The Last Frontier

Wild Greens for Supper

2011-06-07T23:14:00.000-08:00

Wild Greens for Fritters

One of the things we love about this time of year is that we have so many wild edible plants right outside our door. I have discovered (and invented) some delicious recipes. Fritters are one of our favorites, whether they're made with Fiddleheads, Dandelions, Wild Chives, Alaska Ginseng (Devil’s Club) or just about anything else we find in the woods or in our garden. We are especially thankful for all these wild greens because we can’t even plant our garden until the end of May.

While my husband has been away guiding for the last 7 weeks, our boys and I have been working extra hard all day. Well, the boys do get a lot of well-deserved play time at the creek. They have been such a help to me while their daddy has been away. The last couple of weeks have provided special treats of new wild plants. Lately, we’ve been stopping work an hour or so before suppertime to go for a walk and gather part of our next meal. It is incredibly satisfying to be able to do that (not to mention FUN), and I am so thankful that we live in such a place. I was brought up in a very large city, and I certainly do not take this lifestyle for granted. I know we have been blessed.

I grew up in the Deep South, where a meal was not a proper meal if it didn’t include something deep fried. Tomorrow night, I’m going to add some wild greens and Dandelions to our pizza (not fried, but I’m not complaining!) Tonight we had one of our favorite meals --- Fritters!

You can make fritters from just about anything. If you don’t have the wild plants I used this time (recipe below), use whatever edibles you have, even if they’re from the grocery store or a patio garden. Cabbage, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and many more vegetables all work just fine. Use just one, or a mixture. Add meat, if you like, or leave it out. Add other herbs and seasonings for even more variety. Careful on that. It's easy to overpower the wild greens with too many spices.

When I want a sweet fritter for breakfast, rather than a savory fritter for supper, I’ll usually stick with flowers. Dandelion or Elder flowers work great for this. Just remember to use no more than half the salt in the recipe below, and omit the pepper. You can make the batter sweet by adding a few tablespoons of honey, brown sugar, or other sweetener. You can leave out the sweetener in the batter, and serve the fritters with maple syrup, jam, powdered sugar, or whatever else you like. Or, just toss some flowers into your favorite pancake batter.

You really can’t go wrong with fritters. If you want them a little lighter, add a tablespoon of baking powder per cup of flour. If you want eggs, use them. If not, leave them out. I use powdered milk and eggs because we live in the bush and I don’t have fresh at the moment. But if you have the fresh milk and eggs to spare, use them if you like. Your fritters will turn out delicious.

Wild Fritters
(This recipe makes a LOT, so you might want to cut it in half the first time. We like to reheat the leftovers. The texture changes --- they become a little soft, more bread-like instead of crunchy, but we still enjoy them.)

4 cups of edible wild greens and flowers
1 pound of meat - optional (ground moose or beef, chopped chicken or whatever you like)
3 cups rice flour (wheat flour works well, but the flavor and texture are a little different)
2/3 cup powdered milk (or 2 to 3 cups of fresh milk)
3 Tbsp. powdered eggs (or 2 eggs)
1 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
2 to 3 cups water (omit if using real, liquid milk)
Oil for Frying (I like coconut oil)

Prepare wild edibles for cooking, and set aside. Preparation will depend on what you use. Today, the boys and I picked some Alaska Ginseng (Devil’s Club) buds, Lamb’s Quarter, Chickweed, Dandelion flowers, Watermelon Berry leaves and Wild Chives. I chopped the Lamb’s Quarter, Chickweed, Watermelon Berry Leaves and Chives. I removed the stems and most of the calyx (green part) from the Dandelion flowers (scissors help with this). The Alaska Ginseng buds required no preparation, but you can chop them if you prefer. A few Fiddleheads and young Fireweed shoots would have also been nice, but it was getting late and I needed to start supper. If your plants have dirt, wash before chopping. Try to avoid places where the plants are near car exhausts, and don’t use plants that have been sprayed with chemicals.

If using meat, cook it and set aside. If it is really greasy, drain and discard the fat.

Combine flour, milk powder, egg powder, salt and pepper. Stir in 2 cups of water. If it seems dry and thick, add a little more water. If your batter ends up too thin, stir in a little more flour. Stir in the meat and prepared wild plants. The batter should not be like dough, but it should not be watery, either.

In a heavy skillet, heat oil for frying. You should have about ¼ to ½ inch of oil. More won’t hurt. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil. When the bottom is brown, turn and brown the other side. Watch to make sure they don’t burn. If you fry too slowly, they become greasy. When done, remove fritters from oil with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Serve with mustard, barbecue sauce, or just eat ‘em as they are. We had them with a green salad of new Watermelon Berry leaves, Chickweed, Lamb’s Quarter, Wild Chives, French Sorrel from my garden, and Wild Geranium Flowers. I’ll try to remember to take a picture of the salad next time.

Wild Edibles cooked up into Fritters

The Simplicity Primer

2011-06-06T22:26:00.000-08:00

Hooray! The Simplicity Primer is here at last! Some friends who have a cabin across the lake flew out and brought our mail. What a treat! And in that big box was my review copy of the new book by Patrice Lewis, The Simplicity Primer, published by World Net Daily (WND Books).

THANK YOU, Patrice, for sending The Simplicity Primer to me for review. I got a kick out of your note to me inside the front cover. I probably should have asked before copying your note here, but since it's really more about us, I didn't think you'd mind:

To Jenny & Chuck:
Most folks would say you're living the ultimate "simple life". These are the people who never met a grizzly bear face to face -- right?

I think Patrice is right about that. As I initially browsed through the book, I kept shaking my head up and down. "Simplicity" doesn't necessarily mean without complications such as a bear walking up on you. I believe that simplifying life has more to do with attitude (along with a healthy dose of determination) than anything else.

The description of the book on its back cover states, ". . . readers learn how a simple attitude adjustment can vastly affect their lives; how a few concrete changes can streamline daily life; how to stop financial leaks; how to simplify and strengthen relationships with partners and children; and how to avoid 'The Gospel According to Madison Avenue."

This book looks wonderful! I only wish I'd received it sooner so I could have been more help with her "Book Bomb" tomorrow, June 7th, which is the day of the book's official release at Amazon.com. The idea is to have everyone who wants the book wait and order on the release date. That gets her ranking up (It's already pretty high. Congratulations Patrice!). So, head on over to Amazon.com and order your copy of The Simplicity Primer by Patrice Lewis.

Now, for a little about the book. I have only had a chance to skim through it, since I wanted to post something before her Book Bomb Day at Amazon. But, so far, I love it. As Patrice said in her note to me, many folks probably think my family and I live the ultimate "simple life" out here in the Alaskan bush . . . The Last Frontier . . . the Wilderness. But this book is filled with ideas that will help folks like us, as well as people in the city. Often, we overlook the obvious or forget the basics. Patrice is a wonderful writer, and through The Simplicity Primer, she provides ideas that have me saying, "Glad that wasn't a snake, or it would have bit my nose", or "So true", or, "I never thought of that, but she's absolutely right", "I couldn't agree more". This is a very useful book.

The subtitle is "365 ideas for making life more livable". Each of the ideas gets one page. Simple, which makes it easy to read and ponder. It's not a book you have to carve out a lot of time for. Just a minute or so each day (but you'll want to read much more). The 365 ideas are divided into twelve sections: Getting Personal, Getting Along, Teach Your Children Well, Amazing Grace, Home Is Where The Heart Is, To Your Health, Your Daily Bread, Nine-To-Five Simplicity, It's Easy Being Green (not what you may be thinking, or at least not in the "greeny, politically correct way), Time Off For Good Behavior, Nothing New Under The Sun, and Radical Simplicity.

For a more thorough description of The Simplicity Primer, go to either Amazon.com, or to Patrice's website about the book.

Project Appleseed

2011-06-02T20:35:00.001-08:00

Recently, I learned about Project Appleseed, an activity put on by The Revolutionary War Veterans Association (RWVA). My sons and I are thrilled that they are planning a weekend event here in Alaska! They hold these Appleseed weekends throughout the country. I'll post more about it after we've actually attended in late July. I'm sure we'll have a great time and learn more than we imagined. Check their website for an Appleseed weekend near you. Here is an excerpt from the Appleseed website that explains more about it.

"Project Appleseed is an activity of The Revolutionary War Veterans Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to teaching every American our shared heritage and history as well as traditional rifle marksmanship skills. Our volunteer instructors travel across the country teaching those who attend about the difficult choices, the heroic actions, and the sacrifices that the Founders made on behalf of modern Americans, all of whom are their “progeny.”

Our heritage program vividly portrays the Battles of Lexington and Concord with the kind of care and immediacy that is absent from most formal schooling. Modern listeners are confronted with the danger, the fear, and the heartbreaking separations that arose out of the choices made on April 19th, 1775. They are also reminded of the marksmanship skills and masterful organization that ultimately helped set the colonists on the path to success. Those who attend gain a better understanding of the fundamental choices faced by our ancestors as they began to set the stage for the nation we now enjoy."

New Puppy Needs a Name

2011-05-22T15:00:00.005-08:00

The boys and I are SO EXCITED ! ! ! As soon as Chuck returns, we will have an adorable new puppy. She is half Karelian Bear Dog, and half Siberian Husky. She looks mostly like the full Karelian, from the description I have of her, except that she has blue eyes that are so common with Huskies. We need a name for her, and I'd like your help in either deciding between the two names we've come up with, or with a new suggestion.

(I found the picture of this adorable Siberian Husky puppy here)

Right now, our friends are keeping her until Chuck finishes guiding and can bring her home. I wish I had a picture of her to share. Until then, our friends would like to know what to call her. First I'll tell you the names we've come up with, and why we like them, and then tell you a little more about the breeds. We wanted a puppy to grow up with our boys, be a loyal companion to them, warn us about danger, such as bears, and protect our boys from bears. We also wanted a dog that can be trained to pull a sled to help us haul water and firewood. The mix of Karelian and Husky is perfect for us! I won't go into the details, but the way we ended up with her is an amazing story. We are thankful beyond words. OK, on with the names:

"Tala" or "Tally" after the Talachulitna River, which is a beautiful river here in Alaska. We love going fishing there.

"Nugget" - (as in Gold Nugget). Huskies were used during the Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska and Canada. Karelian Bear Dogs and Siberian Huskies are wonderful, and extremely useful dogs. I'm sure this puppy will become a very valuable and much-loved member of our family.

So, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Feel free to suggest something else. Here's some info from this site that I found about the Karelian Bear Dogs. There's lots more info out there, but this one sums it up somewhat briefly.

The Karelian Bear Dog has a good sense of humor. It is sensitive, independent, intelligent, skillful, tough on itself, and energetic. A robust, persistent, and powerful dog, it is willing to take on virtually any game animal. This dog is very loyal to its owner's family and makes a good household companion when it has owners who know how to display leadership and the dog is extensively trained. This is not a breed for the casual pet owner, the Karelian Bear Dog is a hunter of unyielding bravery and determination. It will put a bear to flight or attack it with great pugnacity. The true outdoors enthusiast and dedicated hunter can look to this hard-working breed with delight and utter satisfaction. The training should be very consistent with both a firm hand and affection. This is not a breed for inexperienced dog owners. They are affectionate towards people and will announce both welcome and unwelcome visitors. Visitors the dogs knows well will get an enthusiastic welcome while strangers may be treated coldly. This breed is very protective. They will protect you with their life. The Karelian Bear Dog can live with other household animals if they know where their place is in their pack (blow all others) and if the training and socialization is properly handled. This breed has a small appetite for its size.
Origin:
The area once known as Karelia in northern Europe has always been populated by tough, big-game hunting canines. For a long time, similar dogs had been bred in Karelia for hunting large game. These dogs were known to have followed the first settlers to Finland thousand of years ago. These early tribes of people survived on what they could hunt, which is why dogs that were hardy, brave and tough enough to tackle bear, wolf and lynx were so important. The Karelian Bear Dog closely resembles the Russo-European Laika. It evolved in the part of Finland claimed by the Soviet Union earlier this century. The Karelian Bear Dog, which is more numerous outside its own country than any of the Russian Laikas, is used by elk hunters throughout Finland, Sweden, and Norway. It was first exhibited at a dog show in Helsinki in 1936, but after World War II the breed almost became extinct. All modern Karelians are traced back to forty dogs found and saved after the war. The Karelian Bear Dog was very popular towards the turn of the century when it could be found in vast numbers. Its numbers declined in the 1960's, but its popularity has been on the rise and it is now being breed in North America and many European countries. Among this avid hunter's game are the buck, wild boar, hare, and moose. He is also fearless enough to fight the wolf and bear and therefore functioned as a protector by hunting these large wild animals. In his homeland of Finland, the dog is used mostly on elk and is the favored dog of native big-game hunters.

Here's some info from the same site that I found about Siberian Huskies. Again, there's plenty more info out there, but this site just sums it up nicely.

Siberian Huskies are loving, gentle, playful, happy-go-lucky dogs who are fond of their families. Keen, docile, social, relaxed and rather casual. This is a high energy dog, especially when young. Good with children and friendly with strangers, they are not watchdogs, for they bark little and love everyone. Huskies are very intelligent and trainable, but they will only obey a command if they see the human is stronger minded than themselves. If the handler does not display leadership, they will not see the point in obeying. Training takes patience, consistency and an understanding of the Arctic dog character. If you are not this dogs 100% firm, confident, consistent pack leader, he will take advantage, becoming willful and mischievous. Huskies make an excellent jogging companion, as long as it is not too hot. Huskies may be difficult to housebreak. This breed likes to howl and gets bored easily. Does not do well if left alone for a long period of time without a great deal of exercise before hand. A lonely Husky, or a Husky who does not get enough mental and physical exercise can be very destructive. Remember that the Husky is a sled dog in heart and soul. They are good with other pets if they are raised with them from puppyhood. Huskies are thrifty eaters and need less food than you might expect. This breed likes to roam. Siberian Huskies can make wonderful companions for people who are aware of what to expect from these beautiful and intelligent animals and are willing to put the time and energy into them.
Origin
Siberian Huskies were used for centuries by the Chukchi Tribe, off the eastern Siberian peninsula to pull sleds, herd reindeer and as a watch dog. They were perfect working dogs for the harsh Siberian conditions: hardy, able to integrate into small packs, and quite happy to work for hours on end. The dogs have great stamina and are light weight. Native to Siberia, the Husky was brought to Alaska by fur traders in Malamute for arctic races because of their great speed. In 1908 Siberian Huskies were used for the first All-Alaskan Sweepstakes, an event where mushers take their dogs on a 408 mile long dogsled race. The dogs gained popularity in 1925 when there was a diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska. Siberian Huskies were used to bring in the much needed medicine to the people. In the late early to mid 1900s Admiral Byrd used the dogs in his Antarctic Expeditions. During World War II the dogs served on the Army’s Arctic Search and Rescue Unit. The Siberian Huskies talents are sledding, carting and racing. The Siberian Husky was recognized by the AKC in 1930.

Bears

2011-05-22T13:54:00.002-08:00

This spring has kept my family busier than usual, which is why I haven't posted much lately. My husband is a big game hunting guide, and is away for nearly two months guiding black bear hunts. That has left me with all of the chores he usually takes care of, like splitting wood, hauling water, tilling the garden (with a shovel), and all the other "little" things he does all day, in addition to my usual things. Our boys have been a great help, but we'll all be glad when he returns.

The hunter is on the right; Chuck is holding the paw on the left.

