As I mentioned in this column last week, I like the fact most of Alaska’s lands are owned by the public. It’s certainly better than… Continue reading
With three weeks gone in the season, Kenai birch sap is still streaming on the central Kenai Peninsula, trickling in slow, steady drips that can… Continue reading
The early spring weather, likely a symptom of climate change, has me, on the one hand, worried. As a homeowner it has me dreading another… Continue reading
A view from the well-traveled Skyline trail on a clear day can be a rewarding sight of the Kenai Peninsula mountains any time of the… Continue reading
Most Alaskans would likely agree that this has been a winter of very strange weather with very strange outcomes. Winter 2015 was the warmest the… Continue reading
Every so often, I hear the claim that the government owns too much land in Alaska.I disagree. To me, Alaska’s main attraction — and why… Continue reading
Spring’s last frost — when the mercury takes its final plunge to freezing temperatures until autumn — is a seminal point in the gardening calendar.… Continue reading
Before I landed my dream job here with the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Cabin Program, my wife and I had standing New Year’s Eve plans… Continue reading
Excerpts from “An Outdoor View” columns that are at least as true today as they were when I wrote them:Familiarity breeds content, Sept. 1994I’m finding… Continue reading
You never know who will walk through the door at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. I had the pleasure in late January of… Continue reading
“No man’s life, liberty or property are safe when the Legislature is in session.”— Lawyer, politician and newspaper editor Gideon J. Tucker, 1866As I write… Continue reading
The 2016 Winter King Salmon Tournament champion, Eric Holland, only told the crowd during the Saturday evening awards ceremony that he caught the winning fish… Continue reading
Moose continue to be one of the most valuable species that reside on the Kenai Peninsula. They trigger an emotional response from most folk and… Continue reading
Every song I’ve ever heard apparently is stored somewhere in my memory. I’ll be busy doing something, and some force in the record player of… Continue reading
When Alaskans travel, we commonly run into people we know in far-away obscure places. Instead of running into someone I knew during a recent trip,… Continue reading
On June 17, 2015 the Card Street Fire, fueled by strong westerly winds and very hot and dry conditions, became extremely active and made a… Continue reading
On June 16, 2015, at Trump Tower in New York, Donald Trump proclaimed his intention to be president, and said, “I will build a great… Continue reading
If you save seeds, you might wonder whether those from last year are still viable. A quick and easy pre-season seed germination test can answer… Continue reading
BOGUS BASIN, Idaho — Corey McDonald was a Boise skateboarder 30 years ago when videos of snowboarders inspired him to go to Bogus Basin and… Continue reading
Cold and snowy winters agree with me just fine. Still, as a northern gardener, my mouth waters and my hands itch to be able to… Continue reading