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- AKZeigers.com
Start your tour at AKZeigers.com
- Site Map
- About Us
Mark, Michelle & Aly Zeiger (rhymes with "tiger") live off-the-grid in northern Southeast Alaska. The Zeigers, Michelle, Aly, and Mark Living off…
- Guest Post Policy
Our guest post policy is simple: we don't accept them! This is a family blog, so guest posts have no place here. We often receive email from writers who say…
- Advertise
Advertising and Promotion on The Zeiger Family Homestead Website and Blog We originally intended to post photos and blog so that family and friends can see…
- Disclaimer
No one in their right mind would do what we're doing . . . right? The Zeiger Family Homestead Blog provides stories and information on an “as-is” basis.…
- Web Design
Mark works as a freelance Web designer. He's a "hired gun" for designing or improving Web pages, editing, and ghostwriting projects. His business, Yeldagala…
- Guest Post Policy
Blog Posts
- Category: Alaskan Life (54)
- Another Television Show is Looking for Alaskans by: Mark Zeiger
May 1, 2013, 03:00
We recently received another pitch from a television show, as we do from time to time. This one caught my attention because the producer seemed personable and…
- When It's Spring Time in Alaska . . . by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2013, 03:00
Ever since I can remember, I've heard Johnny Horton's Springtime in Alaska. My parents played his greatest hits record (check your local independent music…
- A Good Haul (Part 2) by: Mark Zeiger
August 24, 2012, 03:00
Sorry to leave you in the lurch yesterday. If brevity is the soul of wit, I risked becoming a half-wit. So, as we rounded the tip of our peninsula, I saw…
- A Good Haul (Part 1) by: Mark Zeiger
August 23, 2012, 10:14
While improving our kitchen countertop is our main focus these days, the life of the homestead must continue on all fronts. Progress is uneven, but continual.…
- Seaside Social Hour by: Mark Zeiger
July 27, 2012, 03:00
We had barely finished dinner last night when an echoing crash sent us tumbling out the the front door. A humpback whale breached several times out in Lynn…
- Cheechako No More? Michelle Marks 20 Years as an Alaskan by: Mark Zeiger
July 12, 2012, 10:25
This morning, when I arranged my day according to my Franklin-Covey planner, I saw that today is the anniversary of Michelle and my move to Alaska. The…
- Sweetheart Summit in Sitka by: Mark Zeiger
June 18, 2012, 03:00
Today in Sitka, two people are meeting to spend some time together. I'd never want to get in their way, but I would dearly love to see and hear what's going…
- 20 Years of Sourdough Stewardship by: Michelle Zeiger
February 20, 2012, 03:00
Our relationship with our sourdough has continued to evolve. Recently we ignored the starter in the back of the cool box a little longer than was polite. When…
- More on Nome Refueling, and Homestead Heat by: Mark Zeiger
January 20, 2012, 03:00
Yesterday, I started answering a reader's questions about the current effort to refuel Nome, Alaska. I grew a bit long-winded, so today I'll answer the rest of…
- The Nome Refueling Effort: Answers to Reader's Questions by: Mark Zeiger
January 19, 2012, 03:00
I generally try to avoid writing about current events on this blog, since it focuses on our life here on the homestead. However, I received the following…
- Perhaps an Angel Flies Over These Waters by: Mark Zeiger
October 25, 2011, 03:00
Today, October 25th, as I have done the last few days, I will listen to a song that makes me miserable. The song is Ballad of the Princess Sophia by the…
- "Y R U Motoring Downwind?" by: Mark Zeiger
July 31, 2011, 08:04
Yesterday, the three of us went to the boundary rock on the north end of our beach. The fishing has been pretty good there, and we hoped to catch a pink salmon…
- Tsunami Watch by: Mark Zeiger
March 11, 2011, 09:39
This morning at 5:30 I stepped into the outhouse and, as I always do, switched on the weather radio. Shortly, I heard that a tsunami warning had been issued…
- Aurora Dances Down by: Mark Zeiger
March 3, 2011, 03:00
Early Tuesday morning, I put on my warmest parka and went down to the veranda to see the aurora borealis, the northern lights. Recent sunspot activity has been…
- The Next Adventure: Haines to Fairbanks and Back Again by: Mark Zeiger
January 30, 2011, 03:00
This morning I'll hop a plane to Juneau, then fly north to Fairbanks. My plan is to join my sister-in-law there. She's moving the household to Washington D.C.…
- A Well-Traveled Christmas Card Part 2 by: Mark Zeiger
December 29, 2010, 03:00
As luck would have it, we got a second chance on that misdirected Christmas card back in 2008 after all. We returned to town on December 30th that year and…
- A Well-Traveled Christmas Card Part 1 by: Mark Zeiger
December 28, 2010, 03:00
Alaska is the Land of Misdirected Mail. For some reason we seem to be the nation's, if not the world's repository for lost, badly routed, and delayed post. Ask…
- Light Struggles with Dark in More Ways Than One! by: Mark Zeiger
December 22, 2010, 09:18
Considering how I carried on about the Winter Solstice yesterday, you might expect that we spent the day celebrating—setting everyday cares and work aside,…
- Limping Home by: Mark Zeiger
December 12, 2010, 11:52
At last, we're back in our little cabin—I hesitate to say "cozy," just yet, but we're working on restoring it to its usual warmth. After weather delays, we…
- It's Christmastime in the City by: Mark Zeiger
December 11, 2010, 03:00
We've been in Juneau for the last few days. We're there for a couple of health appointments that we weren't able to take care of in Haines. I'm also taking my…
- Popping Next Door by: Mark Zeiger
December 3, 2010, 03:00
Wednesday we "popped next door" to our nearest full time neighbors. On our way there, it occurred to me that going next door in our neighborhood represents…
- Homestead on Ice by: Mark Zeiger
November 19, 2010, 03:00
We're into our first cold snap of the winter, and suddenly, ice is everywhere. Aly went out yesterday morning armed with an ice ax, eyes protected by goggles,…
- The Noise in the Forest by: Mark Zeiger
October 21, 2010, 03:00
When I began discussing fear on the blog recently, I stated that I don't scare easily. I do startle easily—this quiet lifestyle lends itself to startling…
- Back to We Three by: Mark Zeiger
September 29, 2010, 03:00
I should have known they got away, because after many weeks without seeing any whales, a humpback dove less than 100 feet out from our rocks. The Rule seems to…
- Golden Days, Emerald Nights by: Mark Zeiger
September 15, 2010, 03:00
We are in a very pleasant weather pattern these last few days, with warm, sunny days and clear nights with aurora borealis displays. The aurora is particular…
- Home From the Sea by: Mark Zeiger
September 12, 2010, 09:03
Saturday morning at about 1:30 Slacktide dropped anchor in Mud Bay, bringing me home from the sea. My two-week trip away from the homestead, most of it spent…
- When High Tides Work For Us by: Michelle Zeiger
September 11, 2010, 09:43
This week we have wonderfully high tides. In mid-winter that could be a scary thought...when the winds whip up and the power of the water can move large rocks…
- Tenakee Springs Might Need YOU by: Mark Zeiger
September 8, 2010, 03:00
If reading my family's posts on this blog make you want to try the lifestyle yourself, there may be a golden opportunity to do so, if you have school age…
- Mark Checks In from His Voyage by: Mark Zeiger
September 7, 2010, 08:30
The Gustavus adventure has been great so far! Time's far too short to try to wax eloquent about it all, as it deserves. Briefly: I rendezvoused with…
- It's a Small World . . . . by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2010, 03:00
The cutesy, multicultural, animatronic puppets in Disneyland are right: it is, indeed, a small world after all. I spoke with my brother, Dave, yesterday by…
- Haines, A Hundred Years, and a Big, Hurking Camera by: Mark Zeiger
August 17, 2010, 03:00
On the 15th, Haines held a celebration marking the centennial of the town's incorporation. We had a community potluck picnic, a street dance, and a panoramic…
- Our Alaskan Anniversary by: Mark Zeiger
July 12, 2010, 03:00
Today is a family anniversary. Eighteen years ago on July 12th, Michelle and I arrived in Juneau by ferry, beginning our life together in Alaska.I was born and…
- There's No Place Quite Like Small Town Alaska for the Fourth of July by: Mark Zeiger
July 4, 2010, 03:00
For a good old-fashioned Fourth of July, give me small town Alaska, particularly Wrangell or Haines! The quality of Independence Day celebrations in…
- Valderee, Valderah! by: Mark Zeiger
June 28, 2010, 06:52
Living where any visit to town requires a mile and a quarter hike out and back, you'd think we wouldn't consider hiking a recreational activity. But when you…
- Yacht Parade by: Mark Zeiger
June 22, 2010, 03:00
Sometimes during the summer months our waters seem to be filled with boats. More interesting, if rarer, than the big cruise ships we see so often, or the local…
- Homecomings and Goings by: Mark Zeiger
May 20, 2010, 03:00
Our recent trip away from the homestead was all about returning. We drove up to visit family in Fairbanks. My sister, Beth, works there currently, and my dad…
- Synchronicity: Good Coffee, Good Book by: Mark Zeiger
May 5, 2010, 03:00
I was pretty pleased to learn that local author, Heather Lende, has picked up Raven's Brew Coffee as a sponsor for her upcoming national tour to promote her…
- Travel Pays Off Despite Lack of Planning by: Mark Zeiger
March 30, 2010, 03:00
My recent emergency trip to Juneau was less than ideal. I like to savor travel! I want to plan it far enough ahead that I can anticipate it, and take full…
- Happy 100th Anniversary, Sitka National Historical Park! by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2010, 03:00
Sitka National Historical Park turns 100 years old today. I wish I could be there to mark the occasion! Despite the long and grand name, this park…
- Tsunami Warnings I Have Known by: Mark Zeiger
February 28, 2010, 08:43
The big news in Haines yesterday was the Chile earthquake and the resulting tsunami threat. We learned about it as Aly and I prepared to go to town for her…
- A Personal Anniversary (I Think) by: Mark Zeiger
February 12, 2010, 03:00
In January I applied for my hunting/fishing license, and, as I do every year, I cringed when I filled in the number of years I've been an Alaska resident. I…
- Remembering the Clara Nevada - A Ghost of Lynn Canal by: Mark Zeiger
February 6, 2010, 03:00
Either last night or tonight (sources differ) 103 years ago, the steam/sail ship Clara Nevada sank near Eldred Rock, south of our homestead. This should…
- Local Author Links to Our Blog by: Mark Zeiger
January 24, 2010, 03:00
Heather Lende is a local author, columnist, and radio commentator. If you haven’t read her book, If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name (check your local…
- On Scramble Alert for the Yukon by: Mark Zeiger
January 9, 2010, 06:33
January so far has been a slushfest, lots of rain over snow, freeze/thaw cycles, and very little wind. Yesterday was shaping up to be another day to stay close…
- A Different Kind of Year in Review: Whale Reports by: Mark Zeiger
January 3, 2010, 03:00
I grumble at Christmas time about the family newsletter we traditionally write. A cousin appropriately dubbed it "the Christmas term paper," a major writing…
- We're Not Alone: "Roughing It" Within a Community by: Mark Zeiger
November 30, 2009, 01:00
Because it's our blog, we get to focus a lot on ourselves in the posts. My work on Self-Reliance Works deals with our experiences on our homestead as well, and…
- Neither Rain, Nor Wind, Nor Dark of Night: Blogging in All Weather by: Mark Zeiger
November 16, 2009, 01:00
The winds from Saturday’s storm have abated, the wind generator has slowed, but our heads are still spinning! People use words like “storm” and…
- Free Land in Alaska? by: Mark Zeiger
October 23, 2009, 01:00
You're not going to like this, but it's the truth: you cannot get free land from the U.S. government in Alaska or any other state through the Homestead Act!…
- Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend - It's Not Just Free Money by: Mark Zeiger
October 22, 2009, 01:00
It’s that time of year again: the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividends are on their way to most Alaskans. Once again, residents breathe a sigh or relief or rub…
- Making Russian Tea - The Rest of the Story by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2009, 01:00
They say one should never let the truth get in the way of a good story. In writing previously on Russian tea, I came across information that didn't fit…
- The Secret of Russian Tea by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2009, 01:00
It's the time of year for hot beverages! Especially in October, particularly around Alaska Day, I like to turn to an old family staple, Russian tea. We…
- October 18th - Alaska Day by: Mark Zeiger
October 17, 2009, 01:00
Alaska Day, I would argue, means next to nothing to most people—even to most Alaskans—unless they have some connection to Sitka. Elsewhere in the state,…
- Sitka, Alaska Is on My Mind by: Mark Zeiger
October 12, 2009, 08:08
As a boy I lived in Sitka, Alaska for about five years. Since then, it has held a special place in my heart. If you've ever been there, perhaps you know why.…
- Introducing the Zeiger Family Homestead Blog by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2009, 14:01
Just shy of one year after we started our first blog, we're returning to try again. Previously, we'd used a hosting site to post stories about life on our…
- Another Television Show is Looking for Alaskans by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Clothing & Gear (33)
- Hafting an Ax by: Mark Zeiger
March 11, 2013, 03:00
Of the myriad tasks to be performed on the homestead, there are few I approach with higher hopes, and finish with less satisfaction, than hafting an axe. Lucki…
- Surrendering to the Inevitable Upgrade by: Mark Zeiger
March 4, 2013, 03:00
These last few days, when I get the urge to explore new territory, I head inside. I recently acquired a “new” computer, and have been exploring its new…
- A Fifth F and a Reassessment by: Mark Zeiger
January 18, 2013, 03:00
The other day, I misremembered Michelle's memnomic for leaving the house. She didn't list four Fs, she listed five. The fifth, that I had missed, was Franklin,…
- Michelle's 4 Fs of Trail Hiking by: Mark Zeiger
January 12, 2013, 08:00
The other morning, as Michelle prepared to leave for work, she ticked off what she calls "The Four Fs": food, flashlight, fob, and phone. "Everything…
- Snowshoe Repairs by: Mark Zeiger
December 9, 2012, 03:00
We've gotten some snow on the homestead over the last few days. The weather band says more is on the way—possibly a lot more. I finally got around to a job…
- Relearning the Lesson of Secondhand Clothing by: Mark Zeiger
November 9, 2012, 03:00
Each of us has our own best learning style, through which we acquire skills and knowledge. Some learn well through reading, others through observation, or by…
- Losing "Old Friends" by: Mark Zeiger
June 15, 2012, 03:00
Developing a good attitude toward possessions is key to living the way we do. However, some things we own leave me feeling their loss when they go. On…
- Hot Water Fast with a Kelly Kettle/Volcano Stove by: Mark Zeiger
March 5, 2012, 03:00
If I want hot water fast, one of the best tools I've found is a device known as a Kelly kettle or volcano stove. Apparently developed by Irish fishermen, a…
- Choosing the Right Ax for the Job by: Mark Zeiger
February 28, 2012, 03:00
Working with firewood on the homestead, I've found a need for specialized axes to some extent. I've spoken before of the uses of a so-called "boy's ax." I also…
- A Child's Ax Can Do a Man's Job by: Mark Zeiger
February 15, 2012, 03:00
Sometimes it takes a boy's tool to do a man's job . . . . I've found a child's ax to be a useful tool around my woodpile. When we moved to our homestead, I…
- Spring Changes: A New Homestead "Store" by: Mark Zeiger
February 1, 2012, 03:00
Spring is upon us, by our reckoning. I think this time I've finally figured it out. As I've mentioned often before, viewing the seasons from the ancient Celtic…
- The Pulk: Our Homestead's Winter "Truck" by: Mark Zeiger
January 30, 2012, 03:00
In winter, we watch the snow pack on the trails for enough coverage to haul heavy loads with the pulk. Our pulk is a Pelican sled that we’ve rigged with…
- Felted Boot Liners by: Mark Zeiger
December 19, 2011, 03:00
Conditions on our homestead dictate that we wear shoes fairly constantly. We try to switch between indoor and outdoor footwear and back, because it's too easy…
- "Take Off Your 'Hat' and Stay Awhile!" by: Mark Zeiger
November 22, 2011, 03:00
Every now and then I discover a habit I've fallen into that needs to be broken. Just recently, I've decided I need to take my headlamp off more often. Headla…
- New Thinking about Boots in the Water by: Mark Zeiger
August 10, 2011, 03:00
Back in 2009 I wrote about the recommendation that a person going overboard should kick off their boots to keep from being dragged down. Even as I repeated the…
- Goodbye, Old Pants by: Mark Zeiger
June 10, 2011, 03:00
I love the Thomas Carlyle quotation: “Trust not the heart of that man for whom old clothes are not venerable.” I have lived these words all my life,…
- Snowshoes for a Song . . . Er, Poem by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2011, 03:00
Earlier in the year, I entered a week's worth of online contests that the outdoor gear store, REI sponsored. Each day they posted a new photo and asked…
- How to Repair a Damaged Ax Blade by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2011, 03:00
I often damage my felling or limbing ax, warping the thin-bladed against knots or harder sections of wood. When this happens, I have to repair the blade to…
- Getting a Grip by: Mark Zeiger
February 26, 2011, 09:29
The yard has become so icy I'm beginning to fear for our safety. We can still get around with considerable care, but I find myself, in particularly perilous…
- Parka Weather by: Mark Zeiger
February 18, 2011, 03:00
As usual, shortly after declaring the coming of spring, we're experiencing a February cold snap. Temperatures have fallen as low as 9°F. High winds drop the…
- Homemade Socks by: Mark Zeiger
November 7, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday I insisted on showers, even though it was not a "town day." When I finished, I carefully trimmed my toenails, even though they didn't really need it.…
- Headlamps - Don't Leave Home Without Them! by: Mark Zeiger
November 6, 2010, 03:00
It's that time of year again, when we have to change our habits on the homestead. Most importantly: remember your headlamp! Much of the year we grab our…
- Shoe Laces by the Yard by: Mark Zeiger
August 31, 2010, 03:00
We've noticed lately that we go through a lot of shoe and boot laces around here. It seems to be because mass manufactured eyes are more commonly made without…
- Fancy Gear for Simple Living by: Mark Zeiger
August 8, 2010, 03:00
The other day a package arrived at the Post Office containing high-end, quality, very expensive outdoor gear for the family. As if it were Christmas morning,…
- Getting "Cranky" on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
July 25, 2010, 03:00
In general, we've had more wind than we usually get in the summer, so power hasn't been much of an issue lately. Often, especially in the summer months, we…
- When I Am "Outside" I Shall Wear Red and Blue by: Mark Zeiger
June 16, 2010, 03:00
On Monday, working toward my resolution to read a poem a day this year, I read Jenny Joseph's delightful poem, Warning - When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear…
- Sometimes Semi-Remote Seems Like Semi-Homeless by: Mark Zeiger
February 27, 2010, 03:00
Because we live so far off the road, and own no property on the road system, our car has become over full of things one would normally keep in a garage. The…
- Socks for Christmas? Yes Please! by: Mark Zeiger
December 18, 2009, 03:00
If you've been following the blog at all, you may have come to the conclusion that we're not an average American family. If you need one further proof, here it…
- Develop Healthy Attitudes Toward Your Belongings by: Mark Zeiger
October 28, 2009, 01:00
I adhere to the principal that happiness comes not from owning what you love, but from loving what you own. Compared to most Americans we have very little;…
- How To Dress Like a Southeast Alaskan by: Mark Zeiger
October 9, 2009, 01:00
Although we, like all Americans, dress in myriad styles, there are a few modes of dress that distinguish us as Southeast Alaskans. Two distinctive items can…
- Cotton Kills by: Mark Zeiger
October 8, 2009, 01:00
Alaskans have a common saying: "Cotton kills." Those two words remind us to guard against hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when one's…
- Clothing: Essential to Survival and Self-Esteem by: Mark Zeiger
September 25, 2009, 01:00
“Trust not the heart of that man for whom old clothes are not venerable.”—Thomas Carlyle Clothing is one of the essentials of survival, along with…
- Happy Camouflage, Everybody! by: Mark Zeiger
September 6, 2009, 10:07
Our life on the homestead is self-sufficient enough that we often limit our trips to town to once a week. The weekly visits are mostly to deliver Aly to a…
- Hafting an Ax by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Daily Life (71)
- Time to "Do" Windows! by: Mark Zeiger
May 7, 2013, 03:00
At last: a sunny day with lighter winds—a day on which to wash windows. Windows are vital to enjoying our cabin's view, of course, but they also provide…
- Making Do for Myself by: Mark Zeiger
April 23, 2013, 03:00
Michelle took the ferry to Juneau yesterday, and flew south today to visit family and help deal with illness and death. She will be gone just short of two…
- The Story Behind Some of Our Food Photos by: Mark Zeiger
November 22, 2012, 03:00
Happy Thanksgiving! We're off celebrating the holiday with friends, but here's a story about food for the day: I mentioned in my last post on Pumpkin…
- Back Home(stead) by: Mark Zeiger
October 16, 2012, 09:47
Yesterday evening, Michelle and I returned to the homestead from a visit to a distant planet: Washington DC. We'd been gone since October 3rd, traveling by…
- Random Notes by: Mark Zeiger
August 7, 2012, 09:44
I may write for a blog, and thereby qualify as a "blogger," but I prefer to think of myself as an essayist. I try to offer a brief essay each posting, making…
- Mark's Town Adventure by: Mark Zeiger
July 21, 2012, 03:00
With Michelle working in town many days each week, I've managed to avoid going to Haines very often. With my recent bout of flu, it had been about two weeks…
- Reunions by: Mark Zeiger
June 22, 2012, 03:00
The last blog post could benefit from further elaboration. I apologize; the blog has been on "autopilot" for a few days, and when the pre-scheduled posts ran…
- Aly's Home! by: Mark Zeiger
June 20, 2012, 14:05
Aly come home! I managed to go down to Juneau to greet her, thanks to a friend who needed two vehicles taken back there on the ferry. We had a pleasant cruise…
- Music to Our Ears by: Mark Zeiger
May 3, 2012, 03:00
The end of the long calm spell has brought a significant and extremely pleasant change to the homestead: we're listening to music again. Music is an…
- Every Day Ornaments by: Mark Zeiger
January 16, 2012, 03:00
As we packed up our Christmas ornaments at the end of the holiday season, part of that transition back to the everyday included a smaller decoration of the…
- Hermit Mutterings by: Mark Zeiger
November 20, 2011, 03:00
Michelle came home Friday evening. I broke trail with snowshoes to the bay to meet her and help her haul in her gear. Welcome home! I passed my time alone…
- Listening to Silence by: Mark Zeiger
November 8, 2011, 03:00
Living fairly far from other people as we do, we are surrounded by "silence." I've noticed this much more lately, spending so much time alone. I quote…
- Bachelor Homesteader by: Mark Zeiger
November 1, 2011, 03:00
Today Michelle's moving out of the homestead for a while. Except for a couple of weekends, she'll spend the next three weeks chaperoning friends' children in…
- Missing Mary Engelbreit by: Mark Zeiger
August 19, 2011, 10:28
Each family member has his/her own favorite artists, all of which combine to complement our home. We have framed prints from one or two artists, but most add…
- A Good Dog Looking for a Good Home by: Mark Zeiger
July 20, 2011, 03:00
We're cat people, but we appreciate a good dog when we see one. Monday, we met a really good dog, and, as luck would have it, he needs a home. One of the…
- A Glimpse of the Future? by: Mark Zeiger
July 4, 2011, 03:00
Happy Independence Day! If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, today is the day to read another one of the extra…
- Voices In my Head by: Mark Zeiger
June 26, 2011, 03:00
This summer as I go about the work of the homestead, I'm hearing voices in my head. I have to say, I'm really enjoying it. One of the nicest results of…
- "Do You Have Any American Cash?" by: Mark Zeiger
June 6, 2011, 09:06
Just before Michelle left for an appointment in town this morning, she turned to me and asked, "Do you have any American cash?" The oddity of this question…
- Strange Trackways by: Mark Zeiger
April 20, 2011, 04:07
The whole family went out to beach comb yesterday's morning tide, a minus 4.5. We looked for starfish for the garden, but didn't see any large enough to…
- New Windows on the World by: Mark Zeiger
March 25, 2011, 12:53
Over the last two days we've had some very pleasant excitement on the homestead. A small work crew came out by skiff with tools, generator fuel, and constructio…
- A Poemless Moon by: Mark Zeiger
March 12, 2011, 03:00
Tonight's first quarter moon has no associated Mary Oliver poem. It's been lean times as far as using Mary's book, Twelve Moons, as a lunar calendar lately.…
- Midnight Creeper by: Mark Zeiger
March 8, 2011, 03:00
The last few nights I've been creeping around after midnight, surfing the Internet between midnight and 6:00 a.m., during the "free," bandwidth period.…
- "Orphaned" Again by: Mark Zeiger
February 7, 2011, 03:00
Today we're extremely busy—lots to do, most of it last-minute, all of it no doubt slightly frantic. When it's all said and done, Aly and I will be "orphaned."…
- Here's to the Marvelous Egg! by: Mark Zeiger
January 18, 2011, 08:26
The egg is, indeed, a marvel of natural engineering. Yesterday, Aly and I went to town for the first time in 7 days. One of our errands included grocery…
- Returning to Normal by: Mark Zeiger
January 7, 2011, 03:00
Twelfth Night is past, and we have returned once again to "normal life" after a long and pleasant holiday season. At the same time, I'm feeling normal again,…
- Christmas Bookends by: Mark Zeiger
January 6, 2011, 03:00
The thing I like about the way we celebrate Christmas is that it's really hard to have a bad year if it starts and ends with such a great holiday. Christmas…
- Sick Days by: Mark Zeiger
January 4, 2011, 03:00
Somewhere, somehow, we picked up a nasty bug! Oddly, we've hardly been around anyone to catch it from. Our trips to town have been rare, brief, and without a…
- Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as Lunar Calendar by: Mark Zeiger
January 2, 2011, 03:00
As I mentioned recently, in evaluating the fulfillment of last year's resolution to read a poem a day, I discovered something interesting about one of my…
- Fulfilling My New Year's Resolution by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2010, 03:00
Today I will read a poem, Robert Service's New Year's Eve. When I reach the final stanza, I will have successfully fulfilled this year's resolution to read a…
- Random Trail Thoughts by: Mark Zeiger
December 19, 2010, 07:17
Hiking our trail often becomes a kind of Zen exercise. The way is familiar, so the mind wanders freely. We usually hike in and out in company, at least two of…
- A Light in the Window, and a Place Called Home by: Mark Zeiger
December 14, 2010, 03:00
"When the snow flies and the night falls, there's a light in the window, and a place called home at the end of the storm . . . ." —Judy Collins, The…
- Amateur Film Making by: Mark Zeiger
November 11, 2010, 08:42
One of my favorite cousins made a great suggestion for promoting the new book: a Blair Witch-style promo short film to post on YouTube. Yesterday Aly and I…
- Headlamps - Don't Leave Home Without Them! by: Mark Zeiger
November 6, 2010, 03:00
It's that time of year again, when we have to change our habits on the homestead. Most importantly: remember your headlamp! Much of the year we grab our…
- A Cozy Cabin by: Mark Zeiger
October 24, 2010, 08:16
A northerly gale blows at least 30 knots outside, dropping the feel of the current high 30s to low 40s temperature. Still, I'm writing this in my pajamas. I've…
- Visitation Rites by: Mark Zeiger
October 15, 2010, 03:00
Life has been a bit strange this week, with Michelle living in town. It's not as if she's traveling out of state, which we've experienced before. The weirdness…
- "Orphaned" by: Mark Zeiger
October 11, 2010, 03:00
Today Michelle moves to town to take care of friends' children until October 18th. Aly and I will be pretty much on our own for the week. It will be very odd…
- A Perfect Day by: Mark Zeiger
August 15, 2010, 03:00
Most days are good days on the homestead, but Friday may have been The Perfect Day! As The Dog Days finally lived up to their reputation (they end today, by…
- Spare Me the Harem Jokes, Please by: Mark Zeiger
July 8, 2010, 03:00
Even for a guy like me who's used to being outnumbered by female personalities in the home, living as I did until recently with four of them, I'm feeling a bit…
- Found: One Kindred Spirit by: Mark Zeiger
July 2, 2010, 03:00
We didn't really know what to expect when Kim's cousin, Marissa arrived on the ferry the other evening. We'd never met her, nor had we heard much about her.…
- In Search of the Perfect Chopping Block by: Mark Zeiger
June 4, 2010, 03:00
For better and worse, chopping blocks have been much on my mind these days. A good chopping block is, of course, essential to chopping firewood. When I find…
- Two Out of Three Ain't Bad by: Mark Zeiger
May 29, 2010, 03:00
As Meatloaf would say, Two out of three ain't bad. Our efforts paid off, we got things done, and had some fun in the sun as well. Aly and I got our lumber…
- The Obligations of Sunny Weather by: Mark Zeiger
May 28, 2010, 03:00
In Southeast Alaska, people have a different attitude toward sunny weather. We make the most of it while it lasts. That means that if it lasts very long, we…
- Floating Cities by: Mark Zeiger
May 23, 2010, 03:00
"There's a city floating by," Aly comments, looking out the window. At 9:00 pm the sun, as high as late afternoon in the lower 48, lights up a massive white…
- Running for Home by: Mark Zeiger
May 18, 2010, 03:00
We decided to stay another day, so today, as you read this from the comfort of your home, hopefully with a nice cup of coffee, we're on our way back to the…
- Re-Entry to "Civilization" by: Mark Zeiger
May 14, 2010, 03:00
An adventure we're currently embarked on involves returning temporarily to "civilization." That means adjusting to modern conveniences most take for granted,…
- Signs of Occupancy by: Mark Zeiger
May 13, 2010, 03:00
I noticed a problem with the "pee" tent that Michelle had set up in the dooryard to provide a bit more privacy for ladies on the homestead. I mentioned it to…
- A Quarterly Progress Report by: Mark Zeiger
April 14, 2010, 03:00
Some topics we cover in this blog should probably be updated occasionally. Among our projects and concerns, I'm sure there's one that weighs particularly…
- Meet The Rest of the Family: Our Cats by: Mark Zeiger
April 3, 2010, 03:00
While I've alluded to them in the past, I've never properly introduced you to two important family members: our cats, Lissa and Spice. These two pampered,…
- House Hunting by Proxy by: Mark Zeiger
March 24, 2010, 03:00
Wouldn't you love to house hunt just for the fun of it, without all the suspense and uncertainty, or the burden of needing to find The Right House for you and…
- The Haines Public Library - Community Center, Cultural Hub, Haven by: Mark Zeiger
February 19, 2010, 03:00
For us, like many Hainesites, the center our community is our local library. It's not just a great library, it's a gathering place, cultural hub, and, for us,…
- A Tour of the Zeiger Homestead Cabin by: Mark Zeiger
January 30, 2010, 03:00
Recently, Michelle took photos around the first floor of the cabin to show the original owner/builders how things had changed lately. Here's your chance to…
- Dream Time by: Mark Zeiger
January 29, 2010, 03:00
In these days of late winter, we find ourselves dreaming more and more. We are in the least active part of our year, so we tend to look ahead to the coming…
- A Close Call in the Forest by: Mark Zeiger
January 23, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday we hiked up into the forest on a couple of errands. Michelle and Aly planned a hike around the back loop trail to visit a few homes where the owners…
- Aluminum Foil - Possibly the Most Versatile Tool in the Kitchen by: Michelle Zeiger
January 14, 2010, 03:00
I use, and reuse, aluminum foil everyday. It is possibly the most useful tool in my kitchen. I use it as a cooking tool, a food keeper and then I repurpose it…
- In Which I Attempt to Defend My Lame Excuse for a New Year's Resolution by: Mark Zeiger
January 5, 2010, 03:00
Generally, I try hard not to make New Year's resolutions. Anything important enough to resolve to do should be started right away, not deferred till the start…
- Planning the Coming Year - A New Year's Day Project by: Mark Zeiger
January 1, 2010, 06:00
Today, New Year’s Day, I indulge in a very pleasant activity: updating my Franklin Planner. This task occurs the first day of every month throughout the…
- Preparing For the Coming Year - Daylight Charts by: Mark Zeiger
December 30, 2009, 03:00
As you may well have gathered by now, I'm fond of rituals, especially at the holidays. As this year draws to a close and the new one is about to begin, some of…
- We're Not Alone: "Roughing It" Within a Community by: Mark Zeiger
November 30, 2009, 01:00
Because it's our blog, we get to focus a lot on ourselves in the posts. My work on Self-Reliance Works deals with our experiences on our homestead as well, and…
- Headed Straight Into Darkness by: Mark Zeiger
November 15, 2009, 01:00
The old Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers tune has been running through my head these last few weeks, as we’ve passed through what Michelle poetically calls…
- The Soundtrack of Our Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
November 12, 2009, 01:00
Music has always been a vital ingredient to the quality of our lives. Michelle and I both participated in our school music programs. My former radio career…
- Time to Switch to the Winter Water Supply by: Mark Zeiger
November 10, 2009, 01:00
The weather report is predicting a low of 22° tonight, so unless something else comes up, we'll switch from the summer water to the winter water today. This…
- The Franklin Planner – An Unlikely Homesteading Tool by: Mark Zeiger
October 25, 2009, 01:00
Our decision to move to an off-the-grid homestead required answering many questions. Among them: what to take (as little as possible) and what to leave behind…
- Quest for Cocoa -The Art and Science of the Perfect Hot Drink by: Mark Zeiger
October 21, 2009, 01:00
If you've read many of our family's posts you know that hot drinks are an essential part of our lives. Almost every day begins with tea for Michelle and coffee…
- The Thermos - One Small Step Toward Conservation and Savings by: Mark Zeiger
October 6, 2009, 01:00
As more Americans realize that conservation measures must be taken to survive amid rising prices and falling wages, we suddenly discover that small, simple…
- "Hunker Down" Days by: Mark Zeiger
September 25, 2009, 17:05
This morning, like every morning, I walked out into the teeth of the weather in my pajamas. We, like generations of Americans before ours, have a "little…
- Moose Hunt News Flash: I Actually SAW One! by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2009, 08:33
Yesterday I achieved a new milestone in this year's moose hunt. Suddenly, the process took an incredible step forward. Instantly, things don't look quite so…
- “Seek and Ye Shall Find” – Setting Search Images by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2009, 02:00
Since moving to the homestead, my search imaging has sharpened considerably as I increase my reliance on it. Search images are mental pictures humans…
- Doing What's Necessary: The Homestead "Facilities" by: Mark Zeiger
September 23, 2009, 03:01
We’re often asked an indelicate question: “How do you . . . um . . .?” Which obviously translates to “Where do you go?” Here on the homestead we deal…
- Dang! There Goes the Outhouse! by: Mark Zeiger
September 20, 2009, 15:22
Yesterday, Michelle went to the guesthouse to work on building a new set of shelves we're installing in the cabin. As she walked in, she looked behind the…
- Off the Grid Electricity: The "Power" of Self Reliance by: Mark Zeiger
September 18, 2009, 10:42
Let me confess to you up front: I am not an electrician. I know very little about electricity. I survived a whole career requiring daily use of electronic…
- Lending a Helping Hand by: Mark Zeiger
September 13, 2009, 09:11
Yesterday, we helped neighbors with a new guest house on stilts that collapsed. Michelle and Aly had been canoeing a load of laundry home from town on…
- Time to "Do" Windows! by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Food & Drink (111)
Food, drink, recipes, gustatory rhapsodizing.