Chuck writes a blog for an outdoor network, and has just posted an article, along with some great pictures, about their Icy Bay hunts. Some of these bears are HUGE! Take a look. This one makes the one I shot last year look like a cub.

Oh, and you might notice something familiar about his blog ---- the name. I was setting up my blog about the same time he began writing for the Outdoor Blog Network, and neither of us communicated with each other on the name. So, take a look at the other Last Frontier.

Here are a couple more pictures from his articles.

This one really shows what a bear can do.

Boys With Slingshots vs. Squirrels

2011-04-29T22:21:00.001-08:00


Boys trying to shoot a squirrel with their slingshot while the dog waits for a snack.

My sons have been busy with their slingshots keeping squirrels out of our cache. I don’t think they’ve hit one yet, but at least they've kept the squirrels on the go. I think we might spend a little time over at The Slingshot Channel blog to see if we can pick up some pointers on good homemade slingshots. He has some neat videos on YouTube that have inspired my sons.

Most years, the squirrels just run around doing their thing and leave our food alone. However, about every three or four years, we seem to get a particularly pushy bunch. They get into our cache and eat their way into 5-gallon buckets of grains, peanut butter, powdered milk and eggs. They eat through plastic totes and make nests with our clothes we’ve stored for the off season. Food (and clothing) is expensive enough in Alaska, but the cost of flying it out here in a chartered bush plane sometimes doubles the cost. When a squirrel, marten or other wild animal gets into our food supply or makes a nest with our winter coats, well . . . . things have gone too far.

Yes, I’ve heard the lame argument that “the poor little animals were there first, and they’re just doing what comes natural to them.” I’m not buying that one. We were here long before any of those animals that are getting into our cache (with properly stored food and clothing) were born. There are thousands of acres of natural food for the wild animals, and only one little cache that’s off limits. Needless to say, the squirrels have kept me busy lately, too, and have provided tasty snacks for the dogs!

Matzo Recipes: Regular and Gluten-Free

2011-04-20T00:33:00.001-08:00

Here are a few recipes for delicious Matzo, including two recipes for gluten free Matzo. I know it’s a little late, but there are still several days remaining for Passover. I intended to post this earlier, but I have been plagued by a sinus infection. More on the wonders of Activated Charcoal and Spruce Pitch in a future post.

The first recipe is for wheat matzo that I found on a Jewish website several years ago. I did not write down the web address, so I cannot give proper credit. This Matzo is so delicious that I serve it to family and company throughout the year. Friends often ask for the recipe, and tell me that it’s so delicious that they even serve it to their guests. Rather than viewing matzo as a “bread of affliction”, we have always looked forward to a week of this wonderful unleavened bread.

Wheat Matzo
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. olive oil
6 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour and salt. Add oil and water; stir to mix. Check the time to make sure that no more than 18 minutes lapses between the time you add liquid to the flour and the time it goes into the oven. After the ingredients are combined, knead it a little. For a light, crisp cracker, the dough should be fairly stiff and a bit dry, although not at all crumbly. If necessary, add a little water, 1 Tbsp. at a time. If you want the matzo to be harder, add a little more oil and water.

Divide dough in half. Keep one half covered with plastic wrap or wax paper while working with the other half. Using a floured rolling pin, roll each half very thin and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. It is easier to use pans without sides, and then roll the dough directly on the pans. Even when I roll the dough on the table, I rarely have to use any extra flour. When the dough has been rolled and is on the pans, prick with a fork. Using a knife, score dough into squares, rectangles or other shapes. Try not to cut all the way through dough. If you prefer to break your matzo after it bakes, omit this step. Sprinkle with salt or other seasonings if desired. Bake at about 350 degrees until lightly browned, turning pans if necessary. Remove from oven and cool on rack. When cool enough to handle, break apart at score lines.

NOTE: During Passover, I only make one batch (2 pans) at a time to keep the process under 18 minutes. At other times of the year, I often triple the recipe. I have found that covering the dough with plastic wrap for about 20 minutes prior to dividing and rolling helps it roll out easier. In addition, I usually keep Passover matzo simple; however, when I make this at other times of the year, I often add minced, dehydrated onions, minced garlic, or other seasonings to the dough or sprinkle on top.

Gluten-Free Matzo

One of our sons has Celiac Disease, and the other has a gluten intolerance. In the past, I’ve always made gluten-free matzo for them whenever I made regular matzo for everyone else. I have recently learned that I can’t handle gluten either. My husband isn’t a picky eater, so now we’re all gluten-free, which has made a world of difference! I miss the delicious, light, crisp wheat matzo, above, but here are two pretty good gluten-free substitutes.

I adapted the following two recipes from one I found on this site. Ellen’s matzo recipe uses a Breads from Anna gluten, soy, and rice free bread mix. Depending on the traditions you follow, these recipes may not be acceptable to you for Passover. If you go to Ellen’s site, be sure to read her comments. I don’t buy bread mixes, so after reading the list of ingredients in the bread mix and looking up a few other gluten-free matzo recipes, I experimented with ingredients I had on hand. Since I live in the bush, it is often difficult for me to get all of the gluten free flours I want, so I did the best I could with what I had. I’m still learning about gluten-free baking. For these recipes, I made up my own recipes, based on the mix that was used in the original recipe and what I had in the pantry, and then I followed the instructions Ellen gave in her video (I've posted the video below. Just scroll down a bit). This is a great video, and making matzo is very quick!

Gluten-Free Matzo #1

This is the favorite of my sons and my husband. It’s quite hard and crunchy. Since both of these recipes go from not cooked to burned in the blink of an eye, I only make one pan at a time. The recipes are for only one pan, but I usually mix up enough of the dry ingredients all at once to make about 10 batches, and then store it in a covered bowl until needed. To use, scoop out ¾ cup plus 1 tsp. of the mixture, add the liquid and go from there.

3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. tapioca flour
2 ½ Tbsp. powdered milk
1 ½ Tbsp. white bean flour
2 Tbsp. sorghum flour
½ tsp. xanthan gum
½ tsp. salt
Scant 4 Tbsp. cold water

For dusting the board, dough, rolling pin and hands, have on hand a bowl with a half and half mixture of white rice flour and tapioca starch. Use this generously!

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients. Mix water into the flour mixture. Add a little more of the flour mixture if it’s too wet; add a little extra water if it is too dry and won’t come together.

Generously dust your work surface with the rice flour/tapioca starch mixture. Spoon dough onto floured surface. Knead a few times, flatten with hands, adding more of the dusting flours as needed. Roll out as thin as possible with a floured rolling pin. Roll the dough around the rolling pin as shown in the video, and transfer to a cookie sheet. If using a cookie sheet without sides, you can roll the dough directly on the pan.

Once the dough is on the pan, prick with a fork. If desired, score into shapes as described in the previous recipe. Bake in preheated oven about 5 minutes. Watch it very closely because it burns quickly. It is helpful to turn the matzo over with a spatula about halfway through the baking. Remove from oven and transfer immediately to cooling rack.

Gluten-Free Matzo #2

This one is similar to Gluten-Free Matzo #1 above, except that it has a slightly lighter, crisp texture, and is not so hard and crunchy. Like the previous recipe, I mix multiple batches of the dry ingredients, store in a covered bowl, and then measure just over ¾ cup of the flour mixture, add the liquid and go from there.

6 ½ Tbsp. white bean flour
3 Tbsp. sorghum flour
2 ½ Tbsp. milk powder
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
3 Tbsp. cold water
Scant 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, if desired, or omit and use all water instead.

For dusting the board, dough, rolling pin and hands, have on hand a bowl with a half and half mixture of white rice flour and tapioca starch. Use this generously!

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Combine the dry ingredients. Stir in the water and vinegar. Add a little more of the flour mixture if it’s too wet; add a little extra water if it is too dry and won’t come together.

Generously dust your work surface with the rice flour/tapioca starch mixture. Spoon dough onto floured surface. Knead a few times, flatten with hands, adding more of the dusting flours as needed. Roll out as thin as possible with a floured rolling pin. Roll the dough around the rolling pin as shown in the video, and transfer to a cookie sheet. If using a cookie sheet without sides, you can roll the dough directly on the pan. The thinner you get this, the lighter it will turn out.

Once the dough is on the pan, prick with a fork. If desired, score into shapes as described in the first recipe. Bake in preheated oven about 5 minutes. Turn over with a spatula about halfway through the baking. Watch it very closely because it burns quickly. Remove from oven and transfer immediately to cooling rack.

I would like to find or come up with a recipe that makes even lighter matzo. A friend suggested using a combination of almond meal, potato starch and ground flax seeds. When I find some potato starch, I will try that.

Here is Ellen’s video on how to make gluten-free matzo.

April Blizzards Bring May . . . ?

2011-04-07T15:21:00.000-08:00

When I woke up this morning, my husband said to put on my knee boots before going outside. Huh? This is April. We never get more than a dusting of snow this time of year. But I looked out the window and could barely see the cache. Now it's about 3:00 PM, and so far today we have had 18". I know that "April showers bring May flowers", but blizzards ! ? ! Where's global warming when you need it?

In mid-March I stopped keeping track of our snowfall. At the time, we'd hit a record-breaking LOW snowfall for the year of 13ft. 3in. I know that sounds like a bunch of snow, but for us, it's skimpy. By the time it all packed, we ended up with only about 5' - 6' on the ground, which was barely enough to cover the alders and get around good on the snow machine to haul firewood. If this snowstorm keeps up for the next couple of days like it's supposed to, we might hit our average of about 16 ft. after all. Ug! I'm ready for spring! Real spring, with rain and flowers. But, in about a week or so we'll be snowshoeing through the woods tapping birch trees. Mmmmmm. I can just taste that sweet sap now.

Medicinal Plants: Usnea

2011-03-30T01:37:00.001-08:00

Usnea (OOS-nay-uh or US-nay-uh) is a lichen, which is a symbiotic combination of an algae and a fungus. Usnea has numerous medicinal, as well as food uses, which I will get to in a moment. Some of its common names include Old Man’s Beard, Beard Lichen, Beard Moss, Moose Moss and Tree Moss (although it is not a moss). The common names pretty well describe the appearance of Usnea. It resembles Spanish Moss, however, the two are not related.

Usnea grows on every continent. In our area, Usnea primarily grows on the branches of spruce trees, but I’ve also seen it on birch and cottonwood. In the southeastern United States, it is commonly found on oak trees, as well as other types of trees. There are many varieties of Usnea, so search online or ask a local herbalist about which ones grow in your area. Some are a pale yellowish-greenish color; others are reddish brown. Still others are black. The stem of Usnea has a white core that can be seen when it is pulled apart. The “hairs” are a bit stretchy.

Some years, Usnea is abundant and the yellow-green variety that is found here often grows well over 12 inches long. Not this year. When our family went out to gather some a few days ago, we had to really hunt for it. I think I’m going to have to start selling my Usnea soap as a “limited edition” this year. I just made a couple of batches and will post pictures soon.

Medicinal Uses of Usnea

Usnea is an extremely useful antimicrobial, both internally and externally, effective primarily on the lungs and skin. It is often used to treat bacterial, viral and fungal infections. All of my resources really stress its antibacterial properties! It is reported to be an effective treatment for pneumonia, bronchitis, staph, strep, tuberculosis and urinary tract infections. I have successfully used it to prevent and treat colds and flu. It boosts the immune system and can be used like echinacea. Another great thing about Usnea is that it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

I have found Usnea to be most effective as a tincture when I feel like I’m coming down with a cold. It is not effective as a tea. I have since read that water does not extract the usnic acid, which is the primary medicinal component of Usnea; alcohol is necessary for that.

To prevent or treat infections, I usually take about 8 drops of the tincture, made with vodka or similar alcohol, two to three times daily. I also like to add usnea to my herbal mix when I make cough drops. It doesn’t actually help suppress a cough, but it has helped cure whatever has caused the cough and helps loosen it.

Usnea being made into a tincture.

Usnea tincture can be used externally as a liniment to treat infections on the skin. It can also be used straight from the tree as an emergency wound dressing to prevent infections and gangrene.

To make Usnea Tincture, place crushed usnea in a jar, cover with at least 60 proof alcohol such as Vodka (not rubbing alcohol). Place the lid on the jar and keep the jar in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar daily. After at least 2 weeks, (but preferably 8 weeks or more) strain and pour into a dropper bottle. In his book, “The Way of Herbs”, Michael Tierra states that the usual dose is 5 to 10 drops.

Usnea on drying rack.

Usnea as Food

Usnea is very high in Vitamin C, and is a carbohydrate. Before eating, Usnea should be soaked in several changes of water. The usnic acid can be very irritating to the digestive system. In the book, “Tanaina Plantlore”, Priscilla R. Kari states that the Inland Dena’ina Natives of Alaska sometimes eat Usnea as an emergency food or camp food after first boiling it in water.

Caution

Usnea, like all lichens, readily absorbs pollutants, such as heavy metals and radiation. Be careful where you collect lichens. Also, do not eat animals that have eaten contaminated lichens. The poisons have been known to pass to humans in this way.

Use caution and common sense when trying Usnea, or anything else, especially the first time. You never know how your body will react. Some time ago, usnic acid was found (or at least thought) to help with weight loss. A company produced a weight loss pill containing usnic acid, and from what I’ve read, it sounds like a few people over did it and had severe liver problems. I have read that once the ingestion of usnic acid is stopped, the problems will resolve. One thing to consider in this is that one constituent of Usnea was removed and used in a pharmaceutical preparation. However, plants, in their whole, natural form have many balancing constituents, and are therefore usually much safer, in my opinion, than a processed drug containing only an extract of a plant, possibly in concentrated amounts. Do your own research, talk with a knowledgeable healthcare provider, and then make your own decision about what to ingest.

City Folks: Observations of a Three Year Old

2011-03-29T16:33:00.001-08:00

The comments on my recent post about the resourcefulness of my sons and their homemade skis and snowboard reminded me of one of our trips into Anchorage about four years ago. My husband’s brother, Chris used to live there, and we always stayed with him during our visits.

Zeke was only three years old at the time. As soon as we walked in, he began roaming around, checking out the construction of the house like a building inspector. Then, with a look of approval on his face, he said, “Uncle Chris did a very good job building this house”. I told him that someone else built the house, and then Uncle Chris bought it. He looked confused at that, but accept it. He understood that people make or produce things, sell them, and that people use money to buy things they want or need. But I think he was confused about why his uncle didn’t just build his own house like we did.

When Zeke sat down at the table that evening for supper and saw steaks, he yelled, “Oh Boy! Uncle Chris shot a moose!” When I told him it was beef, he asked what “beef” was (because he’d only had wild meat such as moose, caribou, fish, grouse, etc. up to that point in his life). When I told him that beef was the name for meat from a cow, he said, “Oh Boy! Mama shot a cow ! ! !” I explained in simple terms, “No, someone else killed the cow, sold the meat to the grocery store, and then I went to the store and bought the meat. That’s the way things are done in the city”. He looked very disappointed as he just said, “oh” and began to eat.

The next night when he saw fish on the table, he said, “Oh Boy! Mama caught a fish!” So, I went through it again. “No, someone else caught the fish, sold it to the grocery store, and I went to the store and bought it.” Another disappointment as he quietly ate his supper.

