France for a meditative walk along the coast of Brittany. Today, I carefully choose what to take and, like tiny cabin life, I think about what is essential and only take what fits in my bag.

• Good boots…mine are old friends and have carried me for many hundreds if not thousands of miles…and flip flops to change in to at the end of the day.

  

  Boots (photo by me)

• Socks and underwear. I found out on a walk last year that bringing just a few pair and washing them out each night didn’t always work out as they sometimes didn’t dry completely and walking in wet undies is a great big NO so this year I’m bringing a pair for each day.

• Layers for hot, cold, wet and windy. Cotton tee, merino wool shirt, wool turtleneck sweater that I bought in Ireland, vest, puffy jacket, gloves, pants, skort, and rain coat which I had Olivia hose me down in when I first got it to make sure it would keep me dry. It does.

• My Seattle Sombrero which I’ve worn all over the world and protects me from both sun and rain.

• Personal essentials to keep me clean and comfortable.

• My phone/camera, airpods and charger.

• Water bottle.

• Passport.

• Expectations? I’ll try to leave those at home and be open to whoever and whatever might come my way as I make new memories.

• A smile.

These are my ten. What about you? Do you have essentials for travel or life that you might share in the comments?

Love to you all and see you down the road!

P.S. While I’m gone, I’m offering a special 25% off sale on new one-year subscriptions. Whether you are a paid or free subscriber, I thank you for being a part of this wonderful community!

Yours truly (photo by C. Clarke)(all

I’ll be taking a break until I return around October 10 but while I’m gone I’ll try and post some pics from along the way.

Onion, Cheese & Butternut Squash Crustless Quiche

I don’t want to leave stuff in the fridge while I’m gone so this quiche helped to use up what was on hand. There’s no crust either so it’s great for you and your GF friends! (All photos by me.)

What I Made It With

• 1 butternut squash

• 1 large onion

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup of milk (I used a mix of almond milk and what was left in a can of coconut milk but use whatever milk or 1/2 and 1/2 you have on hand)

• 2-3 ounces Stilton blue cheese or other cheese or your choice

• 2-3 teaspoons Herbes de Provence or other herb(s) that you like

• 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• A little olive oil

How To Make It

1. You’ll need to pre-cook the squash first. Preheat oven to 375F. Peel, clean the seeds and pulp from the inside, cut into slices about 1/2” thick. Place slices on a parchment sheet lined baking tray or sheet pan, drizzle some olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes or so until the slices soften up enough to poke in a fork.

   

2. Slice an onion thinly. Set a medium size skillet over low heat and add some olive oil or butter if that is what you have on hand—it’s always better with butter, eh? Slowly cook the onions until they soften, turn golden brown and caramelize.

   

3. Coat a pie or quiche pan with olive oil and arrange half the slices of cooked squash as the first layer. Add half the caramelized onions. Sprinkle on half the cheese. Repeat layers.

   

4. In a smallish bowl, fork beat 3 eggs. Add milk, Herbs de Provence, and salt and pepper and mix to combine. Pour over the layers in the baking dish. You can add a bit more cheese on top if you like.

   

5. Bake for about 35 minutes at 375F. This can be served hot, warm, or cold.

What I’m Reading

Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman

A friend passed this on to me last night. Seems like a good one to take on this journey. I’ll pass it on to someone else when I finish.

And finally, I really hope you will take the time to click on the little heart (either above or below) which lets me know that you were here. This small act takes a nano-second, means so much to me and helps my ratings on Substack. 😉 Your paid subscriptions make it possible for me to continue this work, too, so if you are able to support me with a paid subscription, I would be ever so grateful.

Kate McDermott’s Newsletter is AI Free

I made this with a canning jar lid and markers.