At play where the midnight sun holds court
Eight years ago, I shared my favorite Alaskan books and media. Many more pages have passed through my fingers since then and a glance at my Goodreads page shows 117 books read on my “Alaska” shelf. You’d think that after reading 117 books about one state I’d long have run out of all the good … Read more
In the far north, winter keeps a tight grip on the land. By early April, the thermometer’s mercury on many a day still finds itself below the freezing point. With the cold refusing to yield its icy grip, one begins to wonder if spring’s warmth will ever come—nearly all of winter’s snow remains on the … Read more
I was interviewed by my friend Tyler, for his podcast Advanced Retroadaptics. Check out the link below to listen or go to Spotify, Apple etc. Many thanks to Tyler for asking me to be on his podcast and for the fun conversation. I recommend checking out his blog for experiments in living and tales of … Read more
Scrunching the sheets into a ball, I place the paper in the stove between the parallel logs. Once the gap is filled, I cover with strips of cardboard and top that with charcoal remains from the day before. More logs go on top, each layer lying perpendicular across the one below. With the flick of … Read more
There’s a saying in Alaska for any woman hoping to find a partner, “the odds are good, but the goods are odd.” Throughout history, many have flocked to Alaska from all corners of the world for all kinds of worldly treasures. People have come in search of furs, whales, gold and oil to name a … Read more
Building a Home Part 1: Background and Framing As summer transitioned into fall, the rains continued. I tried to cover the site as best as I could, but plenty of water managed to pour down from the tarps and onto the floor inside. I would need dry weather to begin work on the roof and … Read more
One idea from native peoples across the world that has stuck with me over the years, having read a number of anthropological works, is knowing your environment and how it functions. They are familiar with all aspects of their world and how everything interacts, ranging from the tools they use to the things they interact … Read more
In 1967 at the age of 51, Dick Proenneke decided to leave the industrialized world behind and take to the wilderness, with the aim to test himself in the harsh environment of Alaska. After scouring the state to find an ideal location for a home, he settled on a plot on Twin Lakes, in what … Read more
In the 1960s, oil was discovered in seemingly endless quantities in Alaska. The state had it made and perhaps there were many that thought that this would be the end of any energy worries for the state. Yet, somehow the opposite occurred. Far from freeing Alaska from its dependency on fuel sources, oil strengthened the … Read more
For the past 3 summers, my friend Asa flew out of Port Alsworth for Lake Clark Air. During his first summer there in 2019, he invited me out to spend a few days exploring the area. This offer was like a dream come true and I eagerly accepted it, having been inspired to begin my … Read more