During our last night in Anchorage, we had chicken. Same story, only this time he’d figured it out. “Oh Boy! Chicken!” But with a little question in his voice and a look of suspicion on his face, he asked, “Mama killed the chicken?” I shook my head. Then he said, sounding very sad, “I know. Someone else killed the chicken, sold it to the store, and mama went to the store and bought it.” I said, “Right”. He just looked at me, shaking his head and said, “Things sure are different in the city, aren’t they, Mama?”

When we landed at home in the bush the next day, he told Chuck all about his shocking observations. It went something like this: “Daddy, people in town aren’t like us! When they want something, they pay somebody else to make it. Why don’t they do it themselves? Did you know that Uncle Chris didn’t even build his own house?!!! He paid somebody to do that for him. People there don’t even catch and shoot their own food. They pay someone else to go fishing and hunting for them, and then they just drive to a store and buy whatever they want for supper. They don’t do anything for themselves, Daddy.”

Now that the boys are a little older, they understand things a little better, (although, to be honest, I don't think he was that far off in his assessment). It's kind of interesting to listen to young children verbalize the way they see the world.

Resourceful Little Bushrats

2011-03-28T23:54:00.001-08:00

My sons always amaze me with their resourcefulness. Earlier in the winter, long before they'd ever even seen or heard of snowboards, they began trying to stand up in their sleds to zoom down hills. After our trip to town, during which we took a drive through one of the passes and saw some snowboarders and skiers, Zeke and Jed got a few ideas.

This morning after we finished homeschool, they went outside. Within minutes they were back inside announcing that they had some snowboards. I had just started another batch of homemade soap and wasn't really giving them my full attention, but that made me stop and wonder what they were up to this time. They're always inventing toys and games, and I was really curious about this. They found an old stump from a blowdown, pulled off a few long chunks of wood, and then used another piece of wood to scrape them down to suit their desire for snowboards.

Actually, only Jed had a snowboard. Zeke said that he did have one, until Jed broke it. Now he has a set of skis, which pleases him greatly! They kept slipping off their new "inventions", so they found their daddy and asked him to drill a few holes and give them some rope. In no time they had foot straps and some pretty neat homemade equipment.

While Zeke tied on his skis, Jed gave his "new" snowboard a whirl. Here he is trying to stand up again --- seconds before wiping out!

Zeke broke off a couple of half-dead tree limbs to use as ski poles before trying out his new skis. He did better than I did my first time on skis!

Bush Plane Fuel Delivery

2011-03-24T14:16:00.001-08:00

Bush Fuel Delivery - March 2011

A few weeks ago we got our annual plane load of gas flown out to us. A load is 180 gallons. We used to go through just over 2 loads each year, but because the price of the gas and flying combined has doubled over the last six years, we have had to cut way back. We paid $1,040 for this last load! That sure wrecked the budget! When we called to schedule the flight the week before, it was $998, but they couldn’t work us into their schedule and we had to end up paying more because they’d just received their fuel at the inflated prices. They charge us the pump price, plus whatever their hourly rate is at the moment (depending on what he has to pay for plane fuel) for flying it out to us. Now the pump price is over $4 per gallon, and going up daily. I can just imagine what it will cost next year. I fully expect to have to get rid of internet, or only use it only for occasional emails.

In case anyone wonders how we get gas, we have four 55-gallon fuel drums. Chuck hauls them to the lake, one at a time on a sled hooked to the snow machine. The pilot had a fuel container custom made for his plane. He puts it into his plane, pumps fuel into it, flies the fuel to his customers, and used a pump to get it from his plane into fuel drums. We then siphon it from the drums into smaller gas jugs that are more manageable and haul the drums off the lake. It is much easier to handle the drums during the winter. Summer gas deliveries, when the fuel plane must land on floats, are difficult.

Cookout In The Snow

2011-03-23T15:10:00.000-08:00

During our last shopping trip into town, I was able to find some Hebrew National Beef Hotdogs. I rarely buy hotdogs or deli-type meats, but I thought it would be a nice change for a quick dinner some night. A few evenings ago as I was opening the packages to heat them in the oven, my youngest son asked if we could build a campfire and cook them on sticks! He was so excited about the idea that I couldn’t resist. It did sound fun. The look my husband gave me when I said yes showed his lack of enthusiasm, to say the least. Nevertheless, once he got the fire going out in the garden, and his appetite grew, he was a little more into it.

One of my sons roasting hotdogs on a stick.

The boys gathered willow shoots they found popping out of the snow, Chuck sharpened them and tended the fire, and I found our last jar of sauerkraut that I’d made and canned a few years back. (Glad I ordered plenty of cabbage seeds this year!) The boys wanted to eat the dogs right off the sticks, but Chuck and I (being co-dictators in the family ;) overruled that one and decided to heat them back up in the Dutch Oven with the sauerkraut. Mmmmmmmm. Delicious!

A good time was had by all. But that was the smokiest fire! If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought we were trying to burn alder. With all of our red, watery eyes, you’d never know we were having fun. We still have about 4 to 5 feet of packed snow on the ground, and when the fire burned down through the snow, it was in sort of a pit and hard to keep our faces out of the smoke.

Soap Box

2011-03-21T22:24:00.002-08:00

This post may not be what you're thinking. It's actually about a soap box (box of soap). Back in January when I wrote How to Make and Use Spruce Pitch Salve for The Survivalist Blog, I mentioned that spruce pitch also makes homemade soap smell great. Judy at Consent of the Governed Blog asked for my spruce soap recipe, which I gladly shared with her. I knew that Judy made beautiful soaps, but I was sure surprised when our mail arrived and I found a fragrant box of soaps she’d sent to me as a Thank-You gift. My thanks to you, Judy!

I haven’t tried all of them yet, but the ones I have used make me feel so pampered. So far, the dark one with the green tie in the center front is my favorite. I can't remember what it's called, but it has a very woodsy scent. My youngest son loves it so much that he's always going over to the soap dish to give it a sniff.

Judy is not only outspoken about political issues, but she is also a skilled homesteader type, at least when it comes to gardening and soapmaking. I'm sure she does all sorts of things, but I've only known her for a short time. If you want to gain fresh insight on political issues that you may not hear about through the mainstream news outlets, visit Judy’s blog, Consent of the Governed. Then visit her soap website, Soap By Judy. (Judy just let me know that she will extend a 10% discount on your order if you mention "Frontier Freedom" on the order form. Mail orders, only. Thank you, Judy, for that great offer to my readers!)

We Have an Inverter!

2011-03-20T17:08:00.001-08:00

Hooray ! ! ! ! We now have our new-to-us inverter hooked up. It's so nice to be online without all that noise of the generator, and without constantly thinking of all those $ $ $ $ $ in gas burning up every minute. Only problem is that the remote switch we use to turn it on in the living room beside the computer is not compatible with the inverter, which is installed upstairs in the loft. We'll have to order one, which will cost about $100 or so. For now, we have to leave the inverter on all the time. The switch is kind of goosy, and acts like it could fall off any minute, so we really couldn't turn it off and on very much even if it were right here. It uses more electricity to leave it running all the time, but for now it's our only real option. It's still much cheaper than running the generator, though. Plus, the days are getting much longer now here in the Far North, so those solar panels are really helping so that we won't have to run the generator as much to charge the battery bank.

Chuck called a friend when our old inverter died to ask his advice on getting it repaired or getting a new one. He said he'd just upgraded his system and that his old inverter was in the way so he wanted to get rid of it. He said he'd gladly just GIVE it to us, and deliver it to the air taxi in Anchorage next time he made a trip there. WOW! What a a blessing ! ! ! ! It works great and is exactly the size we needed. There will be a few birch bark baskets filled with goodies heading their way as a Thank-You as soon as the sap starts running and I can peel some trees! I can hardly wait!

Japan Earthquake, Radiation and Iodine

2011-03-14T08:07:00.001-08:00

Praying for the people of Japan. What a horrible thing, especially with the nuclear disasters. Seems like the country is almost in meltdown itself. I’ve read that the winds are pushing radioactive fallout to the Pacific North West and could hit the area, including Alaska within six to ten days of the first explosion. Other reports say there's nothing to worry about. Either way, good to have iodine/iodide on hand. If you are interested (and I think everyone should be), do a search for something like “iodine for radiation” and you’ll come up with plenty of good information explaining why iodine and iodide (both forms) are necessary to take daily just prior to and during exposure to high levels of radiation, as well as how to take it. Here's a good article on How to Prepare for Radiation Emergencies from SurvivalBlog.com

Because of our very limited gas supply and electricity, we have not been online enough to know the latest on what’s going on in Japan, and have had a hard time finding accurate fallout information. For several years I’ve been taking a few drops daily of Lugol’s solution mixed in water for hypothyroidism, but will keep a watch on things to see if more is needed, and if my family should begin taking it. I suspect we will. I hope that the news will report the danger in time for people to obtain the necessary iodine/iodide pills or solution, but I don’t have much faith that they will report anything until it’s too late and the radiation is upon us. Thankfully, there are other reliable sources for information. Even in Japan, we saw news reports that tried to convince people there was no danger of nuclear leaks. Hours later there was an explosion at a nuclear plant, making it impossible to gloss over any longer. SurvivalBlog.com (see the image link in my sidebar) has some good links. Some of the other sites such as The American Preppers Network have good information as well.

Bushrats' Trip to the Big City (and a few rabbit trails)

2011-03-03T12:41:00.000-09:00

Now that we’re back from our semi-annual shopping trip, I should be able to post more often. But, with things heating up by the moment in the Middle East, and gas prices (and prices on everything else, for that matter) soaring, I think we’ll still have to limit our computer use even after we get our new inverter in a few weeks.

If you’d rather skip all this gab, scroll down for lots of pictures. The Rabbit Trails are labeled in bold, and some of you may prefer those. But for those inquiring minds who want to know how bushrats spend their time in the “big city”, here’s a play-by-play. I don’t know why I get asked so often about what we do in town. I supposed we do about what everybody else does, only we do it all in a few days instead of each week throughout the year. We shop, visit friends and sometimes play. Well, we play a lot in the bush, and visit bush friends out here, but we do more of the visiting in town, and of course, that’s the only time we have to bother with shopping.

Looking for the airstrip

The weather here at home was beautiful the day we flew out, but when we arrived over town, the clouds were nearly on the deck. The first picture shows us flying sideways over the airport (mostly a bush plane airport) looking for the airstrip where small planes on skis are supposed to land. Our pilot had never landed there before, and my boys were a little green around the gills by the time we found it. All went well, despite the dubious “up to the minute” weather reports of a 1000 foot ceiling and visibility of 2 miles. I wish those weather guys would look out the window from time to time.

Our friends were waiting for us and pulled up to help unload the plane.

Unloading the plane in town at the airport

Overall, this trip into town was fun because we were able to stay with friends who live in a rural area, rather than in Anchorage. Don’t misunderstand me. We’re always very thankful for our friends in Anchorage who welcome us into their homes and let us borrow a car to go shopping and run errands, and it’s always fun to visit with them. But it was a relaxing change this time to be able to let the boys play outside with the dogs, meet and go sledding with neighbor kids, and feed the horses and chickens.

View from the deck

The first day, our friend took us to Anchorage to get our Costco shopping out of the way. We stopped at the chainsaw place for a bar and couple of chains for my new-to-me little chainsaw that I’m learning to use, and then went to the craft store for some knitting needles. I’m really not schizophrenic, although that last sentence might have you wondering. I enjoy knitting beside the woodstove in the evenings, but I also love the feeling of self-reliance that I get from being able to bring in the wood we need for cooking and heating (without dependence upon my husband, should something ever happen to him).

Rabbit Trail #1: I know what you’re thinking. One of the first things I mentioned today was the chaos in the Middle East and the gas price increases, and now I’m talking about gas-powered chainsaws? How incongruous! We’re planning to get a load of gas flown out very soon, and I suspect that it will be our last for a very long time to come. As long as we can get somewhat affordable gas, it makes our lives much easier. However, the next skill on my list is learning to fell trees with only manual tools. I’m sure I could do it now if I had to, but I really need to learn how to be safe with the tools and get in better shape for that. I feel certain that the time is coming when that will be a necessary skill, among many others.

Rabbit Trail #2: We all do a lot in the bush, but there’s always much more to learn. It is my goal to learn to do everything necessary to live independently out here, if at all possible. I’m not sure that my goal is even attainable, but I am sure that I have a very long way to go. It’s a bit discouraging sometimes to think about that, but when I look back on how far I’ve come over the years since moving to Alaska, I’m encouraged to keep plugging away, one step at a time. It is satisfying.

Here are some pictures of our trip. Our friend has a mini-horse, Rosie. We sometimes took her and the dogs for a walk down the road to visit with neighbors.

Jed and Zeke loved playing with our friend's mini-horse


Taking the horse and dogs down the road

We enjoyed the fresh eggs for breakfast, and feeding the chickens. I’d love to get chickens out here again, but feed is too expensive, especially to fly out.

Feeding the Chickens

Feeding Chickens

My boys had never been around horses before, so this was quite a treat for them.


The boys got to play with horses for the first time.

This was a big treat for the boys

The horses at sunset

Two of our friends horses

A moose cow and her calf browsed by each morning. This is a picture of my son in the snow watching the moose and horses from the deck, and then another shot of the moose.

Jed watched the moose and horses in the snow from the deck.

Moose in the woods behind the horses

We’re very thankful to another of our friends and her son for taxiing us all over town one day to finish running errands. She was sick and had a fever, but didn’t let a little thing like that spoil her fun. She even took us back to her house so that we could see her menagerie. My boys’ favorites were the geese. She has beautiful sled dogs, some with impressive backgrounds. I am hoping for one of her pups soon.

Rabbit Trail #3: We always begin taking a mix of vitamins and herbs a few days before heading to town to avoid getting sick when we see people. I suppose we’re kind of like the Indians when the Europeans arrived. Their immune systems were not able to fight off diseases they’d never been exposed to, and they didn’t know what to do when they came down with those horrible, strange illnesses. When I lived in the city years ago, I rarely got sick. Now, if I don’t take the vitamins and herbs while in town, I get to feeling rotten within a few days.

It seems that we have to do more and more these days to stay well. It used to be that I’d take a capsule with a mixture of Echinacea, Goldenseal and Elder twice a day while in town, and that would be plenty to keep the bugs at bay. Now it’s more complicated with many more herbs like garlic, wild chives, wormwood, rosemary, sage, oregano, comfrey, as well as vitamins C and D. Even with all those, the boys and I still ended up with a mild sore throat and the sniffles. Not nearly as bad as most folks in town. None of us even got a fever. I suspect it is (in part) because of the overuse of antibiotics causing these strong, resistant infections. I won’t go any further with that thought right now. End of Rabbit Trail #3.

One of our stops was the sporting goods store. Last summer, my boys made several bows and arrows from sticks, and then shot rubber ducks off stumps. This trip we looked at more “high tech” bows. The guy at the store was very helpful, and the boys had fun shooting a real bow for the first time in the back of the store. I took an archery class last spring, and now I’m hooked!

The boys were excited about shooting a real bow.

Once we got our required stops out of the way, we had more time to play. Here’s a picture of my boys sledding with a new friend.

Sledding with a new friend

The dogs and boys kept each other entertained for hours.

Keeping entertained

Another moose in the yard.

Another moose browsing in the yard

We hope to get a few more goats very soon. They are the only animal we’ve found that can totally feed themselves out here. Without grain, the does don’t produce as much milk, so we’ll need to have more, but as long as they can survive well on browse, that’s great. They are stronger and healthier than animals raised on hay and grain. While in town, we stopped by one farm. Now I’m trying to coordinate everything to get some Toggs.