- Popcorn, The "Homesteader's" Nemesis by: Mark Zeiger
May 20, 2013, 03:00
We, like many Americans, love our popcorn. For us, it goes beyond the occasional snack. When my older brother, David, and I were very young, Mom decided…
- "Moonshine" by: Mark Zeiger
April 21, 2013, 03:00
If you were to go for a walk on our peninsula these days, you'd see some strange things. You might notice bottles and jugs of clear liquid set along the trail,…
- Time to Tap that Sap! by: Mark Zeiger
April 5, 2013, 03:00
Wednesday morning, when I booted up and plodded outside to sweep 3 inches of "isolated snow flurries, no accumulation" off the solar panels, the dense fog and…
- Community Supported Agriculture by: Mark Zeiger
March 21, 2013, 05:30
The new emphasis on self reliance and eating locally has left many Americans at a disadvantage, in that they don't have access to the means: gardening space,…
- The Homestead Reference Library: Alaska Sourdough by: Mark Zeiger
February 20, 2013, 03:00
It's been a long time since I've written about our homestead reference library. In honor of our sourdough starter's 21st anniversary today, It'a time to…
- Guidelines for Converting Regular Yeast Recipes to Sourdough by: Mark Zeiger
February 18, 2013, 03:00
From our trusted source, Cooking Alaskan, comes a set of guidelines for converting your favorite baking recipe to using sourdough. We recently found this,…
- Food Value by: Mark Zeiger
February 14, 2013, 03:00
The hardest part about finishing the writing process is the certain knowledge that soon after completing it, the perfect addition to it will appear. The…
- Wine Light by: Mark Zeiger
February 10, 2013, 03:00
Holy cow! I took this photo to show you a nice moment of sunshine in the cabin. This occurred January 9th. Time's gotten away from me. Still life with wine…
- Travel-Ready Sourdough by: Mark Zeiger
February 8, 2013, 03:00
If I may assert that sourdough is particularly associated with Alaska, then transporting sourdough may be said to be a particularly Alaskan problem. The…
- What I Ask From a Sourdough Recipe by: Mark Zeiger
February 6, 2013, 03:00
As I mentioned in a previous post, we've been doing a lot with our sourdough lately. As a result, I've been spending more time with our three primary sourdough…
- Fermentation by: Mark Zeiger
February 4, 2013, 03:00
At present, our cabin is a fermentation center. We've got three major ferments underway. Around Christmas, the sourdough starter reached an intensity best…
- Here We Come A-Waffling by: Mark Zeiger
January 5, 2013, 03:00
Friday, Aly and I made waffles. Waffles may not be a big deal in your household, but they are in ours. We've never had much luck making them, even with a…
- The Story Behind Some of Our Food Photos by: Mark Zeiger
November 22, 2012, 03:00
Happy Thanksgiving! We're off celebrating the holiday with friends, but here's a story about food for the day: I mentioned in my last post on Pumpkin…
- Recipe: Pumpkin Risotto with Wild Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
November 20, 2012, 03:00
When Aly graduated from Mud Bay Home School, we made sure she had a recipe box that included many of the family favorites, plus cards and room for a lot more.…
- "Martha Washington's" Pumpkin Recipe by: Mark Zeiger
November 1, 2012, 03:00
As I ramble along from topic to topic on this blog, I sometimes forget to circle back and elaborate, or add information that should have been included in the…
- Homemade Pumpkin Bread for Halloween by: Mark Zeiger
October 30, 2012, 03:00
Tomorrow night is Halloween. Come the next morning, where will your Jack-o-lanterns be? Shattered on the street, in the garbage, or in the kitchen? I have…
- Simple Pleasures: Steel Cut Oats by: Mark Zeiger
October 14, 2012, 03:00
Even as an avid "granola cruncher," I have to admit that there are few meals more homely—in the archaic, more positive sense of that term—than a bowl of…
- The End of "His & Hers" Mushroom Soup Recipes by: Mark Zeiger
September 5, 2012, 03:00
Much of our locally harvested mushrooms end up in mushroom soup. We have two favorite recipes, which have become a sort of "his & hers" affair, in that I…
- I Can Can! by: Mark Zeiger
August 2, 2012, 03:00
Cue Offenbach's Orpheus In the Underworld, please . . . . I had an excellent day fishing on Monday. While seeking out the sparse currant bushes that nestle…
- Homestead Yogurt by: Mark Zeiger
July 17, 2012, 03:00
Michelle has said before in this blog and elsewhere that growing things makes her feel good. One of the ways she stretches our food dollar is to make yogurt at…
- Bottle Rocket by: Mark Zeiger
July 9, 2012, 03:00
Our first batch of rhubarb soda tasted great, and had plenty of carbonation—too much carbonation, as it turned out. We're careful to use sturdy bottles in…
- Rhubarb Wine, Rhubarb Soda by: Mark Zeiger
June 28, 2012, 03:00
Aly and I have been enjoying kitchen duty lately, trying new dishes and old favorites as we prepare dinners. We came up with a homestead-style foccacia that…
- Porcupine Pie by: Mark Zeiger
June 13, 2012, 03:00
My last porcupine story covered half the meat harvested from our recent escapade. I cooked the second half of the meat into a porcupine pie. Armed only with…
- What the Best Dressed Bottles are Wearing by: Mark Zeiger
June 5, 2012, 03:00
This fashion season my wine yeast extender sports an electric lime wet suit as it lounges by the woodstove and other heat sources, building up a head of…
- A Wine by Any Other Name by: Mark Zeiger
June 1, 2012, 03:00
Our home wine making continues, and has entered an exciting new phase. As the summer advances, we're able to try more cottage wines. But, with the continued…
- Crunchy Granola (Not So) Suite: Finale by: Mark Zeiger
May 22, 2012, 03:00
In a relatively short period of time we moved from a favorite granola recipe to experimenting with new ones, to making a startling, counter intuitive discovery…
- Crunchy Granola (Not So) Suite: 2nd Movement by: Mark Zeiger
May 20, 2012, 03:00
After years of making my own granola, I discovered a new granola recipe that we call "muesli," as it's closer in appearance and consistency to that cereal than…
- Crunchy Granola (Not So) Suite: 1st Movement by: Mark Zeiger
May 18, 2012, 03:00
This is my standard, tried-and-true low fat granola recipe, which I've used for years. I no longer remember the original source, but I've made enough changes…
- Crunchy Granola (Not So) Suite: Overture by: Mark Zeiger
May 16, 2012, 03:00
As I've mentioned previously, my in-laws are visiting us in Haines. Mom asked for my granola recipe, so, like any self-respecting denizen of the 21st century,…
- Root Beer Time by: Mark Zeiger
April 12, 2012, 03:00
Once we started making wine again on the homestead these days, it didn't take long for me to think about other kinds of brewing as well. We don't drink soft…
- Making Wine is a Little Less "Racking" by: Mark Zeiger
April 5, 2012, 03:00
As I've proven time and time again, siphoning our homemade wine to rack or bottle it is a perilous undertaking. I'm relieved to report that we recently made a…
- Feeling Sconish by: Mark Zeiger
March 31, 2012, 03:00
Friday morning, after more than a week of sunny weather, the day dawned cloudy and fretful. Rain threatened, a cooler wind blew, the sense of energetic…
- The First of the Cabin Wines by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2012, 03:00
We've recently advanced in our home wine making, starting a couple batches of genuine cottage wine. Or, perhaps more appropriately, cabin wine. In the last…
- Expanding Wine Yeast by: Mark Zeiger
March 13, 2012, 10:43
Since reviving our home wine making, we've started 10 batches. The yeast we've used to make these batches has come from only two packets. Yeast is necessary…
- Homemade Wine Varieties by: Mark Zeiger
March 1, 2012, 03:00
People have asked me in the comments section and in personal correspondence what kind of wine we've been making. At the moment, we've got three varieties in…
- Homemade Wine "Blankets" by: Mark Zeiger
February 26, 2012, 03:00
Our home winemaking is bubbling along nicely, with eight 1-gallon batches currently underway. Restarting this process in winter has made consistent temperature…
- 20 Years of Sourdough Stewardship by: Michelle Zeiger
February 20, 2012, 03:00
Our relationship with our sourdough has continued to evolve. Recently we ignored the starter in the back of the cool box a little longer than was polite. When…
- "Raisin Riesling" by: Mark Zeiger
February 3, 2012, 03:00
With great pride, and no little relief, I feel justified in announcing a success in our efforts to make wine at home. Recently, I decided to try our "weakest"…
- Return to the Vineyard by: Mark Zeiger
December 29, 2011, 03:00
To the many wonderful, comforting, homey sounds coming from our cabin this holiday season, we've added one more: the quiet, bubbling click of an airlock. Des…
- Hawk Wing Parmigiana by: Mark Zeiger
October 17, 2011, 03:00
I wasn't joking when I suggested that after "chicken hawks" we'd try hawk wing Parmigiana. We love eggplant Parmigiana, but the eggplants we grew in the…
- A Homestead Original Recipe: "Chicken Hawks" by: Mark Zeiger
October 15, 2011, 03:00
We've observed over the years that each local variety of mushroom has its "on" and "off" years. Some years a particular variety will seem to be everywhere,…
- Wild Mushroom Barley Soup by: Mark Zeiger
July 26, 2011, 06:44
While Aly's gone, we've been enjoying meals that wouldn't appeal to her. Because the weather's been so warm and dry, that hasn't included as many soups as we…
- Doing Rhubarb Right by: Mark Zeiger
June 28, 2011, 03:00
Saturday, Michelle and I picked most of our rhubarb patch, stewed it, and canned it. We're proud of this, because it's the first year we've handled our rhubarb…
- Woodstove Cooking by: Mark Zeiger
March 24, 2011, 04:50
The weather's warming up faster than the wood pile's disappearing now. There's hope! But, before the wood heat season ends, I wanted to pass on a few things…
- A St. Patrick's Day Dish: Colcannon by: Mark Zeiger
March 17, 2011, 03:00
Like most Americans, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a "traditional" meal. I even have Irish ancestry. For us, the celebration centers around the evening…
- Seeking Simplicity: Stripped Down Baked Beans by: Mark Zeiger
February 24, 2011, 03:00
Simplifying works on many different levels, large and small. We find the small ones add up in significant ways. A prime example of this is simplifying…
- Celebrating Our Sourdough's Anniversary with Gingerbread by: Mark Zeiger
February 20, 2011, 03:00
Today our family strain of sourdough turns 19 years old. Aly has made 18-hour bread for the homestead, and we'll also likely have more of the sourdough…
- Time Capsule Split Pea Soup by: Mark Zeiger
February 15, 2011, 03:00
As Michelle mentioned in her post Time Capsule Garden, we have some cans of survival food from the previous owners of our homestead. While Michelle is out of…
- Some Things in Moderation - Evening Out Quality by: Mark Zeiger
January 29, 2011, 08:56
We often find that living simply sometimes requires evening out the quality of our consumables. It may seem a bit odd, but our method has some thought behind…
- A Favorite Recipe – Oven Baked Doughnuts by: Mark Zeiger
January 23, 2011, 03:00
When Aly first started getting interested in cooking for the family, she found a good, easy recipe for oven baked doughnuts. OVEN BAKED DOUGHNUTS 2…
- Cooking with Cast Iron Cookware by: Mark Zeiger
December 10, 2010, 03:00
On our homestead, we love old fashioned cooking with cast iron cookware. Properly seasoned cast iron cookware works very well. It distributes and holds heat…
- When All Else Fails, Wassail! Another Batch of “Differently-Abled” Wine by: Mark Zeiger
December 9, 2010, 03:00
A year ago, I wrote about saving homemade wine that had not turned out well by mulling it. This year, we're grateful to have gained that knowledge, because…
- Christmas “Downsizing” by: Mark Zeiger
December 2, 2010, 03:00
We're a family that thrives on traditions—particularly Christmas traditions. Many of the patterns and habits we've grown used to have had to be re-adjusted…
- Dumplings in Our Soup by: Mark Zeiger
November 24, 2010, 03:00
When I was young, my mother often brought dinner to the table explaining, somewhat apologetically, that we were having "first night soup." That meant the…
- Turkey Frame Soup by: Mark Zeiger
November 23, 2010, 03:00
Recently, a friend read our post from last winter on eating leftovers, and emailed to ask for Michelle's turkey frame soup recipe. With Thanksgiving hard…
- Marshmallows in My Coffee by: Mark Zeiger
November 15, 2010, 03:00
I try to be a careful shopper, but sometimes I'm not careful enough. When I fail to be vigilant, problems arise. Luckily, this time, it's not so bad. But I do…
- For Alaska Day – A “Real” Russian Tea Recipe Finally Surfaces by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2010, 03:00
Today is Alaska Day! If you've followed this blog through the past year, you may have sensed a certain obsession on my part when it comes to Russian Tea, a…
- Garlic Sauce over Pasta by: Mark Zeiger
October 17, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday, in talking about the cooking Aly and I have been doing while alone on the homestead, I mentioned garlic sauce over pasta. I'm not sure this is the…
- We're Cookin' Now! by: Mark Zeiger
October 16, 2010, 15:09
With Michelle working in town for the week, Aly and are discovering that, left to our own devices we don't just get by, we thrive. We're really enjoying the…
- Quick and Easy Lentil Chili by: Mark Zeiger
October 7, 2010, 03:00
Michelle has developed a plan for lentil chili that's hard to beat. I call it a plan rather than a recipe, because the recipe card is basically jotted notes…
- Gallons of Applesauce by: Michelle Zeiger
September 20, 2010, 03:00
Nature has blessed the Chilkat Valley with abundance this year. The sockeye fish run was better than expected, the blueberries were dripping off the…
- "Brown Sugar Tea" by: Mark Zeiger
September 13, 2010, 03:00
My brother Dave and his wife, Anke are "in the neighborhood" right now, having brought me here from Gustavus on their boat, Slacktide. They anchored in Mud…
- Channeling My Grandmother by: Michelle Zeiger
September 3, 2010, 10:51
Lately I have been thinking a lot about my grandmother, Sarah Mae Eggleston Harris, who was one of my heroines. She knew so much about growing food, fishing,…
- Canning As Fast as We Can by: Mark Zeiger
August 30, 2010, 03:00
The soundtrack of the homestead lately should be Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, because around here, we're doing the can-can! Home canning is a…
- Gleaning by: Mark Zeiger
August 27, 2010, 03:00
It's harvest time, not only on the homestead, but off it as well. At the moment, we're spending more time and effort gleaning than working our own property.…
- Homemade Chai Tea Mix – Taste Test and Adjustments by: Michelle Zeiger
August 25, 2010, 03:00
The first batch of Chai Mix I made didn't last long, so I made a full recipe the second time. I used 1/2 cup less sugar, and it tasted fine. To make sure,…
- Homemade Chai Tea - First Steps by: Michelle Zeiger
August 24, 2010, 03:00
I love chai tea. I especially love the packaged mixes like Oregon Chai, Pacific Chai and Enchanted Chai. They are each a little different blend of spices, but…
- A Perfect Day by: Mark Zeiger
August 15, 2010, 03:00
Most days are good days on the homestead, but Friday may have been The Perfect Day! As The Dog Days finally lived up to their reputation (they end today, by…
- "Meatless Monday" and Our Place in the Mainstream by: Mark Zeiger
August 12, 2010, 03:00
We listened with amusement and bemusement to a recent radio news report about a new campaign to help Americans to cut down on saturated fats by instigating…
- Living Without Refrigeration - Avoiding Cross Contamination by: Mark Zeiger
August 9, 2010, 03:00
Since we have no freezer or refrigerator on the homestead, we take a lot of steps to avoid food spoilage. Some of these have become so basic that we hardly…
- Halibut Fishing on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
August 5, 2010, 01:00
Of all our local fish, halibut is probably our favorite. This large deep-sea fish migrates to comparatively shallower waters in the summer months to hunt…
- Hawk Wing Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
July 31, 2010, 03:00
Even though I'd already noticed that the mushrooms have arrived a bit early this year, I was still taken by surprise when I found a nice, big hawk wing on the…
- A Fish Dinner on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
July 17, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday I caught our first salmon of the season. Eagerly awaited, and at least two weeks later than last year, I'm additionally proud of this fish because I…
- Mushrooms! by: Mark Zeiger
July 16, 2010, 03:00
On July 10th, hiking home from town, Michelle and Aly spotted a mushroom on the high trail. The next day I went up to take a look. Sure enough—misshapen,…
- Living Without Refrigeration – The Butter Bell by: Mark Zeiger
July 5, 2010, 03:00
Living off grid, we're constantly realizing the value of "outdated" tools and methods. The old-fashioned butter bell crock is a particularly useful and…
- A Great Way to Cook Dollies by: Mark Zeiger
June 8, 2010, 03:00
Soon after the Dolly Vardens started striking off our beach, Michelle hit on a great way to prepare them for dinner: In a lidded pan, sauté onions and…
- A Gustatory War of Attrition by: Mark Zeiger
May 30, 2010, 03:00
The day before the forecasted hottest day of the week, Michelle divided our milk jug into several containers. She put one, a lidded carafe, in the cool box,…
- Synchronicity: Good Coffee, Good Book by: Mark Zeiger
May 5, 2010, 03:00
I was pretty pleased to learn that local author, Heather Lende, has picked up Raven's Brew Coffee as a sponsor for her upcoming national tour to promote her…
- Close, But No Cigar - Morel Mushrooms, False and True by: Mark Zeiger
April 27, 2010, 03:00
I've been snooping around a particular patch near home lately. It's time to forage fireweed shoots, which you may know as willow herb, or blooming Sally. They…
- Review: Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by: Mark Zeiger
April 23, 2010, 03:00
Tomorrow the Haines library book club will discuss Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (check your local book store—you'll…
- Our Favorite Scratch Salad Dressing Recipe by: Mark Zeiger
April 22, 2010, 03:00
The first garden greens of the year have reached maturity, meaning that our "salad days" have begun. That means salad dressing!The first green up has been…
- Answers to Reader Questions about Living Without Refrigeration by: Mark Zeiger
April 13, 2010, 03:00
A reader recently asked about living without refrigeration: We use an old fashioned "cool box," a vented cabinet on the shady side of the cabin. What do…
- VIN-dication: A Second, Better Homemade Wine Racking by: Mark Zeiger
April 11, 2010, 03:00
Everything I've read about wine making seems to encourage procrastination. Most of my reference books speak in terms of seasons rather than weeks or months.…
- Rhubarb's On its Way by: Mark Zeiger
April 5, 2010, 03:00
As the days lengthen and spring comes on strong, we're beginning to see one of the more hopeful sights on the homestead. On the mound outside our dining table…
- Racking Homemade Wine - Learning the Hard Way What the Books Don't Tell You by: Mark Zeiger
February 26, 2010, 03:00
Wednesday, we racked our homemade wine for the first time, siphoning it into a new container to remove the lees, the mush of dead yeast that accumulated over…
- Happy Birthday, Sourdough! by: Mark Zeiger
February 20, 2010, 03:00
Today marks an important anniversary in our home, the birthday of a family member whose life nourishes and improves ours. Today our family strain of…
- A Welcome Sound on the Homestead - the Bubbler by: Mark Zeiger
January 31, 2010, 03:00
Living out in nature as we do, we have learned to listen. As we go about our daily tasks, our ears stay cocked for unusual or unfamiliar noises. It satisfies…
- Eating Garbage: Making the Most of Our Food by: Mark Zeiger
January 25, 2010, 03:00
I had an odd realization a few weeks ago. My family was eating dinner. Most of our focus and effort was on the meal, although one or the other of us surfaced…
- Make Your Own Coffee Liqueur by: Mark Zeiger
January 17, 2010, 03:00
If you enjoy coffee liqueur, like the commercially available Kahlua, Tia Marie, or similar, here's a way to make your own cheaply at home. I've been using…
- Life Without Refrigeration by: Mark Zeiger
January 15, 2010, 03:00
As outside temperatures creep upward from the low teens we’ve had lately, our food is migrating once again, from the bedroom windowsill back to the cooler. …
- Our Review of Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet by: Mark Zeiger
January 8, 2010, 03:00
Living on a homestead, we’re very devoted to eating locally as much as possible. We share this interest with more and more people around the developed world…
- Adventures in Wine Mulling by: Mark Zeiger
December 8, 2009, 01:00
Michelle and I like wine, so it makes sense for us to try to make our own. We've tried twice so far with wild fruits; the success hasn't been stunning.…
- Micheal Pollan's In Defense of Food - Straight Talk About Diet at Last by: Mark Zeiger
November 23, 2009, 01:00
I recently read In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, by Michael Pollan (available through your local bookstore). I highly recommend it! This might be the…
- Sacred Coffee - Elevating the Habitual to the Mindful by: Mark Zeiger
November 22, 2009, 01:00
Lately I've been considering the problem of habit. For me, habit becomes problematic when the things I like to do become so ingrained that I do them without…
- Frugal Food - Versatile Homemade Cream Soup Mix by: Michelle Zeiger
November 21, 2009, 01:00
I love this very versatile soup base mix that goes well with just about anything! Cream Soup Mix 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder 3/4 cup cornstarch 1/4…
- Ice Cream Season by: Mark Zeiger
November 20, 2009, 01:00
Ironically, the consistent cold of winter ushers in ice cream season on the homestead. Colder temperatures allow us to keep ice cream without refrigeration. …
- Frugal Food - Stretching the Grocery Budget by: Michelle Zeiger
November 18, 2009, 01:00
I love to see how far I can stretch our food budget. I have been perfecting this for all of my adult life. When we were newlyweds—still in college—we had…
- A Cup of Coffee That Brings Tears to My Eyes by: Mark Zeiger
November 9, 2009, 01:00
Every great once in a while, whether to comfort myself, or to torture myself—I don’t know which—I make a cup of coffee that brings tears to my eyes. My…
- Am I Working Too Hard? - Bumbleweed Pesto by: Michelle Zeiger
November 7, 2009, 01:00
I’m not sure whether I’m going about this gardening thing the right way. I do hours of research through the winter to plan the garden. Then I check my…
- Don't Trash Your Treats! Pumpkins Make Good Eats by: Mark Zeiger
October 31, 2009, 01:00
Halloween is almost past, as is its quintessential symbol, the Jack-o-lantern. On November 1st, the sun will rise on streets filled with shattered pumpkins.…
- Quest for Cocoa -The Art and Science of the Perfect Hot Drink by: Mark Zeiger
October 21, 2009, 01:00
If you've read many of our family's posts you know that hot drinks are an essential part of our lives. Almost every day begins with tea for Michelle and coffee…
- Making Russian Tea - The Rest of the Story by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2009, 01:00
They say one should never let the truth get in the way of a good story. In writing previously on Russian tea, I came across information that didn't fit…
- The Secret of Russian Tea by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2009, 01:00
It's the time of year for hot beverages! Especially in October, particularly around Alaska Day, I like to turn to an old family staple, Russian tea. We…
- A Sure Sign of Winter - Ice Cream Day! by: Mark Zeiger
October 10, 2009, 01:00
Living semi-remote in Alaska, we watch for changes in weather and changes in season. Indicators of the transition from summer to winter are myriad, but one we…
- Eating Alaska: A Documentary Explores "Eating Locally" in a Locale Not So Near You by: Mark Zeiger
October 7, 2009, 01:00
Late last January we hiked to town to see Eating Alaska, a documentary by Ellen Frankenstein (no, really!) about eating locally. Ellen, who lives in Sitka,…
- The Thermos - One Small Step Toward Conservation and Savings by: Mark Zeiger
October 6, 2009, 01:00
As more Americans realize that conservation measures must be taken to survive amid rising prices and falling wages, we suddenly discover that small, simple…
- Fish On! - Fishing on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
September 22, 2009, 20:00
A large part of my family’s success on the homestead is directly due to the abundance of free, highly nutritious food. Perhaps the most valuable, and most…
- Gourmet Delicacies for Free - Foraging for Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
September 21, 2009, 08:00
If you think of the hunter/gatherer lifestyle as one of quiet desperation—of primitive, nomadic people roaming from place to place, tasting anything they can…
- A Season of Madness: Moose Hunting in Alaska by: Mark Zeiger
September 20, 2009, 03:30
The local moose opening started last Tuesday. This is a permit-only subsistence hunt, with special antler restrictions. For our family, this is a very big…
- Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt Day 1 by: Mark Zeiger
September 15, 2009, 08:00
This is it! Today's the first day of the Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt. That means that instead of sitting here in my PJs, typing a quick note to the blog, I…
- An "Old Fashioned" Cup of Coffee by: Mark Zeiger
September 5, 2009, 09:01
I recently read an excellent book by Jenna Woginrich called Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life (available through your local…
- Popcorn, The "Homesteader's" Nemesis by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Foraging (29)
- A Bleak Morning on the Beach by: Mark Zeiger
April 29, 2013, 03:00
April may be winding down, but the cold weather still hangs on. Sunday morning I carefully crossed the snow covered rocks to the beach on my way to forage the…
- "Moonshine" by: Mark Zeiger
April 21, 2013, 03:00
If you were to go for a walk on our peninsula these days, you'd see some strange things. You might notice bottles and jugs of clear liquid set along the trail,…
- Time to Tap that Sap! by: Mark Zeiger
April 5, 2013, 03:00
Wednesday morning, when I booted up and plodded outside to sweep 3 inches of "isolated snow flurries, no accumulation" off the solar panels, the dense fog and…
- A Pumpkin Full of Chanterelles by: Mark Zeiger
October 28, 2012, 03:00
Aly may be away at college, but she continues to live as she did on the homestead to a large extent—much more so in her sophomore year, now that she and a…
- A New Mushroom to Forage by: Mark Zeiger
September 20, 2012, 08:26
We took a prisoner on the peninsula the other day, and, after lengthy interrogation, we ate it. We now have a new mushroom to add to our foraging list:…
- Back for More Berries by: Mark Zeiger
September 18, 2012, 03:00
On Saturday, we went back for more blueberries. We experienced an entirely different day than the first trip, with cloudy, misty weather on the mountainside.…
- A Berry Good Day by: Mark Zeiger
September 9, 2012, 03:00
Come on now. If you've read this blog for any time at all, you knew the day would come when I'd have to use that title, right? Thursday, we went berry…
- Mushroom Magic by: Mark Zeiger
July 31, 2012, 03:00
If you'd visited the homestead last week, you might be excused for believing that we practiced totemic or fetishistic magic. We appeared to be calling…
- An Auspicious Day by: Mark Zeiger
July 29, 2012, 03:00
About a week ago, we experienced a very auspicious day in terms of growing and gathering our own food. I rose early and, finding conditions perfect for the…
- Tap, Tap, Tap . . . by: Mark Zeiger
March 29, 2012, 03:00
We found a jar full of odd metal fittings in our shed when we first moved to the "homestead." We couldn't figure out what they were for. We guessed that they…
- Biofilter Harvest by: Mark Zeiger
February 22, 2012, 03:00
We took advantage of our recent thaw to gather new biofilter for our compost. At this point it seems as if we already had enough to make it through the winter,…
- A Homestead Original Recipe: "Chicken Hawks" by: Mark Zeiger
October 15, 2011, 03:00
We've observed over the years that each local variety of mushroom has its "on" and "off" years. Some years a particular variety will seem to be everywhere,…
- Looking for Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
September 23, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for another one of the poem's not associated with a specific…
- Mussels and Moonlight by: Mark Zeiger
April 3, 2011, 03:00
It's the night of the new moon, which means it's time to read another poem from Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons. Today's poem is Mussels. Mussels grow thickly on…
- Reaching for the Sea Stars by: Mark Zeiger
March 21, 2011, 03:00
This morning, just before 9:00 am local time, we had a pretty decent low tide. Not an extreme low, as many news sources blithely reported because of the recent…
- Charlie Anway Gives the Gift of Autumn by: Mark Zeiger
September 17, 2010, 03:00
Tuesday, I truly became immersed in Autumn, thanks to one of our most famous and beloved Hainesites, Charlie Anway. I'd driven Aly and my brother and…
- Gleaning by: Mark Zeiger
August 27, 2010, 03:00
It's harvest time, not only on the homestead, but off it as well. At the moment, we're spending more time and effort gleaning than working our own property.…
- Hawk Wing Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
July 31, 2010, 03:00
Even though I'd already noticed that the mushrooms have arrived a bit early this year, I was still taken by surprise when I found a nice, big hawk wing on the…
- Mushrooms! by: Mark Zeiger
July 16, 2010, 03:00
On July 10th, hiking home from town, Michelle and Aly spotted a mushroom on the high trail. The next day I went up to take a look. Sure enough—misshapen,…
- Au Currant - Stink Currant by: Mark Zeiger
July 15, 2010, 03:00
Monday Michelle and I wandered down the beach to the cliff that more or less delineates the southern boundary of our property. Michelle has a project that…
- "You Kids Get OFF My Lawn!" by: Mark Zeiger
July 7, 2010, 03:00
At least one raven couple nests near our cabin, so we've become accustomed to seeing one or the other of them drift down to the rocks in front of the veranda,…
- Close, But No Cigar - Morel Mushrooms, False and True by: Mark Zeiger
April 27, 2010, 03:00
I've been snooping around a particular patch near home lately. It's time to forage fireweed shoots, which you may know as willow herb, or blooming Sally. They…
- The Tide is Out, the Table's Set - Beach Foraging by: Mark Zeiger
April 1, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday morning, after breakfast and hot cups of coffee and tea, we pulled on our boots, bundled up against the steady southerly, and headed for the beach.…
- Am I Working Too Hard? - Bumbleweed Pesto by: Michelle Zeiger
November 7, 2009, 01:00
I’m not sure whether I’m going about this gardening thing the right way. I do hours of research through the winter to plan the garden. Then I check my…
- Highbush Cranberry Time by: Mark Zeiger
October 5, 2009, 11:14
Saturday, we drove upriver in search of moose and high bush cranberries. Highbush cranberry, also known as virburnum and a variety of colloquial names, is a…
- Mushroom Hunting - Tools of the "Trade" by: Mark Zeiger
October 2, 2009, 01:00
In autumn when I leave the house, I always carry a mesh net bag. It’s mushroom season in Southeast Alaska; it’s not wise to enter the woods unprepared! O…
- “Seek and Ye Shall Find” – Setting Search Images by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2009, 02:00
Since moving to the homestead, my search imaging has sharpened considerably as I increase my reliance on it. Search images are mental pictures humans…
- Gourmet Delicacies for Free - Foraging for Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
September 21, 2009, 08:00
If you think of the hunter/gatherer lifestyle as one of quiet desperation—of primitive, nomadic people roaming from place to place, tasting anything they can…
- Foraging: Finding Food for Free! by: Mark Zeiger
September 21, 2009, 07:30
Ours is a hunter/gatherer family, with definite emphasis on the gatherer aspect. We forage or “wild craft” a lot, gathering food, herbs and seasonings,…
- A Bleak Morning on the Beach by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Frugal Living (10)
- Repurposing Old Wall Calendars by: Mark Zeiger
January 2, 2013, 03:00
On New Year's Day, I spent a few minutes performing what has become an annual chore: cutting up the previous year's wall calendar to save the art for future…
- Am I Better Off Now than 4 Years Ago? by: Mark Zeiger
September 26, 2012, 03:00
I have avoided politics on this blog even though I have a lot to say on the topic. That isn't the purvue of this publication. However, I, like anyone else who…
- Biking to Town by: Mark Zeiger
April 17, 2012, 03:00
All throughout the recent clear, calm weather, we've discussed getting our bikes out to the road and riding to town. Typically, we finally got around to it on…
- Reuse Glass Before Recycling It by: Mark Zeiger
March 21, 2012, 03:00
As I argued in the last post, anything we can reuse should really never be recycled. For instance, glass. Consider: glass doesn't decompose. This means that…
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by: Mark Zeiger
March 19, 2012, 03:00
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I would assert that the three parts of this concept are listed in order of importance. If we want to save the planet, cut back on the…
- Museum of Lost Desires by: Mark Zeiger
April 10, 2011, 03:00
Haines has one of the best second hand stores you could ever want. Owned and operated by a friendly proprietor who really only does it to entertain himself in…
- "Abusing" Credit Cards to Add Value by: Mark Zeiger
March 5, 2010, 03:00
Michelle and I are “deadbeats,” and proud of it! To credit card companies, a “deadbeat” is a cardholder who pays their balance in full every month.…
- The Key to Simple Living - Appreciating the Present by: Mark Zeiger
January 7, 2010, 03:00
Our Christmas season ended last night at midnight. We have now returned to the every day. This in itself seems reason for celebration. I’ve been struggling…
- Develop Healthy Attitudes Toward Your Belongings by: Mark Zeiger
October 28, 2009, 01:00
I adhere to the principal that happiness comes not from owning what you love, but from loving what you own. Compared to most Americans we have very little;…
- Want To Save Money? Set Your Standards Too High! by: Mark Zeiger
October 27, 2009, 01:00
Quite unwittingly, I’ve stumbled upon an excellent frugality measure: idealism. I love stuff. This doesn’t mean that I have a lot of possessions—at…
- Repurposing Old Wall Calendars by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Gardening/Local Plant Life (44)
- Community Supported Agriculture by: Mark Zeiger
March 21, 2013, 05:30
The new emphasis on self reliance and eating locally has left many Americans at a disadvantage, in that they don't have access to the means: gardening space,…
- How Spruce Needles May Be Our Key to Aging in Place by: Mark Zeiger
March 2, 2013, 03:00
One aspect of our "homestead" lifestyle that cannot be ignored is aging. Presumably we'll want to live like this for the rest of our lives, which means growing…
- Harvesting the Garden by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2012, 03:00
This weekend we're harvesting much of the garden. It's been a largely disappointing year because of the cold, wet weather that the Lower 48's draught locked…
- Transient Beauty by: Mark Zeiger
September 14, 2012, 03:00
A week or so ago, as we climbed the first slope of the ridge on our trail toward home, we stopped to admire a cluster of mushrooms growing out of a broken…
- Carrot Thief by: Mark Zeiger
September 3, 2012, 03:00
A carrot thief appears to be working the neighborhood. We hear that a black bear has been visiting gardens around the peninsula stealing carrots and beets. I…
- Spotlight on Ferns by: Mark Zeiger
June 7, 2012, 07:54
Living under the eastern face of the peninsula ridge, we miss out on most of the afternoon sunlight. However, what we do get is highly filtered, which causes…
- Now We Know That You Are a Shooting Star by: Mark Zeiger
June 3, 2012, 03:00
With apologies to Bad Company . . . . For years we've watched a plant in one of our flower gardens. Michelle has long had her suspicions of the plant's…
- Sifter Plans: Tried and True(r) by: Mark Zeiger
April 29, 2012, 09:07
Yesterday I did something I should have tried a long time ago: I followed my own instructions. I've been selling plans for the archaelogical/garden shaker…
- Guerrilla Gardening, Alaska-Style by: Mark Zeiger
April 15, 2012, 03:00
Guerrilla Gardening is, if you'll forgive the pun, gaining ground. The term and practice of planting gardens on empty or underutilized land is becoming more…
- What to Do About Trees by: Mark Zeiger
November 18, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s November's last quarter moon, time for another poem, The Black…
- Playing with My Food by: Mark Zeiger
October 30, 2011, 03:00
Our parents always told us "don't play with your food." Yeah, well, I'm over 50 now, and I'll play with my food when I want to. Particularly if that food is a…
- Our Home-Built Archaeology-Style Shaker Sifter by: Mark Zeiger
September 3, 2011, 03:00
I recently built a garden tool for Michelle's birthday, an archaeological style sifter. It's also been called an archaeological sifter, garden sifter, compost…
- More Trapline Tales by: Mark Zeiger
July 3, 2011, 03:00
Some people feel that it's wrong to trap mice, voles, and other garden pests, but for us, it's essential. Every mouthful of food we get from the garden is one…
- Trapline Tales by: Mark Zeiger
July 2, 2011, 03:00
As summer continues, so do the "varmint wars" as we fight the local rodents over our garden produce. A neighbor recently asked about traps, which got me kind…
- Doing Rhubarb Right by: Mark Zeiger
June 28, 2011, 03:00
Saturday, Michelle and I picked most of our rhubarb patch, stewed it, and canned it. We're proud of this, because it's the first year we've handled our rhubarb…
- Preparing for Porcupine by: Mark Zeiger
June 24, 2011, 03:00
The porcupine population is on the rise, they say, and we're getting ready. For years, pretty much every summer since the one time we saw a porcupine on the…
- Humus Hubris by: Mark Zeiger
June 18, 2011, 06:20
Recently, I spent much of the day on a tough job that left me sore the next day, but immensely satisfied: I dug the humus out the old compost pile. This…
- Stone Breaker by: Mark Zeiger
April 19, 2011, 03:00
As Michelle leads the family effort to prepare the garden for the coming season, we've gotten serious about locating some of the raised beds. The garden plan…
- Still Waiting for the Thaw by: Mark Zeiger
April 16, 2011, 09:14
Our weather has been fairly warm with a lot of sunshine lately. We feel like spring is here. However, we still see signs that we have a ways to go yet. Our…
- The Smell of Cedar by: Mark Zeiger
April 14, 2011, 06:23
Our cabin is redolent in yellow cedar, and it smells great. While beachcombing the other day, I found a treasure on our north beach: an 8-10 foot long yellow…
- Reaching for the Sea Stars by: Mark Zeiger
March 21, 2011, 03:00
This morning, just before 9:00 am local time, we had a pretty decent low tide. Not an extreme low, as many news sources blithely reported because of the recent…
- Gallons of Applesauce by: Michelle Zeiger
September 20, 2010, 03:00
Nature has blessed the Chilkat Valley with abundance this year. The sockeye fish run was better than expected, the blueberries were dripping off the…
- Charlie Anway Gives the Gift of Autumn by: Mark Zeiger
September 17, 2010, 03:00
Tuesday, I truly became immersed in Autumn, thanks to one of our most famous and beloved Hainesites, Charlie Anway. I'd driven Aly and my brother and…
- The Great Potato Seed Experiment by: Michelle Zeiger
September 6, 2010, 09:11
We have always battled potato scab. Some years I have had better luck than others. I read online that if you grow your potatoes from seed, rather than last…
- Gleaning by: Mark Zeiger
August 27, 2010, 03:00
It's harvest time, not only on the homestead, but off it as well. At the moment, we're spending more time and effort gleaning than working our own property.…
- Decorating for Moose by: Mark Zeiger
August 26, 2010, 03:00
The other day as we hiked home from town, we discovered moose tracks on the trail—lots of them. From the looks of things, we had a crowd of moose crisscrossin…
- Hawk Wing Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
July 31, 2010, 03:00
Even though I'd already noticed that the mushrooms have arrived a bit early this year, I was still taken by surprise when I found a nice, big hawk wing on the…
- Hubris by: Mark Zeiger
July 23, 2010, 03:00
We knew our wild neighbors were getting out of hand in the garden, but we didn't realize things had gotten this bad! The other day Michelle took some seeds out…
- Au Currant - Stink Currant by: Mark Zeiger
July 15, 2010, 03:00
Monday Michelle and I wandered down the beach to the cliff that more or less delineates the southern boundary of our property. Michelle has a project that…
- Mess With Our Strawberries, and I’ll Go "Farmer McGregor" on Your Ass! by: Mark Zeiger
July 14, 2010, 03:00
Our strawberries started ripening last week, putting us on high alert against garden raiders. We'd been braced for the voles that have troubled us in the past,…
- Dwarf Dogwood in Bloom by: Mark Zeiger
June 19, 2010, 03:00
One particularly nice feature of our area at this time of year is the dwarf dogwood in bloom. Also called bunch berry, the forest floor becomes carpeted with…
- Catnip Napper (Nipper?) by: Mark Zeiger
May 2, 2010, 03:00
Michelle noticed recently that the catnip growing at the base of our cherry saplings has been attacked by an unknown assailant. The other plants, including…
- Rhubarb's On its Way by: Mark Zeiger
April 5, 2010, 03:00
As the days lengthen and spring comes on strong, we're beginning to see one of the more hopeful sights on the homestead. On the mound outside our dining table…
- Planting Potatoes from Seed by: Michelle Zeiger
March 29, 2010, 03:00
A few days ago I transplanted potato seedlings that I started from true seeds. Usually one plants a potato tuber and grows a clone of the parent plant. This is…
- The Extra, Unexpected Benefits of Worm Ranching by: Mark Zeiger
March 22, 2010, 03:00
I'm sorely tempted to title this post "We've got worms!" but I won't. We do have worms now, a whipped cream container full of red wigglers, paper shreds and…
- Grudge Match 2010 - Mark Vs. "The Death Birch" by: Mark Zeiger
February 13, 2010, 08:00
If I sit here quietly, typing unobtrusively on this blog post, attracting as little attention as possible, perhaps . . . just perhaps . . . I can postpone…
- "Time Capsule Garden" Revisited by: Michelle Zeiger
February 5, 2010, 03:00
It's time to plan for the coming gardening season, which means assessing the previous season. Last year I planted a unique garden with seeds from a vacuum-seale…
- Does My Garden Need a Mission Statement? by: Michelle Zeiger
January 21, 2010, 06:00
"The best gardener is the one who does the most gardening by the winter fire." Last winter I ran across a blog site called Cold Climate Gardening by Kathy…
- Am I Working Too Hard? - Bumbleweed Pesto by: Michelle Zeiger
November 7, 2009, 01:00
I’m not sure whether I’m going about this gardening thing the right way. I do hours of research through the winter to plan the garden. Then I check my…
- A Time Capsule Garden by: Michelle Zeiger
November 5, 2009, 01:00
When we bought our property, the previous owners left behind many interesting things. Some of them were obviously not worth packing out the trail, but most of…
- Supercharge Your Compost by: Mark Zeiger
October 24, 2009, 01:00
A compost pile is essential to good gardening. The larger your garden, or the more serious you are about gardening, the more important good compost becomes. If…
- Highbush Cranberry Time by: Mark Zeiger
October 5, 2009, 11:14
