Life

An Outdoor View: Changes are afoot

“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 top three winners in Homer's 23rd Annual Winter King Salmon Tournament show off their fish to the crowd. (Left to right) Colt Belmonte placed third for a 24.8 pound king, winning $16,588; Kelly Grose won $21,112 for his 25.25 pound king and Eric Holland took first place with his 26.45 pound king. Holland's prize of $31,668 was more than the 2015 tournament's first place prize. All the anglers are Homer residents. (Photo by Anna Frost, Homer News)

A day fit for kings

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

The top three winners in Homer's 23rd Annual Winter King Salmon Tournament show off their fish to the crowd. (Left to right) Colt Belmonte placed third for a 24.8 pound king, winning $16,588; Kelly Grose won $21,112 for his 25.25 pound king and Eric Holland took first place with his 26.45 pound king. Holland's prize of $31,668 was more than the 2015 tournament's first place prize. All the anglers are Homer residents. (Photo by Anna Frost, Homer News)
One of 30 cow moose recently captured and collared in Game Management Unit 15A and 15B in a joint effort by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Dan Thompson, Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

Refuge Notebook: Agencies work together to study Kenai moose

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

One of 30 cow moose recently captured and collared in Game Management Unit 15A and 15B in a joint effort by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Dan Thompson, Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

Depend on it

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

Refuge Notebook: Structure resulting from motion

Refuge Notebook: Structure resulting from motion

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

Refuge Notebook: Structure resulting from motion
The 2015 Card Street Fire was controlled on portions of the north and east flanks because of a change in forest characteristics created by two different fuel treatments conducted in 1984 (white lines) and 2009 (black lines). (Graphic by Kristi Bulock)

Refuge Notebook: How prior fuel treatments helped manage the 2015 Card Street Fire

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

The 2015 Card Street Fire was controlled on portions of the north and east flanks because of a change in forest characteristics created by two different fuel treatments conducted in 1984 (white lines) and 2009 (black lines). (Graphic by Kristi Bulock)

An Outdoor View: The Trump Wall

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

In this Tuesday, March 1, 2016 photo, this assortment of leftover vegetable and flower seeds, in a Langley, Wash., hobby greenhouse, awaits a germination test. Some seeds remain viable for just a year while others will sprout after being stored three years or more. (Dean Fosdick via AP)

Are last season’s saved seeds still viable? Test them

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

In this Tuesday, March 1, 2016 photo, this assortment of leftover vegetable and flower seeds, in a Langley, Wash., hobby greenhouse, awaits a germination test. Some seeds remain viable for just a year while others will sprout after being stored three years or more. (Dean Fosdick via AP)
In this Feb. 21, 2016, photo, a skier jumps through a Bogus Basin terrain park in Boise, Idaho. (Chadd Cripe/Idaho Statesman via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT (KTVB 7); MANDATORY CREDIT

‘The only sexy thing on the hill’: Ski resorts add terrain parks

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

In this Feb. 21, 2016, photo, a skier jumps through a Bogus Basin terrain park in Boise, Idaho. (Chadd Cripe/Idaho Statesman via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT (KTVB 7); MANDATORY CREDIT
This undated photo shows kumquat which is an easy and tasty citrus that can be grown in cold climates, indoors in winter in New Paltz, N.Y. (Lee Reich via AP)

Kumquat: an unusual potted citrus bearing edible fruit

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

This undated photo shows kumquat which is an easy and tasty citrus that can be grown in cold climates, indoors in winter in New Paltz, N.Y. (Lee Reich via AP)
ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS, JAN. 16-17- In this photo taken Jan. 1, 2015, Washington State Park volunteer Dave Acheson leads a group of fat tire bike riders along Rex Derr Trail overlooking Pearrygin Lake near Winthrop, Wash. (Stephen Mitchell via AP)

Snow biking inspires new winter trail options

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Snowshoers and snow bikers appear to be forging a relationship that could expand the reach of single-track trails during winter.While snowshoeing… Continue reading

ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS, JAN. 16-17- In this photo taken Jan. 1, 2015, Washington State Park volunteer Dave Acheson leads a group of fat tire bike riders along Rex Derr Trail overlooking Pearrygin Lake near Winthrop, Wash. (Stephen Mitchell via AP)
A brown bear recently emerged from its den makes its way down a steep slope in the Kenai Mountains. (National Geographic Society photo)

Refuge Notebook: Why do bears wake up in winter?

Last week, during yet another winter meltdown on the Kenai Peninsula, I heard three stories about bears on the prowl. There was a guy in… Continue reading

A brown bear recently emerged from its den makes its way down a steep slope in the Kenai Mountains. (National Geographic Society photo)

An Outdoor View: Dead people

As I lurch and groan through the so-called golden years, I find myself thinking more and more about dead people.When you attain a certain age,… Continue reading

A conch of a fungus (Fomes fomentarius) on a birch log near Nordic Lake, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, on Feb. 17. (Photo courtesy Matt Bowser, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Refuge Notebook: Tinder fungus, the Ice Man and amadou

A couple of years ago I was given a remarkable, beautiful hat by my friend Dominique Collet. This cap is made of a soft, brown… Continue reading

A conch of a fungus (Fomes fomentarius) on a birch log near Nordic Lake, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, on Feb. 17. (Photo courtesy Matt Bowser, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

An Outdoor View: Uncertainty

Uncertainty is the natural order of things. In fishing, it’s often the only thing you can count on.You never know what will happen when you… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Kyle Heffner takes a swing during a game of pickleball targeted specifically for the adaptive population on Feb. 18. The games, organized by Hope Resources in Soldotna and known as "Adaptive Pickleball," started Feb. 11 and will go on through March.

Pingpong-tennis combo continues to expand popularity

Before every serve in a game of pickleball, Juanita Owens called to Tony Kaser to ask what the score was. If other people tried to… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Kyle Heffner takes a swing during a game of pickleball targeted specifically for the adaptive population on Feb. 18. The games, organized by Hope Resources in Soldotna and known as "Adaptive Pickleball," started Feb. 11 and will go on through March.
This May 28, 2012 photo shows second year strawberries thriving in an area of partial shade on a private residence in New Market, Va. Strawberries are an easy-to-grow alternative to turf in problem areas like around trees, pathways and slopes. (Dean Fosdick via AP)

Edible landscaping can yield color, wildlife habitat, food

Why bother mowing thirsty lawns when you can grow edibles? Replace those sorry-looking patches of grass around trees, pathways and slopes with mint, thyme, strawberries,… Continue reading

This May 28, 2012 photo shows second year strawberries thriving in an area of partial shade on a private residence in New Market, Va. Strawberries are an easy-to-grow alternative to turf in problem areas like around trees, pathways and slopes. (Dean Fosdick via AP)

An Outdoor View: Global warming

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of hearing bad news about global warming. To hear it, you’d think everyone aboard Earth is heading… Continue reading

The Rhyners visit the at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in March 2015. (Photo courtesy Tom and Mary Rhyner)

Trail magic: Kenai couple experiences Appalachian Trail

Tom and Mary Rhyner of Kenai have been on this earth long enough to know what is important and to appreciate the little things in… Continue reading

The Rhyners visit the at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in March 2015. (Photo courtesy Tom and Mary Rhyner)
Jim Quinn enjoys an afternoon of ice fishing. (Photo courtesy Dave Atcheson)

Tight Lines: A reassessment of ice fishing

Those who know me well know that hovering over a frozen hole has never really been my favorite pastime. Frankly, I need something a little… Continue reading

Jim Quinn enjoys an afternoon of ice fishing. (Photo courtesy Dave Atcheson)