We'd like to get a few of these goats

Mama and her kid

The boys are looking forward to getting goats again.

After checking on goats, we decided to take a drive through the pass on the way back to our friend’s home. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather! My boys have begun standing in their sleds as they zoom down hills, so it was a surprise for them to see real snowboards.

The boys and I at the pass


After seeing the goats, we went for a drive through the pass

The boys had fun watching snowboarders at the pass

Time for the trip home. The wind was screaming in town and at our lake, so I was a little uneasy about the flight. But the winds were coming straight down the airstrips in both places, and the pilot said it would be “not too bad” once we got out of town. He was right. We bounced around a little, but not too much. Here are a few pictures from the plane as we neared our lake and came in to land.

Almost home

The mountains beyond our cabin

Approaching the lake

About to land

Almost there

The welcoming committee! They were so happy to see us they almost jumped in the plane as soon as the door opened.

The welcoming committee

Once we landed, we unloaded the plane, put the boys and as much stuff on the sled as we could, and then Chuck and I road on the snow machine pulling the sled. This machine is very tippy anyway, and really too small for both of us to ride, so it took a lot of time and determination to get to our cabin. We didn’t have any trouble on the lake, but the high winds caused snowdrifts on the trails --- or what used to be trails. The boys howled with laughter every time the snow machine tipped over on us (they remained upright).

We’ve had over 13 feet of snow this year, so we didn’t get bruised up too bad. The snow had a bit of a crust, and every time I tried to pull myself out, I’d break through and sink again up to my neck. Chuck was holding onto the handlebars, so he could get out pretty easy. Lots of alder under the snow, so we were able to find branches with our feet and push off enough to grab onto the snow machine. After about the third time of getting dumped off the machine, I swam through the snow to the sled and retrieved my snowshoes. I don’t usually find this kind of ride very amusing, but I was so happy to be home that I was laughing right along with the boys.

Once we finally arrived at the cabin, I started supper while Chuck hauled the rest of our things back from the lake.

Rabbit Trail #4: Bush life is so much simpler than town life. I love cooking on my antique woodburning cookstove. In town, I’m always forgetting to turn on the stove, and then, once I finally remember an hour later and the food is done, I forget to turn it off. At home, if the house is warm, that means there’s a fire in the stove and all I have to do is put a pot of food where I want it, either on top of the stove or in the oven. When the food is done, I take it off the stove. That’s it. I add wood to the fire as a matter of course, but I never have to concern myself with preheating an oven or remembering to turn it off. I just close it down good before leaving the cabin for the day or going to bed.

In town, I stare at all the buttons on the dishwasher until someone notices my bewildered look and shows me what to do. In the bush, washing dishes is pretty straightforward. Pour water in the metal dish pans, place them on the stove until the water is hot (no need to turn on the woodstove as long as the house is warm and there is a supply of wood). One pan is for washing; the other for rinsing. Then the dishes drip-dry on towels. Much more intuitive than a computerized dishwasher!

Thankfully, there was already some coffee in the pot our first morning in town. Trying to figure out that coffee maker would have thrown me over the edge. I’m so glad to be home. End of Rabbit Trail #4.

Birch Sap Wine

2011-02-17T17:50:00.004-09:00

Birch Sap Wine

I had just been thinking about springtime and looking forward to tapping birch trees again when someone commented on my post here about Tapping Birch Trees. John lives in the UK and makes birch sap wine. Here is the link to his recipe. I am definitely going to give this a try in a couple of months, and will let you know how it goes. Thank you, John!

While you're over at Sticks' blog checking out his birch sap wine recipe, spend a little time. He has some great posts on bushcrafting, camping and the great outdoors!

The caption on the picture goes to the wine recipe on John's site, but for some reason, the pictures itself won't link properly. Sorry about that.

I'll post again when my boys and I get back from town. I've been putting off this trip for months, but now we're all kind of looking forward to it. We'll get to visit with several friends, so it should be fun.

How to Make and Use Spruce or Pine Pitch Salve

2011-02-02T09:18:00.001-09:00

Beetle-killed spruce tree
with dripping pitch.

I recently submitted this article on How to Make and Use Spruce Pitch Salve to Survivalist Blog. It was published today! The uses for Spruce Pitch and Sap are well-documented in books about Alaska Natives. The uses for Pine, however, are also documented, but more in writings by natural health practicioners. If you have pine trees in your area, that will work well.

I have been using Spruce Pitch for many years. Here are a few of the ways I use it:

On spider and other insect bites and stings
To prevent or cure infections of ugly scrapes
As a natural, safe and effective underarm deodorant
As a lip balm and hand cream to help kill germs and prevent illness
To increase circulation and speed healing of a sprained ankle
It makes homemade soap smell fantastic! I don’t know if it still has antimicrobial properties after it’s made into soap. I kind of doubt it, but it still smells delightful.

To learn more, read the full article at Survivalist Blog by clicking here.

Prepare for Uncertain Times

2011-01-31T13:22:00.001-09:00

American Preppers Network Forum is an excellent website filled with lots of very helpful information on topics such as gardening, food preservation and storage, animals and livestock, construction manuals, building plans, survival manuals, recipes and cookbooks, homesteading, shelters, wilderness survival, medical and first aid, and much more. The site header sums up their goal: “Freedom Through Teaching Others Self-Reliance”.
On the Downloads page, (either click here or go to the home page and scroll down until you see the image link on the left that says "Free Survival Disk), you will find an incredible number of articles, all free. You are welcome to download as many of them as you like. If you don’t want to spend the time to download, the site administrator is generously offering a free CD containing all of the articles. He only asks that you contribute $2.97 to cover shipping. It is well worth it to have all of these articles in one place when you need them. It will save you a great deal of time, and if your computer crashes, you will still have the CD. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the Downloads page for instructions on how to receive your free CD.

The main feature of this website is the active forum. Once you register on the site, you will be able to ask questions or help others by drawing on your experience to answer their questions. I’ve added American Preppers Network to the links in my sidebar so that you can find it easily.

Swine Flu Vaccine in GMO Corn

2011-01-25T12:05:00.000-09:00

This is nuts! No more of my Grandma's Southern Cornbread for our family. I stopped buying corn meal years ago when I learned that most of the corn in the world today is GMO. This is one more BIG reason to give it up. Here are just the first two sentences from an article you can find here at http://www.politicolnews.com/swine-flu-vaccine-in-your-gmo-foods/
"The onslaught of vaccines will increase as we know the scientists at the University of Iowa are already working on inserting the Swine Flu Vaccine into genetically modified corn. Well the pharmas and monstanto have teamed up to bring you the newest breakfast ceareal you can imagine: The New GMO Swine Flu CornFlakes"

How to Make and Use Balm of Gilead

2011-01-23T14:42:00.000-09:00

Balm of Gilead is a very handy addition to your first aid kit. In this article, I will tell you how to make Balm of Gilead, and how it can be used. It is mentioned in several places throughout the Bible. I’m not sure if the Balsam Poplar (Cottonwood) trees that we have in Alaska are the same ones mentioned, but they are of the Populus species, are commonly called Balm of Gilead, and have wonderful medicinal properties. In a future article, I will show you how to make Balm of Gilead cough syrup and cough drops.

Balsam Poplar buds

How to Make Balm of Gilead

The buds of the tree are used to make healing balms and cough remedies. The resin causes the buds to be very sticky; therefore, they are best collected when the temperatures are below freezing. If you wait until spring when the leaves begin to sprout, they will not be as potent for medicinal uses.

It is best to pick the buds when the temperatures are below
freezing because the buds are sticky when warm.

Collect at least a cupful of buds. You may want to make cough syrup after I post my follow-up article, so collect extra buds now and keep them in your freezer, if you have one.

Do not wash the buds. Try to collect them in dry weather, if possible, to reduce the water in your salve. Place the buds in a pan and cover with vegetable oil or melted, rendered animal fat. You may also use vegetable oils that are solid at room temperature such as palm oil and coconut oil. Melt them prior to pouring over the buds. The amount of oil isn’t an exact science. Just cover the buds so that you can stir them around a bit.

Cover buds with liquid oils, or melt rendered
animal fat or vegetable oils that are solid
at room temperature, such as palm or coconut.

Warm over very low heat for at least two hours. Because we have so much snow, I leave the lid off the pan for a little while to evaporate the water in the buds. If you are in a drier location and your buds aren’t covered with snow, covering the pan with a lid will retain more of the volatile oils. I set the pan on the coolest part of my woodburning cookstove for a few hours, and sometimes up to a few days. You could set the covered pan in the oven with only the pilot light burning. Just remember not to preheat the oven for baking while the pan is in there. Heating the oil and buds in the top of a double boiler for two or three hours is another good way to infuse the oil.

Stir the buds occasionally, and then strain through several layers of cheesecloth. I have found that I get a cleaner salve if I first strain through a wire sieve to remove the buds, and then through a few layers of cheesecloth.

If you are using liquid oil, you will probably want to thicken it with beeswax. Measure the infused oil and return to a clean pan. To each cup of oil, add 1 ½ to 2 Tbsp. beeswax. Over very low heat, or in the top of a double boiler, stir and melt the beeswax. Pour into clean tins or jars. Allow to cool and solidify before covering with lids. If your balm is too hard for your liking, melt with a little more oil. If it is too liquid, melt with a little more beeswax.

Beeswax can be purchased in blocks and chopped.
Use about 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. per cup of infused oil
to thicken for salves.

Vitamin E and Benzoin are good, safe preservatives. You may wish to add a dropper of liquid Vitamin E oil or ¼ tsp of Tincture of Benzoin or Gum Benzoin to each cup of your infused oil prior to pouring into containers.

How To Use Balm Of Gilead

According to Janice Schofield in Discovering Wild Plants, Balsam Poplar and Quaking Aspen are in the Willow family, and contain salicin and populin. These glycosides are similar to aspirin, and are effective in reducing pain, inflammation, and fever.

Of all the herbal salves I make, this is the best one I’ve found for chapped hands and lips. Most people love the fragrance of Balm of Gilead. When my boys were babies, I often used it on their bottoms to prevent or heal diaper rash. Friends have used it for saddle sores. It helps heal cuts and scrapes, and is helpful for arthritis and sore muscles. Be sure to make plenty. Once you try it, you’ll want to share it with friends.

Jar of Balm of Gilead, ready to use.

Another excellent book that will help you learn about using plants is "The Way of Herbs" by Michael Tierra. I refer to this book often.

Prepare With a Very Informative Site

2011-01-21T09:22:00.003-09:00

I recently found a wonderfully informative survival blog called TheSurvivalistBlog.net. The name might put off a few of you, or it might intrigue others, but either way, this uncluttered site has a huge collection of easy to find articles. There is something for everyone. One of the things I like most about The Survivalist Blog is that the site owner, M. D. Creekmore keeps his blog and his articles simple.

MD says that TheSurvivalistBlog.net is “dedicated to helping people, on a budget, prepare for an uncertain future.” Like my family, MD lives off the grid, and he has years of experience. Whether you just want get motivated to better prepare for something relatively small such as the next ice storm, or you’re on the other end of the spectrum and consider yourself a serious prepper getting ready for a major disaster, you will learn a great deal from the many articles at Survivalist Blog.

Here is a partial list of the article categories:

Food
Gardening
Firearms
Homestead
Medical
Trapping
News
Life & Mindset

My family and I live in the Alaskan bush, not because we thought the sky was falling and wanted to head for the hills. We’re here because it provides a peaceful lifestyle that both of us have dreamed about since we were kids growing up in different parts of the country. We’ve been drawn to Alaska and to the bush most of our lives. Since we’re so remote, many people think we’re sort of “experts” on . . . . well, I’m not exactly sure what. We’re just a family raising our children and living a life we love, which just happens to be in the wilderness of Alaska. We’re learning as we go. I’ve been very impressed with The SurvivalistBlog.net and have learned much. I hope you’ll visit his website soon.

Snow Caves and Slickin'

2011-01-19T16:50:00.001-09:00

(If the Sildeshows and Pictures don't show up, click the title of this post and they should show up there.) We live in a pretty high snow area. So far, we’ve had almost 9 feet of snowfall, which is much less than normal for this time of year. A few weeks ago, it warmed up to near 40 degrees and rained. Yuck! Then the temperatures plummeted to 20 below zero, so now there’s quite a crust of ice on everything. After a good snow, our boys spend many hours either slickin’, as they call it, or building snow caves.

The first slideshow has pictures of some of the snow caves they built earlier this winter. After their first one collapsed, they figured out that it works better to pile up the snow and let it set up a few hours or more before digging it out. At one point, we had three small snow caves in the yard. After this last snow, they pooled their efforts and built a big snow cave that all of us could have slept in. It was surprisingly strong and well built, especially considering it was built by two 6 year olds. Unfortunately, they crashed it before I got a picture.

Here are two more that they made yesterday when they both crashed through the snow nearly up to their eyeballs. Both of them were beside spruce saplings, and decided that would be a good place for a snow cave. They dug themselves out, broke off some branches, stuck them around, and then packed lots of snow around to keep out the wind. I think their imaginations will serve them well if they ever get stuck out in the woods on a snowy day when they’re older.

Zeke in his snow cave he made with spruce branches
after he fell through the snow up to his eyeballs.

Jed in his snow cave he made after falling through the snow
right beside Zeke. He made it with a spruce tree.

Here are some pictures of them slickin’, as they call it. A few were taken in the yard. Most are at the lake where there’s a steep hill. Jed takes his sled everywhere. You just never know when you’ll find a good hill. (If the slideshows don't show, click on the title of this post above and they should show up there.)

Firewood and Independence

2011-01-17T13:14:00.001-09:00

Most of our firewood for the year.

We heat and cook with wood, and burn about 10 cords each year. One cord of wood is a stack measuring 8’x4’x4’. (We live in a little frame cabin now. Once we get our log cabin built, we’ll go through much less wood.) Today I finally did something I’m terribly embarrassed to admit that I’ve never done before. I learned to split wood with a splitting maul! I know. With a blog like this, you’d think splitting firewood would be a daily thing for me. I’ve learned lots of skills living in the Alaskan bush, and now at last, splitting wood is one more! It may seem silly, but I felt such a sense of accomplishment.

All these years, I’ve depended on my husband to take care of the wood. How foolish of me! What if something happened to him and he wasn’t here, or was injured and couldn’t do it? I know I could manage, but an emergency is the worst possible time to learn a necessary skill. It isn’t that I’ve never thought of it before. I just “never got around to it”. Very unwise.

Today the thermometer read 33 degrees below zero, and since wood splits easier when it’s really cold, I decided now was a good time to learn. But when I went outside and asked him to teach me, he just handed over the splitting maul, set a piece of wood up for me and said, “There ya go”. I asked how far away to stand. He said, “Far enough so you hit the wood”. Well, that was certainly helpful! I asked how to hold the maul. He said, “However it works best for you”. Clearly, he wasn’t about to make this any easier for me.

He was actually happy that I wanted to learn to split wood, but he has split so much of it over the years that it was about like trying to explain to someone how to talk. To him, you just swing the maul, hit the wood, then pick up the pieces. To me, this was some highly technical skill that required detailed training (kind of like whitewashing a fence). However, it didn’t take long to get the hang of things, and to realize that the old saying is right --- “Wood warms you twice. Once when you split it, and again when you burn it.”