Saturday, we drove upriver in search of moose and high bush cranberries. Highbush cranberry, also known as virburnum and a variety of colloquial names, is a…
- Growing Things Makes Me Feel Good! – The Therapeutic Value of Cultivation by: Michelle Zeiger
September 29, 2009, 03:01
Growing things, all kinds of things, has become an obsession for me. One normally thinks of growing plants . . . or even animals or children, but how about…
- Ghost Ferns and Witchy Woods by: Michelle Zeiger
September 25, 2009, 03:00
The Autumnal Equinox has passed. The weather shows it … nights are cooling. Days are darker and damper even than the past summer. But more importantly the…
- Community Supported Agriculture by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Homeschooling (45)
- Unschooling Without Commitment Seems Destined to Fail by: Mark Zeiger
March 19, 2013, 03:00
"Natural ability without education has more often raised a man to glory and virtue than education without natural ability." —Cicero Even though Aly is in…
- Autumn Encroaches by: Mark Zeiger
August 16, 2012, 03:00
According to the method by which we observe the seasons, autumn came to the homestead more than two weeks ago. We've just passed the family event that make…
- Postcards From the Trip by: Mark Zeiger
September 25, 2011, 03:00
We are back. Michelle and I returned to the homestead on the autumnal equinox, having driven Aly and her belongings through Canada to Washington state to…
- How Homeschoolers Can Help Public Schools with AYP by: Mark Zeiger
September 11, 2011, 03:00
Even though we unschooled Aly, we support the local school district when we can. Mostly, we do this because we owe them a debt of gratitude for everything they…
- Public School and Home School - Helping Each Other by: Mark Zeiger
September 9, 2011, 03:00
A couple of days ago I introduced a situation we experienced recently, where our relationship with the Haines Borough School District (HBSD) got it into…
- Unschooling - Repaying a Debt of Gratitude by: Mark Zeiger
September 7, 2011, 03:00
In August, I received a call from the Superintendent of the Haines Borough School District (HBSD). The Alaska Department of Education (AKDOE) was evaluating…
- "Someday" Starts Today by: Mark Zeiger
September 5, 2011, 03:00
Last night we packed up Spice and hauled her to a friend's house on the roadside to be cat-sat. The cabin and gardens are turned over to minders, and we're…
- Aly's "Bug Out" Preparations by: Mark Zeiger
August 30, 2011, 12:00
Considering that yesterday marked the second anniversary of starting this blog, I'm not doing very well keeping it up—my apologies that today's post is quite…
- Here and Gone Again by: Mark Zeiger
July 25, 2011, 06:26
After what amounted to a long weekend, Aly's off on a new adventure once again. Fresh from an archaeological field school in Canada, she's moved in to town to…
- A Trio Once Again by: Mark Zeiger
July 21, 2011, 05:43
Our mission to retrieve Aly from her archaeological field school in Canada succeeded. Michelle and I drove up Tuesday morning, arriving at the professor's…
- Aly's in Dawson by: Mark Zeiger
July 16, 2011, 06:16
We had just returned from a trip to town yesterday, and Michelle had left to water the neighbor's greenhouse when Aly called unexpectedly. She's in Dawson with…
- Aly's End Game by: Mark Zeiger
July 13, 2011, 03:00
We talked to Aly on the phone Sunday evening. Her field school crew has returned from a visit to a dig at Calico Bluff, near Eagle, Alaska. They're wrapping up…
- A Visit to Aly's Field School by: Mark Zeiger
July 5, 2011, 06:34
On Saturday, Michelle and I drove up to Beaver Creek, Canada to visit Aly's archaeological field school. We spent two nights at the dig, working with and…
- Stories 'Round the Campfire, 21st Century Style by: Mark Zeiger
June 29, 2011, 03:00
Sunday we had a good long talk with Aly, who's attending an archaeological field school in the Yukon. She's halfway through the course and still going…
- Phone Home by: Mark Zeiger
June 14, 2011, 06:32
I had just stepped into the shower and turned on the water Sunday afternoon when Michelle's phone rang. I pondered a moment. Michelle couldn't hear the…
- News From the North Part 1 by: Mark Zeiger
June 7, 2011, 07:27
We finally got word from Aly! She found a moment to reply to an email during her archaeological field school in Canada. You'll note a father's optimism in…
- Aly's Off to Canada by: Mark Zeiger
June 3, 2011, 06:05
We're back. At least, two-thirds of us are. Tuesday morning we loaded up the car and headed up the road for Canada, destination: Whitehorse. Aly's archaeolog…
- For Our Unschooler, an "Ungraduation" by: Mark Zeiger
May 30, 2011, 03:00
The time has come for Aly to graduate from high school. I thought I was prepared for this process to be a bit more difficult and significantly different than…
- Prom Pictures by: Mark Zeiger
May 8, 2011, 15:35
Aly reports that last night's prom was "fun!" Her friend, Rhyan, introduced her to a teammate, Zack, who asked her to be his date. She fit right in with the…
- Prom Night by: Mark Zeiger
May 7, 2011, 08:54
A new urgent project has been added to the various work of the homestead lately, as Aly prepares to attend the Haines High School prom. In the midst of dirty…
- Aly's New Library Video by: Mark Zeiger
April 17, 2011, 03:00
Aly belongs to the Haines Library Film Club, an after school program for teens. Lately, they've been making videos promoting using the library. Aly wrote the…
- Comic Books as an Unschooling Resource by: Mark Zeiger
April 4, 2011, 03:00
Documenting Aly's unschooling education has been an ongoing process, but we allowed certain aspects of it to wait until she began applying to colleges. At the…
- Earning College Acceptance, or Buying It? by: Mark Zeiger
March 7, 2011, 04:32
I've been listening to the radio news, and once again, I'm appalled. Yesterday, the morning host interviewed the author of a new book about applying for…
- Measuring Success in Unschooling - Real and Perceived by: Mark Zeiger
February 12, 2011, 09:42
Helping Aly pursue her education through unschooling has created a dichotomy between achieving the true goals of getting a proper education that will enable…
- Driving Miss Aly by: Mark Zeiger
February 11, 2011, 12:31
Yesterday Aly reached a milestone in her young life, one I had begun to think she might forgo entirely. We went to the DMV, and she took—and passed—her…
- Is Unschooling a Fad? by: Mark Zeiger
February 9, 2011, 03:00
I recently spent a most unpleasant half hour on a well-known writers' collective site to which I used to contribute. I read one of their debate topics: "Is…
- "This Year's Opportunity of a Lifetime" by: Mark Zeiger
January 31, 2011, 03:00
Last Saturday we talked on the phone with the head of an archeological dig planned for this summer in Yukon Territory, Canada. Aly had contacted him by email,…
- Applications Away! by: Mark Zeiger
January 25, 2011, 03:00
Monday we hiked to town, carrying packets of mail of Great Importance: transcripts and other supporting documents to complete Aly's college application, and to…
- College Applications Circus by: Mark Zeiger
January 14, 2011, 03:00
We're all working on getting Aly's college application together these days. It's been quite the circus. The process appears at first to be very straightforward,…
- Final SAT Push by: Mark Zeiger
December 4, 2010, 03:00
As you read this, hopefully I'm sitting comfortably at Mountain Market in Haines, enjoying a hot drink with Michelle, waiting for Aly to finish her final round…
- Goddess of Small Things by: Mark Zeiger
November 21, 2010, 08:40
For many years, some of the most pleasant moments of my life have come from simply following my daughter around. Ever since she could walk, I've been delighted…
- Seeking a Really Well-Rounded Education by: Mark Zeiger
November 16, 2010, 03:00
There's an irony to our homestead idyll that concerns Aly's education. We're pleased with the results of her unschooling so far. She's done extremely well on…
- The Trail's Clear Again by: Mark Zeiger
October 9, 2010, 03:00
The trail is clear once again. Yesterday, working together, the three of us cleared the windfall that the last storm delivered in less than two hours. We cut…
- Candlefish Burning by: Aly Zeiger
September 27, 2010, 13:56
During the herring run last spring, we caught a single eulachon, or candlefish. The candlefish, traditionally caught in our area for its oil, can be dried, and…
- Thursday's Child Has Far To Roam . . . by: Aly Zeiger
September 9, 2010, 03:00
I’ve had a busy summer this year. As Dad has mentioned, I spent two weeks in the interior, learning about Archaeology through UAF’s summer program, and…
- Reading Beowulf by: Aly Zeiger
September 5, 2010, 09:25
I am a bookworm. I devoured Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion avidly, along with many other works of fantasy. I particularly enjoy those with…
- Back to School! by: Mark Zeiger
August 23, 2010, 03:00
I'm really glad Aly's an unschooler, because if she attended regular school, I'm not sure I could take it! I became so indoctrinated by institutional…
- Adventure Girl by: Mark Zeiger
August 22, 2010, 03:00
It's difficult to keep up with our teenage daughter these days. Once again, Michelle and I are alone (with Spice, the cat, of course) while Aly goes off on…
- And . . . She's Off by: Mark Zeiger
July 18, 2010, 03:00
It's Done. We hiked out this morning and put Aly on a plane to attend the Alaska Summer Research Academy (ASRA). She caught a local flight to Juneau, where…
- Another Standardized Test in the Bag by: Mark Zeiger
April 12, 2010, 03:00
Saturday we hiked to town far earlier than we care to, in order to get Aly to the high school to take the ACT college entrance exam. She'd been preparing for a…
- No Joke - Aly's Headed to Fairbanks! by: Mark Zeiger
April 1, 2010, 12:20
Being somewhat prone to gullibility, I fear April Fool's Day. I regard any and all information received on that day with extreme skepticism. Thus, it was…
- "Der Mysterische auf die Kleine Paperscrappen" by: Mark Zeiger
February 23, 2010, 03:00
This last week something odd has appeared around the cabin, on the bookshelves, on the door and walls, on the butter dish and elsewhere. Small, thin strips of…
- Aly - Rereading My Elementary School Writing by: Aly Zeiger
November 17, 2009, 01:00
Mom just found a bunch of my writing from elementary school. When she first started to read from my old writing, I was embarrassed. I expected to be…
- Reading Aloud to Your Family by: Mark Zeiger
November 6, 2009, 01:00
The Zeiger family has a favorite activity that entertains, enriches, educates, improves self-confidence, and brings us closer as a family: we read aloud. We…
- Unschooling: Self-Directed Learning on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
October 20, 2009, 01:00
Aly crouches on a windswept beach, carefully steadying a digital camera. Below her, a family of river otters chuckles and pipes to each other as they swim…
- Unschooling Without Commitment Seems Destined to Fail by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Homestead Crafts (38)
- Swingin'! by: Mark Zeiger
May 5, 2013, 03:00
I've had difficulty keeping up the blog the past two weeks. Since I write about what's on my mind, if I'm thinking about things that must be kept secret, I…
- My Latest Creation: A Winemaker's Ornament by: Mark Zeiger
February 24, 2013, 03:00
Last week I took a few moments for an arts and crafts project. I'm pretty pleased with the result. The last time my brother and his wife visited, they gave…
- Repurposing Old Wall Calendars by: Mark Zeiger
January 2, 2013, 03:00
On New Year's Day, I spent a few minutes performing what has become an annual chore: cutting up the previous year's wall calendar to save the art for future…
- Handcrafted Drop Spindles for Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 27, 2012, 03:00
Before Christmas, in discussing the value of homemade gifts, I hinted that I felt particularly proud of the gifts I'd made for Aly this year. Now that…
- The Real Value of Homemade Gifts by: Mark Zeiger
December 19, 2012, 03:00
The phrase "homemade gift" can strike fear into the stoutest of hearts. We all act as if they are a good thing, but if hard pressed, relatively few people…
- Milling Homemade Soap by: Mark Zeiger
December 5, 2012, 03:00
Sometimes when we make homemade soap, we find milling necessary. Milling is a fairly easy way to improve the quality of homemade soaps, either to save a bad…
- Making Homemade Soap by: Mark Zeiger
November 27, 2012, 03:00
I recently wrote about trying to leave our latest batches of homemade soap alone. This led to reader requests for more information on our soap-making. Making…
- A Home Craft Christmas Tree by: Mark Zeiger
November 23, 2012, 03:00
As is our tradition, the Zeiger Family Homestead Christmas season began Friday morning.This year, however, Michelle and I undertook a project that brought…
- Soap Lust by: Mark Zeiger
November 18, 2012, 03:00
It seems like for us, the hardest thing about making soap is keeping our hands off of it until it cures. We recently made a couple of batches of soap for…
- Aly Launches Hand-Knit Dinosaur Toy Line in Time for Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
November 16, 2012, 03:00
By now, you may already be too late for Christmas . . . . Aly loves to knit. She joined her college's Fiber Arts Club as a freshman, and this year she's…
- I Can Can! by: Mark Zeiger
August 2, 2012, 03:00
Cue Offenbach's Orpheus In the Underworld, please . . . . I had an excellent day fishing on Monday. While seeking out the sparse currant bushes that nestle…
- Homestead Yogurt by: Mark Zeiger
July 17, 2012, 03:00
Michelle has said before in this blog and elsewhere that growing things makes her feel good. One of the ways she stretches our food dollar is to make yogurt at…
- Rhubarb Wine, Rhubarb Soda by: Mark Zeiger
June 28, 2012, 03:00
Aly and I have been enjoying kitchen duty lately, trying new dishes and old favorites as we prepare dinners. We came up with a homestead-style foccacia that…
- What the Best Dressed Bottles are Wearing by: Mark Zeiger
June 5, 2012, 03:00
This fashion season my wine yeast extender sports an electric lime wet suit as it lounges by the woodstove and other heat sources, building up a head of…
- A Wine by Any Other Name by: Mark Zeiger
June 1, 2012, 03:00
Our home wine making continues, and has entered an exciting new phase. As the summer advances, we're able to try more cottage wines. But, with the continued…
- Root Beer Time by: Mark Zeiger
April 12, 2012, 03:00
Once we started making wine again on the homestead these days, it didn't take long for me to think about other kinds of brewing as well. We don't drink soft…
- Making Wine is a Little Less "Racking" by: Mark Zeiger
April 5, 2012, 03:00
As I've proven time and time again, siphoning our homemade wine to rack or bottle it is a perilous undertaking. I'm relieved to report that we recently made a…
- Feeling Sconish by: Mark Zeiger
March 31, 2012, 03:00
Friday morning, after more than a week of sunny weather, the day dawned cloudy and fretful. Rain threatened, a cooler wind blew, the sense of energetic…
- Tap, Tap, Tap . . . by: Mark Zeiger
March 29, 2012, 03:00
We found a jar full of odd metal fittings in our shed when we first moved to the "homestead." We couldn't figure out what they were for. We guessed that they…
- The First of the Cabin Wines by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2012, 03:00
We've recently advanced in our home wine making, starting a couple batches of genuine cottage wine. Or, perhaps more appropriately, cabin wine. In the last…
- Expanding Wine Yeast by: Mark Zeiger
March 13, 2012, 10:43
Since reviving our home wine making, we've started 10 batches. The yeast we've used to make these batches has come from only two packets. Yeast is necessary…
- Homemade Wine Varieties by: Mark Zeiger
March 1, 2012, 03:00
People have asked me in the comments section and in personal correspondence what kind of wine we've been making. At the moment, we've got three varieties in…
- Homemade Wine "Blankets" by: Mark Zeiger
February 26, 2012, 03:00
Our home winemaking is bubbling along nicely, with eight 1-gallon batches currently underway. Restarting this process in winter has made consistent temperature…
- "Raisin Riesling" by: Mark Zeiger
February 3, 2012, 03:00
With great pride, and no little relief, I feel justified in announcing a success in our efforts to make wine at home. Recently, I decided to try our "weakest"…
- Spring Changes: A New Homestead "Store" by: Mark Zeiger
February 1, 2012, 03:00
Spring is upon us, by our reckoning. I think this time I've finally figured it out. As I've mentioned often before, viewing the seasons from the ancient Celtic…
- Homemade Airlocks for Homemade Wine by: Mark Zeiger
January 14, 2012, 03:00
The airlock or fermentation lock is an essential tool of wine making. This device allows carbon dioxide (CO2) to escape as yeast converts sugars into alcohol…
- Return to the Vineyard by: Mark Zeiger
December 29, 2011, 03:00
To the many wonderful, comforting, homey sounds coming from our cabin this holiday season, we've added one more: the quiet, bubbling click of an airlock. Des…
- Felted Boot Liners by: Mark Zeiger
December 19, 2011, 03:00
Conditions on our homestead dictate that we wear shoes fairly constantly. We try to switch between indoor and outdoor footwear and back, because it's too easy…
- Making Spice-Scented Christmas Ornaments by: Mark Zeiger
December 30, 2010, 03:00
We have, for a long time, had a small Christmas ornament that I've really liked. It looks like a gingerbread cookie, but it smells of cinnamon, perfuming our…
- For Alaska Day – A “Real” Russian Tea Recipe Finally Surfaces by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2010, 03:00
Today is Alaska Day! If you've followed this blog through the past year, you may have sensed a certain obsession on my part when it comes to Russian Tea, a…
- Homemade Chai Tea Mix – Taste Test and Adjustments by: Michelle Zeiger
August 25, 2010, 03:00
The first batch of Chai Mix I made didn't last long, so I made a full recipe the second time. I used 1/2 cup less sugar, and it tasted fine. To make sure,…
- Homemade Chai Tea - First Steps by: Michelle Zeiger
August 24, 2010, 03:00
I love chai tea. I especially love the packaged mixes like Oregon Chai, Pacific Chai and Enchanted Chai. They are each a little different blend of spices, but…
- A Welcome Sound on the Homestead - the Bubbler by: Mark Zeiger
January 31, 2010, 03:00
Living out in nature as we do, we have learned to listen. As we go about our daily tasks, our ears stay cocked for unusual or unfamiliar noises. It satisfies…
- Make Your Own Coffee Liqueur by: Mark Zeiger
January 17, 2010, 03:00
If you enjoy coffee liqueur, like the commercially available Kahlua, Tia Marie, or similar, here's a way to make your own cheaply at home. I've been using…
- A Cup of Coffee That Brings Tears to My Eyes by: Mark Zeiger
November 9, 2009, 01:00
Every great once in a while, whether to comfort myself, or to torture myself—I don’t know which—I make a cup of coffee that brings tears to my eyes. My…
- Quest for Cocoa -The Art and Science of the Perfect Hot Drink by: Mark Zeiger
October 21, 2009, 01:00
If you've read many of our family's posts you know that hot drinks are an essential part of our lives. Almost every day begins with tea for Michelle and coffee…
- Making Russian Tea - The Rest of the Story by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2009, 01:00
They say one should never let the truth get in the way of a good story. In writing previously on Russian tea, I came across information that didn't fit…
- The Secret of Russian Tea by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2009, 01:00
It's the time of year for hot beverages! Especially in October, particularly around Alaska Day, I like to turn to an old family staple, Russian tea. We…
- Swingin'! by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Homesteading (106)
Water systems, outhouses, heating with wood – alternative lifestyles that move us toward more self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
- Farewell, My Hermitage by: Mark Zeiger
May 3, 2013, 03:00
Today, as soon as the tide falls far enough for me to hike the bay, I'll head to the ferry terminal to pick up Michelle. At that point, my hermit life of the…
- Quest for Firewood by: Mark Zeiger
April 3, 2013, 03:00
A few days last week were clear, crisp and dry. Like a large, crazed, and possibly hyperthyroid Easter Bunny, I began stashing piles of firewood rounds at…
- A New Foldable Sawbuck by: Mark Zeiger
March 6, 2013, 03:00
Yesterday I tore myself away from configuring the new computer to get some fresh air and build a new sawbuck. Soon after we moved to the "homestead," I…
- Work Around for a Failed Water Shut-Off by: Mark Zeiger
February 28, 2013, 03:00
We're very concerned with water conservation on the homestead for a variety of practical reasons. Because we burn scrap wood to heat water, we must conserve…
- Time to Change the Water Heater by: Mark Zeiger
January 21, 2013, 03:00
I knew for sure that we'd repaired the wind generator properly when Michelle called me to say that the water heater is leaking again. No time to rest on our…
- "Have a Nice Day at the Office, Dear!" by: Mark Zeiger
December 15, 2012, 03:00
The other day when Michelle geared up to hike out for her part time job, I had to take a couple of pictures. She works an office job! But, living as we do, the…
- B.Y.O.D. by: Mark Zeiger
November 29, 2012, 03:00
We've had a long cold snap recently—nothing severe, just daytime highs in the low to mid-20s, but enough to make going to the outhouse a strictly B.Y.O.D.…
- Soap Lust by: Mark Zeiger
November 18, 2012, 03:00
It seems like for us, the hardest thing about making soap is keeping our hands off of it until it cures. We recently made a couple of batches of soap for…
- The Cost of Living by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2012, 03:00
Yesterday, a reader named Jacquie commented: "Ever since I can remember I have wanted this lifestyle. It’s tough here because everything is about money.…
- Kitchen Counter Complete by: Mark Zeiger
September 12, 2012, 03:00
A fewdays ago we finished the kitchen countertop. We've been enjoying the new surface and its trim for a while, but the finishing touch, a rail along the back…
- Up On the Roof by: Mark Zeiger
September 1, 2012, 05:53
Because Friday appeared to be the last day of a run of sunny weather, we swept the chimney before the winter wood heating season. Besides, it was a blue…
- Morning and Me by: Mark Zeiger
August 30, 2012, 07:19
Michelle has spent the last two nights away from the homestead for work and to help out friends in town. With Aly away at college, I'm enjoying a little alone…
- I'm an Expert—Just Ask Me! by: Mark Zeiger
August 26, 2012, 03:00
Here's something I did recently that's a little weird: I have declared myself a Homesteading Expert. I occasionally read, and have bought material from the…
- Kitchen Renovation Continues by: Mark Zeiger
August 20, 2012, 08:38
Resurfacing our kitchen counter continues. The project has been very rewarding so far. We're taking it slow, largely to allow maximum cure time for adhesives…
- Kitchen Renovation by: Mark Zeiger
August 18, 2012, 08:15
Our first order of business upon returning to couple status has been to install a new countertop in our kitchen. Our kitchen counter consists of the cabin's…
- Internet Disconnect by: Mark Zeiger
June 11, 2012, 03:00
It must be the 21st Century if a homestead feels crippled when the Internet's down. But, that's what's happening, and that's exactly how it felt. Something…
- Leaving Normal by: Mark Zeiger
May 24, 2012, 03:00
There's a pleasant, quiet movie I rather like called Leaving Normal, about two women who abandon their life in the lower 48 to travel to Hyder, Alaska. The…
- The Giving Tree by: Mark Zeiger
April 23, 2012, 03:00
As I've mentioned before, the local variety of birch tree is our most precious wood resource on the homestead. While its harvest can be highly problematic,…
- Felling Follies by: Mark Zeiger
April 21, 2012, 03:00
As so often happens with my firewood harvesting, a recent felling effort turned into a "situation," dangerous and frustrating at the time, but not without its…
- Wood Stove Season Ends by: Mark Zeiger
April 19, 2012, 03:00
With the onset of warmer weather, we've gone without fires in the woodstove some days lately. If it's particularly cool or wet, we might have a small fire in…
- Depleting the Woodpile by: Mark Zeiger
March 15, 2012, 03:00
The time has come to admit that the woodpile is effectively depleted. I'm one of those people who looks for patterns in life a little too often. The woodpile…
- Biofilter Harvest by: Mark Zeiger
February 22, 2012, 03:00
We took advantage of our recent thaw to gather new biofilter for our compost. At this point it seems as if we already had enough to make it through the winter,…
- More on Nome Refueling, and Homestead Heat by: Mark Zeiger
January 20, 2012, 03:00
Yesterday, I started answering a reader's questions about the current effort to refuel Nome, Alaska. I grew a bit long-winded, so today I'll answer the rest of…
- Spontaneity in Reserve by: Mark Zeiger
January 10, 2012, 03:00
Lately, in looking at how we live on the homestead, I'd begun to conclude that we have lost our spontaneity. Admittedly, a life like ours, in which we are…
- A Very Good Year: Reassessing the Annual Assessment by: Mark Zeiger
January 4, 2012, 03:00
Now that the year has progressed so far—here we are, already in the fourth day! I've had a bit more time to think about 2011. Perhaps I ought to reassess my…
- "Just Right" by: Mark Zeiger
November 16, 2011, 03:00
Yesterday I pulled the milk jug out of the cool box, reserved ½ cup to make sourdough bread, and used what was left to sample my new batch of coffee liqueur.…
- The Homestead Reference Library: The Complete Tightwad Gazette by: Mark Zeiger
October 21, 2011, 03:00
Recently, I introduced two enduring inspirations and guides to our frugal lifestyle, Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, and Amy…
- The Homestead Reference Library: Your Money or Your Life by: Mark Zeiger
October 13, 2011, 03:00
My family and I have been living frugally for a long time, longer than I sometimes realize. We've been at it so long, in fact, that our first sources of…
- The Homestead Reference Library: Essential Titles by: Mark Zeiger
October 2, 2011, 03:00
As a first post on the homestead reference library after introducing the topic and qualifying the statements to be made, perhaps I should go ahead and try to…
- Homestead 2.0 by: Mark Zeiger
September 26, 2011, 03:00
For various reasons, we're retooling the homestead this autumn. We're unveiling "Homestead 2.0." For the first autumn in 2 or 3 years, I'm not hunting…
- Homestead Reference Library - Qualifying Statement by: Mark Zeiger
September 17, 2011, 03:00
“When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.”—Desiderius Erasmus Before diving into the details of our "homestead…
- Introducing the Homestead Reference Library by: Mark Zeiger
September 14, 2011, 03:00
Recently, a reader asked me to suggest a list of books I would recommend as homesteading resources. This request took me a bit aback, as I've been slowly…
- Biofilter Snob by: Mark Zeiger
August 5, 2011, 03:00
I've recently added a new word to my vocabulary, and I find myself using it often in conversation and internal monologues. The word: biofilter. I learned it…
- Reaching the Tipping Point by: Mark Zeiger
July 9, 2011, 03:00
Several days ago I went up to the summer water tank to check its level. I found the water within a quarter inch of spilling out of the tank. The next day we…
- Sweeping the Beach by: Mark Zeiger
June 17, 2011, 03:00
"If seven maids with seven mops Swept it for half a year. Do you suppose," the Walrus said, "That they could get it clear?" "I doubt it," said the…
- Assessing the Firewood Effort by: Mark Zeiger
May 29, 2011, 11:07
Other than a bit of shifting and filling, the firewood shed is full for the coming winter. I'm feeling really great about this, particularly since we have so…
- The Last Tree, for Now by: Mark Zeiger
May 27, 2011, 08:42
Wednesday, Michelle and I felled a large standing dead spruce near our trail. Hopefully, this will be the last tree we'll fell this year, as the first few…
- Mom's-Eye View of the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
May 21, 2011, 12:02
Seeing the homestead and its surroundings in a new light seems like a recurring theme lately. I got permission from my mother-in-law to post some of the…
- The Homestead Springs a Leak by: Mark Zeiger
May 20, 2011, 08:36
Tuesday morning, Aly and I worked to fell a standing dead tree near our trail. When we'd finished, we hurried down the ridge to the cabin to get showers.…
- One Way to Wake Up in the Morning by: Mark Zeiger
April 27, 2011, 03:00
The herring dribble in. Monday, we launched the canoe and our flatboat, the one we refer to, perhaps incorrectly, as the Jonboat, to set and tend a gill…
- Summer People, Winter People by: Mark Zeiger
April 26, 2011, 03:00
I remember a long time ago there was a trend in personal color analysis. A person's skin tones were assessed and labeled by season. People started telling each…
- Stone Breaker by: Mark Zeiger
April 19, 2011, 03:00
As Michelle leads the family effort to prepare the garden for the coming season, we've gotten serious about locating some of the raised beds. The garden plan…
- "Returning" to the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
April 8, 2011, 03:00
I hope this isn't becoming repetitive, but I'm almost overcome by a variety of feelings—mostly satisfaction— as we "return" to homestead life. Last…
- Fish or Cut . . . Wood by: Mark Zeiger
March 29, 2011, 03:00
I haven't gotten the feeling yet, but I know it's coming. I get it every year around this time. Or, more precisely, around this weather. We're getting the…
- "Treeage" by: Mark Zeiger
March 20, 2011, 03:00
We've mobilized to harvest firewood. Not only do we need to begin stockpiling fuel for the coming winter, we need to be ready to supplement our current supply,…
- Tree Work by: Mark Zeiger
March 13, 2011, 03:00
The return to colder temperatures has allowed us to get much of our tree work accomplished. We've had to prioritize it, with limbing and felling live trees…
- You Want "A Piece of This?" by: Mark Zeiger
March 2, 2011, 03:00
Our Website and blog seems to have a lot of appeal among "armchair homesteaders," those who like the idea of living as we do, or even harbor hopes and plans to…
- "Trust Fund Hippies?" I Wish! by: Mark Zeiger
February 27, 2011, 03:00
Since setting up an analytic program to track traffic to our Website, I've been snooping around a bit to see who's linking to the site, and why. Recently, I…
- Winter Trees by: Mark Zeiger
February 10, 2011, 08:08
If you're following Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me, today is the first quarter moon, at least in my time zone. The U.S. calendar, based…
- Finding Our Way Home - A Story for "First View" by: Mark Zeiger
December 5, 2010, 03:00
December 4 is a family holiday we call "First View," commemorating the anniversary of the first time we saw the homestead property. Last year, I related the…
- Back on the Bay - Home for the Holidays and Beyond by: Mark Zeiger
November 22, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday, Michelle came home from "kid" and house sitting for friends in town. Aly and I hiked out to meet her on the bay and help carry her gear in. Low…
- "Every Last Drop" - Trying Not to Waste Water by: Mark Zeiger
November 17, 2010, 03:00
One would think that the homesteading life is one of hard-headed pragmatism, but ours seems to include more than its share of tilting at windmills (ah . . . as…
- The Family's Whole Again by: Mark Zeiger
October 20, 2010, 03:00
Our family is whole again; Michelle came home Monday from a week of caring for friends' children in town. We arrived home at dinner time. Michelle was free…
- The Trail's Clear Again by: Mark Zeiger
October 9, 2010, 03:00
The trail is clear once again. Yesterday, working together, the three of us cleared the windfall that the last storm delivered in less than two hours. We cut…
- The Best-Laid Plans of Moose and Men by: Mark Zeiger
October 8, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday, the last day of the Tier II Moose Hunt, was sunny and cool, a perfect day for hunting. Michelle went into town to help a friend and attend yoga…
- Leaky Roof by: Mark Zeiger
October 2, 2010, 03:00
During the last storm, the roof started to leak. It's not a big deal, it does it at least once a year. We expect it, and know how to deal with it. We pull…
- Getting the Wood In by: Mark Zeiger
September 25, 2010, 03:00
On Thursday, ahead of the first equinoctial storm, we finally gathered in all of the firewood. For months, newly cut wood has been drying in stacks around our…
- Gallons of Applesauce by: Michelle Zeiger
September 20, 2010, 03:00
Nature has blessed the Chilkat Valley with abundance this year. The sockeye fish run was better than expected, the blueberries were dripping off the…
- "Dream Time" Fulfilled by: Mark Zeiger
September 19, 2010, 03:00
Back in January, I wrote about "Dream Time," when we made plans for the more active time of the year. We progressed significantly in making some of the dreams…
- When High Tides Work For Us by: Michelle Zeiger
September 11, 2010, 09:43
This week we have wonderfully high tides. In mid-winter that could be a scary thought...when the winds whip up and the power of the water can move large rocks…
- The Great Potato Seed Experiment by: Michelle Zeiger
September 6, 2010, 09:11
We have always battled potato scab. Some years I have had better luck than others. I read online that if you grow your potatoes from seed, rather than last…
- Channeling My Grandmother by: Michelle Zeiger
September 3, 2010, 10:51
Lately I have been thinking a lot about my grandmother, Sarah Mae Eggleston Harris, who was one of my heroines. She knew so much about growing food, fishing,…
- Canning As Fast as We Can by: Mark Zeiger
August 30, 2010, 03:00
The soundtrack of the homestead lately should be Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, because around here, we're doing the can-can! Home canning is a…
- Vanishing Act by: Mark Zeiger
August 18, 2010, 03:00
David Copperfield isn't the only one who can make landmarks disappear! A neighbor recently erected a satellite Internet dish like ours. We…
- Homestead Water Security by: Mark Zeiger
August 16, 2010, 03:00
Part of what made Friday a Perfect Day was learning that our homestead's water supply is secure for the moment. We learned this by taking a long-overdue…
- Trail Improvements by: Mark Zeiger
August 13, 2010, 03:00
In keeping with Michelle's birthday wishes, we repaired a bad place on the trail from Mud Bay to our homestead. There's a certain hill, which, when we first…
- Celebrating Our 4th Homestead Anniversary by: Mark Zeiger
August 11, 2010, 03:00
On this day four years ago, we moved from Juneau to our homestead. With each passing year, the joyful memories outweigh the unhappy ones.For all the planning…
- In Which I Whine About Slightly Less Convenient Technological Miracles by: Mark Zeiger
July 28, 2010, 03:00
This blog and our main Web site come to you via satellite Internet. It's a less-convenient, far more expensive alternative to on-the-grid Internet services,…
- Bath from the Past: Using an Ewer and Basin by: Mark Zeiger
July 21, 2010, 03:00
The ewer and basin Aly and I made for Michelle in 2000 (Photo: Michelle Zeiger). Our family first learned how easy and pleasant it is to use an ewer and…
- Keeping Clean on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
July 19, 2010, 03:00
If you were to joke that cleanliness on the homestead is next to impossible, I admit that some days we'd have a hard time proving you wrong. Living semi-remot…
- You Buck 'Em, We Chuck 'Em: Wood Work Continues by: Mark Zeiger
June 14, 2010, 03:00
Last week, Burl came back and cut up more of the beach log that's been such an important boost to our firewood supply. He cut it all up except for the last…
- Ensuring Warmth this Winter by: Mark Zeiger
June 5, 2010, 03:00
Last Saturday our neighbor, Burl came over with his chainsaw and started bucking up the big log that washed up on the beach. By Monday I had it chopped and…
- There But for Grace Go I? by: Mark Zeiger
May 31, 2010, 03:00
I kind of did a number on my foot the other day, falling off the platform at the boat house. I got hurt in a way I've become familiar with from repetition…
- An Embarrassment of Riches by: Mark Zeiger
May 3, 2010, 03:00
One of the joys of living on the ocean's edge is receiving Gifts from the Sea, useful objects washed up on our beach. Occasionally, this boon becomes a case of…
- Answers to Reader Questions about Living Without Refrigeration by: Mark Zeiger
April 13, 2010, 03:00
A reader recently asked about living without refrigeration: We use an old fashioned "cool box," a vented cabinet on the shady side of the cabin. What do…
- Nothing Happened Today by: Mark Zeiger
April 9, 2010, 03:00
Ever since I started this blog at the end of last August, I've feared a day like this. Normally, I write my blog posts in the morning. Usually, there's…
- The Family Breathes a Collective Sigh of Relief by: Mark Zeiger
March 27, 2010, 03:00
Recently, behind the scenes, behind the light chatter about moose and house hunting and the mysterious treasures of the far shed, a crisis played out, one…
- In Praise of Pack Rats by: Mark Zeiger
March 26, 2010, 03:00
The man who built our homestead is a master pack rat, a quality that I greatly admire. When he and his family moved away, everything they left behind came with…
- Acting Early to Avoid a Possible Water Shortage by: Mark Zeiger
March 4, 2010, 03:00
While our unusual weather here in Alaska is far less dramatic than what the east coast has experienced lately, it's far enough from normal that we're taking…
- Sometimes Semi-Remote Seems Like Semi-Homeless by: Mark Zeiger
February 27, 2010, 03:00
Because we live so far off the road, and own no property on the road system, our car has become over full of things one would normally keep in a garage. The…
- Watch For Falling Firewood by: Mark Zeiger
February 21, 2010, 03:00
Friday started out as a really good day. I made good progress cutting up firewood, but it didn't end well. I felled a standing dead spruce I've had my eye…
- Grudge Match 2010 - Mark Vs. "The Death Birch" by: Mark Zeiger
February 13, 2010, 08:00
If I sit here quietly, typing unobtrusively on this blog post, attracting as little attention as possible, perhaps . . . just perhaps . . . I can postpone…
- A Day at the Beach - Passive Solar and Wind Power at Work by: Mark Zeiger
February 10, 2010, 03:00
Monday, a starry morning gave way to sunshine. The wind blew a steady 25 knots from the south. It was a classic alternative energy day, one that went beyond…
- Cleaning Woodstove Glass - How and Why by: Mark Zeiger
February 9, 2010, 03:00
Our woodstove is the center of our home. Like the fire pit of our forefathers, it creates a focal point for most of our activities. We take good care of it to…
- Life Without Refrigeration by: Mark Zeiger
January 15, 2010, 03:00
As outside temperatures creep upward from the low teens we’ve had lately, our food is migrating once again, from the bedroom windowsill back to the cooler. …
- The Guest Outhouse is Complete (for Now) by: Mark Zeiger
December 14, 2009, 03:00
On Friday we finished rebuilding the guest outhouse that got knocked over by a falling rock in September. We did very well on the project, especially considerin…
- Outhouse Reconstruction Begins by: Mark Zeiger
December 7, 2009, 01:00
We're getting a run of clear, cold weather, so we've begun rebuilding the guest outhouse that got knocked over by a falling rock on September 20th. We moved…
- First View - A Homestead-Made Holiday by: Mark Zeiger
December 5, 2009, 01:00
December 4th marks the fifth anniversary of our first visit to the homestead. We observe this day as "First View," a family day of "little T" thanksgiving. T…
- We're Not Alone: "Roughing It" Within a Community by: Mark Zeiger
November 30, 2009, 01:00
Because it's our blog, we get to focus a lot on ourselves in the posts. My work on Self-Reliance Works deals with our experiences on our homestead as well, and…
- Zeigers Emerge from Burrow - See Shadow, Hurry Back Home by: Mark Zeiger
November 19, 2009, 01:00
Tuesday morning, Aly and I hiked out to the road, the first time any of us has left the homestead in the last 10 days. We went expecting trouble—we…
- Celebrating Sight - A Personal Anniversary by: Mark Zeiger
November 11, 2009, 01:00
Today marks a personal anniversary for me. Four years ago today I underwent lasik surgery to correct my vision. For one whose extreme near-sight needed…
- Time to Switch to the Winter Water Supply by: Mark Zeiger
November 10, 2009, 01:00
The weather report is predicting a low of 22° tonight, so unless something else comes up, we'll switch from the summer water to the winter water today. This…
- A Nasty Surprise - Our Boat Disappeared! by: Mark Zeiger
November 7, 2009, 15:31
Yesterday we hiked out to attend a movie at the library in the evening. The tides dictated that we cross around noon. Because we had the time, and because it…
- Oil Lamps as Alternative Lighting in the Home by: Mark Zeiger
November 2, 2009, 01:00
Oil lamps provide low level, alternative light to a home, while lending an elegant and pleasant ambiance. Properly fueled and maintained, they may help save on…
- Develop Healthy Attitudes Toward Your Belongings by: Mark Zeiger
October 28, 2009, 01:00
I adhere to the principal that happiness comes not from owning what you love, but from loving what you own. Compared to most Americans we have very little;…
- “Pioneer Night”: Making Conservation and Emergency Preparedness Fun by: Mark Zeiger
October 26, 2009, 01:00
When we lived in Juneau, we developed a tradition that is so ironically juxtaposed to our current lifestyle that when friends remind us of it, we’re…
- The Franklin Planner – An Unlikely Homesteading Tool by: Mark Zeiger
October 25, 2009, 01:00
Our decision to move to an off-the-grid homestead required answering many questions. Among them: what to take (as little as possible) and what to leave behind…
- Make Your Belongings Last—Read The Instructions Often! by: Mark Zeiger
October 15, 2009, 01:00
Resistance to reading instructions is so pervasive that I needn't bother belaboring the old jokes. Who doesn’t approach a new tool with the certainty that…
- Doing What's Necessary: The Homestead "Facilities" by: Mark Zeiger
September 23, 2009, 03:01
We’re often asked an indelicate question: “How do you . . . um . . .?” Which obviously translates to “Where do you go?” Here on the homestead we deal…
- A Season of Madness: Moose Hunting in Alaska by: Mark Zeiger
September 20, 2009, 03:30
The local moose opening started last Tuesday. This is a permit-only subsistence hunt, with special antler restrictions. For our family, this is a very big…
- Heating With Wood by: Mark Zeiger
September 19, 2009, 08:50
While heating with wood makes a comeback around the U.S., here on the homestead, it’s far more than a smart economic move, it’s a necessity. Wood is our…
- Fresh Water - Collecting and Conserving a Precious Resource by: Mark Zeiger
September 19, 2009, 03:30
A frightening number of reports, predictions and indicators tell us that fresh water will be the most valuable commodity over which mankind will struggle,…
- Off the Grid Electricity: The "Power" of Self Reliance by: Mark Zeiger
September 18, 2009, 10:42
Let me confess to you up front: I am not an electrician. I know very little about electricity. I survived a whole career requiring daily use of electronic…
- Living On the Edge: Security Through Insecurity by: Mark Zeiger
September 18, 2009, 03:00
When the news came last autumn that the government had taken over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, our decision to chuck the standard suburban lifestyle to head for…
- Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt Day 1 by: Mark Zeiger
September 15, 2009, 08:00
This is it! Today's the first day of the Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt. That means that instead of sitting here in my PJs, typing a quick note to the blog, I…
- Introducing the Zeiger Family Homestead Blog by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2009, 14:01
Just shy of one year after we started our first blog, we're returning to try again. Previously, we'd used a hosting site to post stories about life on our…
- Farewell, My Hermitage by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: How To (48)
This might teach you something.
