At play where the midnight sun holds court
After months of writing, editing, and formatting, I’m pleased to share that my book, You Carry the Tent, I’ll Carry the Baby, has launched is available for sale from all major online book retailers and beyond. The response so far has been incredibly heartening, with many people finding inspiration and motivation from the book. The … Read more
The sun continues to diminish, but the land has become brighter. I awake in the morning to fresh snow throughout the valley floor. Clouds cover the mountain sides and tiny flakes intermittently fall throughout the morning. Gone are the last vestiges of fall. No longer do Leaves rustle beneath a passing boot or with movement … Read more
We crept along the road scanning the willows for movement of any kind. Brody and I were out hunting once more, this time in search of ptarmigan. Their white feathers provide perfect camouflage in the winter season against the backdrop of snow. It would be easy to miss them if we sped along, but even … Read more
In mid April, most of the snow that fell throughout the winter remained and the temperature still hovered just above freezing during the day. The darkness vanished and light lingered late into the evening. The sound of water dripping was pervasive as the snow began to melt and become saturated. Spring was rapidly approaching in … Read more
Living in the Arctic provides for a different life than that found in almost the entire developed western world today. Full time living, if one is to do it without great expense, calls for an in-sourcing of many activities and a step back in time. Utilities must be provided for by one’s own initiative and … Read more
About a year ago, on the 27th of April, the ice went out and water traveled freely down the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk Valley once again. The following story details that event a few days past. This year, the rivers and creeks remain frozen, while than a foot of snow lingers on. With true night … Read more
The following is a work of fiction Snow clung onto the spruce trees. The ground was a blank canvas, without evidence of a track or the slightest disturbance on its surface. Over the past two days, snow had fallen continuously, blanketing the area with a foot and a half of fresh snow. Trails and tracks … Read more
Since humans have arrived in Alaska, they have trapped animals. For much of that time period, native Athabaskan and Inupiats lived in small groups and used methods with natural materials that evolved over time. In many cases, trapping was often a necessity. In northern regions of Alaska, where brush and vegetation is minimal, animals can … Read more
After spending the summer of 2013 in Alaska, I became infatuated with the state. In order to feed that infatuation, I read voraciously about any and all things related to the region. Over the years, this has resulted in my reading of nearly 100 different books on Alaska covering topics from anthropology to history to … Read more
The Arctic offers a varying array of light conditions throughout the year. Typically, regions are defined by their seasons; how cool, how warm, how wet and how long? This area is no exception to that standard, but here the extreme difference in light throughout the year is the defining factor. The sun is the most … Read more