Last summer, Chuck began teaching me to use the chainsaw. I need to get back on that and practice. I don’t want to depend on it, though. I want to learn to do everything required to get the wood in --- cut down the tree, cut it into lengths, haul it in (with the dog), and split it, all without depending on a gas engine. I know nothing about motors. They make me feel so helpless when they don’t work, and I hate feeling helpless. Another reason I don’t want to depend on a gas engine for anything is that affordable gas may not (probably will not) be available in the not-so-distant future.

Splitting wood today made me feel a bit more independent. It’s the same feeling you get from hauling your own water from a spring rather than turning on a faucet. Or picking wild greens for a salad and cauliflower from your garden rather than driving to the grocery store and picking it from the produce counter. Or serving meat or fish for supper that you killed or caught yourself rather than buying a neat little 2-pound package of it at the store. It just feels good.

Hauling firewood is easier and faster in the winter. We use this
homemade sled Chuck built mostly from an old fuel drum.

Frosty Mornings

2011-01-14T12:01:00.000-09:00

After breakfast, we often go snowshoeing to check the trapline, or just to enjoy the morning. Here are a few pictures I took last week.

I took this picture of our cache as we were leaving the yard.

Sunrise over the homestead.

The next two pictures are of alder cones covered in thick frost.

Alder cones covered with heavy frost.

These pictures were taken another day while we were snowshoeing after a heavy snow.

Our cache after a heavy snow.

Snow-covered spruce tree.

Knit Hats For Israeli Soldiers

2011-01-14T11:40:00.003-09:00

On cold winter evenings, I enjoy knitting beside the woodstove with the soft glow of an oil lamp. For the last few weeks, between knitting hexagons for a bedspread for my son, I’ve been knitting hats for Israeli soldiers. I found this blog of a mom in Israel. Her son is in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and told her that he was cold while on patrol. She knit him up a stocking cap that, unlike the hats issued to the soldiers, is warm, comfortable and can be worn under his helmet. Along with gals from her knitting group, “Chicks With Sticks”, she knit more and more hats, and now there are folks around the world knitting and crocheting hats for Israeli soldiers. This year her goal is to help 5000 more Israeli soldiers stay warm with handmade hats.

An Israeli soldier wearing one of these
handmade hats. It actually gets cold
and sometimes snows in Israel.

The soldiers appreciate these hats!

She’s been doing this for several years and has had articles written about her in major Israeli newspapers. If you knit or crochet and would like to whip up a few hats, please visit her blog by clicking here. The patterns are on her site, and hats can be crochet, or knit with straight needles, circular needles, and/or double-pointed needles. Circulars are easier and look nicer, but I only have dpn’s in the correct size at the moment. The pattern is simple. Even a new knitter can do this. She asks that the hats be mailed to her in an envelope rather than a box, and that the declared value be less than $50. Otherwise, she has to pay an enormous fee at the post office when she picks them up.

Here is a hat I'm working on, along with one I just completed. I'll mail them out as soon as we get another plane out this way.

Here's a hat I'm working on, as well as one I just finished.

The Turkey Bomber

2011-01-11T12:57:00.001-09:00

(Side Note: Our generator is running today to power the washer, so I'm taking advantage of it to write a few posts. Below this one is a post about wash day at the creek during the summer. For those of you who don't know, our inverter died, and we can only have electricity when the generator is running. Since we have to charter a plane to fly gas out here, it make for very expensive internet time. So, until we get another one next time I go into town in a month or so, I won't be able to post much.)

I know that Thanksgiving is long gone, but since this is a blog about life in the Alaska bush, and since I wasn’t able to blog during Thanksgiving, I thought I’d write about it now. First, I’ll give you a little background, and then you’ll understand the title of this post. (Pictures at the end)

We live way off the road system. The only way to get into town is by chartering a small plane, and then it has to land on the lake about ¾ mile from our cabin. Thanksgiving comes during the midst of freeze-up, which is when the lake is beginning to get a layer of ice, but it’s not yet strong enough to support a plane. Our lake is deep and has lots of warm springs, so it’s later than most in freezing up. Since most lakes in the area begin freezing around mid-October, and ours doesn’t usually have safe ice until around early to mid December, there’s about a 6 – 8 week span in there when we can’t get a plane to make a shopping trip or get mail even if we wanted to.

We also live way off the power grid. I must either can or make jerky with all of our meat, except when we get fresh meat during the winter when the temperatures are consistently well below freezing, which is usually from the middle of November until sometime in March. No electricity to run a freezer. A propane freezer, and the propane to run it are out of our range. This means that there’s no way for us to have a turkey or any fresh meat for Thanksgiving.

Nevertheless, this year, like all the other years since we moved to the bush, The Turkey Bomber made our Thanksgiving dinner complete. There’s a wonderful man and his wife who live on the road system about 50 miles or so from us. Each year, a few days before Thanksgiving, they purchase about 40 large, frozen turkeys. He loads them into his little bush plane, flies around this part of Alaska, and airdrops turkeys to families like ours who would not otherwise be able to have turkey for Thanksgiving. He’s known around here as The Turkey Bomber. What a blessing he and his family have been to ours.

The first picture was taken as he made his run over the lake and was about to toss the turkey out the door of his plane. This year the weather prevented him from flying until the day after Thanksgiving, but it was still a fun day for us. Chuck drove the snow machine with Zeke riding up front with him. Jed and I rode to the lake in the sled pulled behind the snow machine. The boys sledded down the steep hill while we waited for the “turkey bomb”. He dropped it right beside a hole in the ice. Chuck walked out with a sled to fetch the turkey. The ice was about 4” thick --- fine for walking, but not for a plane to land. We tied the sled to the snow machine sled and came home. Part way home, the boys wanted to walk and pull the turkey themselves with their little sled. It was a fun day for all of us.

Flying low, getting ready to drop the turkey out of the plane.

Chuck pulled the sled out onto the lake to fetch the turkey.
The lake ice wasn't thick enough for a plane to land, but
there was enough for people to walk on it.

The boys watched as Chuck got the turkey to the bank of the lake.

Wish I could adjust the picture sizes better. The one below is beautiful, but when I make it the next size larger, it's huge and runs off the page.

Alpinglow on Mt. Foraker and Mt. McKinley was beautiful as
we were leaving the lake to head home.

Our dog loves to chase us. Chuck and Jed were riding on the
snow machine, I took this picture as Zeke and I were
being pulled in the sled behind the snow machine.

Wash Day At The Creek

2011-01-11T12:13:00.000-09:00

Winter has barely gotten started good, but I already began dreaming of summer while doing the laundry today. Washing clothes is never my favorite chore, but during the summer it’s much more fun, at least for the boys. People often ask me how we wash clothes in the bush with no electricity or running water. Well, in a way, we do have running water --- the creek runs all summer, and all we have to do is run down there.

All of us haul clothes, plastic totes, soap, a pitcher and my handy, dandy “Rapid Washer” down the hill to the creek behind our cabin. Then we just make a day of it. We fill the totes with creek water, add a little laundry soap and clothes, and then I let the boys have at it --- until they lose interest. There’s nothing Zeke would rather do than play in water, so he’s as handy as my Rapid Washer on wash day!

The boys helping wash clothes at the creek last summer.

Here’s a picture of my “Rapid Washer”. It sort of looks like a metal plunger. Does a pretty fair job of cleaning clothes, as long as a steady supply of elbow grease is available.

"Rapid Washer" - It's sort of like a plunger
only it's metal. It's great for washing
clothes by hand.

To rinse clothes, I put a plastic basket in the deepest part of the creek (all of about 6 inches, if I’m lucky). Then add a few clothes, swoosh ‘em around a little and let the creek do the rest. We hang the wet clothes on branches to drip for a few minutes, and then hang them on a rope strung between some trees in the yard. If it doesn’t rain, we have clean clothes to wear the next day . . . but it always rains when clothes are hanging on the line.

To rinse clothes, I put a few things in a
basket and then let the creek do the work.

Sure beats wash days during the winter. We have a little portable electric washer, and a drain pipe that goes through a hole in the floor. We have to run the generator for this, so it makes for a noisy day. While I wash clothes, Chuck uses the snow machine to haul water in 5-gallon buckets from the spring. Even little washers use LOTS of water. Then we have clothes hanging all over the cabin for a day or so. At least the washer has a spinner on one side. Before we adopted the boys, I used to wash clothes during the winter by hand in the cabin sort of like we do at the creek, only we had to haul the water up the hill to the cabin, and we didn’t have a snow machine back then. I can hardly wait until summer.

Flying Home in a Bush Plane

2010-12-31T00:24:00.003-09:00

We charter a plane about twice a year to go into town for groceries, supplies and mail. Last summer I wrote a post about our upcoming shopping trip (Click here if you'd like to read about how we shop for 6 months to a year at a time). Here are a few pictures of my trip with the boys, starting at the air taxi at Lake Hood in Anchorage, and ending when the boys and I arrived home. Our shopping trips usually last about two or three days, so we're always more than ready to get out of the city.

I've read that Lake Hood is the busiest float plane lake in the world. I don't like busy places, so I'm not sure why it's my favorite place in Anchorage. Maybe because it's our connection to home and the way out of town. Even with all those small planes coming and going, it seems peaceful to me. After several days in the city, I breathe a sigh of relief as soon as I drive through the gate and around the lake toward the air taxi.

I always get a kick out of this sign at Lake Hood in Anchorage

We don't have a car or truck of our own because we don't need one very often. When we go into town, we usually stay with friends and borrow their car to do our shopping. We try not to stay with the same folks more than once a year so we don't wear out our welcome.

When the car we're borrowing is full, we come to the air taxi and store everything in their shed until we're ready to fly home. We usually fly in a Cessna 185. I knew I was cutting it mighty close on the weight limit this time and was going to have to leave some of our groceries in town. What a surprise when the owner told me that the 185 wasn't available and we were going home in the Beaver, and at no extra charge. Hooray! ! ! If I'd known we were flying in a Beaver, I'd have done more shopping! A Beaver can haul about half again as much as a 185.

Loading the plane at the air taxi in Anchorage.

This is the view of planes parked at Lake Hood as we were taking off.

Taking off. Float planes parked on the lake.

There's a strip for wheel planes, too. This is one of the "Parking Lots" for wheel planes.

Wheel planes parked at Lake Hood

Leaving Anchorage and heading over the water toward home.

Leaving Anchorage

The boys were excited to be heading home. All of our stuff is packed behind the seats. As you can see, we had plenty of extra room this time. Usually it's packed full. They even load things in the floats.

Ready to get home!

After about 10 minutes in the plane, the engine lulls the boys to sleep.

A good time for a nap.

This is one of my favorite views in the world. As soon as we come around the mountain, we get our first glimpse of the lake we live on. Actually, we're about 3/4 mile back in the woods off the lake, but this is close enough for me!

First glimpse of home --- my favorite view in the world!

Getting ready to land on the lake.

Chuck and our dog met us at the lake and began unloading.

Unloading the plane.

The plane is almost unloaded. Jed had plenty of energy after that 45 minute flight. Once the plane leaves, we load up our backpacks, haul everything up the hill, and then head down the trail toward home. If our old 4-wheeler is working, we load up the cart, too (or the snow machine in the winter) and Chuck makes a few trips with that. But, I think it finally bit the dust this last fall. Next summer we'll be hauling everything on our backs again like we used to do.

The plane is almost unloaded.

The pilot's heading back to Anchorage. We say our good-byes. Probably won't see him again for another 6 or 8 months. I used to look forward to trips into town and getting things we've been out of for a long time. Now, I put off those trips as long as I can. I'm content to stay home, even if we don't have everything we want. We have everything we really need right here. This life is such a blessing.

Good-bye. See ya in 6 months.

Another Good Blog

2010-12-30T12:32:00.001-09:00

Thanks to Sally and her blog, Daimonds in the Rough, I found another blog that I enjoy very much. Actually, sometimes when I visit, it makes my blood boil. Sometimes I just shake my head. I hope you'll visit Consent of the Governed and see what I mean. Here's a list of some of her most recent posts:

Economic Collapse is Coming
Medicating America's Children
The Chinese Infiltration of American Education
FDA to Review Mercury Laden Dental Fillings
American History Lesson
The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America
Lt. Col. Lakin Folds

Boys' First Trapline

2010-12-28T15:37:00.011-09:00

Trapping is a part of life for most Alaska bush families. The weather can be extremely harsh, and fur is the only thing that will keep us warm. Chuck has been a trapper most of his life, and when we married he taught me to trap with him. This year, the boys were delighted when their daddy said he'd teach them to trap.

Now, the boys and I have two lines that we snowshoe every other day. Sometimes we stop and build a fire along the trail to warm our hands, drink a cup of hot chocolate and have a snack. Recently, they were thrilled as we approached our last set on the trapline. There they found their first marten! (Marten and Sable are the same animal.) After skinning it, the boys wanted to dissect it. Both thought that was neat, but Jed especially enjoyed getting to learn all about the giblets. Here's a slideshow of our day on the trapline (no giblets). If it doesn't show, then click on the title above (Boys' First Trapline), and it should show up there.
(Hover your mouse over the images to pause or go back or forward.)

An Informative Blog

2010-12-23T15:59:00.000-09:00

Quite some time back I ran across a wonderfully informative blog, Walking With The Wise. Every time I visit, I learn something new. Alice's views are far from mainstream, which is why I enjoy it. She expresses her opinions very well on many issues that are so important to me. I hope you'll take a look at her current post, "Jew Teaches Christians About Jesus", as well as her archived posts.

Lunar Eclipse Fun

2010-12-21T14:32:00.002-09:00

Last night, we got a special treat with the Lunar Eclipse. I've been trying the "star system" with my boys (more on that another time). I promised that as soon as both of them earned 100 stars, we'd do something really special. No surprise that they wanted to have a campfire with Homemade Marshmallows (click for my recipe). It just so happened that a full lunar eclipse was supposed to happen right about the time they'd probably meet their goal. Since I wanted to let the boys stay up to watch the eclipse, and since Zeke was a little short on stars, I needed to motivate him a bit. So, I promised that if both of them earned 15 stars yesterday (10 is their max so far in one day), not only would we have a campfire with homemade marshmallows and hot chocolate, but we'd make homemade ice cream. That did it for them! What a wonderful day we had. I've never seen them so anxious to do extra chores and to be so nice and kind to everyone! They were nearly perfect (spooky :) )

Here are some pictures I took of our campfire while we watched the lunar eclipse. We have about 5 1/2 feet of snow, and the temperature wasn't too bad --- about 5 degrees. Finally above zero. I apologize for the poor quality of moon pictures. Our camera is old, and by today's standards, very low end. I never could get the neat copper color that looked like the moon was glowing. But, here they are anyway.

Drying Homemade Marshmallows to roast over
the campfire as we watch the full lunar eclipse.

Full Moon rising through the trees before the total eclipse.

The fire kept us warm while we watched the eclipse

We made ice cream in a coffee can, and then used
snow and rock salt to freeze it. YUMMY!

Jed and Zeke stirring the ice cream beside the fire.
Kind of ironic that they actually wanted ice cream with as cold as it's been.

Roasting Homemade Marshmallows while watching
the total lunar eclipse. What a fun night!

I can't resist roasting marshmallows!

We had a great night, passing the time watching the eclipse.

The eclipse was starting, but my camera didn't capture it well.

Chuck had a hard time keeping the pot of water from tipping.

Ahhhh. Nothing like hot chocolate beside a fire
to warm your bones on a cold night.