- A Strange, Easy Way to Discourage Flies by: Mark Zeiger
May 16, 2013, 03:00
Flies are one of the plagues of summer. Controlling them seems impossible; deterring them is difficult. Yet, we've learned an improbable but effective method…
- Milling Homemade Soap by: Mark Zeiger
December 5, 2012, 03:00
Sometimes when we make homemade soap, we find milling necessary. Milling is a fairly easy way to improve the quality of homemade soaps, either to save a bad…
- Making Homemade Soap by: Mark Zeiger
November 27, 2012, 03:00
I recently wrote about trying to leave our latest batches of homemade soap alone. This led to reader requests for more information on our soap-making. Making…
- Recipe: Pumpkin Risotto with Wild Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
November 20, 2012, 03:00
When Aly graduated from Mud Bay Home School, we made sure she had a recipe box that included many of the family favorites, plus cards and room for a lot more.…
- A Slight Shift in the Blog by: Mark Zeiger
October 2, 2012, 03:00
A bit of blog "housekeeping" . . . . For the past 3 years, I've written for two blogs, this one, and Self-Reliance-Works (SRW). The latter is a team of self…
- Homestead Yogurt by: Mark Zeiger
July 17, 2012, 03:00
Michelle has said before in this blog and elsewhere that growing things makes her feel good. One of the ways she stretches our food dollar is to make yogurt at…
- Homemade Airlocks for Homemade Wine by: Mark Zeiger
January 14, 2012, 03:00
The airlock or fermentation lock is an essential tool of wine making. This device allows carbon dioxide (CO2) to escape as yeast converts sugars into alcohol…
- Sweeping the Wood Stove Chimney by: Mark Zeiger
November 4, 2011, 03:00
Chimney sweeping is the most important preventative maintenance a wood stove user performs. Burning wood inevitably creates ash and creosote that congeals on…
- Our Home-Built Archaeology-Style Shaker Sifter by: Mark Zeiger
September 3, 2011, 03:00
I recently built a garden tool for Michelle's birthday, an archaeological style sifter. It's also been called an archaeological sifter, garden sifter, compost…
- Making a Native-Style Halibut Hook (Conclusion) by: Mark Zeiger
May 16, 2011, 03:00
Today I'll complete my description of making a Northwest Coast Native style halibut hook. To catch up, start here. The incredibly rich and innovative…
- Making a Native-Style Halibut Hook (Continued) by: Mark Zeiger
May 15, 2011, 03:00
Over recent posts, I've been describing making a Northwest Coast Native style halibut hook. To catch up, start here. When I embarked on the project, I…
- Making a Native-Style Halibut Hook by: Mark Zeiger
May 14, 2011, 03:00
As mentioned previously, I recently decided to try to make and use a Northwest Coast Native style halibut hook. My purpose is not to try to reproduce a Native…
- An Alternative to Commercial Cat Litter by: Mark Zeiger
April 9, 2011, 03:00
Yesterday, in describing our recent haul of goods to the homestead, I mentioned cat litter. I thought that I had talked about that before on this blog, but it…
- Woodstove Cooking by: Mark Zeiger
March 24, 2011, 04:50
The weather's warming up faster than the wood pile's disappearing now. There's hope! But, before the wood heat season ends, I wanted to pass on a few things…
- How to Repair a Damaged Ax Blade by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2011, 03:00
I often damage my felling or limbing ax, warping the thin-bladed against knots or harder sections of wood. When this happens, I have to repair the blade to…
- Making Spice-Scented Christmas Ornaments by: Mark Zeiger
December 30, 2010, 03:00
We have, for a long time, had a small Christmas ornament that I've really liked. It looks like a gingerbread cookie, but it smells of cinnamon, perfuming our…
- Surviving The 12 Days of Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 26, 2010, 03:00
Last Christmas, I laid out the "correct" way to count the Twelve Days of Christmas—if you want them to come out correctly at the end of the traditional…
- Cooking with Cast Iron Cookware by: Mark Zeiger
December 10, 2010, 03:00
On our homestead, we love old fashioned cooking with cast iron cookware. Properly seasoned cast iron cookware works very well. It distributes and holds heat…
- Sewing Machine "Re-tread" by: Michelle Zeiger
September 4, 2010, 09:55
Recently we bought a Singer model #66 treadle sewing machine manufactured in 1918 and a treadle from a lovely lady in town. After buying the machine she…
- Homemade Chai Tea Mix – Taste Test and Adjustments by: Michelle Zeiger
August 25, 2010, 03:00
The first batch of Chai Mix I made didn't last long, so I made a full recipe the second time. I used 1/2 cup less sugar, and it tasted fine. To make sure,…
- Homemade Chai Tea - First Steps by: Michelle Zeiger
August 24, 2010, 03:00
I love chai tea. I especially love the packaged mixes like Oregon Chai, Pacific Chai and Enchanted Chai. They are each a little different blend of spices, but…
- Living Without Refrigeration – The Butter Bell by: Mark Zeiger
July 5, 2010, 03:00
Living off grid, we're constantly realizing the value of "outdated" tools and methods. The old-fashioned butter bell crock is a particularly useful and…
- Happy Birthday, Sourdough! by: Mark Zeiger
February 20, 2010, 03:00
Today marks an important anniversary in our home, the birthday of a family member whose life nourishes and improves ours. Today our family strain of…
- Your Input on the Blog is Now Easier by: Mark Zeiger
February 17, 2010, 09:20
Thanks to my online friend, The Frugal Girl, I have discovered that up until now it's been very difficult for readers to comment on our blog posts. I've taken…
- Cleaning Woodstove Glass - How and Why by: Mark Zeiger
February 9, 2010, 03:00
Our woodstove is the center of our home. Like the fire pit of our forefathers, it creates a focal point for most of our activities. We take good care of it to…
- Make Your Own Coffee Liqueur by: Mark Zeiger
January 17, 2010, 03:00
If you enjoy coffee liqueur, like the commercially available Kahlua, Tia Marie, or similar, here's a way to make your own cheaply at home. I've been using…
- Aluminum Foil - Possibly the Most Versatile Tool in the Kitchen by: Michelle Zeiger
January 14, 2010, 03:00
I use, and reuse, aluminum foil everyday. It is possibly the most useful tool in my kitchen. I use it as a cooking tool, a food keeper and then I repurpose it…
- Fire As a Living Organism by: Mark Zeiger
January 10, 2010, 03:00
Fire is like a living organism, requiring oxygen, fuel, and warmth to "live." Removing any of these reduces the burn until it “dies.” I try to think of…
- Family Violence Our Way - A Raucous Card Game by: Mark Zeiger
December 28, 2009, 03:00
When Beth and Kim came for Christmas, we anticipated playing a raucous card game that Beth had introduced to us years ago. It became a family favorite, and…
- Counting the Twelve Days of Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 25, 2009, 23:45
Every Christmas brings up the old question: how do you count the twelve days of Christmas? The days between Christmas and Epiphany or Twelfth Night don't quite…
- Frugal Food - Versatile Homemade Cream Soup Mix by: Michelle Zeiger
November 21, 2009, 01:00
I love this very versatile soup base mix that goes well with just about anything! Cream Soup Mix 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder 3/4 cup cornstarch 1/4…
- Ice Cream Season by: Mark Zeiger
November 20, 2009, 01:00
Ironically, the consistent cold of winter ushers in ice cream season on the homestead. Colder temperatures allow us to keep ice cream without refrigeration. …
- Frugal Food - Stretching the Grocery Budget by: Michelle Zeiger
November 18, 2009, 01:00
I love to see how far I can stretch our food budget. I have been perfecting this for all of my adult life. When we were newlyweds—still in college—we had…
- Reading Aloud to Your Family by: Mark Zeiger
November 6, 2009, 01:00
The Zeiger family has a favorite activity that entertains, enriches, educates, improves self-confidence, and brings us closer as a family: we read aloud. We…
- Oil Lamps as Alternative Lighting in the Home by: Mark Zeiger
November 2, 2009, 01:00
Oil lamps provide low level, alternative light to a home, while lending an elegant and pleasant ambiance. Properly fueled and maintained, they may help save on…
- Don't Trash Your Treats! Pumpkins Make Good Eats by: Mark Zeiger
October 31, 2009, 01:00
Halloween is almost past, as is its quintessential symbol, the Jack-o-lantern. On November 1st, the sun will rise on streets filled with shattered pumpkins.…
- Making Russian Tea - The Rest of the Story by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2009, 01:00
They say one should never let the truth get in the way of a good story. In writing previously on Russian tea, I came across information that didn't fit…
- The Secret of Russian Tea by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2009, 01:00
It's the time of year for hot beverages! Especially in October, particularly around Alaska Day, I like to turn to an old family staple, Russian tea. We…
- Make Your Belongings Last—Read The Instructions Often! by: Mark Zeiger
October 15, 2009, 01:00
Resistance to reading instructions is so pervasive that I needn't bother belaboring the old jokes. Who doesn’t approach a new tool with the certainty that…
- How To Dress Like a Southeast Alaskan by: Mark Zeiger
October 9, 2009, 01:00
Although we, like all Americans, dress in myriad styles, there are a few modes of dress that distinguish us as Southeast Alaskans. Two distinctive items can…
- Cotton Kills by: Mark Zeiger
October 8, 2009, 01:00
Alaskans have a common saying: "Cotton kills." Those two words remind us to guard against hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when one's…
- The Thermos - One Small Step Toward Conservation and Savings by: Mark Zeiger
October 6, 2009, 01:00
As more Americans realize that conservation measures must be taken to survive amid rising prices and falling wages, we suddenly discover that small, simple…
- Whining, Thrashing, and Coughing – I'm Calling Moose! by: Mark Zeiger
September 30, 2009, 01:00
Calling moose is my favorite part of the autumn moose hunt. Keeping silent takes a lot of effort; calling is an excuse to make some noise! I studiously…
- “Seek and Ye Shall Find” – Setting Search Images by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2009, 02:00
Since moving to the homestead, my search imaging has sharpened considerably as I increase my reliance on it. Search images are mental pictures humans…
- Heating With Wood by: Mark Zeiger
September 19, 2009, 08:50
While heating with wood makes a comeback around the U.S., here on the homestead, it’s far more than a smart economic move, it’s a necessity. Wood is our…
- Off the Grid Electricity: The "Power" of Self Reliance by: Mark Zeiger
September 18, 2009, 10:42
Let me confess to you up front: I am not an electrician. I know very little about electricity. I survived a whole career requiring daily use of electronic…
- Avast! Talk Like a Pirate for Fun and Profit . . . Mostly Fun. by: Mark Zeiger
September 17, 2009, 10:45
Saturday, September 19th, is National Talk Like a Pirate Day, ye swabs! Me thinks there's never been a need for a day such as this as there be here 'n' now. It…
- An "Old Fashioned" Cup of Coffee by: Mark Zeiger
September 5, 2009, 09:01
I recently read an excellent book by Jenna Woginrich called Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life (available through your local…
- A Strange, Easy Way to Discourage Flies by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Hunting/Fishing (49)
- I Believe We'll Bag Some Bunnies by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2013, 03:00
Right around Easter, Michelle started finding snowshoe hare tracks on our trail. Ironically, so close to a holiday known for its cotton tailed mascot, we began…
- Water Watch by: Mark Zeiger
November 25, 2012, 03:00
We have a lot of reasons to watch the waters of Lynn Canal in front of our homestead. Lately, though, there's been a new reason to keep an eye on what's…
- Hunting Haunts by: Mark Zeiger
September 22, 2012, 03:00
The Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt has begun in Haines, and, unlike last year, I have a permit. This year I resolved to change my methods. Normally, I hunt…
- Angler's Heartbreak by: Mark Zeiger
August 11, 2012, 08:44
Yesterday morning I commented that I had not seen any salmon jumping for a couple of weeks. Shortly after that, we began to see them jumping inside our bight.…
- An Auspicious Day by: Mark Zeiger
July 29, 2012, 03:00
About a week ago, we experienced a very auspicious day in terms of growing and gathering our own food. I rose early and, finding conditions perfect for the…
- Porcupine Pie by: Mark Zeiger
June 13, 2012, 03:00
My last porcupine story covered half the meat harvested from our recent escapade. I cooked the second half of the meat into a porcupine pie. Armed only with…
- Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Porcupine by: Mark Zeiger
June 9, 2012, 03:00
"Honi soit qui mal y pense" has always been one of my favorite sayings. The motto of The Order of the Garter (I had to look it up, too). The most literal…
- The Herring are Here. Now What? by: Mark Zeiger
May 1, 2012, 03:00
For the last couple of days, we've suspected that the herring have arrived, but because of the choppy conditions, we haven't been able to confirm this by…
- Stand By for Herring by: Mark Zeiger
April 25, 2012, 03:00
We're on standby for herring these days. All the signs are in place: restless sea lions cruise the beach, seabirds flock on the water, including the bonaparte's…
- The Homestead Reference Library: Indian Fishing by: Mark Zeiger
January 8, 2012, 03:00
I'm grateful to blog reader Judy for her comment the other day that recalled me to a series I've been neglecting lately, on our homestead reference library. …
- Hunter's Moon by: Mark Zeiger
October 11, 2011, 03:00
If you're following my lunar calendar observance, today, on the full moon in my time zone, perhaps tomorrow in yours, it's time to read another poem from Mary…
- At the Mercy of Time and Tide by: Mark Zeiger
August 13, 2011, 03:00
Earlier this week I fished for salmon from the boundary rock, a flat topped, terraced beach rock that stands at the point our northern boundary meets the next…
- In the Pink by: Mark Zeiger
July 10, 2011, 03:00
Yesterday morning I went down to the water to fish while I could on the falling tide. It seemed like a perfunctory effort. I only took the pole rigged with the…
- Lure Allure by: Mark Zeiger
July 6, 2011, 06:00
There's an old joke about the effectiveness of fishing lures, the punch line asserting that the lure caught the fisherman. I am the butt of that joke. I love…
- "Sticky Sharp" Fishing Hooks by: Mark Zeiger
June 13, 2011, 03:00
Our recent visit to Canada took us to the country of the BuzzBomb, my favorite fishing lure. We did a little shopping, and I kept an eye out for the lure,…
- Blood Lust by: Mark Zeiger
May 22, 2011, 03:00
"Every once in a while, the squirrels get out of hand, and we had to shoot them all." So read the "owner's manual" the family who built our homestead wrote for…
- Making a Native-Style Halibut Hook (Conclusion) by: Mark Zeiger
May 16, 2011, 03:00
Today I'll complete my description of making a Northwest Coast Native style halibut hook. To catch up, start here. The incredibly rich and innovative…
- Making a Native-Style Halibut Hook (Continued) by: Mark Zeiger
May 15, 2011, 03:00
Over recent posts, I've been describing making a Northwest Coast Native style halibut hook. To catch up, start here. When I embarked on the project, I…
- Making a Native-Style Halibut Hook by: Mark Zeiger
May 14, 2011, 03:00
As mentioned previously, I recently decided to try to make and use a Northwest Coast Native style halibut hook. My purpose is not to try to reproduce a Native…
- The Genious of the Native-Style Halibut Hook by: Mark Zeiger
May 13, 2011, 03:30
Yesterday, I told you about making a discovery in one of the Haida legends recounted in Bill Reid and Robert Bringhurst's The Raven Steals the Light (check…
- Instructing Myths by: Mark Zeiger
May 12, 2011, 03:30
Like most people interested in myths and legends, I know that one of their primary purposes in a culture is to instruct the people. When I read a culture's…
- The Herring are Here by: Mark Zeiger
April 25, 2011, 03:00
I'm feeling pretty damn smug right now. Or, I would be, if I weren't so doggone tired. The herring arrived off the homestead beach on Easter, just as I…
- Moose Forensics by: Mark Zeiger
February 24, 2011, 08:04
Even now, a couple of days after the fact, I'm still shaking my head over our moose encounter. As I said, things got a little fuzzy there, but I didn't realize…
- Hunting for Dummies, Part 2 by: Mark Zeiger
October 26, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday I told about my incredible luck on Sunday, managing to bag a grouse above the dooryard despite many missteps. Every year we hear sooty (formerly…
- Hunting for Dummies Part 1 by: Mark Zeiger
October 25, 2010, 03:00
At about 9:30 am yesterday, we had about two hours before company arrived for lunch. The house needed some final cleaning, the dishes needed to be washed, a…
- Wake Up Call for Winter by: Mark Zeiger
October 23, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday we realized we needed to go to town to pick up a prescription, even though we'd decided to stay home. We knew that if we left in the morning, we…
- The Best-Laid Plans of Moose and Men by: Mark Zeiger
October 8, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday, the last day of the Tier II Moose Hunt, was sunny and cool, a perfect day for hunting. Michelle went into town to help a friend and attend yoga…
- Bycatch by: Mark Zeiger
September 26, 2010, 03:00
Bycatch, a term that applies to commercial fishers catching fish other than the species they were targeting, applies to my efforts on the homestead as well.…
- Blog as Confessional - or, Don't Be So Crabby! by: Mark Zeiger
September 18, 2010, 03:00
Michelle proves time and time again that it doesn't take a fool to marry one. While I was out of town, she and Aly kayaked out to the mouth of the bay to…
- Moose Hunting Again by: Mark Zeiger
September 16, 2010, 03:00
Okay, despite the "official anniversary" having passed, now I know I've been blogging for a year, because I'm writing about moose hunting again. The Tier II…
- Halibut Fishing on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
August 5, 2010, 01:00
Of all our local fish, halibut is probably our favorite. This large deep-sea fish migrates to comparatively shallower waters in the summer months to hunt…
- Autopsy Results End the Crab/PSP Scare by: Mark Zeiger
August 3, 2010, 03:00
Perhaps the biggest news in Haines this summer was the sudden death of a local man attributed to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) from eating crab. The…
- Mystery Fish Revealed by: Mark Zeiger
July 20, 2010, 03:00
Many of the eagles that live around our homestead eat their meals in the trees above the cabin. The remains of these meals "decorate" the property here and…
- A Fish Dinner on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
July 17, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday I caught our first salmon of the season. Eagerly awaited, and at least two weeks later than last year, I'm additionally proud of this fish because I…
- A Bad Day Fishing by: Mark Zeiger
June 11, 2010, 03:00
You know the old saying, "a bad day fishing beats a good day at the office." I've tested the limits of that saying lately. Conditions aren't optimal at the…
- A Great Way to Cook Dollies by: Mark Zeiger
June 8, 2010, 03:00
Soon after the Dolly Vardens started striking off our beach, Michelle hit on a great way to prepare them for dinner: In a lidded pan, sauté onions and…
- Hello Dolly! by: Mark Zeiger
May 24, 2010, 03:00
Dolly Varden char have returned to the waters off our homestead. This means the season of easy fish dinners has returned! Identified by the pink…
- Bless You, Charlie White! by: Mark Zeiger
May 12, 2010, 03:00
I'm a big fan of Charlie White! I bless the man every time we sit down to another crab dinner. He's the author of a series of books on fishing. Of the…
- Homestead Multitasking by: Mark Zeiger
April 29, 2010, 03:00
The admonition, "fish or cut bait" has little meaning on our homestead, largely because it's deficient: it only offers two alternatives. Many of our activities…
- Eating Alaska: A Documentary Explores "Eating Locally" in a Locale Not So Near You by: Mark Zeiger
October 7, 2009, 01:00
Late last January we hiked to town to see Eating Alaska, a documentary by Ellen Frankenstein (no, really!) about eating locally. Ellen, who lives in Sitka,…
- Dispatch #2 From the Alaskan Moose Hunting Grounds - Counting the Costs, Defining Success by: Mark Zeiger
October 4, 2009, 01:00
The end of the Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt looms, and I have yet to bag my moose. You would think that I’d be feeling a bit desperate by now. And—you…
- Whining, Thrashing, and Coughing – I'm Calling Moose! by: Mark Zeiger
September 30, 2009, 01:00
Calling moose is my favorite part of the autumn moose hunt. Keeping silent takes a lot of effort; calling is an excuse to make some noise! I studiously…
- Dispatch #1 from the Alaskan Moose Hunting Grounds by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2009, 17:13
This year’s Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt isn’t going well. Harvest numbers are down, while illegal kills are way up. If the better hunters are bagging…
- Moose Hunt News Flash: I Actually SAW One! by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2009, 08:33
Yesterday I achieved a new milestone in this year's moose hunt. Suddenly, the process took an incredible step forward. Instantly, things don't look quite so…
- “Seek and Ye Shall Find” – Setting Search Images by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2009, 02:00
Since moving to the homestead, my search imaging has sharpened considerably as I increase my reliance on it. Search images are mental pictures humans…
- Fish On! - Fishing on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
September 22, 2009, 20:00
A large part of my family’s success on the homestead is directly due to the abundance of free, highly nutritious food. Perhaps the most valuable, and most…
- A Season of Madness: Moose Hunting in Alaska by: Mark Zeiger
September 20, 2009, 03:30
The local moose opening started last Tuesday. This is a permit-only subsistence hunt, with special antler restrictions. For our family, this is a very big…
- Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt Day 1 by: Mark Zeiger
September 15, 2009, 08:00
This is it! Today's the first day of the Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt. That means that instead of sitting here in my PJs, typing a quick note to the blog, I…
- Happy Camouflage, Everybody! by: Mark Zeiger
September 6, 2009, 10:07
Our life on the homestead is self-sufficient enough that we often limit our trips to town to once a week. The weekly visits are mostly to deliver Aly to a…
- I Believe We'll Bag Some Bunnies by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Just For Fun (64)
Nothing earth-shaking or life-changing, just things we think about now and then . . . .
- Of Butts, Kitchens, and the Turveydrop School of Deportment by: Mark Zeiger
February 26, 2013, 03:00
A year or so ago, we watched the BBC mini-serialization of Charles Dickens's Bleak House. We enjoyed it, but one aspect of it particularly stuck with me. A…
- Aly Launches Hand-Knit Dinosaur Toy Line in Time for Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
November 16, 2012, 03:00
By now, you may already be too late for Christmas . . . . Aly loves to knit. She joined her college's Fiber Arts Club as a freshman, and this year she's…
- End of Times as Reality T.V. by: Mark Zeiger
June 30, 2012, 03:00
Since the first offer in 2010, we've received about 5 or 6 offers to participate in "reality" television programs. We've been invited to participate in…
- Shadow Play by: Mark Zeiger
April 27, 2012, 03:00
The play of light on the homestead is fascinating, especially on sunny days. I finally uploaded a short film I recorded in the cabin toward the beginning of…
- You'll Find It at Your Library! by: Mark Zeiger
January 24, 2012, 08:52
I haven't sung the praises of our wonderful, award-winning Haines Public Library in a while. Recently, a quick glance at the books on one of the display…
- Mary Oliver's Poem for the Last Quarter Moon by: Mark Zeiger
September 20, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time to read the poem for September's last quarter moon,…
- Full Immersion Participation in International Talk Like a Pirate Day by: Mark Zeiger
September 19, 2011, 03:00
Imagine, if you will, the situation of your humble blog hosts today. Yesterday we attended Aly's college orientation weekend. Today we're either on the road…
- The Swamp by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s August's new moon, time to read Swamp. When we talk of "the…
- Camo Clash by: Mark Zeiger
July 29, 2011, 03:00
Wearing camouflage is a fashion statement of sorts in Alaska and elsewhere. It can mean many things: an enthusiasm for hunting, service in, affinity for, or…
- Cooling Soup - a Childhood Memory by: Mark Zeiger
July 27, 2011, 03:00
When Michelle and I ate our first bowls of wild mushroom barley soup, we altered the recipe slightly by skipping the milk the recipe called for until we sat…
- Homestead Haberdashery by: Mark Zeiger
April 30, 2011, 03:00
Yesterday's royal wedding has reached even our remote shore. Today Michelle and Aly will be attending a charity event for the Chilkat Center for the Arts, a…
- An April Fool's Day Gambit - We're Out of Here! by: Mark Zeiger
April 1, 2011, 03:00
I've always cherished the conceit that this blog attracts a more intelligent class of reader. I may have proved it with this April Fool's Day post, which…
- Stupid Fun by: Mark Zeiger
March 27, 2011, 06:03
If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you may be justified in forming the opinion that we take life pretty seriously around here. Most of the posts seem…
- Shy Ghost/Rude Ghost by: Mark Zeiger
March 9, 2011, 03:00
One of the many satisfying aspects of independently producing a book of short stories included creating my own cover art. The process reminded me, however,…
- Deprogramming My Wife by: Mark Zeiger
February 22, 2011, 08:26
Yesterday, Michelle arrived home on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, Malispina. She's been away since February 7th, visiting her parents in Bellingham,…
- Dispatch from "Occupied Canada" by: Mark Zeiger
January 27, 2011, 03:00
I generally take offense at insults, but sometimes they're just so good it's hard not to appreciate them. Historically, the rest of the state has held a…
- Incidence Coincidence by: Mark Zeiger
January 26, 2011, 03:00
Any observer of our day-to-day life on the homestead who judged us to be a bit jumpy would be justified in doing so. In our defense, there's a specific reason:…
- Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons Begins Today by: Mark Zeiger
January 12, 2011, 03:00
Today's the day I start reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar. If you plan to join me, please use the comment section below to let me know. If…
- Fulfilling My New Year's Resolution by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2010, 03:00
Today I will read a poem, Robert Service's New Year's Eve. When I reach the final stanza, I will have successfully fulfilled this year's resolution to read a…
- Surviving The 12 Days of Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 26, 2010, 03:00
Last Christmas, I laid out the "correct" way to count the Twelve Days of Christmas—if you want them to come out correctly at the end of the traditional…
- Random Trail Thoughts by: Mark Zeiger
December 19, 2010, 07:17
Hiking our trail often becomes a kind of Zen exercise. The way is familiar, so the mind wanders freely. We usually hike in and out in company, at least two of…
- Aly Explains the Strange Smudge on the Wood Stove Window by: Mark Zeiger
November 14, 2010, 03:00
Now that winter's upon us, I make a fire in the wood stove most mornings. I'm usually the first one up, so I like to get the cabin warmed before Michelle and…
- Waiting for Snow by: Mark Zeiger
November 10, 2010, 14:22
Today is Martinmas Eve, or Old November Eve. Tomorrow, Martinmas, has been overshadowed since the early part of the last century since we began observing…
- Drum Making Class by: Mark Zeiger
November 8, 2010, 03:00
This afternoon we're headed to town for Aly's film club and other errands. This time, unlike most times, when I look for excuses to stay home, I'm excited to…
- Anticipation by: Mark Zeiger
October 13, 2010, 03:00
Most years, for my birthday, my in-laws send a gift check. The one stipulation they place on it (besides, you know, "cash it sometime this year, please!") is…
- Superstition Is the Word by: Mark Zeiger
September 14, 2010, 06:00
I try very hard not to be superstitious, but there are times (and lately there have been many) when all empirical evidence points toward superstition as the…
- It's a Small World . . . . by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2010, 03:00
The cutesy, multicultural, animatronic puppets in Disneyland are right: it is, indeed, a small world after all. I spoke with my brother, Dave, yesterday by…
- Reemay: Gotta Have It! by: Mark Zeiger
July 27, 2010, 03:00
A couple of years ago, Michelle noticed movement out by the garden. I went out to investigate, and found that a local red squirrel had decided the reemay…
- Spare Me the Harem Jokes, Please by: Mark Zeiger
July 8, 2010, 03:00
Even for a guy like me who's used to being outnumbered by female personalities in the home, living as I did until recently with four of them, I'm feeling a bit…
- Goodbye Netflix, See You in September by: Mark Zeiger
June 29, 2010, 03:00
A few days ago we suspended our Netflix membership until September, as we always do this time of year. With long hours of daylight and so much to do in this…
- Becoming One of the iPod People by: Mark Zeiger
June 27, 2010, 03:00
The night of my friend's wedding, he and I stood by his truck after retrieving the last of the rented tuxedos. My friend is an amazingly low key person,…
- When I Am "Outside" I Shall Wear Red and Blue by: Mark Zeiger
June 16, 2010, 03:00
On Monday, working toward my resolution to read a poem a day this year, I read Jenny Joseph's delightful poem, Warning - When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear…
- Sleep Over! by: Mark Zeiger
June 1, 2010, 03:00
Our friends, Bill and Susan, arrived yesterday on the ferry, and we had a great visit with them. We'd assumed that they would need to press on to see other…
- An Unhelpful Comment Helps Out by: Mark Zeiger
May 17, 2010, 03:00
In my family, joking around is a form of communication—not always a good or appropriate one. Yesterday, I made a crack that actually helped my little sister…
- Signs of Occupancy by: Mark Zeiger
May 13, 2010, 03:00
I noticed a problem with the "pee" tent that Michelle had set up in the dooryard to provide a bit more privacy for ladies on the homestead. I mentioned it to…
- Soundtrack of the Homestead - Dennis Hysom by: Mark Zeiger
April 21, 2010, 03:00
When I first wrote about the importance music plays in our homestead life, I thought about whether or not it would be possible to choose one single album that…
- A Quarterly Progress Report by: Mark Zeiger
April 14, 2010, 03:00
Some topics we cover in this blog should probably be updated occasionally. Among our projects and concerns, I'm sure there's one that weighs particularly…
- Modifying Cat Behavior and Personal Firearm Responsibility by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2010, 03:00
Michelle returned from town recently and presented me with a pair of pistols. I admired their heft, the quality of the maker's craft, and their action. They…
- Shopping While Impaired: An Unorthodox Approach to Frugality by: Mark Zeiger
March 31, 2010, 03:00
My recent trip to Juneau for eye care created some rather unorthodox and unintended frugality strategies that might be worth considering—should the opportunit…
- 2012 - The End of the World Turned Out to be Worth the Wait by: Mark Zeiger
March 19, 2010, 03:00
We finally got to see the big-budget disaster movie, 2012. It was worth the wait! I may have set my expectations low enough to end up being surprised. It isn't…
- Michelle's Winter Sprite by: Michelle Zeiger
March 14, 2010, 03:00
My Winter Sprite is hiding right now. I think she’s getting ready to leave the garden to the Spring Fairies. I have caught glimpses of her from time to time…
- "SuSPEEEND Disbelief!" by: Mark Zeiger
March 9, 2010, 03:00
Years ago, when the movie Independence Day came out, my brother, Dave and I decided to go see it. I mentioned this to our sister, Beth, in a phone call. She'd…
- The New York Times Crossword Puzzle - Providing New Life for Old Reference Books by: Mark Zeiger
March 2, 2010, 03:00
In the Internet age, it's easy to forget the importance of reference books. Lately, a family activity has led me to remember, use and appreciate the family…
- This Blog's True Value Revealed by: Mark Zeiger
February 15, 2010, 03:00
Our slower paced homestead lifestyle lends itself to a fair amount of introspection. Lately, I've been thinking a fair amount about this blog—is it worth…
- A Personal Anniversary (I Think) by: Mark Zeiger
February 12, 2010, 03:00
In January I applied for my hunting/fishing license, and, as I do every year, I cringed when I filled in the number of years I've been an Alaska resident. I…
- Our Cabin Comes Complete with . . . a Piano by: Mark Zeiger
February 11, 2010, 03:00
Our homestead has many interesting features, some of which one wouldn't expect to find so far from the nearest road. Of these, perhaps the most surprising is…
- An Alternative to the Superbowl - Austen Fest by: Mark Zeiger
February 8, 2010, 03:00
Try as I might, I've never been able to muster proper enthusiasm for American football. It's not my fault—I grew up in Southeast Alaska, where the only true…
- Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me Brings the Homestead to a Weekly Stand Still by: Mark Zeiger
February 7, 2010, 03:00
Living semi-remotely on our homestead, we're secluded, which is not to say isolated . . . except on Saturday mornings. Every Saturday we take steps to isolate…
- Developing Critical Thinking through Play - Bananagrams by: Mark Zeiger
January 11, 2010, 03:00
This Christmas we received a game called Bananagrams. After playing it these past weeks, I’ve realized it’s an excellent way to learn critical thinking…
- In Which I Attempt to Defend My Lame Excuse for a New Year's Resolution by: Mark Zeiger
January 5, 2010, 03:00
Generally, I try hard not to make New Year's resolutions. Anything important enough to resolve to do should be started right away, not deferred till the start…
- Family Violence Our Way - A Raucous Card Game by: Mark Zeiger
December 28, 2009, 03:00
When Beth and Kim came for Christmas, we anticipated playing a raucous card game that Beth had introduced to us years ago. It became a family favorite, and…
- Counting the Twelve Days of Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 25, 2009, 23:45
Every Christmas brings up the old question: how do you count the twelve days of Christmas? The days between Christmas and Epiphany or Twelfth Night don't quite…
- Casting the Movies in My Mind by: Mark Zeiger
December 22, 2009, 01:00
Recently, I discussed the problem of finding a good Christmas book to read. Michelle just reread one of the books I mentioned, Rosamunde Pilcher's Winter…
- A Gift of Time for Christmas - Consenting to Learn Backgammon by: Mark Zeiger
December 20, 2009, 03:00
A week or two before Christmas, I've already received one of the best gifts I could hope to get this year. The fact that I had to ask for it myself hardly…
- An Annual Problem - Finding a Good Christmas Read by: Mark Zeiger
December 4, 2009, 01:00
Every year at Christmas time I have trouble finding good seasonal fiction to read. I have a good collection of Christmas books, which I'm certainly willing to…
- Applying Girl Watching Strategy to Wildlife Viewing by: Mark Zeiger
December 1, 2009, 06:00
I love to watch people. I especially like to “girl watch.” I enjoy seeing attractive women of any age—I admit it. I also love viewing wildlife. I had a…
- The Innocents Abroad - Reading Mark Twain Aloud by: Mark Zeiger
November 14, 2009, 07:00
Shortly after telling you about how we like to read aloud, we picked out and started a new book. We're reading The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (available…
- Reading Aloud to Your Family by: Mark Zeiger
November 6, 2009, 01:00
The Zeiger family has a favorite activity that entertains, enriches, educates, improves self-confidence, and brings us closer as a family: we read aloud. We…
- Want To Save Money? Set Your Standards Too High! by: Mark Zeiger
October 27, 2009, 01:00
Quite unwittingly, I’ve stumbled upon an excellent frugality measure: idealism. I love stuff. This doesn’t mean that I have a lot of possessions—at…
- “Pioneer Night”: Making Conservation and Emergency Preparedness Fun by: Mark Zeiger
October 26, 2009, 01:00
When we lived in Juneau, we developed a tradition that is so ironically juxtaposed to our current lifestyle that when friends remind us of it, we’re…
- The Secret of Russian Tea by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2009, 01:00
It's the time of year for hot beverages! Especially in October, particularly around Alaska Day, I like to turn to an old family staple, Russian tea. We…
- How To Dress Like a Southeast Alaskan by: Mark Zeiger
October 9, 2009, 01:00
Although we, like all Americans, dress in myriad styles, there are a few modes of dress that distinguish us as Southeast Alaskans. Two distinctive items can…
- Avast! Talk Like a Pirate for Fun and Profit . . . Mostly Fun. by: Mark Zeiger
September 17, 2009, 10:45
Saturday, September 19th, is National Talk Like a Pirate Day, ye swabs! Me thinks there's never been a need for a day such as this as there be here 'n' now. It…
- Happy Camouflage, Everybody! by: Mark Zeiger
September 6, 2009, 10:07
Our life on the homestead is self-sufficient enough that we often limit our trips to town to once a week. The weekly visits are mostly to deliver Aly to a…
- Of Butts, Kitchens, and the Turveydrop School of Deportment by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Local Wildlife (120)
Some of our neighbors are pretty wild!
