What to do?

Everything was going as it should, snow and ice melting, sun coming out everyday making it pleasent, birds and small animals out and about. Then, this morning I wake up to this.





Yikes! I know it won't stay but, it is still annoying. I have another problem, I am starting to feel overwhelmed with all that is going on. Finishing work on the road cabin, getting the new cabin built on the 8 acre and fixing up the cabin on the 40 acre. Last night as I sat listening to the radio, I got to thinking, am I taking on to much? Should I forget the 8 acre or the 40 acre? The thing is, the deal with the 40 acre has changed and the person who owns it, decided he didn't want to get rid of it for sentimental reasons but, said I could still move up there and live until I die and he would draw up a paper to make it legal. Quite frankly, I am moving more towards the thought of just concentrating on my 8 acre, at least it's mine. Sometimes I think we are thrown a curve ball in life just to check our resolve. Hold on, there's more. The owner of the lodge called me and made an offer. If I came back to be the winter caretaker for no money, he would build me a log cabin on the property and supply my food,Internet and phone until I die. I would stay there during the winters and spend summers at my remote property or road cabin. I gotta tell ya, I do miss the Lake Clark area, it is so beautiful there and most of you have seen the the photos and it's remote. I would like to hear some suggestions but, in the long run, I will do what I think best.

                             " HAPPY EASTER"

                                   EVERYONE

A REFLECTION

What a beautiful day to wake up to. The sun is shining and Breakfast was good. Oatmeal with cranraisins, hot coffee freshly brewed and some homemade garlic bread. I didn't take pictures because, I didn't want all of you drooling over your computers,LOL. I had to go to the library to take care of some important work and stopped at Kashwitna Lake first. The view is awesome. Denali and Forakker.




The other day someone asked me why I or anyone else would want to live a remote lifestyle, don't like people, anti social, what? I told him none of the above at least for me. For me, it's about living among what Nature provides which is a clean, quiet and bountiful enviroment. Being someplace where the mountains, rivers, creeks, trails and so on have no names. Places where nobody else has been. I enjoy providing for myself. The more time I spend at my cabin on the road system, I know I don't belong there. As soon as I get to the 40 acre, I will be in my element. I mentioned before how I would like to go farther North up around the Shandelar and Kandik River. That will happen as soon as I get the cabin on the 40 acre and the new cabin on the 8 acre done. So much work in so little time. I am also thinking about building another cabin on the back property of the road system cabin and renting out the one I have there now. That way, I have someone there to keep an eye on things when I am on the homestead. I will certainly be glad when all this work is over, it's like having a job. I hope everyone is having a nice spring and making it through breakup.





HAPPY SPRING

It's a beautiful day here today, the sun is shining bright and the temp. is already

Last night I was just hanging out in the cabin watching a movie, "Chisum" with John Wayne. It was over about 7:20pm and so, I sat there listening to radio. It was still light out and seemed very warm. Believe it or not

I decided I needed something to do so, I went out side and climbed on the roof to see how much ice was left. I got my chipper and commenced to chipping away, {sorry, forgot to take photos} and it came off in big chunks because of the warm weather I assume. I had the roof cleared off in 20 min. Well, that was enough work for me. Went back in the cabin to have coffee and listen to the radio. As I was sitting there, I could just make out the sun setting and it looked pretty cool through my trees.









This was the end result.



They arn't very good professional wise but, they were mine for that moment and will never see the same again. For me, I see the beauty and uniqness in the simple things that come along. I would never trade my life or lifestyle for anything. Too many people worry about too many things.
  This morning started out pretty good, had a big breakfast, powdered eggs, dehydrated hash browns and precooked sausage, heat and eat. LOL. Because I just have tar paper on the roof, I decided to put a tarp on the roof before it starts raining. So, I went up spread the tarp out then folded it back up to let what little ice was left melt off. Pictures to come. As I stepped on to the ladder, the bottom of it slipped out and slid, so, down with the ladder I went. The bottom caught into a snow bank and wedged against the cabin wall and one leg went through the ladder and there I lay on my back on the ladder. It actually saved me from real harm because, underneath there were big chunks of jagged ice sticking up. WOW! Talk about luck.  These are the only bruises I got.




This body sure has taken a beating over the years and at 64, I'm glad I am still in pretty good shape. But, I think I will be a bit more cautious from now on, don't want to press my luck. I will be heading up to the new homestead sometime next week and see how much work I have a head of me. Should be very interesting. That's enough for today. Hope everyone is enjoying this Spring weather. Take care.

Well, it is a nice day the sun is out and the morning started out at 10 degrees. I thought it would be a nice day to catch up in the blog world. I just picked up a neat coffee maker, only problem, it just makes 6 cups of coffee. The yellow one.