Warming up with hot chocolate before
digging into the homemade ice cream.

The moon was glowing a copper
color at this point, but my camera
didn't show it.

This was the last shot I could
get with my camera. Too bad it didn't
show up as beautiful as it was.

New Blog

2010-12-19T01:20:00.006-09:00

Our laptop died a couple of months ago, and I thought I'd get back to blogging at HomeschoolBlogger within a few weeks. But, life was busier than expected, as usual, and then when I finally was able to start blogging again . . . . well . . . I'm working on getting most of my old posts moved here. I really enjoyed the community of homeschool moms at HomeschoolBlogger, and would really prefer to stay there, but my blog and template kept disappearing or getting scrambled. Like most folks, I don't have much free time to blog, so it was frustrating to waste that precious time on fixing my blog rather than posting. But, I'm here now and will try to make it feel like "home" soon.

I can't seem to get the import/export thing to work properly. We have a slow satellite internet connection, so maybe things are not downloading or uploading fast enough. Most of my general posts about life in Alaska, as well as articles on wild plants have been moved. I still need to copy some of my recipes, though. I just added a cbox, so we'll see how that goes. I've begun adding blogs and other links, and will add a few more things soon. Overall, it seems to be pretty easy to set things up here at blogspot. If you'd like to follow my blog, add yourself to my followers (on the right), or subscribe. :)

Shopping, Alaska Bush Style

2010-12-19T00:25:00.003-09:00

Unloading the plane at the lake after a shopping trip.

The boys and I will head to town next week for a few days. A shopping trip isn't a big deal to most people, but I haven't been in town or driven a car in 5 months. It'll probably be at least another six months or so before I go again, so my few days in town are jammed. It always takes more time than I expect to get ready for the trip. That's why I have not posted much or visited other blogs lately.

I start making a shopping list as soon as I return from my previous trip. I always forget a few things, can't find a few "necessities", or run out of time (or steam) before I work through my list. I write my list in two parts. The first part is for things I absolutely MUST get or do while in town. The second half is what would be nice, but not major problem if I get home without it. Whatever I don't get we do without until the next trip.

I used to write a date on everything we opened (bags of oats, buckets of peanut butter, jars of spices, etc.). Then, when we ran out, I could calculate how long the item lasted, and how much we need for six months or a year. Now I pretty much know how much of everything we use each year, so I don't do that very often.

Before each trip, I inventory my kitchen shelves, and my husband goes to the cache to see what's there. In addition to the groceries, we try to think about equipment, such as chain saws, the 4 wheeler, snow machine and other things. Those are close to being necessities out here. (I expect the economy and political system to totally crash, and we'll find out soon enough that they aren't really necessities.) My husband uses the 4 wheeler during the summer to haul water, and the plane load of stuff to our cabin from the lake. He uses the snow machine throughout our long winters to haul water and logs for firewood. I don't like motors, so I stick with the dog, but that's beside the point. It's always a gamble trying to decide what is likely to break, and what will probably make it though without major replacement parts until the next trip. Several years ago the steering column on the snow machine broke at the beginning of the winter. I went into town a couple of months later, had it welded, and bought an extra to have on hand. That was five years ago, and it looks like the machine will die long before we need that extra steering column. So much for gambling (uh, I mean, planning).

My shopping lists are unbelievably long. Once, a few years back, I lost my list in the first store! What a disaster. I came home with a year's supply of some things we already had plenty of, and totally forgot things we'd been out of for months. At the time we didn't have internet, so I couldn't email my husband. We had a radio phone so I could have called him to make another list. But, the phone was on a huge party line, so all the other families and businesses scattered throughout the bush in this part of Alaska could hear our conversations, and our shopping list. So, now I make a few copies and keep them stashed in my suitcase.

I got sidetracked because I still have not organized and re-written my shopping list. My original has things from the hardware store mixed with groceries, as well as notes and errands to run, so I have to revamp it. Sunday I will bake some breads and cookies as gifts for the pilot, air taxi folks and the gracious friends who have offered to have us stay with them and let us borrow their car. I have finished all the birch bark baskets except one, have finished all the soap orders, and have even made a baby gift.

Here's a picture of the baby gift. The air taxi owner's wife just had a little girl. I had so much fun knitting those pretty little girly things. I found the patterns on Ravelry. The hat is a pink Scalloped Lace Baby Cap by Carrie Griffin. I cannot find the pattern for the Mary Jane booties to give credit. I did not have a card or wrapping paper, so the boys made a little card. I wrapped the box in butcher paper, the boys drew colorful pictures, and then tied it with yellow yarn. So, now I'm almost caught up and ready to head to town. I'll try to get back to blogging (and recipes) when we return late next week.

Weekly Wrap Up - June 19, 2010

2010-12-19T00:16:00.001-09:00

I have enjoyed reading the Weekly Wrap Ups from Mary and others, so I thought I'd join them. I will try to post either Friday afternoons or Saturday evenings.

On the Heart and Mind:

We have only one year-round neighbor out here. Bud is an 86 year old widower with great stories to tell. He's quite a character. When he was a teenager, his dad moved the family from the mid-west to the west coast, built a small boat (his first one ever), took the motor out of his car, installed it in the boat, loaded up his wife and many children and headed to Alaska for a new life. What an adventure! During World War II Bud was in the Alaska Scouts --- one of "Castner's Cutthroats", as they were known. They were some of the toughest men around at the time.

Bud and his wife homesteaded out here 6 years before we met them and obtained our homestead entry permit. They'd always lived in the bush, but this was where Bud planned to live out his days. He wanted to be buried here, had the place all picked out and said he'd even built his own box. He talked to us about what he wanted and figured we'd be the ones to bury him. But now Bud has decided to move to town.

He said his children convinced him that the land would be nearly impossible to sell if he was buried on it, so he agreed to be flown out when the time came. Then they convinced him that he couldn't keep living in the wilds of Alaska at his age. All these years that we've been here, Bud has accepted very little help from us. My husband offers to help him haul in firewood, shovel his roofs or help with other chores. Bud always says that when he gets too old to do those things for himself, then he's too old to be here. He's never stopped doing those things, although he has slowed down quite a bit. He always figured (and so did we) that he'd die living the life he loved most. But now he has his daughter looking for an apartment in town for him. He says he's only going to live there in the winter, and return to the bush for the summers. But, I imagine city life will be hard on him. If he leaves, I doubt he'll ever be able to return. Makes us sad. Bud has been a great friend.

Here are a couple more pictures of Bud, and then the rest of my Weekly Wrap Up:

On the Home Front:

Until this week the boys have enjoyed lots of freedom to play at the creek below our house, get snacks from the garden at will, and go just about anywhere within earshot of the cabin. But we have started seeing both black bears and brown bears in the yard lately, despite our trusty guard dog, "Bear".

Thursday night just before I went to bed a brown bear came through the yard looking for a free meal. It wasn't until he decided to try to get into the outhouse from the back wall that "Bear" even noticed him. It's shooting light around the clock here in Alaska, so my husband went out after him. He was standing his ground under the cache against our dog, but when Chuck went out, he ran off through the bushes. From the sounds of our dog's barks, I think he stayed around a few hours, but he didn't come back into the yard again.

Moose Tracks

Friday we found tracks all through the yard and in our garden. The width of the front paw track plus an inch is supposed to be a good estimate of the size of the bear (in feet). Chuck estimated this one to be about 7 to 7 1/2 ft. tall. Chuck and I both got a decent look at him the other night, and he looked like a fairly young bear. There have been tracks of a smaller bear on the creek where the boys play, and Chuck saw him Monday evening. Some folks who have a vacation cabin on the nearby lake saw a young brown bear chase a moose cow and calf across the water and into the bushes Thursday. That calf was probably his supper. The bears have just about wiped out the moose in this area. We've been seeing a moose cow and calf around our cabin lately, but that calf is probably gone by now, too.

Our boys don't always play it safe. :) This is a wall tent frame
we built for overnight guests since our cabin is so small.
The boys run boards across and like to climb around.

A couple of days ago I had to glue my son back together. He was running with a stick, fell and poked it into his leg. If we lived in town I'd probably have taken him to an emergency clinic for a few stitches. But, since I can't do that out here, I decided to try Super Glue. When I worked as a nurse in a clinic, we used to use something similar. Zeke was a great patient. He never kicks or screams when I try to mend him. I wish my husband had been home to give me an extra hand, though. If he'd been here I think I'd have been able to do a much neater job. I won't get into the gory details, but I think it will heal all right. So far it doesn't look like there's any infection brewing under the super glue. By the time the glue dried he said the pain was gone.

From the Schoolroom:

I know this isn't politically correct, and it might offend some folks, but to tell the truth I was really hoping to give the boys a good anatomy lesson on a real bear this week. Oh well. They got a mini lesson with Zeke's leg. They paid extremely close attention and learned about the layers of fat and muscle under the skin. Thankfully, Zeke did not provide us with an opportunity to study the skeletal system. :)

We have a garden, and this year the boys are trying to grow a little one of their own. They are too curious for their own good. Just as something starts to grow, they get all excited and dig it out to see if the roots are growing, too. Then, of course, it stops growing. So far they've had comfrey (still going strong -- that stuff is impossible to kill), rhubarb (still only about 2" tall because of their daily inspections), and a second or third crop of chickweed, lambs quarter and dandelion that they actually planted in there. :)

Family Read Aloud:

We usually have two books going, in addition to the Bible, but during the summer I only manage one in the evenings. Earlier in the week we finished a wonderful old biography from the Childhood of Great Americans series, "Jim Bowie - Boy With A Hunting Knife" by Gertrude Hecker Winders. Books like that provide so much more than history lessons!

After we finished Jim Bowie, I attempted to read a few stories from the Schocken Books edition of Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris. The boys LOVED it, but I had a hard time with the dialect. I thoroughly enjoy reading the stories silently, but fluency suffered terribly when I read them aloud. I used to have a link to a site that had delightful audio downloads of most of the Uncle Remus stories, but I can't find it now. If I run across it I will post it later. For now I think I'll put the book away until the boys are a little older and able to read it to themselves.

Friday we began another biography from the Childhood of Great Americans series, "Buffalo Bill - Boy of the Plains" by Augusta Stevenson. My husband is from Kansas, so this one is easily holding everyone's attention.

In the Craft Corner:

I made a batch of camo soap this week. Here is the post with more pictures.

When I found Canadagirl's wonderful blog a few weeks ago and read about the hexagons she is knitting for an afghan, I thought that sounded like a great idea as a keepsake for my boys. They love anything camouflage. I have lots of yarn in green, brown, beige and black. Zeke drew the longest straw and gets the first blanket. So far I am up to 11 hexagons. I think I'll need somewhere around 95 (my hexagons are fairly large), so this will be an ongoing project. I hope to finish one blanket before fall when I'll need to start socks, hats and mittens.

In the Woods:

This time of year I spend lots of time in the woods, and the boys go with me to pick wild plants for various uses. They are only six, but they already know all the plants around here that are good for salads, the ones that are edible but not choice, which plants are medicinal and how they are used, and which ones are poisonous. I love being able to send them out with a basket before supper to pick a salad. The picture at the left is of Bluebells. The flowers are a pretty addition to wild salads. The greens are edible, although not choice because they're kind of fuzzy. Maybe this should have gone "In the Schoolroom"?

I wrote two posts earlier in the week about two plants that we use often: Alaska Ginseng (Devil's Club) and Spruce Tips.

In the Kitchen:

I've been busy in the kitchen this week. Our "Old Timer" neighbor, Bud was kind enough to give me some of his sourdough. I've kept a jar going for most of the last 20 years or so, but I've been without it for a while now. I made the most delicious sourdough pancakes a few days ago. All of us love sourdough, and I can't wait to make a few loaves of bread with it.

I also picked some Rhubarb from the garden this week and made a buttery rhubarb pie. Canadagirl told me how she makes rhubarb juice. Now I think we're going to have to get a LOT more plants going for next year! That is a wonderful drink! I let it simmer a bit too long, so I took the pulp and made rhubarb sauce. It's a little like applesauce.

At the beginning of the week the boys and I picked spruce tips and made a batch of Spruce Tip Jelly. If you'd like my recipe, click here.

If you would like to join Weekly Wrap Up, just write yours and then visit Canadagirl.

Homemade Soap

2010-12-18T23:58:00.000-09:00

Homemade "Camouflage" Soap

I still have a few more orders to fill for homemade soap. Today I made Camouflage Soap. It never turns out the same way twice, so this one is always fun. You can see more of my soaps by clicking here. Once I finish the orders, I'll start playing with some I've been wanting to try. I have lots of spruce pitch infusing in oils, so that will be my next one. I just love the scent of spruce. It is such a relaxing fragrance. I still have some oils infused with Balm of Gilead buds, and I want to make another batch of that one. There are several more on my list.

Cooking soap in a double boiler
on the woodburning cookdstove

Most soap today is made using the cold process method because it's faster, but I make soap using the hot process method. I cook it in a double boiler on top of my antique wood burning cookstove. The thing I like most about hot process soap is that it has more of a rustic look. I also like that the soap can be used right away, rather than having to wait weeks to be able to try it out. I still let my soaps cure for a few weeks to evaporate some of the water so the bars are hard and long-lasting, but they are safe to use the day I make them.

Soap "Volcano"
I turned my back for a second, and
it boiled over.

Today I had a minor disaster ---- a Soap Volcano! I've read that soap made with all vegetable oils don't volcano, and in all the years I've been making soap, it has never happened to me --- until today.

I was cooking the soap and had it in the double boiler. All was looking good, so I put on the lid and went outside to turn off the generator. It's a small one we put right outside the door, and I was gone less than 1 minute. What a surprise when I returned! The cabin was filled with smoke, had an awful smell, and there was soap bubbling all over my stove! I don't know why, but I just started laughing. I have no idea why I thought this was so funny. I think I sort of saw it as if I were watching a cartoon or something. Oh well. I

Block of soap in the mold ready to cut into bars.
Today I did not make a full batch.

learned my lesson.
The boys could smell the burning soap clear outside! Jedidiah looked in, shook his head, exclaimed, "BIG MESS!", and then left.

But, all was not lost. The soap turned out great. I just ended up with a smaller batch.

If you'd like to buy some of my soaps or birch bark baskets, see this post for more pictures, prices and details on how to purchase.

Spruce Tip Jelly

2010-12-18T23:45:00.001-09:00

Spruce Tip Jelly

A couple of days ago, the boys and I went out and picked a basketful of Spruce Tips --- the new growth on spruce trees. It's been several years since I've made Spruce Tip Jelly and I was beginning to crave this delicious treat, maybe because spruce needles, especially the new tips are super high in vitamin C and I've been out for several months. After making the jelly, I had plenty left over to brew a cup of Spruce Tip Tea, and then I spread out the rest to dry for tea or more jelly next winter.

Spruce is in the Pine family, so I'd think that the uses of the trees would be similar. The picture below shows the new growth that still has that brown coating on the tip. If they are still there when you pick the tips, then brush them off. Most of the ones we picked had already filled out a little and pushed off that brown tips.

Spruce tips are slightly tart. Not near as sour as a lemon, but once you take a sip of the tea you will not be surprised that they are so high in Vitamin C. Spruce Tip Jelly and tea are delicious!