- For the Birds by: Mark Zeiger
May 14, 2013, 03:00
We have positively identified our hummingbird feeder raiders as Wilson's warblers. The two that had been hanging around our dooryard are immature and/or…
- Invaders in Birdland by: Mark Zeiger
May 11, 2013, 03:00
A day or two ago, the hummingbird situation took an odd turn: a pair of warblers began competing with the hummingbirds for the feeders. We are used to…
- Recipe: Hummingbird Feeder Nectar by: Mark Zeiger
April 27, 2013, 03:00
My recent post on setting up the hummingbird feeder prompted reader questions about the nectar we use. First, let me say that while I thought it very…
- Feed the Birds by: Mark Zeiger
April 25, 2013, 03:00
When Michelle stopped by her office in town before catching the ferry south, she got buzzed by a humingbird. We'd been expecting their imminent return. I…
- I Believe We'll Bag Some Bunnies by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2013, 03:00
Right around Easter, Michelle started finding snowshoe hare tracks on our trail. Ironically, so close to a holiday known for its cotton tailed mascot, we began…
- Minke in March by: Mark Zeiger
March 30, 2013, 03:00
Yesterday, I'd just returned to the cabin with a load of firewood. I took it out to dry on our "Power Point," the ridge of rock that houses our wind generator…
- Goat on the Ridge? by: Mark Zeiger
March 25, 2013, 03:00
Recently, a neighbor told me some interesting news: people have seen signs that a mountain goat has visited our ridge. The ridge is a fairly gentlly sloping…
- Walkin' My Baby Back Home by: Mark Zeiger
February 22, 2013, 03:00
Yesterday afternoon, I prepared to walk Michelle home from work. I brought down my hunting rifle and loaded it, strapped my best headlamp to my forehead, and…
- That Moosey Feeling by: Mark Zeiger
February 16, 2013, 03:00
"Watch out for moose today, okay?" Michelle said this to me as she prepared to leave for work on Tuesday morning. I knew she hadn't really been outside yet,…
- Attitude Adjustment through Animism by: Mark Zeiger
January 31, 2013, 03:00
On a summer day, a friend and I stood on the cobble beach of Mud Bay, pulling crabs from the floor of my canoe and butchering them on the rocks. I worked…
- Quiet Thrills by: Mark Zeiger
November 12, 2012, 03:00
Our homestead is usually pretty quiet, but lately, it's been downright silent. As far as we know, we're the only people on our side of the peninsula right now.…
- Pandemonium on the Porch by: Mark Zeiger
September 7, 2012, 07:12
We spent Wednesday in town, staying late because of tides. We arrived home as dark fell in the forest, and, as we often do, we let Spice out onto the porch. …
- Carrot Thief by: Mark Zeiger
September 3, 2012, 03:00
A carrot thief appears to be working the neighborhood. We hear that a black bear has been visiting gardens around the peninsula stealing carrots and beets. I…
- These Magic Moments by: Mark Zeiger
August 9, 2012, 10:54
On Tuesday, Aly and I experienced some magical moments on the homestead. Up until today, we've had heavy rain and very calm weather, creating a lot of fog.…
- Otter Neighbors by: Mark Zeiger
August 4, 2012, 03:00
The other day I noticed some movement down on the edge of our rocks. A couple of river otters had climbed ashore to have lunch. A couple of otters stopped…
- A Curious Crow by: Mark Zeiger
July 23, 2012, 03:00
When I arrived home from town on Thursday, I heard whales blowing off the beach, so I dropped my pack at the cabin door and went down to our "veranda" to see…
- Visitors, Welcome and Otherwise by: Mark Zeiger
July 15, 2012, 13:39
In the last week or so we've seen a lot of visitors on the homestead. Most were welcome, even expected. One other was neither. Just after Independence Day,…
- Calf Encounter by: Mark Zeiger
July 6, 2012, 03:00
A few evenings ago, we were all preparing for bed about 10:30. Spice, our cat, was going ape, meowing and tearing around the house. This isn't unusual, as she…
- New Tenants by: Mark Zeiger
June 26, 2012, 03:00
To our surprise, someone finally showed interest in a rental property we've had "on the market" for several years. A family of chickadees moved into one of the…
- Great Bungling Bullwinkles! by: Mark Zeiger
May 5, 2012, 03:00
Thursday morning Michelle and I hiked to the road. She had work, and I had a training for a new contract. As we loaded our packs in the car, we looked down at…
- The Herring are Here. Now What? by: Mark Zeiger
May 1, 2012, 03:00
For the last couple of days, we've suspected that the herring have arrived, but because of the choppy conditions, we haven't been able to confirm this by…
- An Unusual Wildlife Sighting by: Mark Zeiger
April 10, 2012, 03:00
We see a lot of wildlifeon and around our homestead, from shrews to whales. We live close to animals that many people spend big bucks and travel hundreds of…
- Tough Love by: Mark Zeiger
March 25, 2012, 09:17
The moose calf we assume to be an orphan has been hanging around the homestead the last couple of days. Michelle encountered her a couple of times on outhouse…
- Moose Mobilization by: Mark Zeiger
February 18, 2012, 03:00
The moose are on the move. It's common, in winter, to hear of increased moose encounters in Alaska's interior. Heavy snows make the moose seek browse along…
- Whales in Winter by: Mark Zeiger
December 15, 2011, 06:52
One of the more thrilling features of life on our homestead is our close proximity to humpback whales. We regard this as a seasonal phenomenon. Generally…
- Moose Mischief by: Mark Zeiger
December 8, 2011, 03:00
They say a man's home is his castle. In that case, mine's under siege. As I predicted, we grew tired of beating pots as we moved about the homestead to ward…
- The Little Drummer Boy by: Mark Zeiger
December 4, 2011, 03:00
As of Friday afternoon, when I need to relieve myself, I head outside with a pot and metal spoon. Whatever I do outdoors, as I walk around the property, I beat…
- Side Benefits of Chimney Sweeping by: Mark Zeiger
October 7, 2011, 03:00
I had just finished sweeping the chimney last Sunday. I refastened the wire harness that secures the chimney cap, and started to ease the cramps in my leg…
- "Time Stirs with Her Slow Spoon" by: Mark Zeiger
September 27, 2011, 03:00
Tonight is the new moon. If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for another poem, Bone Poem. As…
- Buff Bufo Boreous by: Mark Zeiger
August 6, 2011, 03:00
The other day Michelle encountered our garden toad once again. She questions whether it's the same toad she found in June, or a different one. This one, she…
- Otter Outing by: Mark Zeiger
August 2, 2011, 03:00
When Aly arrived home Friday evening for a weekend visit, we were just in time. Walking through the yard I heard a sharp tweeting sound, similar to, but…
- Bats by: Mark Zeiger
July 30, 2011, 03:00
July has two new moons, one on July 1st, the other today. I've been looking, but have not found a term for this. I would have thought the term "blue moon"…
- Smash 'N' Grab, Alaska Style by: Mark Zeiger
July 24, 2011, 06:02
Any groceries brought into the property need to be canoed around Point Comfort if tide and winds serve, or packed in on our backs. While we try to bring…
- The Pitter Patter of REALLY Tiny Feet by: Mark Zeiger
July 15, 2011, 03:00
Michelle made a discovery recently that made us feel better at first, but now we're not so sure. When we first started hearing ants in the walls this summer,…
- Buck Moon - Living with Bugs by: Mark Zeiger
July 14, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, today is the full moon (at least in my time zone) so let's read Buck…
- More Trapline Tales by: Mark Zeiger
July 3, 2011, 03:00
Some people feel that it's wrong to trap mice, voles, and other garden pests, but for us, it's essential. Every mouthful of food we get from the garden is one…
- Trapline Tales by: Mark Zeiger
July 2, 2011, 03:00
As summer continues, so do the "varmint wars" as we fight the local rodents over our garden produce. A neighbor recently asked about traps, which got me kind…
- Entering the Kingdom by: Mark Zeiger
July 1, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, tonight is the new moon, the day to read Entering the Kingdom. This is…
- Raccoons - An Extra Twelve Moons Poem by: Mark Zeiger
June 27, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, today is the day to read one of the extra poems, that's not matched to a…
- Preparing for Porcupine by: Mark Zeiger
June 24, 2011, 03:00
The porcupine population is on the rise, they say, and we're getting ready. For years, pretty much every summer since the one time we saw a porcupine on the…
- Bears and Rumors of Bears by: Mark Zeiger
June 23, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it's the first quarter moon, and time to read another poem, The Truro…
- A Hermit Thrush's Nest by: Mark Zeiger
June 20, 2011, 09:20
The other day I found egg shells behind the cabin, a couple small sections of light blue shell. I collected them on a little sushi plate and took them…
- "Murder" in the Forest by: Mark Zeiger
June 12, 2011, 03:00
A while back, Aly discovered a three-toed woodpecker nest on the trail, a ways above our trail head on Mud Bay. In a round hole 15 feet up in a small hemlock…
- With Friends Like These . . . by: Mark Zeiger
June 11, 2011, 03:00
Our interaction with the local ravens has increased recently, for better and worse. Unlike the ravens that frequent towns, our ravens are relatively mild…
- A Boreal Toad in the Garden by: Mark Zeiger
June 9, 2011, 03:00
Last Friday, Michelle made a very welcome discovery in the garden: a boreal toad. This is the second one she's found here. The first one appeared last…
- "Who Sights It, Writes It" by: Mark Zeiger
June 8, 2011, 03:00
We generally engage in low-level competition around here, taking pride in being the one to spot local wildlife. That enthusiasm doesn't seem to extend to…
- Mystery Bird Returns to the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
June 2, 2011, 03:00
As I wrote last year, I have to relearn most of the local bird songs each year in order to identify them. This year, I seem to have lost one of them. The song…
- Summer Invaders by: Mark Zeiger
May 31, 2011, 03:00
Summer's in full swing on the homestead. We realized that not when the garden began to flourish, not when the weather felt right (warm and overcast—wow, it…
- Slow Shrews by: Mark Zeiger
May 26, 2011, 07:39
Normally, as we roam about the homestead and the surrounding forest, we often see brief flashes of movement, small gray streaks along the ground barely…
- Blood Lust II by: Mark Zeiger
May 23, 2011, 09:07
Happily, the squirrel war I instigated Saturday may be short lived. I seem to have broken up the clan that had been nesting in the shed and causing a fuss…
- Blood Lust by: Mark Zeiger
May 22, 2011, 03:00
"Every once in a while, the squirrels get out of hand, and we had to shoot them all." So read the "owner's manual" the family who built our homestead wrote for…
- Visitors Have Arrived - Cue the Whales by: Mark Zeiger
May 18, 2011, 03:00
An open letter to the whales of Lynn Canal: Okay guys, help me out here. The in-laws are visiting from "outside" for the first time in three years. Dad…
- Our Summer's First Hermit Thrush by: Mark Zeiger
May 9, 2011, 08:10
This morning, Michelle and i sat at the table, enjoying a morning hot drink and gazing out the window. We noticed a newcomer to the front yard, a fairly…
- Bears in the City by: Mark Zeiger
May 5, 2011, 06:26
Alaska-connected folk singer, Katie Henry, recorded a funny song called Bears in the City that was pretty popular in Juneau. I thought of it the other day when…
- "Wermine" Visits the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
April 21, 2011, 10:31
A few days ago we had a surprise visitor to the homestead: a short tailed weasel. We often see weasels around the homestead, sometimes up close, but it's been…
- Sea Lions in Action by: Mark Zeiger
April 15, 2011, 03:00
The sea lions have begun roaming up and down Lynn Canal in noisy gangs. They pass back and forth in front of our homestead most months of the year, alone, in…
- A Minke Whale Returns to Upper Lynn Canal by: Mark Zeiger
April 12, 2011, 03:00
Yesterday morning, Aly commented that she saw a porpoise out in Lynn Canal. A while later I glanced up and saw the same thing, but recognized right away that…
- A Dramatic New Flight Pattern by: Mark Zeiger
April 6, 2011, 03:00
Lately we've noticed a change over—or, to be more precise—beside the cabin. Bald eagles have started passing low, swooping upward across the gap in the…
- Awakening Seas by: Mark Zeiger
March 28, 2011, 03:00
Our local waters are beginning to be repopulated as spring advances. The humpback whales have returned, although the brief sightings are still somewhat rare. A…
- Charged By a Moose by: Mark Zeiger
February 23, 2011, 03:00
Greetings from "Pamplona on the Pacific." Halfway through a second cup of coffee yesterday, I heard ice crunching in the yard. I looked up and saw a pair of…
- Killer Whales Came in Close! by: Mark Zeiger
February 6, 2011, 03:00
On Friday afternoon, while catching up the blog, I glanced out the window and saw a killer whale go by. We see them now and then, and have come to expect them…
- The Sea Lions are Up to Something by: Mark Zeiger
January 21, 2011, 03:00
Lately, our neighbors, the sea lions, are partying hard. Something's going on in their community. They've been around a fair amount lately, but the recent…
- Moose Mysteries and Coyote Conundrums by: Mark Zeiger
January 8, 2011, 03:00
We're puzzling over signs in the yard. At lunch yesterday we realized that a path in front of the house is littered with fresh moose nuggets. What has us…
- Christmas Visitors by: Mark Zeiger
December 27, 2010, 03:00
Christmas, like most things in life, is what you make it. Our Christmas Day was wonderful! A day that, even more than on regular days, was devoted to family…
- Squirrel Condo Approved by: Mark Zeiger
October 5, 2010, 03:00
The squirrels really seem to be enjoying the new condominium I built them in the wood shed. That had not been my intention. I thought I was stowing firewood…
- Autumn Magic Part 2 - Loon Migration by: Mark Zeiger
October 4, 2010, 03:00
On the last day of September, Aly called down to me from her bedroom. She had seen something out her window, and wanted to share. "There are 7 loons out in…
- The Squirrels are Going Nuts! by: Mark Zeiger
September 21, 2010, 03:00
Signs of a coming winter are apparently not lost on our local red squirrels. Not the most sedate of neighbors at the best of times, these bossy, high strung…
- Decorating for Moose by: Mark Zeiger
August 26, 2010, 03:00
The other day as we hiked home from town, we discovered moose tracks on the trail—lots of them. From the looks of things, we had a crowd of moose crisscrossin…
- Ermine Tales by: Mark Zeiger
August 21, 2010, 03:00
Michelle's recent encounter with a short tailed weasel on the beach has recalled other encounters on and near our homestead. Early birds reading yesterday's…
- Never Tease a Weasel - A Brief Visit with a Neighbor by: Mark Zeiger
August 20, 2010, 03:00
This isn't my story to tell, but if I don't write it down, it may never be told. The other evening, Michelle was out on our beach, finishing up some laundry…
- Hawk Silhouettes for the Birds by: Mark Zeiger
August 6, 2010, 03:00
Our cabin has two large, beautiful picture windows that unfortunately present a hazard to our local birds. One window, in particular, seems to be a problem.…
- A Boreal Toad Calls the Homestead Home by: Mark Zeiger
August 4, 2010, 03:00
A few days ago, Michelle came into the house with her hands cupped. Moving quickly to the table, she asked me to pull out the camera and take a picture of what…
- Reemay: Gotta Have It! by: Mark Zeiger
July 27, 2010, 03:00
A couple of years ago, Michelle noticed movement out by the garden. I went out to investigate, and found that a local red squirrel had decided the reemay…
- Hubris by: Mark Zeiger
July 23, 2010, 03:00
We knew our wild neighbors were getting out of hand in the garden, but we didn't realize things had gotten this bad! The other day Michelle took some seeds out…
- Mess With Our Strawberries, and I’ll Go "Farmer McGregor" on Your Ass! by: Mark Zeiger
July 14, 2010, 03:00
Our strawberries started ripening last week, putting us on high alert against garden raiders. We'd been braced for the voles that have troubled us in the past,…
- Singing Lessons by: Mark Zeiger
July 13, 2010, 03:00
Last year at about this time, we began asking each other who had been trying to imitate the local songbirds. We each had heard rather poorly executed bird…
- Whales Sound "All Clear" by: Mark Zeiger
July 10, 2010, 03:00
I once discussed with a neighbor an irony of living with the local whales. They come so close to our beach so often, yet when we have visitors to the homestead,…
- "You Kids Get OFF My Lawn!" by: Mark Zeiger
July 7, 2010, 03:00
At least one raven couple nests near our cabin, so we've become accustomed to seeing one or the other of them drift down to the rocks in front of the veranda,…
- Chasing Bears or Butterflies by: Mark Zeiger
July 6, 2010, 03:00
While we were in town to celebrate Independence Day with Beth and Kim, we took Marissa out to Chilkoot River to see some bears. I got talked into it, but I…
- Hummingbird Update - New Kids on the Block by: Mark Zeiger
June 24, 2010, 07:52
The homestead's primary viewing entertainment has entered a new chapter. The new generation of local hummingbirds appears to have fledged, and, like most…
- When I Am "Outside" I Shall Wear Red and Blue by: Mark Zeiger
June 16, 2010, 03:00
On Monday, working toward my resolution to read a poem a day this year, I read Jenny Joseph's delightful poem, Warning - When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear…
- The Hummingbirds are At It Again by: Mark Zeiger
June 13, 2010, 03:00
There's a popular bumper sticker in Alaska that reads: "Alaska girls kick ass!" This is definitely true, particularly if one is speaking of female rufous…
- Eagle Vs. "Mystery Creature" by: Mark Zeiger
June 12, 2010, 03:00
One of my favorite things about fishing off our rocks is the ringside seat it provides. Often I'm joined in my fishing efforts by bald eagles that live and…
- Horse Flies and Deer Flies by: Mark Zeiger
June 7, 2010, 03:00
We knew they'd come eventually. The predominantly sunny, warm weather had to bring horse flies and deer flies sooner or later, and now they're here in…
- The Bears are Back in Town by: Mark Zeiger
June 6, 2010, 03:00
We'd heard from neighbors that a moose had a pair of twin calves on the little peninsula between Mud Bay and Viking Cove, where a huge mansion sits. The other…
- Living with Carpenter Ants by: Mark Zeiger
May 27, 2010, 03:00
As I sit at the table working on the computer, a very slight noise attracts my attention. A minute ticking I hear in the walls could be the cabin logs…
- Mother/Child Tours of the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
May 25, 2010, 03:00
Saturday morning we arose to find unexpected footprints in the door yard. As we examined them, we found more and more, all over our homestead and extending on…
- Ptalking Ptrash with a Ptarmigan by: Mark Zeiger
May 21, 2010, 03:00
On our recent trip to Fairbanks, we saw a lot of willow ptarmigan. Going over the pass to Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Canada, we must have seen 50 each…
- Attack of the Slime Molds by: Mark Zeiger
May 11, 2010, 03:00
Of all the inhabitants of our local forests, perhaps none is weirder than the slime mold. Imagine, if you will, hiking through the forest and coming upon a…
- A Shy Summer Neighbor - the Hermit Thrush by: Mark Zeiger
May 7, 2010, 03:00
Last year at this season, I stood in the dooryard, getting some fresh air and checking the weather. A small songbird ran around on the far edge of our…
- Our Rowdy Neighbors, the Sea Lions by: Mark Zeiger
May 6, 2010, 03:00
The neighbors are at it again. Loud parties at all hours, noisy fights that threaten to spill across the property line, intimidating stares . . . and absolutely…
- Loving Loons by: Mark Zeiger
May 4, 2010, 03:00
It feels like homecoming, with all the birds returning to our area. The latest arrival actually never really left, but changed plumage with the season, and…
- Catnip Napper (Nipper?) by: Mark Zeiger
May 2, 2010, 03:00
Michelle noticed recently that the catnip growing at the base of our cherry saplings has been attacked by an unknown assailant. The other plants, including…
- Hummingbird Wars by: Mark Zeiger
April 28, 2010, 03:00
If you have hummingbirds around your home, you know how fascinating these tiny birds are. For all their apparent ineffable delicacy, they are tough little…
- "Whale Day" by: Mark Zeiger
April 26, 2010, 03:00
The herring run continues in fits and starts. They've spawned in Mud Bay, but continue to cruise our rocks in small shoals. The eulachon (more commonly called…
- Bachelor Pod by: Mark Zeiger
April 20, 2010, 03:00
The herring are here, but they're hitting pretty lightly off our beach. We're not too concerned, as they tend to continue shoaling off our beach long after…
- A Family Affair: Humpbacks and Killer Whales Feeding Together by: Mark Zeiger
April 19, 2010, 03:00
Saturday evening we saw something that might not be that unusual, but we'd never seen it before, nor had we ever heard or read of such a thing. Movement about…
- Birdsongs 101 - A Class that Bears Repeating by: Mark Zeiger
April 18, 2010, 03:00
One of the most reassuring results of a scientific study I've ever heard indicates that songbirds must relearn their distinctive songs each year. This comforts…
- Coffee With a Whale by: Mark Zeiger
April 17, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday morning, I sat on the edge of our rocks. Cats paws rippled the water's still surface; pale sunshine bathed the mountains and me, while wisps of cloud…
- Hummingbird Homecoming by: Mark Zeiger
April 16, 2010, 03:00
Wednesday morning at breakfast we had an unexpected, but very welcome visitor to the homestead: a male rufous hummingbird appeared in front of our window to…
- Return of the Humpback Whales Foreshadows "The Next Big Thing" by: Mark Zeiger
April 10, 2010, 03:00
This morning, a humpback whale appeared very close to our rocks. This is the first baleen whale we've seen since January. Though they have arrived earlier in…
- April and May - Southeast Alaska's Prime Time by: Mark Zeiger
April 6, 2010, 03:00
Whenever anyone asks us when they should visit the homestead, we always urge them to come at this time of year, in April or May. This is probably when…
- Celebrating Easter - No Ravens Allowed by: Mark Zeiger
April 4, 2010, 03:00
On this Easter Sunday, children and the young at heart all across the nation are hunting Easter eggs. In Alaska, those who do so face stiff competition from…
- Am I Crying Wolf? by: Mark Zeiger
March 28, 2010, 03:00
Hiking to the road yesterday, a set of tracks arrested our attention: canine prints larger than we usually see on the peninsula, either from the local coyotes…
- Have the Moose Committed to Eating Locally? by: Mark Zeiger
March 25, 2010, 03:00
The moose cow and her calf continue to linger on the peninsula. Tuesday, hiking home, we passed them as they browsed near the trail. First thing the next…
- Wild Swans in the Chilkat River Valley by: Mark Zeiger
March 21, 2010, 03:00
On Monday, March 15th, we took a trip up the Chilkat River Valley. On the way home, we saw the wild swans that tend to winter in the area. A pair of them were…
- Following Otter, Meeting Moose by: Mark Zeiger
March 18, 2010, 03:00
Early yesterday morning, as I dreamed of following deer over the knoll, moose visited the yard again. A cow and calf came through the dooryard, revisiting the…
- Shrews Like Popcorn? by: Mark Zeiger
February 17, 2010, 03:00
Shrews are classified as insectivores, which implies they eat mostly insects, arthropods, and invertebrates like snails and earthworms. Some species of shrews…
- Living With Spiders by: Mark Zeiger
February 16, 2010, 03:00
I have friends who hate me for saying this, but naturalists tell us that no human being is ever more than three feet away from a spider. Here on the homestead,…
- Rethinking the Coyote's Visit in Light of Natural Pest Control by: Mark Zeiger
February 4, 2010, 03:00
A recent daylight visit to our homestead by a local coyote had us somewhat concerned. We don't foresee any danger, but it's unwise to become complacent about…
- Killer Whales in Lynn Canal by: Mark Zeiger
February 3, 2010, 03:00
Sunday afternoon we watched a flock of Barrows goldeneyes, a type of sea duck, fish off our rocks. The current tide cycle's highs are around 20 feet, so they…
- A January Whale by: Mark Zeiger
January 28, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday afternoon, just before dark, we'd all gathered in the living room. Intent on various projects, it took a moment for a familiar sound to register.…
- An Uneasy Peace in the Moose Wars by: Mark Zeiger
January 27, 2010, 03:00
They're gone for now, but they may be back! If so, we've vowed to be ready for them. The moose came back late Monday night. Michelle and I were still up.…
- Moose In the Yard by: Mark Zeiger
January 26, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday morning, Michelle and I lingered over our morning mug up, chatting about plans for a new fire pit on the beach and enjoying the sunlight streaming in…
- Coyote In the Compound by: Mark Zeiger
January 20, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday, when we came home from a trip to town, Aly found tracks near the outhouse. They were so small she guessed they were marten tracks, but they were…
- A Different Kind of Year in Review: Whale Reports by: Mark Zeiger
January 3, 2010, 03:00
I grumble at Christmas time about the family newsletter we traditionally write. A cousin appropriately dubbed it "the Christmas term paper," a major writing…
- An Unwelcomed Visitor to the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
December 16, 2009, 07:50
The other day we saw an animal on our property we hadn't expected: a small, black, long haired house cat. Currently, none of our neighbors have house cats,…
- These Are the Halcyon Days by: Mark Zeiger
December 15, 2009, 01:00
To my surprise, these are the Halcyon Days! This term, which we now use to describe a more peaceful, idyllic past or calm period, comes to us from the Greeks.…
- Applying Girl Watching Strategy to Wildlife Viewing by: Mark Zeiger
December 1, 2009, 06:00
I love to watch people. I especially like to “girl watch.” I enjoy seeing attractive women of any age—I admit it. I also love viewing wildlife. I had a…
- Screams on the Beach by: Mark Zeiger
October 11, 2009, 16:08
Early one Sunday morning a year ago, Michelle and I heard screams. We had stepped out briefly into the cold, wet day, neither dressed nor prepared to stay…
- For the Birds by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Off-the-Grid Power (53)
- Time to Unwind by: Mark Zeiger
May 18, 2013, 06:06
Just when I thought the general weirdness of our wind generator had finally settled for a bit, a new twist appeared. One morning, a breeze developed from…
- DC Cheat Sheet by: Mark Zeiger
April 17, 2013, 03:00
In the last post I complained about searching for basic electrical information, such as wire color coding, in the middle of an electrical project. This…
- Confessions of an Electrophobe (Part 2) by: Mark Zeiger
April 15, 2013, 03:00
In my last post, I cracked my facade of cool, logical, competent home electrician, calmly installing a set of 12 volt outlets in our cabin. The confession…
- Confessions of an Electrophobe (Part 1) by: Mark Zeiger
April 13, 2013, 03:00
After a faithful reader commented on how easy I'd made my 12 volt outlet installation sound, I joked that that was because I'm the one who writes the blog. H…
- New 12 Volt Outlets for the Cabin by: Mark Zeiger
April 11, 2013, 03:00
We have found a set of 12 volt outlets to be very useful in our off-the-grid cabin. While we have an inverter to provide our AC power needs, there's little…
- Buried Treasure? by: Mark Zeiger
March 9, 2013, 03:00
When we first moved to the homestead, the outhouse sheltered the electrical system. The battery bank took up one end of the small building, and the wind…
- Fermentation by: Mark Zeiger
February 4, 2013, 03:00
At present, our cabin is a fermentation center. We've got three major ferments underway. Around Christmas, the sourdough starter reached an intensity best…
- Courage by: Mark Zeiger
January 27, 2013, 03:00
I have had far too many opportunities in these last few weeks to meditate on the meaning and qualities of courage. This lifestyle requires courage on many…
- Demonstrating Flexibility by: Mark Zeiger
January 25, 2013, 03:00
Things rarely go according to plan. The last few days have been busy. Major projects that we thought were finished developed new twists; others we planned…
- We DID IT!: Fixing the Generator by: Mark Zeiger
January 19, 2013, 07:06
After some gales that exceeded predicted wind speeds, we got our chance to fix the wind generator. Waiting for the opportunity was particularly harrowing…
- The Curse is REAL! by: Mark Zeiger
January 16, 2013, 03:00
I find that there's only one rational conclusion to be made: The "January Curse" is real! Tuesday, a week after I sent the first email to the Support…
- The January "Curse" Strikes Again by: Mark Zeiger
January 10, 2013, 03:00
Luckily, I'm not an overly superstitious person, or I'd be seriously freaking out. Once more, the early January "curse" has struck our homestead. In the wee…
- Procrastination Vs. "Empowerment" by: Mark Zeiger
January 3, 2013, 03:00
After we returned from our task, flushed with success and relief, Michelle thanked me for my patience. I thanked her for choosing to interpret my procrastina…
- Using Wind to Predict the New Year by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2012, 03:00
At the turning of the year, as I gather the coming year's astronomical data and track the weather, as we do at all times, I have been thinking of an old saying…
- Lighting a Candle in the Darkness by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2012, 03:00
Wednesday, Aly and I put a couple of strings of Christmas lights on the cabin. We did this mostly for ourselves, particularly to surprise Michelle, who came…
- If It's Chilling, I'm Stilling by: Mark Zeiger
December 1, 2012, 03:00
As our cold snap lingers, we burn the woodstove all day long. I'm using this to our advantage by setting up our juicer as a still on the woodstove's burner…
- Results Inconclusive by: Mark Zeiger
November 3, 2012, 03:00
As I predicted, I climbed the wind generator tower twice more to try to correct the problem with the furling. And, as is so often the case, the situation…
- Furling Follies by: Mark Zeiger
October 26, 2012, 03:00
On Wednesday, I told you how I intended to try to fix the wind generator. Since I intended to wait till the sun was fully up that day, I hiked part of the way…
- Wind, Wind Everywhere . . . by: Mark Zeiger
October 24, 2012, 06:24
With apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, lately we've had wind, wind everywhere, nor any puff to charge. Our high, dry, north winds continue to blow.…
- Clear Labeling Helps Brake the Wind Generator by: Mark Zeiger
October 12, 2012, 03:00
Not so very long ago, exchanges like the following were all too common in our cabin: "Stand by the brake, and turn it on as soon as I tell you!" "Wait,…
- Building a Homemade Wind Generator Brake by: Mark Zeiger
October 10, 2012, 03:00
Our home wind generator features a charge controller with a regulation feature, which the manufacturer claims eliminates the need for an actual brake for the…
- Internet Disconnect by: Mark Zeiger
June 11, 2012, 03:00
It must be the 21st Century if a homestead feels crippled when the Internet's down. But, that's what's happening, and that's exactly how it felt. Something…
- Feeling 100% by: Mark Zeiger
April 13, 2012, 08:41
At last, we got some wind! As much as we've been enjoying and taking advantage of the long period of sunny, calm weather, the lack of wind has put a serious…
- Please Stand By . . . by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2012, 08:30
A massive high pressure system continues to blanket our region. On the weather radio's current conditions report, station after station lists as "calm." The…
- Off-the-Grid Electricity: Maintaining the Balance of Power by: Mark Zeiger
March 17, 2012, 03:00
How sunny has it been lately? Thursday, just before the local Vernal Equinox, which falls today, I cut incoming power from the solar panels for a while! The…
- Solar "Extraction" by: Mark Zeiger
January 28, 2012, 03:00
In winter, we spend a lot of time keeping the solar panels free of snow and ice. Sometimes, like recently, rapid snowfall makes it a fruitless task. By the…
- The World Turned Upside Down by: Mark Zeiger
January 22, 2012, 03:00
Michelle and I sit in our cabin, more than a mile from the nearest road. Daytime highs have been below 14° for a week. A 60 knot storm (69 miles per hour)…
- 12-Volt Outlets by: Mark Zeiger
October 24, 2011, 03:00
I've spoken before of the flurry of new projects, small and large changes to our property since Aly went away to college. I refer to it as "Homestead 2.0."…
- Mary Oliver's The Lamps by: Mark Zeiger
September 4, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time to read the poem for today's first quarter moon, The Lamps.…
- Nuclear Energy Vs. Self Reliance by: Mark Zeiger
April 5, 2011, 03:00
I wrote a short version of the piece below for the Self Reliance Exchange about a year ago. I try not to comment on political issues, but considering that we…
- Wind Generator Problem Appears to be Solved by: Mark Zeiger
January 11, 2011, 08:54
The day we had trouble with the wind generator got even weirder. However, we seem to have solved the problem! Late in the morning, the generator just flat…
- Paranoia Surrounds a Dark Homestead Anniversary by: Mark Zeiger
January 10, 2011, 03:00
Sunday morning we listened anxiously to the wind generator, trying to sort out sounds that seemed new, but also uncomfortably familiar. As usual, since the…
- Update on Wind Generator Reflectors by: Mark Zeiger
October 30, 2010, 03:00
Since I decided to go to all the trouble of climbing the wind generator tower recently, to head butt the machine back into position, I wanted to make the most…
- Time to Head Butt the Wind Generator Again by: Mark Zeiger
October 28, 2010, 03:00
We had a "wind drought" recently, a few days when we had no wind. The timing was bad, as my book, Shy Ghosts Dancing, had just hit the bookstores in e-book…
- Time to Prepare the Oil Lamps for the Winter by: Mark Zeiger
October 12, 2010, 08:42
The days grow noticeably shorter, telling me it's time to prepare the oil lamps for the winter. Ironically, and to my personal disappointment, we don't use…
- Sewing Machine "Re-tread" by: Michelle Zeiger
September 4, 2010, 09:55
Recently we bought a Singer model #66 treadle sewing machine manufactured in 1918 and a treadle from a lovely lady in town. After buying the machine she…
- Reflectors Help Monitor the Wind Generator by: Mark Zeiger
September 1, 2010, 03:00
Generating our own power means monitoring the equipment, particularly the wind generator. Like any piece of machinery, it operates within certain limits: it…
- Using the Gas Generator by: Mark Zeiger
August 7, 2010, 03:00
The "wind drought" of the last couple of weeks has us contemplating drastic measures, namely, starting up the gas generator. Our three gas generators pulled…
- Irony Whups Me Upside the Head Once Again by: Mark Zeiger
August 1, 2010, 03:00
Hot on the heels of my griping about our satellite Internet system, it comes through in the pinch and saves the day! Friday, the Alaska Summer Research…
- The Charge Controller's Installed - Again by: Mark Zeiger
February 22, 2010, 03:00
Sunday afternoon I installed the charge controller for our wind generator. I didn't require much time, and the job went smoothly. It should—this is the third…
- A Day at the Beach - Passive Solar and Wind Power at Work by: Mark Zeiger
February 10, 2010, 03:00
Monday, a starry morning gave way to sunshine. The wind blew a steady 25 knots from the south. It was a classic alternative energy day, one that went beyond…
- Christmas Is Over - It Must be Time for Wind Generator Trouble! by: Mark Zeiger
January 19, 2010, 03:00
I recently told my brother that I am not the master of our off the grid power system, I am it's most humble and dedicated servant. Recently, I've had another…
- Storm Warnings by: Mark Zeiger
January 2, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday the New Year came in with a 50-knot storm from the north. The "wind drought" is now in reverse—we're working off the batteries without wind…
- Reemergion or Reemersion? by: Mark Zeiger
December 29, 2009, 08:58
Late last night, our “wind drought” ended. The weak northerlies that have prevailed since December 22nd finally strengthened enough to drive our wind…
- Christmas, Mother Night, and a Period of Low Power by: Mark Zeiger
December 27, 2009, 09:00
This Christmas has been unusual for its lack of wind. On the 22nd I wrapped up my Christmas communications, sending out our Christmas newsletter electronically,…
- Tracking the Homestead's Individual Winter Solstice by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2009, 11:54
This year's Winter Solstice, like last year's, arrived on a bright, clear day! That's always so gratifying. Just as we did last year, we tracked our solar…
- Heavy Weather Has Moved in Again by: Mark Zeiger
December 18, 2009, 12:57
Weather can change in a hurry around here! We had a good night and day of battery charging yesterday, but the wind slacked off in the evening. The…
- Foul Weather Friends - The Wind has Returned by: Mark Zeiger
December 17, 2009, 08:23
Maybe I shouldn't have talked about the Halcyon Days? Our season of calm came early this year. For about the last week or so, our wind forecasts have fallen…
- Time of Diminishing Returns From Our Solar Array by: Mark Zeiger
November 3, 2009, 07:15
We received a foot of snow in the first two days of November. Yesterday morning we went out again to sweep the solar panels. This chore reminds me that we're…
- “Pioneer Night”: Making Conservation and Emergency Preparedness Fun by: Mark Zeiger
October 26, 2009, 01:00
When we lived in Juneau, we developed a tradition that is so ironically juxtaposed to our current lifestyle that when friends remind us of it, we’re…
- The Hidden Cost of Convenience - Phantom Loads by: Mark Zeiger
September 28, 2009, 03:00
Converting from the average middle class, tied-to-the-grid home to our off-the-grid, alternative energy homestead opened our eyes to conservation measures like…
- How Sizing Our Battery Bank Led to Uncomfortable Truths About Our Lifestyle by: Mark Zeiger
September 26, 2009, 11:55
I get so tired of hearing people condemn alternative energy by saying the power is only available when the wind blows or the sun shines. This belief, like so…
- Off the Grid Electricity: The "Power" of Self Reliance by: Mark Zeiger
September 18, 2009, 10:42
Let me confess to you up front: I am not an electrician. I know very little about electricity. I survived a whole career requiring daily use of electronic…
- Time to Unwind by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Philosophy (45)
- The Importance of Family Meals by: Mark Zeiger
April 9, 2013, 03:00
Yet another recent study on the subject lends truth to what many of us consider common sense: sitting down to family meals is important to developing and…
- Attitude Adjustment through Animism by: Mark Zeiger
January 31, 2013, 03:00
On a summer day, a friend and I stood on the cobble beach of Mud Bay, pulling crabs from the floor of my canoe and butchering them on the rocks. I worked…
- A Fifth F and a Reassessment by: Mark Zeiger
January 18, 2013, 03:00
The other day, I misremembered Michelle's memnomic for leaving the house. She didn't list four Fs, she listed five. The fifth, that I had missed, was Franklin,…
- Early to Rise by: Mark Zeiger
December 7, 2012, 06:53
Our nearest neighbor is a singer/songwriter. An off-hand comment he once made on his creative process has had a very positive affect on my family and me. The…
- More on Thinking Little by: Mark Zeiger
November 7, 2012, 03:00
Previously, I wrote about the Wendell Berry's concept of Thinking Little. Along these same lines, an observation in Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible…
- Cursive Writing: A Dying Art Form? by: Mark Zeiger
October 4, 2012, 03:00
I wrote the following essay a few years ago in response to an online discussion about teaching handwriting in school. Most people advocated abolishing…
- "Think Little" by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2012, 09:16
I recently read Wendell Berry's excellent essay, Think Little (from A Continuous Harmony: Essays Cultural and Agricultural, check your local independent…
- "Loss of a Sense of Well Being" by: Mark Zeiger
July 11, 2012, 07:16
I should have known I was getting sick when I started feeling sad on Saturday. I chalked it up to being tired. We'd just come off the Independence day…
- Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Porcupine by: Mark Zeiger
June 9, 2012, 03:00
"Honi soit qui mal y pense" has always been one of my favorite sayings. The motto of The Order of the Garter (I had to look it up, too). The most literal…
- More on Being a Tourist in One's Own Town by: Mark Zeiger
May 28, 2012, 03:00
