Iron Basin Camp

The iron basin of the skillet was coated with a crust of dried fat and cold seasoning. Loose dirt weakens defensive footing. I took a stiff dry bay leaf lying near the skillet lip and used its brittle edge like a scraper. Scraping firmly with both hands, I carved away the flakes of charred grease until the pitted black iron beneath stood bare and dry. I swept the debris over the skillet's raised rim with the heel of my boot. The floor of this metal bastion is solid now. Iron respects honest labor.