This year I used a recipe from the Alaska Extension Service that calls for white granulated sugar. In years past, I extracted the juice, and then used a combination of honey and brown sugar instead of white sugar. My husband didn't care for my first few batches of Spruce Tip Jelly, but he enjoyed it this year. A few years ago I gave a jar to a friend in town who owns a wonderful Bed & Breakfast. She and her husband loved it, and let each of their guests sample just a taste each morning as a special treat.

Here's the recipe:

How to Extract Juice from Spruce Tips:

Yield: about 3 cups (enough for one batch of Spruce Tip Jelly)

Gather at least 9 cups of spruce tips. Spruce tips are the new, soft, bright green growth on the tips of spruce branches.
Place the cleaned spruce tips in a large saucepan. Fill pan with water to within two inches below the top. You should be able to see the water, but it should not cover the spruce tips. (The amount of water isn't critical.)
Here's where I did not follow the extension service. I simply heat the water and allow the spruce tips to simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. The extension service book says, "Bring to a boil in a covered saucepan and boil for 1 hour; reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours." I think that's overkill.
Drain through a colander, and then strain the juice through a jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth.

Spruce Tip Jelly

Yield: about 5 cups

3 cups spruce tip juice

4 cups granulated sugar

1 package powdered pectin (1 3/4 ounces)

Sterilize canning jars and prepare lids.
Measure sugar and set aside.
Measure spruce tip juice into a large saucepan.
Add pectin and stir until dissolved.
Place on high heat; stir constantly and bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
At once stir in sugar.
Bring to a full rolling boil; boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and quickly skim off form. (Note: adding 1/2 tsp. butter to the juice helps reduce foaming.)
Immediately pour jelly into hot canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
Wipe jar rims and ad prepared two-piece lids.
Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

Spruce Tip Tea

This can be made two ways. I prefer to place a handful of spruce tips in a jar with a lid, fill with enough boiling water for a mug of tea, place the lid on the jar and let steep until cool enough to sip. Some people prefer to toss the spruce tips into a pot of boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes. I think that kills too many nutrients. Either way, strain and serve hot with honey or maple sugar to sweeten, if you like. Spruce Tip Tea is also nice with the addition of a few whole cloves, a little cinnamon, nutmeg, or grated orange peel.

Spruce tips can be gathered and used throughout the year, but they are best during the spring.

Alaska Ginseng (Devil's Club)

2010-12-18T23:36:00.002-09:00

Buds of Alaska Ginseng, also known as Devil's Club

Echinopanax Horridum, more commonly known as Devil's Club, is in the Oriental Ginseng family. It is commonly found throughout Alaska, and therefore also known as Alaskan Ginseng. Most people are surprised that a plant with such an intimidating appearance has so many culinary and medicinal uses. This amazing, as well as beautiful plant is quickly becoming one of my favorites. (I know it doesn't look so beautiful now, but when the leaves are huge and the inedible red berries form above, it is lovely.)

Thanks to its sharp spines, Devil's Club is one of the easiest plants to identify at all stages of growth. If you've ever walked through the woods of Alaska or the Pacific Northwest, chances are you've seen, or been "attacked" by Devil's Club. If you happen to get stuck by one of the thorns, try to pull it out without leaving any broken off under your skin. Then make a poultice from a small piece of Devil's Club leaf and rub into the painful spot. It seems ironic that the "cure" is in the same plant that causes the pain and inflammation. The same is true of Stinging Nettle. I have tried this with both plants.

The parts of the plant that are used are the new buds and the root bark. The buds are mostly used in the kitchen, while the root bark has the medicinal properties. We began collecting Devil's Club buds a few weeks ago, and last week we dug some roots of the plants that we needed to clear from our yard. Within a quarter mile of our cabin are acres and acres of of Alaska Ginseng. The bark peels easily from the root.

Medicinal Uses of Devil's Club

Digging Devil's Club Root for the bark.

Because Devil's Club belongs to the Oriental Ginseng family, its uses are similar, and lab tests have shown no toxicity. However, as with any plant you have not tried before, proceed with caution. Eat only a very small amount (just a taste) at first, wait a day or so, and then work up slowly.

Colds, Pain and Bug Bites

Pieces of Devil's Club Root

It has been used often for the prevention and treatment of colds and other illnesses, and is said to be very helpful for sore muscles and the pain of arthritis. I don't have arthritis, so I haven't tried it for that. It appears to have wonderful anti-inflammatory properties, and also reduces the pain and swelling from bee stings and insect bites. My boys love playing with bees, and just accept the consequence of frequent stings. Fortunately, when the bees are out the Chickweed is abundant. (More about that in another post.) Since Chickweed is much easier to gather for an emergency bee sting than Devil's Club root, that's what they grab first.

Pile of Devil's Club root dug from our yard

I'm soaking some of the Devil's Club root bark in olive oil now and will make a salve to keep on hand (as well homemade soap with the infused oil, and dried root bark for tea and tincture). I think it would be wonderful mixed with Comfrey root, which I grow in my herb garden. Comfrey's nickname is "Boneknit" because of its amazing ability to heal broken bones. I have used it in my family several times and am a strong believer! It is equally impressive in healing soft tissue. With little boys, I use it all the time for bumps, bruises and scrapes. But, Comfrey is not particularly helpful for pain. That's why I think Devil's Club and Comfrey mixed together would make an excellent salve to keep on the shelf for when one of my boys comes in with a scraped knee or a bump on the head after crashing his sled into a tree (that happens more often that I care to think about).

Lowered Blood Sugar and Weight Loss?

Peeled Devil's Club Root.
The root barkis the part used.

There have been reports of Devil's Club stabilizing blood sugar and reducing the need for insulin in diabetics. I find it interesting that Chickweed (like Devil's Club in it's use for bee stings and bug bites) also helps stabilize blood sugar. I have quite a sweet tooth. When I drink a little Chickweed tea or take a spoonful of the tincture daily, I no longer crave sweets. And if I do eat sweets while I'm using Chickweed, I don't have the blood sugar fluctuations that I usually feel. Normally, if I eat sweets at night, by morning my blood sugar is very low and I have an awful headache. When I drink Chickweed tea daily, that doesn't happen.

Another plus is that when I first started taking Chickweed, I lost 5 pounds the first two weeks although my diet had not changed! That was certainly a welcome "side effect"! :) I have since read that it helps metabolize fats, as well as carbohydrates, although I have not read any specific studies. I wonder if Devil's Club root does the same. I suspect it does.

Culinary Uses of Devil's Club

Drying Devil's Club buds for the winter.

Even the new buds of Devil's Club have spines, but they are soft. Rub in the direction they grow and you will see what I mean. If it hurts to pick them then they are too old to eat. The buds are not an ideal trail snack "as is", however, if the spines are really soft, the buds can be eaten raw.

Devil's Club buds taste a little like celery, only not as sweet. I like to use them fresh, as well as dehydrated as I would use celery. In one of the pictures you can see the buds that I pulled apart and placed on the shelves of the non-electric food dehydrator.

Plate of deep fried Devil's Club Buds, along with
Batter Fried Wild Chives. Delicious!

Once cooked, the flavor changes and doesn't quite keep that celery-like flavor, although it is still delicious. It's hard to describe because it has a taste all its own. We love this time of year when they are a special treat for us. We especially enjoy the buds chopped in egg and potato dishes. When I want to keep the celery flavor in cooked foods, I prefer to use Cow Parsnip stems. Since we live so remote, I can't get to the store to purchase celery, and it doesn't grow well here. I much prefer to use wild plants whenever I can!

In the last picture, you see a plate full of batter fried Devil's Club buds and Wild Chives. Our cultivated chives don't hold a candle to the wild ones. I've never measured, but I usually chop a large handful or two into batter, and either fry them up alone or add them to the batter with Fiddleheads or Devil's Club buds.

Oatmeal Fruit Bars

2010-12-18T23:04:00.000-09:00

Today was the first time I'd ever made granola bars, and these were wonderful! Tomorrow my husband and another man who has a vacation cabin a couple of miles from us are planning to start cutting a trail to the river so that all of us will have an easier time of salmon fishing this summer. They are going to need some snacks, so I made this easy and delicious recipe. They are really oatmeal fruit bars, but I think I'm going to make these on a regular basis, and vary them quite a bit. Here's my recipe:

Oatmeal Fruit Bars

1 cup butter, melted

3 cups oats (quick cooking or regular)

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

10 to 12 ounces of jam or fruit butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9" x 13" baking dish (use extra butter). In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar and baking soda. Stir in melted butter and mix well. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Spread the rest evenly into the prepared dish and press firmly. The bottom of a measuring cup is helpful for this. Spread the jam or fruit butter evenly over the mixture to 1/2" from edges. I used some Highbush Cranberry Butter that I made last fall. It is similar to apple butter. YUMMY! Sprinkle the cupful of oat mixture evenly over the jam or fruit butter. Bake for about 25 minutes until lightly browned. Turn pan once during baking. Set the dish on a wire cooling rack for a bit before cutting into bars.

It's going to take some will power not to serve these for breakfast in the morning! I think next time I'll try something different. Instead of brown sugar, I'm going to try pure maple sugar. For the last two years I've been bartering with a friend in upstate NY for the most delicious maple syrup and sugar that she and her husband make. I've used it instead of all the sugar in oatmeal cookies and peanut butter cookies, so it should work well here, too.

We have some apples now, so instead of the highbush cranberry butter, next time I'll slice some apples and then sprinkle the oat mixture. I think chopped pecans would be delicious in this, too, and would make them more filling. I'm not a coconut fan, but just about anything you want to add would probably work. I was surprised at how much all of us loved these things.

Enjoy!

Fiddlehead and Fireweed Recipes

2010-12-18T23:02:00.003-09:00

Fiddleheads and Fireweed for a Delicious Supper

Fiddleheads ready for picking

Fiddleheads are really just baby ferns. Keep reading for some of my favorite Fiddlehead and Fireweed recipes. Most of the fiddleheads growing in Alaska have this papery brown coating that must be cleaned off before cooking. If you live where ostrich ferns are plentiful, you are fortunate. They're "naked", meaning that they don't have that heavy coating, and you will be spared many hours of work. When we've had all the hours of "fun" we can stand cleaning fiddleheads, we start picking the young fireweed shoots.

Many people think fiddleheads and fireweed shoots taste a lot like asparagus. I see the similarities, and often interchange recipes, but there's a big difference to me. I much prefer fiddleheads to asparagus, but maybe that's because fiddleheads are the first wild greens to come up here, even before all the snow has melted, and because they are the first fresh produce we've tasted in several months. They usually start about the time the birch sap stops running and we're still craving all those natural vitamins and minerals.

The new fireweed shoots are great because they don't have to be cleaned. Sometimes they can be a little tough, even when they are young, but generally we like them, and I use them in all of the following recipes, either with or instead of fiddleheads. I will try to remember to take some fireweed pictures and add them, so come back in a day or so if you'd like to see what a young fireweed shoot looks like.

Cleaning fiddleheads is simple, but slow. Everybody cleans them differently, but I've found that keeping them dry works best. I use a scrubber sponge --- one of those rough, green pads used to clean pots and pans. Just lightly rub each side of the fiddlehead with the sponge. You don't have to get off every little paper scale. Just do the best you can. The "paper" doesn't have much flavor. It's just visually unappealing when too much is left on. These recipes can also be used for broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus.

See the pictures for what to pick. They should still be coiled up, like the head of a fiddle. If they are starting to open, just leave them. Fiddleheads must be cooked before eating. If you eat lots of raw fiddleheads, they will deplete your body of thiamine. If you've ever tasted a raw fiddlehead, you will not want to eat many of them that way. But cooked ---- now that's another story!

Before I get to the recipes, I'd like to tell you about a wonderful book, Discovering Wild Plants: Alaska, Western Canada, The Northwest by Janice Schofield. It was the first plant book I bought when I came to Alaska, and has been an invaluable resource for me in learning to identify wild plants as well as helping me to form a basic understanding of their uses. The photographs are excellent, but what makes this book so useful for plant identification are the detailed sketches and descriptions of each plant. The author discusses the plant's appearance, when to harvest, which parts to harvest, medicinal and food uses, historical information, and potential dangers. If you live in Alaska, western Canada or the Pacific Northwest and are interested in wild plants, this books is a must have.

Batter Fried Fiddleheads

This recipe makes enough for a hungry crowd. You could cut the recipe in half, but when we eat them with a sprinkle of my seasoning mix, my boys wish I'd made a double batch!

Ingredients:

3 to 4 pints of fiddleheads, freshly picked and cleaned

3 cups rice flour --- wheat flour will work, but they won't be as crisp. Also, rice flour contains no gluten.

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup powdered eggs

3 Tablespoons melted butter or olive oil

about 2 1/2 to 3 cups water (more or less -- you want the batter thick, but not like dough)

If you like, blanch about 3 to 4 pints of freshly picked and cleaned fiddleheads. Blanching isn't necessary, and if I'm short on time, I skip this step. It does make them a little more tender, but they are still delicious without blanching first. If you choose to blanch them first, do this by dropping a fairly small amount all at once into rapidly boiling water. I put a lid on the pot and time it for 1 minute, then strain out the water. Set aside to cool while you make the batter.

(note: if you like, use 4 fresh eggs instead of egg powder, and decrease the water to about 1 1/2 cups)

Sift together the dry ingredients because egg powder tends to be lumpy. But if you are using fresh eggs, just stir together the flour, salt and pepper. Next, stir in the melted butter or olive oil, and gradually stir in the water (and eggs, if you're using fresh ones). The batter should be somewhat thick. You can add more flour or water to get the preferred consistency. Fry up a few as a test, then adjust the batter if necessary before stirring in all the fiddleheads. We prefer a thicker batter.

Use whatever kind of fat you like for deep frying. Heat it to about 350 degrees F. Drop by rounded tablespoons into the hot grease and fry until they float and are lightly browned on one side, then turn to brown the other side. If you use rice flour, it will take a bit longer to brown, but they will be nice and crunchy! Drain on paper towels. Fry up another batch. Sprinkle with salt or my seasoning mix, below. These are also good dipped in a mixture of equal parts prepared mustard and highbush cranberry catsup.

Variation:

Wild chives are abundant around here right about when the fiddleheads are ready. My boys love it when I add a handful or two of chopped chives (onions would be great, too).

Sometimes I brown a pound or two of ground moose or beef, drain and add it to the batter along with about a pound of chopped cheese (Cheddar, Colby and Swiss cheeses are all delicious in this).

Vary the seasonings to suit your taste. Sometimes I toss in a tablespoonful or two of caraway seeds or a little dill. Or try a mixture of sage, rosemary or any other herbs you enjoy.

Seasoning Mix for Fiddleheads or French Fries

(I like to keep this on hand to season lots of things)

Mix together in a jar:

3 Tablespoons salt

1 1/2 Tablespoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) ascorbic acid powder (vitamin C - available in health food stores)

Boiled Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads before and after cleaning the "silk"

Clean fiddleheads and drop into boiling water. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. For variety, cook them with a few young fireweed shoots. You can serve them either hot or cold with your favorite salad dressing or topped with your favorite sauce. Fiddleheads are especially good with a cheese or mustard sauce. We often eat them cold, and I mix up some olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and various seasonings for a salad dressing. When we have wild chives, I like to chop them into a jar and cover with apple cider vinegar. In a week or so, the flavor really comes out. I use this vinegar in salad dressings.

Cheese Fiddlehead Casserole

4 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons flour (Tapioca flour works well if you want it gluten free)

2 cups milk (You may want to add more milk or some cream later after stirring in the fiddleheads.)