As Spring engulfs us, I am getting very excited about getting up to the 40 acre homestead and begin work on it getting it ready for next winter. The person I got it from tells me there are all spiecies of Salmon, Rainbow Trout and Pike in the area as well as moose and of course bear. He also tells me not far away there are all kinds of berries and many wild edible plants which includes mushrooms. This is going to be a great year for me. I will put the woodfired sauna to a lot of use also. I have talked with the owner of the lodge close by and I will be able to use his Internet signal during the summer as well as his airstrip both summer and winter.
 My plan is to only have to make one trip to town for supplies as I really don't want to go anymore than that. I will be very busy fixing things, fishing, hunting and canning. There is a rootceller behind the cabin and a handpump for water inside the cabin. The pipe goes through the rootceller allowing for water pumped during the winter. So, I hope all my friends check in now and see how things progress.

ahhhh, Spring! I think

This is one crazy spring. During the day it is sunny and almost 40 degrees and I am working in a tshirt. Then at night it goes to either 0 or -10.

Believe it or not, under that pile of snow is firewood.


I have been shoveling for quite awhile and decided to take a break with a nice bottle of Corona.

Here is the firewood I dug out.

Here is a great deal I got from a friend. I traded a propane fridge for this 1995 Subaru, runs great.

Ice buildup, now you see it.

Now you don't, it wasw a real chore getting it off. the other side is next.

I have an audience.


Things are going very well so far. I can't wait to get up to the 40 acres and start working on the cabin. There is a lodge close by that will let me use their Internet signal so, I will be able to give you updates more often. I will be back to the library on Wednesday with more to talk about. take care everyone.

Hi everyone, I'mmm back

Hi everyone, I know it's been a long time. Mostly due to the weather and being lazy and yes, some cabin fever. A lot has happened since I last posted. First some photos of how much snow I got at the cabin.









I got bored being inside so I much, I felt closed in and decided to redecorate a little.

                            Before



After



                  Front of cabin

                    Back of cabin




Just to let everyone know, finally found the problem with my Trooper, bad ignition coil. Went to O'reillys in Wasilla last Thursday and picked up a new one. Drove back to Willow dropped it off to the mechanic. He calls me Friday evening and tells me it is defective. So, he calls O'reillys and they say,  they won't have another one until Tues. or Wed. just my luck. Anyway, everything else is going fine. Now for the big news. I found this ad on Craigslist

1br - 360ft² - Swap,40 acres,cabin,sauna,storage (20 miles from Skwentna)

---

Date: 2012-02-29, 5:26PM AKST
Reply to:  ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}

---

Swap Wilderness Cabin, Sauna, Storage buildings,pond, 40 acres, free and clear title, Located from Skwentna river mouth, about 17 miles upstream on the Yentna River then 3 miles up the Kichatna river to the fork, then crosscountry trail for 1 mile between Kichatna river and Johnson creek. Trade for road or river accessable land,or high mountain land, with or without cabin, also free and clear title and also in Alaska.

• Location: 20 miles from Skwentna
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Anyway, just for the heck of it, I contacted the person to see what he was looking for. I certainly didn't think he would be interested in my place but, you never know. Anyway, he was interested and it turns out he lives in Willow also. So, he drove out to my place and we had a long talk and we made a deal his 40 acre homestead for my Willow property and my remote Skwentna property. I am really excited and will be taking it over May or June. This will be my permanent residence. The cabin needs some work and that's ok. There is great fishing all around, all spiecies of salmon and pike and trout. The property is high and dry except for one little swamp area which has a trail around it. The only neighbor is a lodge about 1/2 mile away which has an airstrip which I can use. Now I have access by air, snowmachine and boat. Deals like this hardly ever come along.  The property is North of Skwentna.

 This news brought me right out of cabin fever and sure brightened my day.

  Now that my Trooper will be fixed soon, I can maintain my blog more often. The only thing left is to find myself a great companion and I am working on that. I may have made a connection and will find out for sure next week. Anyway, I think this enough excitement for all of you and will close for now. Don't give up on me just yet.

 

Hi everyone

Well, it's been awhile and although not much has happened, there are a few things that are changing.  since my last post, I have had a lot of time to put some thoughts together about my future. Something has happened in my life that has me looking at a life change. I don't want to drag this out into a real long post. Recently some things were happening to me that caused me to make a visit to the VA clinic in Anchorage. I had blurred vision, vision was like a telephoto lens going in and out and excessive drinking of fluids. When I saw the doctor, he said I needed to be admitted to the emergency ward right away where they had to stick an IV into each arm. Turns out, I had a Diabetic Attack. They tested my blood sugar and it was over 450. At that moment, I could have gone into a Diabetic coma. Anyway, I am fine now and I need to make more visits to the doctor to determine if I am a Type 1 or Type 2. He feels I will stay a Type 2 if I take all the meds he gave me and I follow a strict diet. If I keep a healthy lifestyle, I can eliminate the Type 2. Type 2 is what they call pre Diabetes. So, I am putting my plans of returning to the Bush on hold so that I can buy the necessary healthy foods to speed up my recovery. I wasn't sure if I should share this with everyone but, maybe this will give insight to others that, this can happen to anyone and maybe we should take care of our bodies better. I will keep posting, thanks.