Why do you blog?
I started this journey as a way to keep in touch with our family & friends as we made our new life in Alaska. I felt that writing it down once instead of conveying the same message multiple times made much more sense! Now it’s been over a decade. My posts are infrequent and haphazard! But I persist.
List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?
Being limited to three is somewhat of a torture I think, but here goes.
Books were an escape for me as a youngster. I could go anywhere, to any time. I remember reading many huge (by teen standards) books but a few stand out to me. Clan of the Cave Bear, Gone With the Wind, Pet Cemetery. Limitless numbers of horror books, King and Koontz being my two favorite authors. Oy. None of them hold the same meaning for me that they once did. I doubt I would read any of them again, but they were perfect for a certain place in time.
The assortment of books collectively known as the Bible, specifically the Book of Esther “for such a time as this“, Daniel, Ezekiel & the Revelations of John, and the Psalms & Proverbs are all full of meaning.
Once my Dad told me if I wanted to understand him and his philosophy on the world I should read Atlas Shrugged. I did. It is still on my shelf.
Although not a specific title, my assortment of do-it-yourself, how-to resource books are probably my largest topic section! From herb, tree, flower and fungi identification books which are timeless & well loved resources. Then there are my cookbooks… The Sourdough Bible, cheese making guides, Gluten Free Gourmet and Canning books. Animal husbandry, gardening, hunting and home repair manuals. Oy. The list goes on and on.
I suppose every book I’ve ever read has had some sort of impact on me. Little snippets embedded into my psyche.
But the three that I would pack into my last bag would be The Bible, Atlas Shrugged and Edible Mushrooms of Alaska! 🧐
What’s something most people don’t understand?
Why our money is so worthless and we can’t afford rent or groceries.
I suggest folks do some research and start figuring this out on their own. Look past the political pundits and inflammatory finger pointing and see how national debt affects our currency and economy. Heavens knows that most of us didn’t really learn this in high school.
Examine how unbridled government spending trickles down to you and me. And really cogitate on what we can do about it.
How have your political views changed over time?
I would hope that they’ve changed by being more informed by history and context. Instead of just repeating something I once heard from someone I trusted.
I like to ask questions, to try and step back to look at the bigger picture. Character and personal behavior over time are usually a good indicator of one’s future performance, in politics as well as daily life. Be a fruit inspector. That’s not to say that people can’t change, but these are things I consider.
Platforms and political party alliances are generally meaningless in today’s scene in my opinion.
And the old adage, fool me once, shame on you… Fool me twice shame on me. Don’t reelect someone who didn’t do what they said they would do.
Do you ever see wild animals?
Well actually….
Everyday.
That’s part of the reason I live here. Nature is a very present danger albeit a beautiful one. As long as you venture outside, you can usually see wildlife, some more frequent than others.
Abundant ravens, seagulls, salmon, crows, eagles, moose, caribou, squirrels, the wiley coyote, a cautious lynx, feisty and playful marten, the occasional black bear, the more reclusive brown bear (I’ve only ever observed two in my decade here) and the even more hidden wolf (which I’ve yet to see one, although I’ve seen their tracks and heard them howling).
It’s always a sight to behold and be in awe of.
I’m grateful for the opportunity!
#alaska #wildlife #thegreatland
Alaska on my mind... 