In a large pan, melt the butter. Stir in flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk. Cook, stirring over medium heat until thickened. Then stir in the following. You can use whatever cheeses and seasonings you like. This is a combination I use sometimes:

3 cups cubed cheddar cheese

salt to taste - about 1 to 2 teaspoon

pepper to taste - about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon

1/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder (vitamin C - available in health food stores)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed or chopped

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon thyme

pinch of celery seed

1 teaspoon mustard powder

Now stir in:

4 cups cleaned, boiled fiddleheads

3 cups cooked rice

Spoon into buttered 9" x 13" pan and bake. Bake uncovered in 350 degree F. oven about 30 minutes, until bubbly. If desired, before baking, sprinkle the top with seasoned bread crumbs and dot with butter. You can also stir in some chopped or ground, cooked meat before baking.

Fiddlehead Pickles (1)

Makes 5 pints (but you can easily adjust this to fit the amount of fiddleheads you have)

Prepare pint jars and lids according to package directions. Keep lids in hot water until ready to use.

Fill sterilized pint jars with cleaned, raw fiddleheads, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace.

Into each jar, place:

1 sprig of fresh or dried dill

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon dill seeds

1 hot red pepper

In a saucepan combine the following, bring to a boil, and simmer 15 minutes:

3 cups distilled, white vinegar (apple cider vinegar tastes good, but turns cloudy)

4 cups water

1/3 cup pickling salt

3 Tablespoons pickling spices that have been tied in a piece of cotton or several layers of cheesecloth

Remove the spice bag and pour the hot mixture over fiddleheads, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Put lids and bands on each jar. Process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes.

Fiddlehead Pickles (2)

Makes about 10 pints (but you can adjust this for the amount of fiddleheads you have)

Prepare pint jars and lids according to package directions. Keep lids in hot water until ready to use.

Fill sterilized pint canning jars with cleaned, raw fiddleheads, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Into each jar, place:

5 whole cloves

3 peppercorns

1 clove garlic

1 sprig fresh or dried dill

In a saucepan combine, bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes:

6 cups distilled, white vinegar

8 cups water

2/3 cup pickling salt

6 to 12 good splashes (to taste) of hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

3 Tablespoons each of dill seeds and mustard seeds that have been tied in a cotton cloth bag or several layers of cheesecloth.

Pour hot mixture over fiddleheads, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Put lids and bands on each jar. Process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes.

(Note: the above recipes make great fireweed, radish, turnip, broccoli or cauliflower pickles, too. For broccoli and cauliflower, cut into desired size pieces, then blanch in boiling water 2 minutes prior to packing into jars.)

Fiddleheads

Canning Butter

2010-12-18T22:43:00.003-09:00

Canning butter isn't a top priority for most people, but it's an annual chore for me. In this article, I'll tell you how I've been canning butter for years. (To learn how I've been canning cheese --- both hard and soft cheeses, click here to read my article.) Since we don't have electricity, I have no way to keep butter from going rancid unless I can it. Our summers in this part of Alaska are not usually very hot, but last year we did have a few weeks with highs in the 90's. Although none of the butter I had stored in the cache melted, I was expecting a mess when I opened the tote. I don't know how I survived those steamy summer days growing up in Georgia. It rarely gets above 75 here. I have learned to love our mild Alaska summers. Read more »

Canning Cheese

2010-12-18T22:40:00.001-09:00

I’m often asked how to can cheese and butter since we live without electricity, and therefore have no way to keep things like that fresh during the summer. Canning cheese is actually quite simple, and home canned cheese is delicious. (To read my article about how I've been canning butter for years, click here.) I have successfully canned hard cheeses like Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack and Colby, and I have also canned Cream Cheese. I expected the Cream Cheese to separate, but it turned out great! To learn how I've been canning cheese, click the Read More link below.
Read more »

More Winter Pictures

2010-12-18T22:34:00.003-09:00

I ran across more pictures that brought back lots of fun memories. Some are a few years old. Most are family pictures that give more of an introduction to our life in the Alaskan bush. Some are just pretty pictures.
We cook and heat with wood and go through lots of firewood -- about 9 to 10 cords a year. This pile will last close to a year.

This is a marten (sable) that got into our cache.

We have one year-round neighbor. Bud is an 85 year old widower. He lives like we do, cutting his own wood and hauling his own water. He won't accept much help from us (although he never passes up chocolate treats and homemade bread). He says that if he's too old to do his own chores, then he's too old to be here. He's still going strong.

We bought goats and had them flown out to us a few years ago.

This one liked Jed's hat.

Jed loved the new kids. All animals seem to be crazy about him. He's incredibly instinctive with both animals and people.

We haul our water from a spring. Chuck dug it out a little, built a filter box and inserted a pipe. I suppose you could say we have running water. :-)

We had to fly someone out here to install our satellite internet system. Our phone system isn't very reliable, and it's been great to have internet.

These are Highbush Cranberries (not real cranberries). They're not good to eat off the bush, but they cook up into delicious jelly and cranberry butter (a lot like apple butter). Our favorite cranberry treat is homemade catsup. It's sort of a cross between regular catsup and barbecue sauce, only better than either one. It's nice to pick after the leaves are gone when there are no mosquitoes.

This is a picture of our caches. They're the first view of home we have coming down the trail.

Last November we had enough cold weather to start freezing the lake pretty good before we got much snow. Although none of us have ice skates, we still had fun sliding around the lake.

That's probably enough pictures of winter. Spring is on the way! The weather forecast (for what it's worth) says we're headed for a heat wave. Might even hit 50 later in the week!

Winter Memories

2010-12-18T22:24:00.009-09:00

Winter is ever-so-slowly melting away in Alaska, and the first green shoots are beginning to emerge through the snow. By this time of year, I'm always so glad to finally get a glimpse of spring, but at the same time I'm a little sad to see another winter end. Last night I spent some time reminiscing as I looked through pictures of our winter on the homestead. I didn't get to all the pictures I had in mind, so I'm just going to post what I have for now, and then I'll try to post the rest tonight. If you are looking at this today (Monday), then I hope you'll come back tomorrow for the rest.

These pictures are a reminder to me of how God has blessed our family. It also reminds me that I need to be more thankful. Now, on to the pictures. I'll try to keep the gab to a minimum. I would appreciate you leaving a comment and telling me which picture you like best. I think I'm going to change the one at the top.

Zeke, Jed and our dog heading home after snowshoeing.

Sunset over the beaver pond a little ways from our cabin.

This looks like ice feathers to me. The picture was taken at the spring where we get our water.

View of The Alaska Range from the lake.

Chuck and our dog, Bear are checking to make sure there is no overflow on the "airstrip". Chuck packs the snow with the snow machine to make it easier to land, and then he marks it with spruce branches. Mt. McKinley and Mt. Foraker can be seen on clear days.

We have a plane load of fuel flown in each year for the generator, snow machine, four-wheeler and chainsaw. We have a few small solar panels and a wind generator, but we still have to burn gas to have enough electricity to power the satellite internet modem and laptop. We use oil lamps for lighting.

Since we have no indoor plumbing, we haul water from a spring near our cabin.

Chuck was knocking a hole in the ice to check the thickness so we'll know if it's safe to be on the lake with the snow machine or for planes to land. This past winter the lake began to freeze up with about 6" of ice before we got any snow. Most years we only get an inch or so of ice, and then we get LOTS of snow. The snow usually insulates the lake, which makes it take a long time before the ice gets thick enough to land a plane.

Full moon over the pond and creek near our cabin.

This is another picture of The Alaska Range. This one was taken from a ridge about two miles from our cabin. The lake is just about in the middle of the picture down in the trees. We're at the edge of the foothills of the Alaska Range.

This was taking from our porch during an early snow.

I'll add more winter memories tonight. I sure hope you'll come back, visit and tell me which one should go at the top for my new blog picture.

Tapping Birch Trees

2010-12-18T22:22:00.000-09:00

The mosquitoes started buzzing around for the first time today, so we knew it was time to start tapping birch trees. Birch sap is a delightful, slightly sweet drink loaded with vitamins and mineral. By this time if year, it's been several months since we've had any fresh fruits or vegetables, and birch sap is an energizing "Spring Tonic". This might not be a national holiday, but around our house Birch Tapping Day is cause for celebration! This day goes on the calendar as the day we started replacing all of our drinking water with birch sap. I'm sure our spring water is great, but there's nothing like ice cold birch sap straight from the tree. We'll treasure the next two weeks while the sap is running.

If you're interested in learning to tap trees and make your own syrup, take a look at this little book Backyard Sugarin': A Complete How-To Guide, Third Edition
. It's great for helping you learn the basics to get started.

Zeke and Jed found a birch stump that started running several days ago, but it was on a sunny, south-facing slope. Since the place we go to tap is shadier, the trees there are usually a few days behind. The boys were so excited about this beverage God provides each year that they spend lots of time at the stump slurping up the sap as quickly as it oozes out. Whenever they get thirsty, they wander over for a drink of the sweet sap. Here are two pictures of them sucking sap from the stump just before bed the other night.

Jed and Zeke helped gather up all the equipment today and were ready to tap some trees!

Here's Chuck drilling a small hole in the first tree.

Chuck made the spouts out of pieces of spruce. He cut pieces about 3" long, shaved them to size and drilled holes through the middle. In this picture you can see a drop of sap just starting to come out. Some people just carve a channel the length of the spout to direct the sap, which is what we have done in the past. But we found that the exposed channel tends to attract more bugs.

Here's one of the coffee cans hanging beneath a spout.

We put a zip top plastic bag in the coffee cans and try to seal it up as best we can over the spout to keep out bugs.

Just a few hours after we tapped the trees, two of the four had already put out nearly two quarts each. I expect they'll be overflowing by morning when we check them again. Might have to find larger containers.

I think next year I'm going to try my hand at making a little birch syrup. I wanted to do it this spring, but too many irons in the fire already. It takes something like 80 to 100 gallons of birch sap to make just 1 gallon of syrup. I've read that a gallon of maple syrup only requires about 40 gallons of sap, so you can see this would be a huge time commitment.

With four trees tapped so far, we'll have plenty of sap to drink, and enough to share with the dog and cat. I'll use the extra as the liquid when I make soap. I wish I knew of a way to preserve the sap for year-round drinking. I've read that a company in Russia bottles birch sap and sells it all over the world. The extension service told me that it would not be safe to do only a boiling water bath. I've thought about pressure canning the sap, but I wonder if it would kill most of the nutrients. If anybody reading this has an idea about that, please let me know.

Homemade Marshmallows

2010-12-18T22:18:00.001-09:00

From time to time I will probably post some of our favorite recipes. Homemade marshmallows are always a special treat. I don't know if it's because our boys, Ezekiel and Jedidiah just like the marshmallows so much, or if it's because whenever we make them we always have so much fun. We always go find a nice spot not too far from our cabin, build a campfire, drink hot chocolate and roast marshmallow. It's always a great evening.

The only disappointment this time was that even though it was way past their bedtime, it was still very light outside. They love sitting on a log, marshmallows roasting (or in flames) on a willow stick, gazing into the fire. Who doesn't enjoy times like that. We also have fun looking for shooting stars and trying to pick out planets and constellations. Later that night Jed got me up to go outside with him (he drank too much water before going to bed and we don't have indoor plumbing --- get the picture?). It was probably around midnight, and he was SOOOO excited when he got outside and saw the moon and stars. It still wasn't dark enough to see very many stars, and he was hoping to convince me to stay outside with him and wait for it to get dark enough. No way! This is the Land of the Midnight Sun!

Anyway, here's my recipe for Homemade Marshmallows. These are NOTHING at all like the store bought things. These are actually delicious! This one is not only the best recipe I've found (and tweaked quite a bit to perfect it), but it's also the easiest and most versatile. Warning: This is in no way, shape or form a healthy treat. It's tasty, but not at all healthy.

Homemade Marshmallows
Note: If you want really soft, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth treats, go with the lesser amount of gelatin and go on the higher side of the liquid. If you plan to roast them on a stick over a fire, you'll want them firm, so use more gelatin and less liquid. They're easy to make (and don't forget delicious!), so you'll have a good excuse to experiment a few times to get them the way you like best4 1/2 to 6 envelopes of gelatin (I buy beef gelatin in bulk. 1 envelop is about 2 1/2 tsp.)

3/4 to 1 cup water
4 cups sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
1 1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Vanilla extract (The real thing --- imitation vanilla just won't give it such a great flavor)

Line a 9" x 13" pan with plastic wrap and oil it lightly. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 to 1 cup water. While that soaks, combine the sugar, corn syrup, remaining water and salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.
Pour the syrup over the gelatin in the mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on high about 10 minutes. After it begins to cool a bit, but not thick yet, stir in the vanilla extract. Continue beating until soft peaks form. The time will depend on your mixer and how much gelatin and liquid you used. This should take anywhere from 15 min. to 30 minutes. I once tried it with an old egg beater so that I didn't have to burn gas in the generator just to have marshmallows. But, after 45 minutes, very sore arms and still only marshmallow syrup in my bowl, I went out and started the generator.

Once it's thick, spread it into your prepared pan. Don't wait until it's too gloppy to spread nicely. Then take another sheet of plastic wrap, oil it lightly and spread it over the top. Give it at least a couple of hours before you try cutting them. If you have the will power to let them set up overnight, all the better.

Before you cut them, mix up some corn starch and powdered sugar. I never measure this. I just put about 1/2 cup each into a sifter, and sift into a bowl. Actually, I use more corn starch because 1/2 and 1/2 is kind of sweet. Do a taste test. If I need more, I mix up more.
There are a couple of ways to cut them, but they're all a bit messy. Try them and do whatever works. Dip a sharp knife or scissors in cold water between cuts. I cut a strip about an inch wide, dip in water again, then snip off marshmallows into the bowl of powdered sugar and corn starch. Scissors work best for me. Sometimes instead of the cold water, I dip the scissors into the powdered mixture. Roll the marshmallows in the powdered mixture, then set on a paper towel to dry out a bit before you store them. If they're sticky when you pick them up to store away, roll them in more powdered mixture.

I have absolutely no idea how long these will keep. One recipe I saw said they'll keep a week stored in an air tight container, and longer in the freezer. Ours are usually gone in a few days. You can cut this recipe in half if you like.

Here are some pictures of our marshmallow roast:
This is my family: Jed (almost 6), Zeke (just turned 6 --- we adopted them at birth just four months apart. Jed is Eskimo), Chuck (my husband) and our dog Bear

Here are some of Jed and Zeke making a sticky fun mess, and slicking down the hill. Oh, and these pictures were taken around 9:00 at night.

Hello From The Bushrats

2010-12-18T22:02:00.001-09:00

My first blog post here on the Homeschool blogger should probably be an introduction. If you read the "About Me" blurb in the right hand corner, then you have a good idea of what this blog will be about, and who we are. If you're from anyplace besides Alaska, then you might be wondering why I referred to my family as "The Bushrats". Well, that's what city folks call those of us who live in the Alaskan bush. I doubt the name has ever been meant as a complement, but for the many families scattered throughout the vast wilderness of Alaska, we're thankful to make our homes in the bush, no matter what we're called.

Since I'm getting this blog set up so late at night (or so early in the morning), I'm going to have to come back to this introduction after I've had a few hours sleep. Like most other homeschool moms, I have to be a night owl on occasion if I want time for myself.

This Is A Test Post

2010-07-22T23:35:00.001-08:00

This is a test post to view while I work on the design of my new blog.