Learning to make lye soap the cold-process way is a rewarding experience. Not simply because you can brag to your friends that you have made homemade soap, but because you know that you’ve learned a practical skill; a skill that will benefit you even if you never make another bar of soap. It’s a basic […]
Glacier Country
Adventure on the edge of the wilderness
Living in Bear Country – Buck’s Hide and Head Go Missing
While at the kitchen sink, I saw a stellar jay with a chunk of something in its mouth. Looking towards the barrel, where Buck’s head was (thinking the jay was stealing some meat), I saw that the head was gone. Upon further investigation, Buck’s hide (that was in another barrel close to the house) was […]
Cabela’s Grand Opening in Kalispell
It was snowing like crazy when we reached Depotland (the shopping district in Kalispell where the big box stores reside). Cabela’s parking lot was packed, so David parked in the Lowe’s lot across the street. From there, we walked over to the grand opening. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this […]
Buck’s Legacy
The explosion of the shot pierced the early morning quiet of the forest as I was about to prepare myself a bowl of baked oatmeal. “Already?” I thought to myself. Looking through the window, I saw David sitting quietly in his chair beside his truck. It was a cold and damp morning, so I grabbed […]
October in Review – Autumn Beauty and a Load of Pumpkins
Ah! October…what a gorgeous time of year! The government shut-down temporarily closed the park, but it didn’t stop me from snapping some glorious shots of autumn near the old park entrance at Belton Bridge. Our annual fall hike, to Mount Aeneas in the Swan Range, took us from autumn reds and yellows to winter white. […]
A Snowy Autumn Hike to Mount Aeneas
At last – a forecast of “partly sunny” after several days of rain. Now was the opportunity to grab our packs and head out to the Jewel Basin for our annual fall hike.The Jewel has some of the best displays of fall color and I was looking forward to the drive up the mountain to Camp […]
September in Review – A Last Hike, Grouse for Dinner, Harvesting Potatoes
Summer is always so fleeting and most often I feel I don’t do enough. The month of September created a sense of urgency to prepare for winter and do the things I wanted to do over summer, but didn’t get around to…like practicing more with my bow. Our last hike in the park before […]
August in Review – Huckleberry Barbecue Sauce, Moose, Fair
August equaled abundance. We harvested much of our vegetable garden and I learned numerous ways to prepare crooked-neck squash. It was a good year for huckleberries and we picked enough to preserve several jars of scrumptious jam, with enough in reserve for pancakes, barbecue sauce, and other treats. Many Glacier is an excellent part […]
The Forest – My Muse
I sit at a desk positioned parallel to the railing that separates the loft bedroom and the open air between the floor and ceiling of the Great Hall below. Across this space are large windows revealing the world outside. To my eyes, this forest is like an infinite Matryoshka doll. I can peer into the […]
Canning Cherries-Best Freezer Cherry Almond Ice Cream
The best thing about making cherry almond ice cream is eating it! Plucking pits out of cherries with paper clips, sticky red juice splattered over counter-tops and walls, glass jars that must be washed and kept hot in sputtering vats of water lest they break when boiling fruit is added to them is not. But, […]