As I mentioned last time, I've been thinking about the importance of being a tourist in one's own town. That attitude is far more common here in Alaska, where…
- Be a Tourist in Your Own Town by: Mark Zeiger
May 26, 2012, 03:00
The recent visit with my in-laws reminded me of the importance of being a tourist in one's own town. Back in my 20s and early 30s, we lived a gypsy life. I…
- Avoiding “The Chilkoot Breast Stroke” by: Mark Zeiger
February 9, 2012, 03:00
With no road to our homestead, everything we bring in must be hauled. We bring it by canoe or pulk when we can, but most of it comes in on our backs. We rarely…
- Waiting for Perfection by: Mark Zeiger
February 5, 2012, 03:00
"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the…
- To Be or Not to Be by: Mark Zeiger
November 10, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s the full moon, time for Beaver Moon—The Suicide of a Friend. T…
- Sacred Places by: Mark Zeiger
October 3, 2011, 03:00
It's time for another Mary Oliver poem as part of my lunar calendar. It's also time for an apology. Every time I mention a new poem from the calendar, I…
- Mary Oliver's Poem for My Father's Ghost by: Mark Zeiger
September 15, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time to read one of the poem's not associated with a specific moon…
- Opening Up to Nature by: Mark Zeiger
August 17, 2011, 12:14
A reader named Joy recently commented on last year's post about our homestead anniversary. Her request for advice on how to create a life similar to ours, and…
- Mary Oliver's The Fawn - Outdoor Spirituality by: Mark Zeiger
June 1, 2011, 03:00
If you're following Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me, the poem for tonight's new moon is The Fawn. If I were to choose a single poem that…
- Words to Live By by: Mark Zeiger
February 21, 2011, 03:00
Recently, I've been reading quotes that ring particularly true for me. I don't know if this is synchronicity, or simply a case of running more general advice…
- Museum Meditation by: Michelle Zeiger
February 17, 2011, 03:02
I am visiting my parents in Bellingham, Washington. I am having a lovely time reminiscing and meeting their friends. On Sunday Mom and Dad took me to see the…
- A New Year Without Fear by: Mark Zeiger
January 1, 2011, 03:00
It would be trite, flowery, and over-dramatic to say that my days lately have been filled with poetry, but that is, in fact, the case. As 2010 came to a close,…
- Thanks Giving by: Mark Zeiger
November 4, 2010, 11:20
For the past month, my whole attention and energy seems to be absorbed by two intertwined projects, publishing a book of short stories, and setting up a new…
- The Noise in the Forest by: Mark Zeiger
October 21, 2010, 03:00
When I began discussing fear on the blog recently, I stated that I don't scare easily. I do startle easily—this quiet lifestyle lends itself to startling…
- What Is Scary? by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2010, 03:00
I’ve been thinking a lot about the nature of fear lately, for two reasons. First, my short story collection, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast…
- Anticipation by: Mark Zeiger
October 13, 2010, 03:00
Most years, for my birthday, my in-laws send a gift check. The one stipulation they place on it (besides, you know, "cash it sometime this year, please!") is…
- Do My Words Convey What I Feel? by: Michelle Zeiger
September 10, 2010, 03:00
While writing my recent post, Channeling My Grandmother, I realized my words did not convey the feeling that I associate with those memories. I can relate…
- Thursday's Child Has Far To Roam . . . by: Aly Zeiger
September 9, 2010, 03:00
I’ve had a busy summer this year. As Dad has mentioned, I spent two weeks in the interior, learning about Archaeology through UAF’s summer program, and…
- "Meatless Monday" and Our Place in the Mainstream by: Mark Zeiger
August 12, 2010, 03:00
We listened with amusement and bemusement to a recent radio news report about a new campaign to help Americans to cut down on saturated fats by instigating…
- Further Thoughts on Swimming Vs. Drowning by: Mark Zeiger
July 11, 2010, 03:00
When I posted about being thrown upon one's own resources versus deliberately choosing that route, I began to think it over again (I wrote most of that post…
- Swimming Vs. Drowning by: Mark Zeiger
July 9, 2010, 03:00
A while back, Clair Schwan, the originator of Self Reliance Works, used us as an example of living on reduced resources. He compared us favorably to another…
- Time to Break Up the Team by: Mark Zeiger
June 15, 2010, 03:00
The time has come to break one of our family's most important rules: Don't break up the team. As I've explained previously, this rule started because…
- Chopin and Shoals by: Mark Zeiger
May 22, 2010, 03:00
Living on a homestead in the age of the personal music player, I often ask the question: should nature be enjoyed unaccompanied whenever possible, or does…
- Denying "Reality" by: Mark Zeiger
April 15, 2010, 03:00
We just made a pretty big decision that has been on our minds since February, and are relieved to have done so. A respectable television network offered us a…
- Modifying Cat Behavior and Personal Firearm Responsibility by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2010, 03:00
Michelle returned from town recently and presented me with a pair of pistols. I admired their heft, the quality of the maker's craft, and their action. They…
- "Everyone's Okay." by: Mark Zeiger
March 17, 2010, 03:00
"Everyone's okay." Funny how that phrase freezes my blood!Michelle and Aly hiked out yesterday morning to go to town. Michelle had a doctor appointment, and…
- Thoughts on Britain's "Weaponization" of Classical Music by: Mark Zeiger
March 7, 2010, 03:00
On Thursday, I read a disturbing article: Great Britain is using classical music to punish unruly youth. Days later, I'm still thinking about it. Ironically,…
- Words to Live By by: Mark Zeiger
February 18, 2010, 03:00
A daily feature of my Franklin Planner is an "inspirational" quote. I quote inspirational, because they favor a few sources with which I vehemently disagree—i…
- Thanks Mom and Dad! by: Michelle Zeiger
February 14, 2010, 03:00
The other night we watched Blast from the Past for the first time. It’s full of nostalgia for those of us who grew up in the ‘60s. In the movie, the…
- Our Review of Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet by: Mark Zeiger
January 8, 2010, 03:00
Living on a homestead, we’re very devoted to eating locally as much as possible. We share this interest with more and more people around the developed world…
- The Key to Simple Living - Appreciating the Present by: Mark Zeiger
January 7, 2010, 03:00
Our Christmas season ended last night at midnight. We have now returned to the every day. This in itself seems reason for celebration. I’ve been struggling…
- The Stone Boat and Other Irrational Behavior by: Mark Zeiger
December 11, 2009, 01:00
Last year I read what still seems the most important book I've read in a long time. The book is Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, by Ori…
- “I’ve always done it that way” – Thinking Critically about Habits by: Mark Zeiger
December 2, 2009, 01:00
“I’ve always done it that way.” That may be the most dangerous phrase in the English language! Humans are creatures of habit. Some habits place us on the…
- Self Discipline: The Key to Self Reliance by: Mark Zeiger
November 29, 2009, 01:00
Self Discipline. This is a good term, which, I confess I haven’t given a whole lot of thought until recently. It’s a phrase we hear all the time. I've…
- Sacred Coffee - Elevating the Habitual to the Mindful by: Mark Zeiger
November 22, 2009, 01:00
Lately I've been considering the problem of habit. For me, habit becomes problematic when the things I like to do become so ingrained that I do them without…
- Space and Time Enough for Family by: Mark Zeiger
November 8, 2009, 01:00
Since I was young, I've loved reading books set before the early 19th century. In many of them, if the owners of a large house, particularly one situated out…
- The Importance of Family Meals by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Reviews (34)
- Read These Books . . . BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! by: Mark Zeiger
December 11, 2012, 03:00
"The Mayan calendar ends December 21st, 2012." People cling to this idea. Despite all the studies that show that the Mayan system did not indicate that the…
- The Homestead Reference Library: Solar Living Source Book by: Mark Zeiger
March 7, 2012, 03:00
Some of the titles in our homestead reference library, including a few in our list of essential titles, have proven their value so well that they must be…
- The Homestead Reference Library: The Complete Rigger's Apprentice by: Mark Zeiger
February 13, 2012, 03:00
The Complete Rigger's Apprentice: Tools and Techniques for Modern and Traditional Rigging, by Brion Toss, is an important volume in our homestead reference…
- The Homestead Reference Library: The Alaskan Bootlegger's Bible by: Mark Zeiger
January 18, 2012, 03:00
For every human interest, there are those who participate, and those who watch from the sidelines, participating vicariously. These are known as "armchairs."…
- The Homestead Reference Library: The Complete Tightwad Gazette by: Mark Zeiger
October 21, 2011, 03:00
Recently, I introduced two enduring inspirations and guides to our frugal lifestyle, Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, and Amy…
- The Homestead Reference Library: Your Money or Your Life by: Mark Zeiger
October 13, 2011, 03:00
My family and I have been living frugally for a long time, longer than I sometimes realize. We've been at it so long, in fact, that our first sources of…
- The Homestead Reference Library: Essential Titles by: Mark Zeiger
October 2, 2011, 03:00
As a first post on the homestead reference library after introducing the topic and qualifying the statements to be made, perhaps I should go ahead and try to…
- Review: Self Sufficiency: A Complete Guide to Baking, Carpentry, (etc.) by: Mark Zeiger
August 25, 2011, 03:00
If you're a regular reader of this blog you might recall that I received a couple of books to review. I've previously reviewed The Complete Guide to Edible…
- A Portrait of Jennie Raises Uncomfortable Questions about Memory by: Mark Zeiger
August 4, 2011, 03:00
Tuesday night I watched A Portrait of Jennie, a very pleasant old movie that I've had on my list to see for a long time. So long, in fact, that finally seeing…
- Review: The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants by: Mark Zeiger
July 19, 2011, 03:00
As I told readers in the past, I recently received a couple of books to review. We've been using them for a while, evaluating them in a couple of different…
- An Overabundance of Oliver by: Mark Zeiger
July 11, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, today is another day to read an extra poem, one not matched to a particular…
- Book Reports by: Mark Zeiger
July 7, 2011, 06:55
Today or tomorrow, depending on your time zone, is the first quarter moon, time for another poem from Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons. Today's poem is Turtles. I…
- A New Book Chronicles Gold Rush-Era Shipwreck Near the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
June 25, 2011, 03:00
I just finished reading a great book about a local shipwreck: The Clara Nevada: Gold, Greed, Murder and Alaska's Inside Passage (check your local independent…
- Strawberry Moon by: Mark Zeiger
June 15, 2011, 06:07
Tonight is June's full moon. Mary Oliver's poem, for those readers who are reading her book, Twelve Moons, as a lunar calendar with me, is Strawberry Moon. I…
- W.S. Merk, BRIGHT SILENCE - A New Volume of Poetry by: Mark Zeiger
May 10, 2011, 10:55
Tonight is the first quarter moon, but there's no corresponding poem from Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons. But for me, that's okay right now, because my poetic…
- The Zeiger Family Homestead Blog in Print by: Mark Zeiger
April 22, 2011, 02:47
I mentioned recently that an expanded version of my blog post, Coffee with a Whale has been included in a brand new publication, New Homesteading. I received a…
- Comic Books as an Unschooling Resource by: Mark Zeiger
April 4, 2011, 03:00
Documenting Aly's unschooling education has been an ongoing process, but we allowed certain aspects of it to wait until she began applying to colleges. At the…
- Museum Meditation by: Michelle Zeiger
February 17, 2011, 03:02
I am visiting my parents in Bellingham, Washington. I am having a lovely time reminiscing and meeting their friends. On Sunday Mom and Dad took me to see the…
- Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as Lunar Calendar by: Mark Zeiger
January 2, 2011, 03:00
As I mentioned recently, in evaluating the fulfillment of last year's resolution to read a poem a day, I discovered something interesting about one of my…
- A Great Holiday Read: A West Coast Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 7, 2010, 03:00
This year, as I do every year, I struggle to find a really good "Christmas read," adult-level reading with a seasonal theme. This year, I'm returning to the…
- Thanks Giving by: Mark Zeiger
November 4, 2010, 11:20
For the past month, my whole attention and energy seems to be absorbed by two intertwined projects, publishing a book of short stories, and setting up a new…
- Back to School! by: Mark Zeiger
August 23, 2010, 03:00
I'm really glad Aly's an unschooler, because if she attended regular school, I'm not sure I could take it! I became so indoctrinated by institutional…
- Rediscovering Galway Kinnell by: Mark Zeiger
July 30, 2010, 03:00
More than halfway through the year, I'm managing to keep faithful to my New Year's Resolution to read a poem a day, every day. I even kept it up when we drove…
- My Father-in-Law has Released his Book of Poems by: Mark Zeiger
May 10, 2010, 03:00
A package arrived the other day that we've anticipated for a while. In fact, part of my resolution this year, the one to read a poem a day every day, relied…
- Review: Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by: Mark Zeiger
April 23, 2010, 03:00
Tomorrow the Haines library book club will discuss Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (check your local book store—you'll…
- Jenna Woginrich's Made from Scratch - Homesteading Now, Not Later by: Mark Zeiger
April 8, 2010, 03:00
In talking to people about our lifestyle, we commonly hear them say they'd like to do it when the time and conditions are right. If you're one of those people,…
- 2012 - The End of the World Turned Out to be Worth the Wait by: Mark Zeiger
March 19, 2010, 03:00
We finally got to see the big-budget disaster movie, 2012. It was worth the wait! I may have set my expectations low enough to end up being surprised. It isn't…
- Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me Brings the Homestead to a Weekly Stand Still by: Mark Zeiger
February 7, 2010, 03:00
Living semi-remotely on our homestead, we're secluded, which is not to say isolated . . . except on Saturday mornings. Every Saturday we take steps to isolate…
- Developing Critical Thinking through Play - Bananagrams by: Mark Zeiger
January 11, 2010, 03:00
This Christmas we received a game called Bananagrams. After playing it these past weeks, I’ve realized it’s an excellent way to learn critical thinking…
- Our Review of Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet by: Mark Zeiger
January 8, 2010, 03:00
Living on a homestead, we’re very devoted to eating locally as much as possible. We share this interest with more and more people around the developed world…
- The Stone Boat and Other Irrational Behavior by: Mark Zeiger
December 11, 2009, 01:00
Last year I read what still seems the most important book I've read in a long time. The book is Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, by Ori…
- Micheal Pollan's In Defense of Food - Straight Talk About Diet at Last by: Mark Zeiger
November 23, 2009, 01:00
I recently read In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, by Michael Pollan (available through your local bookstore). I highly recommend it! This might be the…
- The Innocents Abroad - Reading Mark Twain Aloud by: Mark Zeiger
November 14, 2009, 07:00
Shortly after telling you about how we like to read aloud, we picked out and started a new book. We're reading The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (available…
- Eating Alaska: A Documentary Explores "Eating Locally" in a Locale Not So Near You by: Mark Zeiger
October 7, 2009, 01:00
Late last January we hiked to town to see Eating Alaska, a documentary by Ellen Frankenstein (no, really!) about eating locally. Ellen, who lives in Sitka,…
- Read These Books . . . BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Seasons & Celebrations (197)
Observations of the seasons, particular holidays and special days.
- The Tide Turns by: Mark Zeiger
May 9, 2013, 03:00
The transition seems as abrupt as the flipping of a switch. On April 30th, on my way to town, I saw a sight in a neighbor's front yard that inspired me to…
- Spring Break by: Mark Zeiger
April 1, 2013, 03:00
Ours has been a somewhat unusual spring. After a mild winter, early spring turned cold. Looking back to previous years, marker after marker seems late: the…
- When It's Spring Time in Alaska . . . by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2013, 03:00
Ever since I can remember, I've heard Johnny Horton's Springtime in Alaska. My parents played his greatest hits record (check your local independent music…
- Saint Patrick's Day, Equinox, and Signs of Spring by: Mark Zeiger
March 17, 2013, 03:00
It's Saint Patrick's Day. Despite being largely Irish in my heritage (the last name doesn't necessarily indicate blood dominance) I've always thought of the…
- Groundhog Day, Alaska Style by: Mark Zeiger
February 2, 2013, 03:00
Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is the only weather-related "holiday" on the calendar. Considering our lifestyle, you'd think that would make it the high holy day…
- It's National [Illegible] Day by: Mark Zeiger
January 23, 2013, 03:00
In early December, I added the January pages to my Franklin-Covey planner. Each month I adjust my planner to contain the current month and the ones immediately…
- St. Distaff's Day by: Mark Zeiger
January 8, 2013, 03:00
Once upon a time, today was known as Saint Distaff's Day. The first and second working days after Twelfth Night marked the traditional return to regular work.…
- Using Wind to Predict the New Year by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2012, 03:00
At the turning of the year, as I gather the coming year's astronomical data and track the weather, as we do at all times, I have been thinking of an old saying…
- A Modest Proposal for Christmas Day by: Mark Zeiger
December 24, 2012, 03:00
Merry Christmas! The blog likely won't get updated tomorrow, or even the next day, as we keep Christmas on the Zeiger Family Homestead. If you happen to be…
- A Wild Winter Solstice by: Mark Zeiger
December 22, 2012, 09:36
Yesterday, in the 9:00 am hour, we huddled against the sheltering Power Point slope on our beach, wrapped in our warmest coats, watching the sun transit our…
- Lighting a Candle in the Darkness by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2012, 03:00
Wednesday, Aly and I put a couple of strings of Christmas lights on the cabin. We did this mostly for ourselves, particularly to surprise Michelle, who came…
- The Real Value of Homemade Gifts by: Mark Zeiger
December 19, 2012, 03:00
The phrase "homemade gift" can strike fear into the stoutest of hearts. We all act as if they are a good thing, but if hard pressed, relatively few people…
- Aly's Home for Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 17, 2012, 03:00
We are so glad to have Aly home again. Home is where you hang your Christmas stocking (Photo: Mark Zeiger).
- Celebrating the Light by: Mark Zeiger
December 13, 2012, 03:00
We have entered my favorite time of year, the Winter Solstice, midwinter, the darkest part of the year and the Christmas season where light and dark are…
- Fixing the Date by: Mark Zeiger
December 3, 2012, 03:00
The phrase "fixing the date" has always seemed a bit odd to me, but I've always understood its meaning. This year, however, we're using it in the sense of…
- A Home Craft Christmas Tree by: Mark Zeiger
November 23, 2012, 03:00
As is our tradition, the Zeiger Family Homestead Christmas season began Friday morning.This year, however, Michelle and I undertook a project that brought…
- The Wild Hunt by: Mark Zeiger
November 5, 2012, 03:00
Now, in the darkening days between Halloween and the beginning of the Christmas season, is said to be the time of the Wild Hunt. One of my favorite…
- October by: Mark Zeiger
October 1, 2012, 06:21
As I write this, skies are clear over the homestead. The first pale glow of dawn shows in the north, but the brighter stars are out: the constellation Orion,…
- Celebrating a Micro-Milestone by: Mark Zeiger
September 28, 2012, 03:00
I've spoken before about celebrating small events in our life. Recently, I found myself celebrating a really small event, a micro-milestone, if you will:…
- Wrap Myself in Autumn by: Mark Zeiger
September 16, 2012, 03:00
The time has come To wrap myself in Autumn Scratchy, heavy, and slightly Musty like an old wool blanket The season settles on and around me As comforting…
- Season's First Snow on the Mountains by: Mark Zeiger
September 10, 2012, 15:16
This morning, when the low clouds cleared off the mountains, we saw "termination dust," the first snows of the coming winter on the peaks of the Coast…
- Autumn Encroaches by: Mark Zeiger
August 16, 2012, 03:00
According to the method by which we observe the seasons, autumn came to the homestead more than two weeks ago. We've just passed the family event that make…
- 30 Years is Not Enough by: Mark Zeiger
August 14, 2012, 03:00
Today, Michelle and I celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. Like most of our celebrations, this one will be simple, low key, and will center around food.…
- Cheechako No More? Michelle Marks 20 Years as an Alaskan by: Mark Zeiger
July 12, 2012, 10:25
This morning, when I arranged my day according to my Franklin-Covey planner, I saw that today is the anniversary of Michelle and my move to Alaska. The…
- The Glorious Fourth by: Mark Zeiger
July 4, 2012, 03:00
Hey, Baby, It's the Fourth of July! Time for another good old-fashioned small town Independence Day. Today we're in town, hanging out with friends,…
- Spring Takes Hold by: Mark Zeiger
April 2, 2012, 07:58
Somewhere in the final days of March, we began to fell as if spring had finally taken hold. Although we still had plenty of snow on the ground, we had a run of…
- March Astronomical and Weather Trivia by: Mark Zeiger
March 3, 2012, 03:00
Here's a cool little coincidence: on this 3rd of March, the month named for the god Mars, the planet named after the same deity is in opposition to earth. That…
- Spring Changes: A New Homestead "Store" by: Mark Zeiger
February 1, 2012, 03:00
Spring is upon us, by our reckoning. I think this time I've finally figured it out. As I've mentioned often before, viewing the seasons from the ancient Celtic…
- Happy "Brewing!" by: Mark Zeiger
January 12, 2012, 03:00
I read recently that tomorrow, January 13th was once the date of the ancient festival called, simply, "Brewing." The ancient Celts saw the 13th as the…
- Twelfth Tide by: Mark Zeiger
January 6, 2012, 03:00
"Old Christmas is past Twelfth Tide is the last And we bid you adieu, Great joy to the new!" —The King, traditional English Christmas song Today is…
- 2012 by: Mark Zeiger
January 2, 2012, 03:00
Here it is, a brand new year. My impulse is to try to write something profound and inspirational about it. Perhaps I should assess the past year on the…
- Sleep Walking by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2011, 03:00
If you have been reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me through 2011, it’s time for the last poem of the year. In keeping with the…
- A White Day After Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 27, 2011, 03:00
Last autumn, the common prognostication called for this to be a colder winter, with a lot more snow. If that's the case, then we're in for it soon. Because, up…
- "I'm Afraid I was Making Rather Merry Yesterday, Sir!" by: Mark Zeiger
December 26, 2011, 03:00
Season's greetings! I try to post on this blog at least every other day, which means today, St. Stephen's Day, or Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, I should…
- A Poem for Christmas Eve by: Mark Zeiger
December 24, 2011, 03:00
Christmas Eve has come. Tonight is the new moon; if you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, tonight's poem is…
- A Blank Slate by: Mark Zeiger
December 23, 2011, 10:05
As I've tried to express in many different ways, the Christmas season is very important to us, full of major and minor holidays and observances. One of the…
- The Watches of the Longest Night by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2011, 08:00
The Winter Solstice has come, Midwinter's Night, or, for those completely out of touch with the reality of our hemisphere's seasons, "the first day of winter."…
- Stark County Holiday Ramblings by: Mark Zeiger
December 17, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for a Christmas poem for today's last quarter moon, Stark…
- You Want Breakfast in Bed? Go Get it Yourself! by: Mark Zeiger
December 13, 2011, 03:00
Today is St. Lucia Day, a little holiday within the Christmas season, observed primarily in Sweden. It has a lot to offer families around the world, particularl…
- First View and the Feast of St. Nicholas by: Mark Zeiger
December 6, 2011, 03:00
Today is the Feast of Saint Nicholas, a day we like to observe as part of our Christmas celebration. Yesterday, the Eve of Saint Nicholas, is a family…
- For Eleanor - Cancer at Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 2, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for another poem, for this month's first quarter moon, For…
- Now Comes Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
November 26, 2011, 03:00
Thanksgiving has passed, now comes Christmas, perhaps the highlight of our year. It started yesterday. We had spent Thanksgiving in town with friends,…
- Storm Season by: Mark Zeiger
November 24, 2011, 03:00
Happy Thanksgiving! If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s the new moon, time to read Storm. I've…
- Winter Sleep by: Mark Zeiger
November 2, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time another poem, this one for the first quarter moon: Winter…
- Hanging On to Halloween by: Mark Zeiger
October 28, 2011, 03:00
Halloween is here. We're facing our first major seasonal observance (I am of the generation taught not to refer to Halloween as a "holiday") without Aly, who…
- Falling Leaves by: Mark Zeiger
September 30, 2011, 07:04
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for another one of the poem's not associated with a specific…
- Looking for Mushrooms by: Mark Zeiger
September 23, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for another one of the poem's not associated with a specific…
- Fires of August by: Mark Zeiger
August 27, 2011, 03:00
As August draws to a close in our corner of Southeast Alaska it continues to imitate October very convincingly. We've already lit fires in the woodstove on…
- So Far, So Good by: Mark Zeiger
August 15, 2011, 05:53
The second week of August is one of celebrations for our family, important anniversaries that fall within a few days of each other. Generally, we try to set…
- Living Cyclically: Autumn Comes Again by: Mark Zeiger
August 1, 2011, 03:00
The problem with blogging about a life lived cyclically, in harmony with the seasons, is that the topics eventually become redundant. Today is Lughnasad, or…
- Turning Some Corner by: Mark Zeiger
July 22, 2011, 06:49
If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it's the last quarter moon in my time zone, possibly tomorrow in yours.…
- High Summer by: Mark Zeiger
June 21, 2011, 03:00
Today is the Summer Solstice, Litha, Midsummer's Day, the longest day of the year. Looking out my window as I write, it appears this will be a day to mark…
- On Fatherhood by: Mark Zeiger
June 19, 2011, 03:00
Father's Day, and my only child is far from home, participating in an archaeological field school in Canada. My plans today are to be petulant, surly, and…
- Remembrance by: Mark Zeiger
May 24, 2011, 16:24
It's the night of the first quarter moon, which means it's time to read another poem from Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons. Today's poem is Stone Poem. This will…
- "Royal Wedding" Photo and Twelve Moons by: Mark Zeiger
May 2, 2011, 03:00
As usually happens when we're having fun, Michelle and Aly didn't get enough photos taken of them at the "Royal Wedding" Luncheon benefit for the Chilkat…
- Summer's Just Come, Yet Seems Half-Gone by: Mark Zeiger
May 1, 2011, 03:00
It's May 1st, May Day, Beltane, the first day of summer by the Celtic calendar reckoning. Most years, it seems appropriately timed. This year, however, we're a…
- The Most Wonder-Full Time of the Year by: Mark Zeiger
April 28, 2011, 07:31
A certain phrase from a popular Christmas song has been going through my head lately. As much as I love Christmas, I have to say that here in our part of…
- Easter Eggs by: Mark Zeiger
April 24, 2011, 03:00
It's Easter Sunday. Among other celebratory activities, we'll be hiding eggs for Aly to find, perhaps for the last time, as she'll likely be away at college…
- Still Waiting for the Thaw by: Mark Zeiger
April 16, 2011, 09:14
Our weather has been fairly warm with a lot of sunshine lately. We feel like spring is here. However, we still see signs that we have a ways to go yet. Our…
- April, Come She Has by: Mark Zeiger
April 2, 2011, 09:09
Okay, so we're not really selling up and moving to Tuscany . . . . I can't remember the last time I even tried to pull off an April Fool's Day joke. I never…
- Early Equinox by: Mark Zeiger
March 18, 2011, 03:00
As I learned last year, even though the "official" Vernal Equinox, the time when we have equal amounts of darkness and daylight on our way to the Summer…
- A St. Patrick's Day Dish: Colcannon by: Mark Zeiger
March 17, 2011, 03:00
Like most Americans, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a "traditional" meal. I even have Irish ancestry. For us, the celebration centers around the evening…
- Spring Break by: Mark Zeiger
March 10, 2011, 10:20
Hard on the heels of my post expressing disbelief that spring could ever come again, something has shifted, changed—broken. Nothing dramatic has transpired…
- 6 to 8 Weeks by: Mark Zeiger
March 6, 2011, 03:42
Michelle has started planning this year's garden. I see this as a symbol of indomitable hope, as the homestead remains deep in the grip of bitter winter…
- An Alaskan Blessing by: Mark Zeiger
March 4, 2011, 08:43
Today is the new moon, which means it's time to read another poem from Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons. Today's poem is A Blessing. As a calendar, this is the time…
- March Arrives in Leonine Fashion by: Mark Zeiger
March 1, 2011, 03:00
March has arrived in classic form in our part of Southeast Alaska. Unlike last year, the month's "coming in" is distinctly leonine. The gales we've seen for…
- Celebrating Our Sourdough's Anniversary with Gingerbread by: Mark Zeiger
February 20, 2011, 03:00
Today our family strain of sourdough turns 19 years old. Aly has made 18-hour bread for the homestead, and we'll also likely have more of the sourdough…
- Driving Toward Spring by: Mark Zeiger
February 1, 2011, 03:00
Today (and/or tomorrow) is the ancient festival of Imbolc, the first day of spring by Celtic reckoning. As I reflected last year, this is the most elusive of…
- A New Year Without Fear by: Mark Zeiger
January 1, 2011, 03:00
It would be trite, flowery, and over-dramatic to say that my days lately have been filled with poetry, but that is, in fact, the case. As 2010 came to a close,…
- Making Spice-Scented Christmas Ornaments by: Mark Zeiger
December 30, 2010, 03:00
We have, for a long time, had a small Christmas ornament that I've really liked. It looks like a gingerbread cookie, but it smells of cinnamon, perfuming our…
- Christmas Visitors by: Mark Zeiger
December 27, 2010, 03:00
Christmas, like most things in life, is what you make it. Our Christmas Day was wonderful! A day that, even more than on regular days, was devoted to family…
- Surviving The 12 Days of Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 26, 2010, 03:00
Last Christmas, I laid out the "correct" way to count the Twelve Days of Christmas—if you want them to come out correctly at the end of the traditional…
- A Zeiger Family Homestead Christmas Reader by: Mark Zeiger
December 25, 2010, 03:00
Christmas Day is here! There's no way we're going to be on line today, too many more important things to do. For those of you who check the blog today,…
- A Thought for Christmas Eve by: Mark Zeiger
December 24, 2010, 03:00
Christmas Eve. Tonight is a Holy Night, whether you follow any religion, or none at all. Simply the fact that a large percentage of the world's population…
- In the Bleak Midwinter - Winter Solstice on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2010, 03:00
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan/earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone . . . . —Christina Georgina Rossetti, In the Bleak Midwinter …
- A Lost Day by: Mark Zeiger
December 20, 2010, 08:47
I'm fond of speaking of the Christmas season as a "time out of time," when the normal "rules" of time are warped, even disregarded. I seem to have gotten a…
- The Winter Solstice Approaches by: Mark Zeiger
December 18, 2010, 03:00
Our family's Christmas celebration is a complicated affair, pulling in days, events, and moments to celebrate from many different traditions. At the moment,…
- Halcyon Days are Here Again - Can't You Tell? by: Mark Zeiger
December 16, 2010, 03:00
The Halcyon Days, traditionally a two-week period of calm seas around the Winter Solstice, began yesterday. Typically, they were ushered in on Lynn Canal in…
- O Christmas Tree by: Mark Zeiger
December 15, 2010, 03:00
We had to delay putting up and decorating a Christmas tree this year, but I think it has been worth it. After a few transitional years, I think we finally…
- One Last St. Lucia Day by: Mark Zeiger
December 13, 2010, 09:20
When the holidays rolled around, Michelle and I became aware of a lot of "lasts." Aly is a senior this year; next year, she'll be off to college. Because she's…
- A Great Holiday Read: A West Coast Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 7, 2010, 03:00
This year, as I do every year, I struggle to find a really good "Christmas read," adult-level reading with a seasonal theme. This year, I'm returning to the…
- Finding Our Way Home - A Story for "First View" by: Mark Zeiger
December 5, 2010, 03:00
December 4 is a family holiday we call "First View," commemorating the anniversary of the first time we saw the homestead property. Last year, I related the…
- Christmas “Downsizing” by: Mark Zeiger
December 2, 2010, 03:00
We're a family that thrives on traditions—particularly Christmas traditions. Many of the patterns and habits we've grown used to have had to be re-adjusted…
- "Closed" for Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
November 26, 2010, 08:43
This morning we're in the middle of one of the biggest transitions of the homestead year. We've already dug out our special mugs; I'm setting up new playlists…
- A Zeiger Family Homestead Thanksgiving Reader by: Mark Zeiger
November 25, 2010, 03:00
The Zeiger family is not online today, we're celebrating the holiday. If you're reading this on Thanksgiving day, hopefully it's during a lull in your family…
- Mary Oliver to the Rescue Once Again by: Mark Zeiger
November 5, 2010, 08:33
I am still faithfully fulfilling my 2010 New Year's Resolution to read a poem a day. This morning, before reading the poem I'd preselected for the day, I…
- Winter Falls by: Mark Zeiger
November 1, 2010, 03:00
It's November 1st, Samhain, the first day of winter according to the Celtic or Natural calendar. After celebrating Halloween in town last night, we can attest…
- Happy Halloween! by: Mark Zeiger
October 31, 2010, 03:00
Tonight is Halloween! As it has been since we moved to the homestead, Halloween has meant making some hard decisions. It takes a fair amount of energy and…
- For Alaska Day – A “Real” Russian Tea Recipe Finally Surfaces by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2010, 03:00
Today is Alaska Day! If you've followed this blog through the past year, you may have sensed a certain obsession on my part when it comes to Russian Tea, a…
- Time to Decorate for Halloween by: Mark Zeiger
October 10, 2010, 09:19
We've been planning to do this for three days now, but life has been getting in the way. Today, a down day after the excitement of yesterday (Aly's SAT,…
- Autumn Magic Part 1 - Red Sunrise by: Mark Zeiger
October 3, 2010, 03:00
As September drew to a close, and October began, we had a string of magical events on the homestead. The morning of October 1st we had a beautiful sunrise.…
- I'm 50, Dammit! by: Mark Zeiger
October 1, 2010, 03:00
Today I turn 50 years old! I can now claim a half century of life. I've been looking forward to this—honestly! You see, I was lucky to be born in 1960, a…
- Termination Dust by: Mark Zeiger
September 28, 2010, 10:02
We've had snow on the peaks of the Coast Range across the way off and on for the last week or so, but I finally got a good photo of it on "LC Mountain." In…
- The Time of Two Sunrises by: Mark Zeiger
September 24, 2010, 03:00
At this time of year, and in March, we get two sunrises each morning. The sun rises first in the valley between The Mountain With No Name and LC…
- Autumnal Equinox by: Mark Zeiger
September 23, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday was the Autumnal Equinox, which my ancestors called Mabon, when the amount of daylight and darkness balances for a moment before tipping toward…
- Happy Unbirthday to Us by: Mark Zeiger
September 22, 2010, 08:16
Since we hadn't seen my brother, Dave and his wife, Anke in three years, Michelle and Aly decided that we needed to have an "unbirthday party" to celebrate the…
- The Zeiger Family Homestead Blog, Year One by: Mark Zeiger
August 29, 2010, 03:00
I started the Zeiger Family Homestead Blog a year ago today! It began with this post, then I left if alone for a week. I'd been recruited by another blog that…
- Autumn Advances by: Mark Zeiger
August 19, 2010, 03:00
I just might love autumn more than the other seasons of the year, but I have a little trouble celebrating it as I see fit in its early days. For all my talk…
- August 14, 1982 by: Mark Zeiger
August 14, 2010, 03:00
Ah, but she was a beautiful bride! A girl, really, just turned 21 four days before, honey blonde hair, slender in a long, simple white gown with a blue ribbon…
- Celebrating Our 4th Homestead Anniversary by: Mark Zeiger
August 11, 2010, 03:00
On this day four years ago, we moved from Juneau to our homestead. With each passing year, the joyful memories outweigh the unhappy ones.For all the planning…
- Birthday Wishes, Homestead-Style by: Mark Zeiger
August 10, 2010, 03:00
It's Michelle's birthday today. Aching as I am from fulfilling one of her birthday wishes, I can have no doubt that she's cut out for homestead life. When…
- Autumn Arrives on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
August 2, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday, August 1st, is known in parts of the world as Lughnassadh or Lammas Day. According to the Celtic calendar, which we tend to follow, this day, the…
- The News from Snare Creek by: Mark Zeiger
July 24, 2010, 03:00
The reception was so bad we missed half of what she said, and we got cut off completely once, but we did get to talk to Aly Thursday at the Snare Creek…
- Aly Turns 17 Today by: Mark Zeiger
July 22, 2010, 03:00
Today, somewhere on Snare Creek in the Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve, a young girl—or, I should say, a young lady, turns 17 years old. Today, on the…
- Our Alaskan Anniversary by: Mark Zeiger
July 12, 2010, 03:00
Today is a family anniversary. Eighteen years ago on July 12th, Michelle and I arrived in Juneau by ferry, beginning our life together in Alaska.I was born and…
- There's No Place Quite Like Small Town Alaska for the Fourth of July by: Mark Zeiger
July 4, 2010, 03:00
For a good old-fashioned Fourth of July, give me small town Alaska, particularly Wrangell or Haines! The quality of Independence Day celebrations in…
- The Dog Days of Summer by: Mark Zeiger
July 3, 2010, 03:00
Today the Dog Days begin. They will last till August 15th. Generally regarded as the hottest part of the summer, the term has always called to my mind large…
- Family for the Fourth by: Mark Zeiger
June 30, 2010, 03:00
The other day I talked to my sister, Beth, on the phone. She and Kim are on a major road trip, bringing their RV up to Fairbanks, Alaska. "So," I asked…
- Remembering Lissa by: Mark Zeiger
June 26, 2010, 07:59
I warned eight years ago that a day like yesterday would come, but when it finally did, that didn't help one bit. We regrettably laid our older cat, Lissa, in…
- Lissa's Gone by: Mark Zeiger
June 25, 2010, 03:00
Our sweet friend, Lissa, passed away last night. We are going to miss her very much. The homestead won't be the same without her.
