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What else has been going on around here…
- We Made It! December 22, 2025
- We Make Do, So Can You! November 2, 2025
- Twice in 3 Days October 31, 2025
- Processing Day October 26, 2025
- Raspberry Saskatoon Mead October 18, 2025
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We started this lap book the first week in February. For this session we watched copious amounts of YouTube videos about desert biomes. Lesson enrichment included crafts like mask making and sand art. And we planned to prepare some prickly pear cactus to eat, if we could have found some locally. We incorporated lessons about sand and silica and glass as well. So this module was heavy on the crafting and very hands on.
Since my kiddos were sick during this beginning of this lesson plan, we relied more heavily on videos. Even when your sick you can still watch a video. 👍🏼
We also spent a fair amount of time discussing sand. What is sand made of? We learned that sand is mostly rock particles but can also contain glass, bone, shell or coral fragments and more commonly in today’s age, plastic particles. (Of course this includes beach sand in addition to desert sand.)
So after a series of sand composition, construction use (desert sand does not work well for construction purposes) and magnetic sand experiment videos we made some sand art!
There were lots of writing practice sheets, some math and endless desert fact sheets! Lap books are a lot of fun.
Apparently it’s too much to ask of these northern grocery stores to stock cactus in the fresh produce dept. So we’re going to have to be satisfied with pickled nopalitos. Which the entire family approves of, to some degree.
And that’s it for another fascinating study of our amazing planet’s diversity. What’s up next? Good question.
How is it that we are already 2/3 through with March? The smell of break-up is in the air. Everyone, including the dog, has some measure of spring fever. The seeds are started, foraging lists are made (schedule of foods to be harvested by month) and I’m reminded that I need to do my once a month canning.
Thing 1 and I are working on a project plan for the garden and food production for this season. I’m looking forward to working with her! Plus growing our own veg!
We have oodles and oodles of things to do ’round here as soon as the snow’s gone. Impatiently waiting…
Welcome to my new weekly series about everything Alaskan. Alaskana as the old timers call it around here.
Let’s start with a definition of “sourdough”.
Sourdough is (1) a “yeast-flour & water concoction made, preserved, carried and treasures by Alaska pioneers and prospectors, who needed it to make bread, hotcakes, cake and other baked goods, and who kept it alive by “feeding” it frequently with more flour or milk and making sure it didn’t freeze or dry out; continuing mainstay of many Alaskan kitchens; (2) originally a prospector, now any old-time Alaskan, but particularly one who has spent a lot of time out in the bush.”
Alaska Dictionary and Pronunciation Guide by Jan O’Meara
This series of posts will mainly focus on definition 2 with a surprise post now and then regarding #1.
My main inspiration of a true sourdough was my Dad. I have since met a few characters who embody the spirit of the Alaskan Sourdough. All inspire me to continue my quest for sourdoughness. As a mere cheechacko, I have a long way to go.
With each passing season and opportunity to do Alaska things I try to feed my inner sourdough. Kayaking Kachemak or Resurrection Bays, halibut fishing, personal use set-net fishing, hiking, foraging, hunting, aurora watching, cabin building… The list goes on and on.
After nearly nine years here and all the experiences that I’ve had the pleasure of, my “to-do” list is still miles long. My bucket list is a 55 gal drum.
A few of those listed items… See Denali, up close, got to Chicken, visit Cordova in the fall, cross the Cook Inlet to explore the other side, go to Seldovia, soak in Chena hot springs, watch the red lantern winner cross the finish line, drive the AlCan, visit Barrow (now officially known as Utqiagvik), tan a hide, catch a yellow eye, pick gallons of blueberries, find gold while panning, dig up fossils, live full time in my cabin.
Do you know a sourdough?
Or are you a sourdough?
Alaska on my mind... 