- Daddy's Home by: Mark Zeiger
June 23, 2010, 08:50
I have returned from down south with good news: "the course of love" does, in fact, "run smooth." My friend and college roommate's wedding was wonderful! They…
- Summer Solstice by: Mark Zeiger
June 21, 2010, 03:00
If all goes according to plan, I'm in Alaska for the Summer Solstice, but sadly, not Haines. Juneau is one degree south and one degree east of Haines, which…
- Midsummer's Eve by: Mark Zeiger
June 20, 2010, 03:00
Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice, Midsummer's Day, although most of the modern world will claim, belatedly, that it's the first day of summer. As if the season…
- Remembering My Mother's Hugs by: Mark Zeiger
June 9, 2010, 07:41
The issue and question of memory is very much on the minds of my family, as, tragically, it is in so many families these days. With focus on Alzheimer's…
- Food, Friends, and Music by: Mark Zeiger
June 3, 2010, 03:00
After an excellent evening of dining, reminiscing and enjoying excellent views from the homestead, and Aly's sourdough pancakes the next morning, we saw our…
- Summer Days by: Mark Zeiger
May 26, 2010, 03:00
So far, the weather has supported our observance of the Celtic view of the seasons, marking the beginning of each at its beginning rather than midpoint. For…
- Saint Brendan's Day - May 16th by: Mark Zeiger
May 16, 2010, 03:00
Today is the Feast of Saint Brendan. Of all the saints I venerate, if that's the proper term for my interest in them, Brendan is one of my favorites. He's not…
- Cold Sophie by: Mark Zeiger
May 15, 2010, 03:00
Today is traditionally the day of Cold Sophie in southern Germany, marking the end of the days of the Eisheilige, or Ice Saints. Apparently in that part of the…
- Mother's Day Without Mom by: Mark Zeiger
May 9, 2010, 03:00
Since my mother, Gertie Zeiger, passed away in 1998, Mother's Day has become a day of remembrance more than tribute for me.Mom, I'm sure, would have loved the…
- Wind in the Willows, and Cottonwoods, Alders, and Birches by: Mark Zeiger
May 8, 2010, 03:00
This is a most fragrant time of year in Southeast Alaska. Our few hardwoods, willow, cottonwood, alder, and birch, flower in pendulous, light green or reddish…
- Circle of the Seasons: Summer by: Mark Zeiger
May 1, 2010, 06:00
It's May 1st, the first day of summer according to Celtic reckoning, a way of looking at the seasons that is arguably more sensible, particularly for our…
- Saint Mark's Day, April 25 by: Mark Zeiger
April 25, 2010, 03:00
Today, April 25th, is Saint Mark's Day. Ironically, considering my casual interest in saints and iconography, I have no icon of my namesake saint, and I…
- Show Your Clan Colors - April 6th is National Tartan Day by: Mark Zeiger
April 6, 2010, 09:00
It's National Tartan Day! This day, first recognized nationally in 1997, recognizes the accomplishments of Americans of Scottish and Scottish-Irish descent and…
- April and May - Southeast Alaska's Prime Time by: Mark Zeiger
April 6, 2010, 03:00
Whenever anyone asks us when they should visit the homestead, we always urge them to come at this time of year, in April or May. This is probably when…
- Celebrating Easter - No Ravens Allowed by: Mark Zeiger
April 4, 2010, 03:00
On this Easter Sunday, children and the young at heart all across the nation are hunting Easter eggs. In Alaska, those who do so face stiff competition from…
- Spring Is Blossoming into a Full-Grown Beauty by: Mark Zeiger
April 2, 2010, 03:00
When Aly was 9 days old, we moved into our first house in Juneau. A friend who managed a local moving company brought a container truck by to move our stuff.…
- Happy 100th Anniversary, Sitka National Historical Park! by: Mark Zeiger
March 23, 2010, 03:00
Sitka National Historical Park turns 100 years old today. I wish I could be there to mark the occasion! Despite the long and grand name, this park…
- An Unequal Vernal Equinox by: Mark Zeiger
March 20, 2010, 03:00
Today, officially, is the Vernal Equinox, the day when we have equal amounts of darkness and daylight. It's also regarded as the first day of spring. We here…
- It's Happening Again - Daylight Saving Time Returns to Screw Things Up by: Mark Zeiger
March 13, 2010, 03:00
Tomorrow, Sunday, March 14th, Daylight Saving Time begins again. This always takes us by surprise; more so in the years since Congress moved this arbitrary,…
- Rumex Super Goat Res (Sorry About the Goat Thing) by: Mark Zeiger
March 10, 2010, 03:00
It's beginning to look like I may need to apologize for the goat comment. The first week of March, after an ambiguous beginning, turned into a series of wild…
- Best Man by: Mark Zeiger
March 3, 2010, 03:00
My college roommate is getting married this summer, and he just asked me to stand up for him as his Best Man. I couldn't be more proud! He stood up for me…
- March Comes in Like a . . . Goat by: Mark Zeiger
March 1, 2010, 08:46
March is upon us, and, as I have every year since I can remember, I'm analyzing the weather to judge whether the month is coming in like a lion or a lamb. And,…
- Happy Birthday, Sourdough! by: Mark Zeiger
February 20, 2010, 03:00
Today marks an important anniversary in our home, the birthday of a family member whose life nourishes and improves ours. Today our family strain of…
- A Personal Anniversary (I Think) by: Mark Zeiger
February 12, 2010, 03:00
In January I applied for my hunting/fishing license, and, as I do every year, I cringed when I filled in the number of years I've been an Alaska resident. I…
- An Alternative to the Superbowl - Austen Fest by: Mark Zeiger
February 8, 2010, 03:00
Try as I might, I've never been able to muster proper enthusiasm for American football. It's not my fault—I grew up in Southeast Alaska, where the only true…
- The Circle Turns Toward Spring by: Mark Zeiger
February 2, 2010, 03:00
It's got to be here somewhere! I have spoken before of our observance of the Celtic view of the seasons; how, as opposed to the current view that the first…
- Heaven Help Us, It's February! by: Mark Zeiger
February 1, 2010, 03:00
With apologies to those born in the month, a rant: I can be a pretty cynical person, so to compensate, I make an effort to be positive, particularly about…
- Sun Showers by: Mark Zeiger
January 22, 2010, 03:00
Here on the homestead, we sun ourselves when we can, but it's less sunbathing than sun showering. We don't "lay out" to get a tan, but we do go out and sit or…
- Twelfth Night Brings Christmas to a Close by: Mark Zeiger
January 6, 2010, 03:00
Today is Epiphany, the Feast of the Three Kings, Twelfth Night. For us, it's the end of our Christmas season. It's time to be, as the old tune says, "breakin'…
- Preparing for Re-Entry by: Mark Zeiger
January 4, 2010, 03:00
Our Christmas season will soon draw to a close. It’s time to plan an exit strategy! As I’ve mentioned before, we celebrate Christmas in a way that…
- Planning the Coming Year - A New Year's Day Project by: Mark Zeiger
January 1, 2010, 06:00
Today, New Year’s Day, I indulge in a very pleasant activity: updating my Franklin Planner. This task occurs the first day of every month throughout the…
- Spending New Year's Eve with the Moon by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2009, 03:00
Tonight, for New Year’s Eve, we’ll be going outside and watching the sky. Not for fireworks, but for the moon. For the first time in 19 years, since before…
- Preparing For the Coming Year - Daylight Charts by: Mark Zeiger
December 30, 2009, 03:00
As you may well have gathered by now, I'm fond of rituals, especially at the holidays. As this year draws to a close and the new one is about to begin, some of…
- Reemergion or Reemersion? by: Mark Zeiger
December 29, 2009, 08:58
Late last night, our “wind drought” ended. The weak northerlies that have prevailed since December 22nd finally strengthened enough to drive our wind…
- Christmas, Mother Night, and a Period of Low Power by: Mark Zeiger
December 27, 2009, 09:00
This Christmas has been unusual for its lack of wind. On the 22nd I wrapped up my Christmas communications, sending out our Christmas newsletter electronically,…
- Christmas Larceny and Deceit - A Memory of Mom by: Mark Zeiger
December 26, 2009, 03:00
Today is the First Day of Christmas, St. Stephen's Day, memorialized in the old carol, Good King Wenceslas. I guess it's not properly Boxing Day, since it's…
- Counting the Twelve Days of Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 25, 2009, 23:45
Every Christmas brings up the old question: how do you count the twelve days of Christmas? The days between Christmas and Epiphany or Twelfth Night don't quite…
- A Blessed, Merry Christmas to One and All! by: Mark Zeiger
December 24, 2009, 03:00
We've been blogging "by remote" a lot lately, prescheduling posts as our holiday activities take precedence over being online. Tomorrow's post is scheduled and…
- What My "Old Fashioned" Christmas is Missing - Ladies' Magazines! by: Mark Zeiger
December 23, 2009, 03:00
A common, if not universal complaint at Christmastime is that “something is missing.” No matter how wonderful the current Christmas season turns out to be,…
- Tracking the Homestead's Individual Winter Solstice by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2009, 11:54
This year's Winter Solstice, like last year's, arrived on a bright, clear day! That's always so gratifying. Just as we did last year, we tracked our solar…
- Season of Darkness, Season of Light by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2009, 01:00
The Winter Solstice is upon us. On December 21st this year (it varies slightly) in the northern hemisphere, it's the longest night of the year, literally…
- A Gift of Time for Christmas - Consenting to Learn Backgammon by: Mark Zeiger
December 20, 2009, 03:00
A week or two before Christmas, I've already received one of the best gifts I could hope to get this year. The fact that I had to ask for it myself hardly…
- No Webcast of Winter Solstice Sunrise at Newgrange this Year? by: Mark Zeiger
December 19, 2009, 03:00
I’ve been monitoring the Website recently, hoping for an announcement, but it appears that the Winter Solstice sunrise will not be Webcast live from…
- Socks for Christmas? Yes Please! by: Mark Zeiger
December 18, 2009, 03:00
If you've been following the blog at all, you may have come to the conclusion that we're not an average American family. If you need one further proof, here it…
- These Are the Halcyon Days by: Mark Zeiger
December 15, 2009, 01:00
To my surprise, these are the Halcyon Days! This term, which we now use to describe a more peaceful, idyllic past or calm period, comes to us from the Greeks.…
- St. Lucia Day, December 13th - A Swedish Christmas Tradition Featuring Breakfast in Bed! by: Mark Zeiger
December 13, 2009, 04:00
Today is Saint Lucia Day. This is an important day in many family Christmas celebrations around the world, and has become so in our family as well. Sometimes…
- Fairy Infestation on a Sailing Schooner - A Favorite Christmas Story by: Mark Zeiger
December 12, 2009, 07:55
I remember a pleasant day of sailing with my brother, David in my home built sailing dinghy, Forget-Me-Not. We lived in Juneau then, and on that day we went to…
- A Beloved Christmas Ornament by: Mark Zeiger
December 10, 2009, 01:00
To me, one of the chief joys of Christmas time is the opening of the Christmas decoration boxes. The parade of nostalgia that issues forth in many ways defines…
- The Christmas "Tree" is Up - It's Down! - It's Up Again! by: Mark Zeiger
December 9, 2009, 06:00
Okay, sometimes things just don't work out the way we'd envisioned them. Monday, we went out and cut some hemlock boughs to create our Christmas "tree". We…
- Adventures in Wine Mulling by: Mark Zeiger
December 8, 2009, 01:00
Michelle and I like wine, so it makes sense for us to try to make our own. We've tried twice so far with wild fruits; the success hasn't been stunning.…
- Saint Nicholas Day, December 6th by: Mark Zeiger
December 6, 2009, 01:00
December 6th is the Feast of Saint Nicholas, Saint Nicholas Day. I can't imagine what the year would be like if this day fell outside of the Christmas season!…
- First View - A Homestead-Made Holiday by: Mark Zeiger
December 5, 2009, 01:00
December 4th marks the fifth anniversary of our first visit to the homestead. We observe this day as "First View," a family day of "little T" thanksgiving. T…
- An Annual Problem - Finding a Good Christmas Read by: Mark Zeiger
December 4, 2009, 01:00
Every year at Christmas time I have trouble finding good seasonal fiction to read. I have a good collection of Christmas books, which I'm certainly willing to…
- The Christmas Tree Question: Real or Artificial? by: Mark Zeiger
December 3, 2009, 01:00
Our Christmas decorating is moving slowly ahead. The biggest issue for us is what to do about a Christmas tree. As I'm fond of saying, some people arrange…
- Saint Andrew's Day, November 30 by: Mark Zeiger
November 30, 2009, 09:35
Today is Saint Andrew's Day. I wasn't raised Catholic or Orthodox, but I've had a certain fascination with iconography for a long time. Saint Andrew is…
- Homemade Christmas Gifts - A Success Story by: Mark Zeiger
November 28, 2009, 01:00
"Make homemade gifts." The advice is so common, particularly at Christmas time, that it has become cliche, and easy to ignore. Last Christmas, however, I…
- Feeling "Holidaisical" - Christmas Comes to the Zeiger Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
November 27, 2009, 01:00
Thanksgiving has passed. Now, it’s Christmas Time! Today through January 6th, Twelfth Night, it’s all Christmas all the Time on the Zeiger homestead. We…
- A Story for the Evening of Thanksgiving Day by: Mark Zeiger
November 26, 2009, 12:00
Happy Thanksgiving! If you're like us, you have finished your Thanksgiving feast, and have begun your Christmas season. If so, here's a little story, Music…
- This Thanksgiving We're Thankful for the Spirit of Adventure by: Mark Zeiger
November 26, 2009, 01:00
Each Thanksgiving we mark seems to find us even more grateful than the last. Our lives are so very blessed that it hardly seems right to focus our thankfulness…
- A Thanksgiving Memory - If We Want Family, Sometimes We Have to Go Get Them by: Mark Zeiger
November 25, 2009, 01:00
This Thanksgiving brings to mind pleasant memories of the past. My brother and his wife, Dave and Anke, live aboard their home built sail boat. They base…
- Thanksgiving Music - Last Chance to Hear This Year by: Mark Zeiger
November 24, 2009, 06:00
It seems like only yesterday I posted about the all-too-short Thanksgiving season, and now the day's almost upon us! It really is too short a time to enjoy…
- Headed Straight Into Darkness by: Mark Zeiger
November 15, 2009, 01:00
The old Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers tune has been running through my head these last few weeks, as we’ve passed through what Michelle poetically calls…
- Time to Switch to the Winter Water Supply by: Mark Zeiger
November 10, 2009, 01:00
The weather report is predicting a low of 22° tonight, so unless something else comes up, we'll switch from the summer water to the winter water today. This…
- The All-Too-Brief Thanksgiving Season by: Mark Zeiger
November 4, 2009, 01:00
Halloween’s over, its decorations packed away. Christmas is yet to come. Now comes the briefest of holiday seasons, Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving gets short…
- Season's First Snow on the Homestead - Photos of Snow on the Creek by: Mark Zeiger
November 1, 2009, 12:09
Last night, after Aly finished trick-or-treating, and we'd all settled to bed at our friends' cabin in Haines, snow fell. Their kerosene heater's on the blink,…
- Samhain Welcomes Winter by: Mark Zeiger
November 1, 2009, 01:00
As I’ve pointed out previously, we follow the ancient Celtic view of when seasons begin and end. By this reckoning, known as the "natural calendar," today is…
- Don't Trash Your Treats! Pumpkins Make Good Eats by: Mark Zeiger
October 31, 2009, 01:00
Halloween is almost past, as is its quintessential symbol, the Jack-o-lantern. On November 1st, the sun will rise on streets filled with shattered pumpkins.…
- Stop Messing Around with Time! by: Mark Zeiger
October 30, 2009, 07:45
Sunday, November 1 marks the return to Standard Time for Alaska and many other states. It's time to be reminded—as we are twice yearly—that time is…
- A True Ghost Story for Halloween by: Mark Zeiger
October 29, 2009, 01:00
I love a good ghost story. I like to hear or read them, and I like to tell them. I don't often get the opportunity to do that, and when I do, I always have to…
- Making Russian Tea - The Rest of the Story by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2009, 01:00
They say one should never let the truth get in the way of a good story. In writing previously on Russian tea, I came across information that didn't fit…
- The Secret of Russian Tea by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2009, 01:00
It's the time of year for hot beverages! Especially in October, particularly around Alaska Day, I like to turn to an old family staple, Russian tea. We…
- October 18th - Alaska Day by: Mark Zeiger
October 17, 2009, 01:00
Alaska Day, I would argue, means next to nothing to most people—even to most Alaskans—unless they have some connection to Sitka. Elsewhere in the state,…
- It's Time to Decorate for Halloween - Just in Case! by: Mark Zeiger
October 16, 2009, 01:33
It's a classic autumn day on the homestead! Aly and I have a date to decorate the cabin for Halloween. I love the yearly ritual of decorating, but it does…
- October 14, Winter's Day by: Mark Zeiger
October 14, 2009, 04:00
In the old European calendar, today, October 14, is "Winter's Day." Sometimes called "Winter's Night," (which to me has a more appropriately atmospheric ring…
- Sitka, Alaska Is on My Mind by: Mark Zeiger
October 12, 2009, 08:08
As a boy I lived in Sitka, Alaska for about five years. Since then, it has held a special place in my heart. If you've ever been there, perhaps you know why.…
- A Sure Sign of Winter - Ice Cream Day! by: Mark Zeiger
October 10, 2009, 01:00
Living semi-remote in Alaska, we watch for changes in weather and changes in season. Indicators of the transition from summer to winter are myriad, but one we…
- Cotton Kills by: Mark Zeiger
October 8, 2009, 01:00
Alaskans have a common saying: "Cotton kills." Those two words remind us to guard against hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when one's…
- Highbush Cranberry Time by: Mark Zeiger
October 5, 2009, 11:14
Saturday, we drove upriver in search of moose and high bush cranberries. Highbush cranberry, also known as virburnum and a variety of colloquial names, is a…
- Living By the Season: A Meditation by: Mark Zeiger
October 3, 2009, 01:00
People talk about living more deliberately, being more self-sufficient, decoupling from the breakneck pace of the modern world. We believe in that, which is…
- October - Beginning of Our Holiday Season by: Mark Zeiger
October 1, 2009, 01:00
October is an important month in my life. It has three dates that are particularly special to me. It begins with my birthday. Midmonth, October 18th, is Alaska…
- Ghost Ferns and Witchy Woods by: Michelle Zeiger
September 25, 2009, 03:00
The Autumnal Equinox has passed. The weather shows it … nights are cooling. Days are darker and damper even than the past summer. But more importantly the…
- The Circle of the Seasons: Autumn by: Mark Zeiger
September 22, 2009, 00:05
Today is September 22nd, the Autumnal Equinox in the northern hemisphere. Your radio announcer or T.V. news anchorperson will proclaim today "The First Day of…
- A Season of Madness: Moose Hunting in Alaska by: Mark Zeiger
September 20, 2009, 03:30
The local moose opening started last Tuesday. This is a permit-only subsistence hunt, with special antler restrictions. For our family, this is a very big…
- Avast! Talk Like a Pirate for Fun and Profit . . . Mostly Fun. by: Mark Zeiger
September 17, 2009, 10:45
Saturday, September 19th, is National Talk Like a Pirate Day, ye swabs! Me thinks there's never been a need for a day such as this as there be here 'n' now. It…
- Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt Day 1 by: Mark Zeiger
September 15, 2009, 08:00
This is it! Today's the first day of the Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt. That means that instead of sitting here in my PJs, typing a quick note to the blog, I…
- A 9/11 Memory: The World Turned Upside Down by: Mark Zeiger
September 11, 2009, 09:43
Today is, as most Americans are well aware, the eighth anniversary of the plane attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Surely we all remember…
- Happy Camouflage, Everybody! by: Mark Zeiger
September 6, 2009, 10:07
Our life on the homestead is self-sufficient enough that we often limit our trips to town to once a week. The weekly visits are mostly to deliver Aly to a…
- The Tide Turns by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Simple Living (14)
- Food Value by: Mark Zeiger
February 14, 2013, 03:00
The hardest part about finishing the writing process is the certain knowledge that soon after completing it, the perfect addition to it will appear. The…
- Safety First! by: Mark Zeiger
January 14, 2013, 08:55
The seep that came down our main trail around Christmas time has all but melted away, but while it was in its prime, friends hiked out to visit. Michelle…
- The Cost of Living by: Mark Zeiger
October 18, 2012, 03:00
Yesterday, a reader named Jacquie commented: "Ever since I can remember I have wanted this lifestyle. It’s tough here because everything is about money.…
- Simple Pleasures: Steel Cut Oats by: Mark Zeiger
October 14, 2012, 03:00
Even as an avid "granola cruncher," I have to admit that there are few meals more homely—in the archaic, more positive sense of that term—than a bowl of…
- Simple Pleasures: Writing With a Fountain Pen by: Mark Zeiger
October 8, 2012, 03:00
I've been focusing the last few posts on cursive writing and its uses. To return to the topic one more time, I'd like to recommend my favorite tool for this…
- Am I Better Off Now than 4 Years Ago? by: Mark Zeiger
September 26, 2012, 03:00
I have avoided politics on this blog even though I have a lot to say on the topic. That isn't the purvue of this publication. However, I, like anyone else who…
- "Think Little" by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2012, 09:16
I recently read Wendell Berry's excellent essay, Think Little (from A Continuous Harmony: Essays Cultural and Agricultural, check your local independent…
- Living Like There's No Tomorrow by: Mark Zeiger
July 2, 2012, 10:47
The flip side of my . . . well, flip comments about the end of the world as we know it in my last post, is that there are very legitimate and pressing reasons…
- A Home Spun Hearth Stone by: Mark Zeiger
November 12, 2011, 03:00
Thursday, Michelle came home for a brief visit in the middle of the day. She brought a package I've been eagerly awaiting for a long time. Inside: a rock. I…
- Mary Oliver's The Lamps by: Mark Zeiger
September 4, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time to read the poem for today's first quarter moon, The Lamps.…
- Feast or Famine by: Mark Zeiger
August 23, 2011, 03:00
Even though we garden, our existence often relies on hunter/gatherer mentality. Particularly, anthropologists tell us that hunter/gatherer societies operated…
- Missing Mary Engelbreit by: Mark Zeiger
August 19, 2011, 10:28
Each family member has his/her own favorite artists, all of which combine to complement our home. We have framed prints from one or two artists, but most add…
- What Would Grandpa Think? by: Mark Zeiger
July 12, 2011, 03:00
Yesterday morning, as I savored a bowl of stewed rhubarb fresh from the garden, I mused on our homestead, and commented to Michelle that I wished that Grandpa…
- Museum of Lost Desires by: Mark Zeiger
April 10, 2011, 03:00
Haines has one of the best second hand stores you could ever want. Owned and operated by a friendly proprietor who really only does it to entertain himself in…
- Food Value by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Think Little (2)
- More on Thinking Little by: Mark Zeiger
November 7, 2012, 03:00
Previously, I wrote about the Wendell Berry's concept of Thinking Little. Along these same lines, an observation in Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible…
- "Think Little" by: Mark Zeiger
August 28, 2012, 09:16
I recently read Wendell Berry's excellent essay, Think Little (from A Continuous Harmony: Essays Cultural and Agricultural, check your local independent…
- More on Thinking Little by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Weather, Tides & Geography (151)
The physical world around us – weather, tides, and natural land features.
- The Tide Turns by: Mark Zeiger
May 9, 2013, 03:00
The transition seems as abrupt as the flipping of a switch. On April 30th, on my way to town, I saw a sight in a neighbor's front yard that inspired me to…
- A Bleak Morning on the Beach by: Mark Zeiger
April 29, 2013, 03:00
April may be winding down, but the cold weather still hangs on. Sunday morning I carefully crossed the snow covered rocks to the beach on my way to forage the…
- A ,000 View by: Mark Zeiger
April 19, 2013, 03:00
It's probably obvious that we really, really love our view. I wish I could take photos that show the magnification you would see if you were here. The…
- Spring Break by: Mark Zeiger
April 1, 2013, 03:00
Ours has been a somewhat unusual spring. After a mild winter, early spring turned cold. Looking back to previous years, marker after marker seems late: the…
- Running Before the Storm by: Mark Zeiger
March 13, 2013, 03:00
About lunch time yesterday, I turned on the inverter and logged on line yet again for some task or other. I also knew I should be working up a blog post for…
- Groundhog Day, Alaska Style by: Mark Zeiger
February 2, 2013, 03:00
Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is the only weather-related "holiday" on the calendar. Considering our lifestyle, you'd think that would make it the high holy day…
- Smokin'! by: Mark Zeiger
January 29, 2013, 03:00
I would call this a cold snap. When I arose just before 6:00 Monday morning, our outdoor digital thermometer showed 1°, but by the time the sun rose in the…
- Sleeping Through Another Shaker by: Mark Zeiger
January 6, 2013, 03:00
When we awoke Saturday morning, Michelle found the slight layer of dust on the kitchen faucet mildly confusing. More so Aly's phone message asking us if we'd…
- Using Wind to Predict the New Year by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2012, 03:00
At the turning of the year, as I gather the coming year's astronomical data and track the weather, as we do at all times, I have been thinking of an old saying…
- Creeping Seep by: Mark Zeiger
December 29, 2012, 03:00
A couple days before Christmas, we awoke to a surprise: a seep had formed suddenly in our door yard. Seeps are a regular feature of our landscape. Water…
- "Have a Nice Day at the Office, Dear!" by: Mark Zeiger
December 15, 2012, 03:00
The other day when Michelle geared up to hike out for her part time job, I had to take a couple of pictures. She works an office job! But, living as we do, the…
- B.Y.O.D. by: Mark Zeiger
November 29, 2012, 03:00
We've had a long cold snap recently—nothing severe, just daytime highs in the low to mid-20s, but enough to make going to the outhouse a strictly B.Y.O.D.…
- Water Watch by: Mark Zeiger
November 25, 2012, 03:00
We have a lot of reasons to watch the waters of Lynn Canal in front of our homestead. Lately, though, there's been a new reason to keep an eye on what's…
- Another Nice Evening on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
November 14, 2012, 03:00
About a week ago, just after we returned to Alaska Standard Time, I stepped out into the yard about 4:00 p.m. There must have been a fantastic sunset in the…
- Results Inconclusive by: Mark Zeiger
November 3, 2012, 03:00
As I predicted, I climbed the wind generator tower twice more to try to correct the problem with the furling. And, as is so often the case, the situation…
- Colder Weather by: Mark Zeiger
October 22, 2012, 03:00
At about this time last year I first heard a song I really like, Colder Weather by the Zac Brown Band. I listen to it a lot, since then, especially when the…
- A Good Haul (Part 2) by: Mark Zeiger
August 24, 2012, 03:00
Sorry to leave you in the lurch yesterday. If brevity is the soul of wit, I risked becoming a half-wit. So, as we rounded the tip of our peninsula, I saw…
- A Good Haul (Part 1) by: Mark Zeiger
August 23, 2012, 10:14
While improving our kitchen countertop is our main focus these days, the life of the homestead must continue on all fronts. Progress is uneven, but continual.…
- These Magic Moments by: Mark Zeiger
August 9, 2012, 10:54
On Tuesday, Aly and I experienced some magical moments on the homestead. Up until today, we've had heavy rain and very calm weather, creating a lot of fog.…
- A Fair Summer Evening by: Mark Zeiger
July 19, 2012, 12:17
This is last night's prospect from the homestead. We're getting some warm, dry weather lately, so I haven't had much time to blog. Things continue to happen,…
- Summer In Her Suitcase by: Mark Zeiger
June 24, 2012, 03:00
The joke that Aly must have brought summer home in her suitcase is getting kind of old, but if that's what it takes to pay for the two days of hot, sunny…
- One Particularly Good Day by: Mark Zeiger
June 16, 2012, 03:00
June 10 was a particularly good day for watching the weather. It started around 2:00 a.m. when Michelle went outside for a necessary trip, and found the…
- Spotlight on Ferns by: Mark Zeiger
June 7, 2012, 07:54
Living under the eastern face of the peninsula ridge, we miss out on most of the afternoon sunlight. However, what we do get is highly filtered, which causes…
- The Weather Wind-Up by: Mark Zeiger
May 30, 2012, 03:00
The radio broadcast that has the most impact on our lives comes from NOAA Weather Radio. It is almost always the first broadcast we tune into each day, and we…
- Our Natural Amphitheater by: Mark Zeiger
May 14, 2012, 07:03
A geographic feature of our property forms a natural amphitheater at the south end of our beach. We've known about it for a while, ever since noticing that…
- Limits to Visiting by: Mark Zeiger
May 11, 2012, 06:00
For a while now, we've been preparing the "homestead" for a visit we knew might not take place. We've been cleaning, straightening, and improving the cabin,…
- Clearing Another Windfall by: Mark Zeiger
May 9, 2012, 03:00
Ever since a late winter wind storm, we have passed back and forth under half-fallen trees hanging over a section of our trail. Two trees growing side by side,…
- Rainbow Valley by: Mark Zeiger
May 7, 2012, 03:00
Last Thursday we saw a rainbow localized in the valley between The Mountain with No Name and LC Mountain. It hung there for about half an hour before conditions…
- Feeling 100% by: Mark Zeiger
April 13, 2012, 08:41
At last, we got some wind! As much as we've been enjoying and taking advantage of the long period of sunny, calm weather, the lack of wind has put a serious…
- Please Stand By . . . by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2012, 08:30
A massive high pressure system continues to blanket our region. On the weather radio's current conditions report, station after station lists as "calm." The…
- Spring Takes Hold by: Mark Zeiger
April 2, 2012, 07:58
Somewhere in the final days of March, we began to fell as if spring had finally taken hold. Although we still had plenty of snow on the ground, we had a run of…
- Skies on Fire by: Mark Zeiger
March 27, 2012, 08:53
Every once in a while, insomnia can be a good thing. I had to get up early in the night for a "relief break," rising just after midnight. I almost always…
- "So March" by: Mark Zeiger
March 11, 2012, 03:00
Friday morning, we raised the insulating blind to look out on the new day. The previous day's snow had begun to melt in the night, beating a steady tattoo of…
- Zero to 20" in 24 Hours by: Mark Zeiger
March 9, 2012, 03:00
It has snowed a bit. Wednesday afternoon, we had no snow left in the dooryard. Then it started snowing. By the same time Thursday, we'd received 20…
- Nature Puts on a Show by: Mark Zeiger
February 24, 2012, 03:00
Our lifestyle requires an awareness of the weather and seasons most Americans, outside the farming profession, have learned to live without. Keeping in tune…
- "And this, our life . . ." by: Mark Zeiger
February 17, 2012, 03:00
"And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything." —William…
- Oh, What a Beautiful Morning! by: Mark Zeiger
February 11, 2012, 11:33
About the time the coffee and tea had brewed, the sunrise drew us outside into an unseasonably warm morning. We've had a good, serious thaw lately, but no…
- The Sword of Damocles Falls by: Mark Zeiger
February 7, 2012, 09:08
Ever since we bought the homestead and began visiting it in 2005, I have feared a certain tree near the trail. The huge old growth giant towered above the…
- Solar "Extraction" by: Mark Zeiger
January 28, 2012, 03:00
In winter, we spend a lot of time keeping the solar panels free of snow and ice. Sometimes, like recently, rapid snowfall makes it a fruitless task. By the…
- "Der Sturm Kommit Blitzarig" by: Mark Zeiger
January 26, 2012, 03:00
I've read that the word "blizzard" first appeared in 1870, in an Iowa newspaper. German settlers there were quoted as saying "Der sturm kommit blitzarig," or…
- The World Turned Upside Down by: Mark Zeiger
January 22, 2012, 03:00
Michelle and I sit in our cabin, more than a mile from the nearest road. Daytime highs have been below 14° for a week. A 60 knot storm (69 miles per hour)…
- A White Day After Christmas by: Mark Zeiger
December 27, 2011, 03:00
Last autumn, the common prognostication called for this to be a colder winter, with a lot more snow. If that's the case, then we're in for it soon. Because, up…
- Stark County Holiday Ramblings by: Mark Zeiger
December 17, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for a Christmas poem for today's last quarter moon, Stark…
- Moon Mission by: Mark Zeiger
December 12, 2011, 03:00
Looking out at Lynn Canal Friday night, we assumed we would not be able to see the lunar eclipse early the next morning. We were socked in, cloudy to the water…
- Cold Moon Eclipse by: Mark Zeiger
December 10, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading this early enough in the day, and live in the right part of the world (as we do) be sure to try to see the total lunar eclipse this morning. …
- Go Outside and Play! by: Mark Zeiger
November 30, 2011, 07:27
A couple of days ago, it looked like we'd best stay inside for the rest of the winter. When rain started soaking our heavy, light snowfalls, it didn't seem…
- Clobbered! by: Mark Zeiger
November 28, 2011, 09:21
The crashing on the roof began somewhere around 2:30 a.m. We could tell by the muffled thumps that the snow that has been falling steadily these last few days…
- Storm Season by: Mark Zeiger
November 24, 2011, 03:00
Happy Thanksgiving! If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s the new moon, time to read Storm. I've…
- Snow on High Ground by: Mark Zeiger
November 14, 2011, 03:00
What a weekend! When I went outside Friday morning, the gibbous moon hung invisible west of the ridge behind me, but its bright light bathed the snow-covered…
- The Season's First Snow Fall by: Mark Zeiger
November 6, 2011, 03:00
We got the winter's first snowfall on Friday. We got about 7 inches here on the homestead. I'd prepared for it the previous day, covering anything that…
- High Tide by: Mark Zeiger
October 26, 2011, 03:00
I'm pleased to report that our connectivity problems with satellite Internet seems improved. My earliest post here was truncated because of the difficulty, but…
- Last Days by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2011, 06:52
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time for another poem, Last Days. Last Days is a very short…
- Check Marks the Spot by: Mark Zeiger
October 9, 2011, 03:00
Snow has begun to accumulate on the mountains of the Coast Range across Lynn Canal from our homestead. This year we're seeing something different. Snow has…
- Mary Oliver's Poem for the Harvest Moon by: Mark Zeiger
September 12, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s time to read the poem for September's full moon, Harvest Moon—The…
- Watching the Snow Melt by: Mark Zeiger
September 1, 2011, 03:00
Every year at this season, we keep an even closer eye than usual on The Mountain With No Name across Lynn Canal. We watch to see if the snow on the mountain…
- Sharks by: Mark Zeiger
August 21, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me this year, it’s August's last quarter moon, time to read Sharks. As I suggested…
- Up Around the Bay by: Mark Zeiger
August 8, 2011, 03:00
Friends and visitors often ask us about getting to and from the road, which requires crossing the bay at the right tide level, or hiking up around the bay. We…
- My Calculations Go Down the Drain by: Mark Zeiger
July 28, 2011, 07:34
I measured carefully. I quantified all the factors involved. I made a couple of best-guess assumptions, and quantified them. Then, I calculated a figure that…
- "Lost Lake" Ramble by: Mark Zeiger
July 23, 2011, 07:01
Yesterday, for Aly's birthday, she and I indulged in one of our favorite activities: rambling. We had the day to ourselves with Michelle filling in for a…
- Sun Spot by: Mark Zeiger
July 18, 2011, 06:35
Some people call them "sucker holes," patches of blue sky in a sunny day that get the "suckers" out on the water. To me, that implies that one can only get…
- National Weather Service Discovers Haida Gwaii by: Mark Zeiger
June 30, 2011, 08:06
I'm thrilled that the National Weather Service radio broadcasts have begun referring to the Queen Charlotte Islands as Haida Gwaii, the original name for the…
- Solstice Sun by: Mark Zeiger
June 22, 2011, 06:39
We got a warm, sunny day for the Summer Solstice yesterday after all. Burning the slash became pretty hot work, but it went well. A nice, hot, fast fire with…
- At The End of the Day by: Mark Zeiger
June 16, 2011, 03:00
Tuesday was an exciting but frustrating fishing day. The water was clear enough that I could see very well as fish after fish followed and chased my lures,…
- Everything is Illuminated by: Mark Zeiger
May 19, 2011, 03:00
The title of a movie I like came repeatedly to mind during a recent stretch of sunny weather: Everything Is Illuminated. Indeed, it was. Bright sunshine…
- Right as Rain by: Mark Zeiger
May 4, 2011, 03:00
We're finally getting a bit more rain than we've received in a long time. Even as I rushed to cover the stacks of drying firewood with clear tarps and shelter…
- Snow in April by: Mark Zeiger
April 11, 2011, 04:08
We've fallen into a very annoying "boom/bust" cycle with our Internet usage. We're allowed 2 GB of downloads in a rolling 7-day period. If we exceed that,…
- Back to "Normal" Weather by: Mark Zeiger
March 31, 2011, 03:00
Our weather has turned rainy for the first time in weeks, and it feels wonderful. We've needed the moisture for the garden, for the water system, and to thaw…
- A Special Full Moon by: Mark Zeiger
March 19, 2011, 03:00
Tonight's full moon, the Algonquin and backwoods "Worm Moon," will be a bit special. The moon will be at lunar perigee, the closest it's come to the earth in…
- Beach Ice and Sea Salt by: Mark Zeiger
March 16, 2011, 05:01
Michelle just pulled up local weather statistics, and learned that February's temperatures were well below normal. We've been below freezing for the last four…
- Frozen Seep by: Mark Zeiger
March 15, 2011, 03:00
Frozen seeps are a regular feature of our landscape at this time of year. The water flowing beneath the ground congeals in some pretty fantastic shapes. The…
- Tsunami Watch by: Mark Zeiger
March 11, 2011, 09:39
This morning at 5:30 I stepped into the outhouse and, as I always do, switched on the weather radio. Shortly, I heard that a tsunami warning had been issued…
- 6 to 8 Weeks by: Mark Zeiger
March 6, 2011, 03:42
Michelle has started planning this year's garden. I see this as a symbol of indomitable hope, as the homestead remains deep in the grip of bitter winter…
- March Arrives in Leonine Fashion by: Mark Zeiger
March 1, 2011, 03:00
March has arrived in classic form in our part of Southeast Alaska. Unlike last year, the month's "coming in" is distinctly leonine. The gales we've seen for…
- A Pleasant Evening by: Mark Zeiger
February 25, 2011, 03:00
The wind calmed down for a while, and it got really nice outside yesterday evening. I went out to enjoy the evening, and enjoyed the view. As ever, digital…
- Waiting for Snow (Again) by: Mark Zeiger
February 19, 2011, 03:00
On folksinger, Jon McCutcheon's album John McCutcheon's Four Seasons: Wintersongs, there's a lovely tune called Waiting for Snow. In some ways, that could be…
- "Glad You're Not Here!" by: Mark Zeiger
February 16, 2011, 03:00
As much as we miss Michelle while she's out of town, I have been grateful that she has not been here to experience some of what we're seeing here on the…
- Nice Sunrise by: Mark Zeiger
February 8, 2011, 10:04
We had a very nice red sunrise this morning on Lynn Canal (sailors take warning!). It looked a bit redder than this digital photo recorded it, although I…
- Home Run by: Mark Zeiger
February 5, 2011, 03:00
As I indicated yesterday, I'm back on the homestead after driving back from Fairbanks with my sister-in-law. Although I'd been a bit apprehensive about certain…
- Reflecting on Mountains by: Mark Zeiger
January 28, 2011, 10:40
At this time of year, we're back to taking "sun showers" when we can find them. This morning, the sun rose on a perfectly clear sky. We are expecting a very…
- Trail Treachery by: Mark Zeiger
January 24, 2011, 03:00
We've been hit with another big thaw. Except for a few plugs of denser ice, like the round pried out of the rain barrel, the snow and ice disappeared from the…
- Like a Breath of Fresh Air by: Mark Zeiger
January 22, 2011, 03:00
After a long cold snap, we've got a thaw. As the snow finally began to fall, I dreaded the thought that rain might be close behind, but now that it's here,…
- Shut Down by: Mark Zeiger
January 17, 2011, 03:00
The severe weather effectively shut down the homestead for a while. Saturday, when the wind forecast called for 55 knot winds, with gusts to 75, we stopped…
- "Spraynbow" by: Mark Zeiger
January 15, 2011, 03:00
The cold, windy weather continues here on Lynn Canal. Mercifully, they're backing off the prediction of 60 knot winds over the weekend, but not by a whole lot.…
- Snowed In Without Snow by: Mark Zeiger
January 13, 2011, 08:33
Weak sunshine bathes the beach, nicely highlighting the frozen sea spray on the rocks. White crested waves march by in ragged rows. A bald eagle fights to fly…
- Blue Skies, Clear View by: Mark Zeiger
January 9, 2011, 03:00
Cold, clear weather has returned to our part of the world, and the view is spectacular!
- January Thaw and Reawakening by: Mark Zeiger
January 5, 2011, 03:00
We had a lovely white Christmas. After a long, dry cold spell, snow began falling on the homestead on Christmas Eve, and continued over the next few days till…
- In the Bleak Midwinter - Winter Solstice on the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2010, 03:00
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan/earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone . . . . —Christina Georgina Rossetti, In the Bleak Midwinter …
- Halcyon Days are Here Again - Can't You Tell? by: Mark Zeiger
December 16, 2010, 03:00
The Halcyon Days, traditionally a two-week period of calm seas around the Winter Solstice, began yesterday. Typically, they were ushered in on Lynn Canal in…
- Freeze, Thaw, What's Next? by: Mark Zeiger
December 6, 2010, 03:00
I mentioned the other day that we're riding the roller coaster of winter weather in Southeast Alaska. To pursue that analogy, on Saturday we threw our hands in…
- Popping Next Door by: Mark Zeiger
December 3, 2010, 03:00
Wednesday we "popped next door" to our nearest full time neighbors. On our way there, it occurred to me that going next door in our neighborhood represents…
- Sunglasses After Dark by: Mark Zeiger
December 1, 2010, 03:00
After listening to the weather forecast, Aly and I conferred and decided that she should call the school and tell them that she would not be attending Film…
- A Winter Wonderland - Southeast Alaska Style by: Mark Zeiger
November 30, 2010, 03:00
We've been waiting for it to start, and now it has: we've begun the roller coaster ride of winter in Southeast Alaska. I truly, deeply, passionately love a…
- All is Calm . . . Dead Calm by: Mark Zeiger
November 28, 2010, 14:56
Well, they do say "be careful what you wish for," don't they? I wrote recently about "closing" for Christmas, and now here we are. The ocean is a perfect…
- Crescent Venus by: Mark Zeiger
November 20, 2010, 03:00
Friday morning I was arrested in my "morning walk" by a bright object in the sky, low above the Coast Range across the fjord, and slightly to the south. I…
- Wild Weather by: Mark Zeiger
November 18, 2010, 03:00
"The wind is scary from here," said Michelle's email this morning. "How are you doing? Call me (if we haven't talked already) I'm worried about all this…
- "Bad" Weather isn't So Bad by: Mark Zeiger
November 13, 2010, 03:00
Since we live the way we do, I try very hard not to think of any weather as "bad." The weather is what it is, and every variation has a breath-taking beauty,…
- Observations in "Mud Bay Lab" Offer Few Clues to Mystery by: Mark Zeiger
November 9, 2010, 03:00
On Saturday we had more than a 24-foot tide range (between low and high). We also had a flat calm, so Michelle and I crossed the bay just before the 13-foot…
- Ridin' the Storm Out by: Mark Zeiger
November 3, 2010, 03:00
One of my favorite classic rock chestnuts is REO Speedwagon's Ridin' The Storm Out. When I hear it, I always think of the story of John Muir, who reportedly…
- A Mud Bay Mystery by: Mark Zeiger
November 2, 2010, 03:00
On Halloween night we had a good idea of exactly when we should be able to cross Mud Bay to return home after celebrating in town. Days before, I'd used tide…
- A Fine Autumn Moment by: Mark Zeiger
October 22, 2010, 03:00
The other afternoon I stepped outside the cabin and caught my breath at the beauty of "LC Mountain" in fresh snow, reflected in the calm water of Lynn…
- Big Autumn Storm by: Mark Zeiger
October 6, 2010, 08:06
Yesterday we had a big storm. The weather radio reported 75 knot gusts down by Eldred Rock Lighthouse (that's 85 miles per hour). The snow level nearly reached…
- Autumn Magic Part 1 - Red Sunrise by: Mark Zeiger
October 3, 2010, 03:00
As September drew to a close, and October began, we had a string of magical events on the homestead. The morning of October 1st we had a beautiful sunrise.…
- Leaky Roof by: Mark Zeiger
October 2, 2010, 03:00
During the last storm, the roof started to leak. It's not a big deal, it does it at least once a year. We expect it, and know how to deal with it. We pull…
- Termination Dust by: Mark Zeiger
September 28, 2010, 10:02
We've had snow on the peaks of the Coast Range across the way off and on for the last week or so, but I finally got a good photo of it on "LC Mountain." In…
- Golden Days, Emerald Nights by: Mark Zeiger
September 15, 2010, 03:00
We are in a very pleasant weather pattern these last few days, with warm, sunny days and clear nights with aurora borealis displays. The aurora is particular…
- Superstition Is the Word by: Mark Zeiger
September 14, 2010, 06:00
I try very hard not to be superstitious, but there are times (and lately there have been many) when all empirical evidence points toward superstition as the…
- When High Tides Work For Us by: Michelle Zeiger
September 11, 2010, 09:43
This week we have wonderfully high tides. In mid-winter that could be a scary thought...when the winds whip up and the power of the water can move large rocks…
- The Misty Mountains by: Mark Zeiger
September 2, 2010, 03:00
Last week as the weather changed, the Coast Range became something out of The Lord of The Rings—the maritime version, perhaps. This is a poor…
- Gazing at the Summer Sky by: Mark Zeiger
July 29, 2010, 03:00
On a recent evening I stepped outside to take a photo of the clouds that were particularly lovely at that moment. They say a picture's worth a thousand…
- Forecast Fatigue by: Mark Zeiger
July 26, 2010, 03:00
Living as we do, depend heavily on the weather forecast. As you can imagine, we spend a fair amount of time each day listening to the weather band. We keep a…
- Rained In by: Mark Zeiger
July 1, 2010, 06:00
The last day of June felt more like October on the homestead. the previous day's warm sunshine gave way to heavy rain overnight. I'd planned to get out and…
- Surf's Up by: Mark Zeiger
June 18, 2010, 03:00
"If everybody had an ocean . . ." the Beach Boys sang in my headphones, ". . . across the 'You-Es-Ay'/Then everybody'd be surfin'/like Cali-forn-I-ay!" I…
- Sucker Hole by: Mark Zeiger
June 17, 2010, 03:00
Last Saturday I got outside about 6:00 a.m. Heavy rain started the previous afternoon and continued through the night, but had lightened about an hour before I…
- Nice View from the Homestead on a Summer Evening by: Mark Zeiger
June 10, 2010, 03:00
The Summer Solstice approaches, meaning that we're approaching maximum daylight for the homestead. I took these two photos on Monday evening, just before 10:00…
- Sweet Summer Rain by: Mark Zeiger
June 2, 2010, 03:00
Rain came with June. The forecast called for a 20% chance of showers for Haines Monday evening. We've noticed that anything up to a 40% chance for Haines…
- The Obligations of Sunny Weather by: Mark Zeiger
May 28, 2010, 03:00
In Southeast Alaska, people have a different attitude toward sunny weather. We make the most of it while it lasts. That means that if it lasts very long, we…
- Summer Days by: Mark Zeiger
May 26, 2010, 03:00
So far, the weather has supported our observance of the Celtic view of the seasons, marking the beginning of each at its beginning rather than midpoint. For…
- Be It Ever so Humid, There's No Place Like Home by: Mark Zeiger
May 19, 2010, 03:00
Early yesterday morning we left Fairbanks and headed home to Haines. By the end of the day, we cleared U.S. customs, having traveled through Canada, and…
- Cold Sophie by: Mark Zeiger
May 15, 2010, 03:00
Today is traditionally the day of Cold Sophie in southern Germany, marking the end of the days of the Eisheilige, or Ice Saints. Apparently in that part of the…
- Moonlit Moment by: Mark Zeiger
April 30, 2010, 03:00
Last Tuesday, the night before the full moon, I stepped outside around 10:30 pm and found the moon bathing Lynn Canal in light, and accenting the clouds above…
- Exploring The Blow Down by: Mark Zeiger
April 24, 2010, 03:00
Recently Aly I got the urge to go exploring. We chose the Blow Down, an area of the peninsula that we pass through quite often, but have not probed extensively…
- April and May - Southeast Alaska's Prime Time by: Mark Zeiger
April 6, 2010, 03:00
Whenever anyone asks us when they should visit the homestead, we always urge them to come at this time of year, in April or May. This is probably when…
- The Tide is Out, the Table's Set - Beach Foraging by: Mark Zeiger
April 1, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday morning, after breakfast and hot cups of coffee and tea, we pulled on our boots, bundled up against the steady southerly, and headed for the beach.…
- Walking the Boundaries - An Earlier Attempt by: Mark Zeiger
March 16, 2010, 03:00
Recently, I described our efforts to discover whether or not the beloved spot we call "The Knoll" is on our property, or belongs to our neighbors to the north.…
- Theater Of the Mind by: Mark Zeiger
March 15, 2010, 03:00
Thursday, the day we hiked to the knoll, we had a respite from the recent heavy weather. So much so that as evening came on, we discussed whether or not to…
- Walking the Boundaries by: Mark Zeiger
March 12, 2010, 03:00
I heard somewhere about a Scottish custom called walking the boundaries. As I recall, this annual event gathered all the landowners in an area to troop around…
- A Moment to Enjoy the Mountains by: Mark Zeiger
March 11, 2010, 03:00
Tuesday, around 5:00 p.m., I stepped outside and caught a glimpse of sun on the Coast Range across Lynn Canal from our homestead. With the weather as wild as…
- Rumex Super Goat Res (Sorry About the Goat Thing) by: Mark Zeiger
March 10, 2010, 03:00
It's beginning to look like I may need to apologize for the goat comment. The first week of March, after an ambiguous beginning, turned into a series of wild…
- Wind Walking by: Mark Zeiger
March 8, 2010, 03:00
Saturday, we hiked out to go to town. Aly had a library meeting, we had a dinner date with friends, and in between, a whole lot of laundry to do. We've been…
- Beating the Storm by: Mark Zeiger
March 6, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday morning in the outhouse I caught the marine weather forecast, as I do every day, on the crank radio we keep there. I was pretty happy. We've had a…
- March Comes in Like a . . . Goat by: Mark Zeiger
March 1, 2010, 08:46
March is upon us, and, as I have every year since I can remember, I'm analyzing the weather to judge whether the month is coming in like a lion or a lamb. And,…
- Tsunami Warnings I Have Known by: Mark Zeiger
February 28, 2010, 08:43
The big news in Haines yesterday was the Chile earthquake and the resulting tsunami threat. We learned about it as Aly and I prepared to go to town for her…
- Sepia Day by: Mark Zeiger
February 25, 2010, 10:18
Part of what makes this place so beautiful is the amazing changes caused by subtle alterations in light. I've been looking forward all winter to what we call a…
- A Few Photos Before the Weather Turned by: Mark Zeiger
February 24, 2010, 03:00
The Weather forecast called for our run of sunny weather to end, so we prepared by removing the firewood from the beach to the woodshed, and by taking a few…
- A Day at the Beach - Passive Solar and Wind Power at Work by: Mark Zeiger
February 10, 2010, 03:00
Monday, a starry morning gave way to sunshine. The wind blew a steady 25 knots from the south. It was a classic alternative energy day, one that went beyond…
- Sun Showers by: Mark Zeiger
January 22, 2010, 03:00
Here on the homestead, we sun ourselves when we can, but it's less sunbathing than sun showering. We don't "lay out" to get a tan, but we do go out and sit or…
- Going "Posthole" by: Mark Zeiger
January 18, 2010, 03:00
Most of the time, our hike out to the road isn’t a big deal. At other times, like on Saturday, it’s an ordeal! The whole trip didn’t bode well to…
- Night of the "Plops" and its Aftermath by: Mark Zeiger
January 16, 2010, 03:00
Thursday, we set to work preparing for the looming thaw. The recent snows had swirled around the cabin from all directions, thoroughly coating all available…
- Snowbound? Maybe. We'll Have to Get Back to You on That . . . . by: Mark Zeiger
January 13, 2010, 03:00
What matter how the night behaved? What matter how the north-wind raved? Blow high, blow low, not all its snow Could quench our hearth-fire's ruddy…
- We've Been Flocked! by: Mark Zeiger
January 12, 2010, 03:00
There are days when just going to the outhouse can be an adventure. We have finally gotten some significant winter weather on the homestead. I’d begun…
- Storm Warnings by: Mark Zeiger
January 2, 2010, 03:00
Yesterday the New Year came in with a 50-knot storm from the north. The "wind drought" is now in reverse—we're working off the batteries without wind…
- Spending New Year's Eve with the Moon by: Mark Zeiger
December 31, 2009, 03:00
Tonight, for New Year’s Eve, we’ll be going outside and watching the sky. Not for fireworks, but for the moon. For the first time in 19 years, since before…
- Tracking the Homestead's Individual Winter Solstice by: Mark Zeiger
December 21, 2009, 11:54
This year's Winter Solstice, like last year's, arrived on a bright, clear day! That's always so gratifying. Just as we did last year, we tracked our solar…
- Heavy Weather Has Moved in Again by: Mark Zeiger
December 18, 2009, 12:57
Weather can change in a hurry around here! We had a good night and day of battery charging yesterday, but the wind slacked off in the evening. The…
- Foul Weather Friends - The Wind has Returned by: Mark Zeiger
December 17, 2009, 08:23
Maybe I shouldn't have talked about the Halcyon Days? Our season of calm came early this year. For about the last week or so, our wind forecasts have fallen…
- Saturday's Nice View from the Homestead by: Mark Zeiger
November 23, 2009, 08:41
Saturday morning, around 9:00 a.m., I stepped out on the beach, looked north, and scrambled back to the cabin for the digital camera. On my way through the…
- Zeigers Emerge from Burrow - See Shadow, Hurry Back Home by: Mark Zeiger
November 19, 2009, 01:00
Tuesday morning, Aly and I hiked out to the road, the first time any of us has left the homestead in the last 10 days. We went expecting trouble—we…
- Neither Rain, Nor Wind, Nor Dark of Night: Blogging in All Weather by: Mark Zeiger
November 16, 2009, 01:00
The winds from Saturday’s storm have abated, the wind generator has slowed, but our heads are still spinning! People use words like “storm” and…
- What a Storm! by: Mark Zeiger
November 14, 2009, 18:19
Today's storm seems to have passed. We're down to about 45 knot winds, and have decided it's safe to turn the generator back on, and go online. We didn't…
- Attuning to Natural Rhythms: “Livin’ by the Moon and Tide” by: Mark Zeiger
November 13, 2009, 01:00
“It’s another fine day across Mud Bay/Livin’ by the moon and tide!” —Burl Sheldon, Another Fine Day Homestead life is very different from my…
- Season's First Snow on the Homestead - Photos of Snow on the Creek by: Mark Zeiger
November 1, 2009, 12:09
Last night, after Aly finished trick-or-treating, and we'd all settled to bed at our friends' cabin in Haines, snow fell. Their kerosene heater's on the blink,…
- The Tide Turns by: Mark Zeiger
- Category: Writing (43)
- A "Fresher Cup" of Sacred Coffee by: Mark Zeiger
March 28, 2013, 03:00
Thanks to everyone who has bought my ebook, Sacred Coffee: A "Homesteader's" Paradigm. If you did not purchase it directly from me, you may want to return to…
- Selected Poems: Alaska & Northwest by: Mark Zeiger
March 27, 2013, 03:00
If I've seemed a little distracted lately, it's because I've been working on releasing a new title under my company, Yeldagalga Publications, LLC. Yesterday,…
- 1001 by: Mark Zeiger
March 15, 2013, 03:00
Today, like Scheherazade, I spin my 1001st tale. I jokingly wondered in a recent post if I would remember to notice when I reached the arbitrary milestone…
- We're Experiencing Technical Difficulties by: Mark Zeiger
March 8, 2013, 06:27
I should have been able to post a new essay on the blog this morning, but as part of my computer upgrade, I downloaded the new, "improved" version of WordPress,…
- Sacred Coffee: A "Homesteader's" Paradigm by: Mark Zeiger
February 12, 2013, 03:00
Well, I've gone and done it again: I've written another book. Yesterday, I quietly added a new entry on our Store Page, a new ebook, Sacred Coffee: A…
- Shy Ghosts Dancing on Sale for Halloween by: Mark Zeiger
October 20, 2012, 06:09
It's the Halloween season again, a time for frightening ourselves and others. To help you get in the mood, it's time to remind you of my book of short stories,…
- Simple Pleasures: Writing With a Fountain Pen by: Mark Zeiger
October 8, 2012, 03:00
I've been focusing the last few posts on cursive writing and its uses. To return to the topic one more time, I'd like to recommend my favorite tool for this…
- Letters Keep Cursive Writing Alive by: Mark Zeiger
October 6, 2012, 03:00
In my last post, I defended cursive writing as a dying art form. One finds few opportunities to use handwriting in the modern world, unless one looks for…
- Cursive Writing: A Dying Art Form? by: Mark Zeiger
October 4, 2012, 03:00
I wrote the following essay a few years ago in response to an online discussion about teaching handwriting in school. Most people advocated abolishing…
- Book Signing/Tourist Meet 'n' Greet Today! by: Mark Zeiger
July 25, 2012, 03:00
This morning I'm finally going to town on a "tour boat day" to sign copies of my book, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska at Alaska Rod's. …
- Book Signing this Friday in Haines by: Mark Zeiger
February 9, 2012, 14:32
At last, a blog post specifically for Hainesites! I've often doubted whether this blog would be of any interest to my fellow Alaskans. Living as we do…
- Get Your Spooky Alaskan Stories for Halloween by: Mark Zeiger
October 22, 2011, 03:00
Here we are, a week away from Halloween, and I've forgotten to flog my book of dark short stories, Shy Ghosts Dancing. As I've probably mentioned before, I…
- I'm In the Library by: Mark Zeiger
October 5, 2011, 03:00
Predictably, after returning from a long stint of travel and visiting, I hid out at the homestead for a while. Michelle found reasons to go to town about twice…
- Returning by: Mark Zeiger
September 29, 2011, 03:00
Our recent road trip to the lower 48 to deliver Aly to college included a mix of new and familiar sites. Part of the trip reversed the route Michelle and I…
- Stories 'Round the Campfire, 21st Century Style by: Mark Zeiger
June 29, 2011, 03:00
Sunday we had a good long talk with Aly, who's attending an archaeological field school in the Yukon. She's halfway through the course and still going…
- Announcing our FAQ Drawing Winner by: Mark Zeiger
June 5, 2011, 07:06
On April 13th I wrote that it might be time to add an FAQ (frequently asked questions) section to the Web site. I said I'd throw the name of anyone who asked a…
- Flower Moon by: Mark Zeiger
May 17, 2011, 03:00
Tonight's the night of May's full moon, which means it's time to read another poem from Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons. Today's poem is Flower Moon—How She…
- What the . . . Hey, We're #1! by: Mark Zeiger
April 23, 2011, 03:00
Perhaps you've noticed the new blue box on the right hand column of the blog page? The one that says "Top Bog, Homesteading?" I wasn't vanity searching,…
- Time to Add FAQs to the Website by: Mark Zeiger
April 13, 2011, 04:24
I feel the time has come to add FAQs—"Frequently Asked Questions"—to the Zeiger Family Homestead Website. We get a lot of questions from people on a…
- Snowshoes for a Song . . . Er, Poem by: Mark Zeiger
April 7, 2011, 03:00
Earlier in the year, I entered a week's worth of online contests that the outdoor gear store, REI sponsored. Each day they posted a new photo and asked…
- Expressing LIfe Vs. Living It by: Mark Zeiger
March 30, 2011, 03:00
The daily ritual of laying out tasks in my Franklin Planner includes reading the daily quote provided. Recently, a quote from the French philosopher, Gaston…
- Twelve Moons Poem for Today: Sleeping in the Forest by: Mark Zeiger
March 26, 2011, 03:00
If you're reading Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar calendar with me, today is the day to read the poem, Sleeping in the Forest, on the last quarter…
- Shy Ghosts Now Haunt Smashwords by: Mark Zeiger
March 22, 2011, 03:00
Recently, I added the electronic version of my book of short stories, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska, to the site, Smashwords.com. I…
- Shy Ghost/Rude Ghost by: Mark Zeiger
March 9, 2011, 03:00
One of the many satisfying aspects of independently producing a book of short stories included creating my own cover art. The process reminded me, however,…
- An Alaskan Blessing by: Mark Zeiger
March 4, 2011, 08:43
Today is the new moon, which means it's time to read another poem from Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons. Today's poem is A Blessing. As a calendar, this is the time…
- Taking a Stab at NPR's Three Minute Fiction Contest by: Mark Zeiger
February 28, 2011, 08:09
Our local radio station airs National Public Radio (NPR) as their national news source. We listen regularly, and have always attended, with a fair amount of…
- The Sound of Silence by: Mark Zeiger
February 14, 2011, 11:19
As much as I dislike Valentine's Day (what could be less romantic than a day that requires one to be so?) I have to say, it's even worse to spend it apart from…
- Northern Lights Showcase by: Mark Zeiger
February 13, 2011, 03:00
Tonight Aly and I head to town to attend the Haines Arts Council's Northern Lights Showcase, a fund-raiser concert of local talent. Among other performances,…
- Self Indulgence by: Mark Zeiger
February 4, 2011, 06:31
The Fairbanks trip ended successfully on Wednesday evening, when my sister-in-law, the two dogs and I rolled into Haines. We had a very good trip. I have to…
- The Night Traveler by: Mark Zeiger
February 2, 2011, 03:00
Today, the day of the new moon in my time zone (tomorrow EST), is the day to read The Night Traveler if you're following Mary Oliver's Twelve Moons as a lunar…
- Under the "Wolf Moon" by: Mark Zeiger
January 20, 2011, 11:51
Yesterday morning, on the full moon, I read Mary Oliver's Wolf Moon. I haven't quite decided whether I should read these moon poems in the morning or evening,…
- The Reading/Book Signing is Tonight! by: Mark Zeiger
January 19, 2011, 03:00
Tonight's the night! My first book signing and reading for Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska is at 7:00 pm at the Sheldon Museum in Haines.…
- A Reading and Book Signing for Shy Ghosts Dancing by: Mark Zeiger
January 3, 2011, 03:00
On December 30th I went to the Sheldon Museum in town with Aly. She volunteers there every week. I went to follow up with the staff about a reading and book…
- Shy Ghosts Dancing Hit the Streets of Haines by: Mark Zeiger
December 8, 2010, 03:00
On Monday a box full of copies of my book, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska arrived in the mail! I took 6 of them directly to The Babbling…
- Order Now for Christmas! by: Mark Zeiger
November 29, 2010, 10:19
A friend asked a question yesterday that sent a chill through me: "If I order autographed copies of your book now, will it arrive in time for Christmas?" Yik…
- Shy Ghosts Dancing is Now On Sale! by: Mark Zeiger
November 27, 2010, 12:21
I just approved the final proof, and my new book of short stories, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska is now on sale in hard copy! I am, to…
- The Short Story Book's Ready for Pre-Ordering by: Mark Zeiger
November 12, 2010, 10:24
I just finished what I'm firmly convinced will be the last final edit of my new short story book, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska. I've…
- Mary Oliver to the Rescue Once Again by: Mark Zeiger
November 5, 2010, 08:33
I am still faithfully fulfilling my 2010 New Year's Resolution to read a poem a day. This morning, before reading the poem I'd preselected for the day, I…
- "Fun Dark?" by: Mark Zeiger
October 29, 2010, 03:00
"Your stories aren't deep dark," Michelle observed the other day, "they're fun dark." I immediately flashed back to my childhood, when, around this time of…
- Shy Ghosts Dancing E-Book Released! by: Mark Zeiger
October 27, 2010, 03:00
With the proof hard copy still somewhere in the mail, I was beginning to think I wouldn't be able to release my new collection of dark fiction, Shy Ghosts…
- What Is Scary? by: Mark Zeiger
October 19, 2010, 03:00
I’ve been thinking a lot about the nature of fear lately, for two reasons. First, my short story collection, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast…
- The Short Story Collection Moves Forward by: Mark Zeiger
October 14, 2010, 03:00
I should have known that the most recent set of files for my book of short stories, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska, would be accepted by…
- The Book's Out of the Bag by: Mark Zeiger
September 30, 2010, 03:00
I let slip now and then that not everything happening on the homestead gets discussed on this blog. Lately, I've been working on a project behind the scenes. …
- A "Fresher Cup" of Sacred Coffee by: Mark Zeiger
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