It is that time of year, once again, when everything is over fully stocked, the books are plentiful.

But the real treasure is that soon the logging road up my mountain will be closed to all but the most hardy and well prepared. There is a quiet comfort, in having five or seven or nine feet of snow the invaders must traverse for the spoils. Few if any of those escaping the Alaska cities, even own 60" snowshoes, and the few who do, would likely forget them as a priority item, as they escape their urban hell.

It is interesting that those who speak negatively about Alaska, can't grasp or appreciate the "absolute" total silence, and awesome beauty of snow covered mountain wilderness.

A.S. Good for you. The life suits you. Most would go out with 'cabin fever', but maybe not. I moved here to central Texas in the 70s when we shared the same remoteness, but it has changed as the city dwellers are coming out + applying their taxes on us to support them living here.

I have to go to town for supplies today. Not looking forward to it even though I live in a sane portion of the country. Too many people in the stores for me. The old people I can understand, there are LOTS of them. Whole families in the middle of the day. No one apparently works (or goes to school) anymore.

I just got back from a knife show in Vegas. I don't care if I ever go back. WAY to many people. When we are home we often lock the gate. Deliveries are put inside the gate and I will go out only twice next week..Wife will can peas next week as well as Axis meat. The week after I will be squirrel and rabbit hunting to put up. I transplanted cat tails in the creek today and gathered mullein stalks for the seed next spring. Will be gathering plantain to make salves this weekend. Most of our tinctures will be ready the next 2 weeks.

Great stuff, Jerry. This time of the year is very busy with getting 'product' collected, processed and put away. It confounds me, urban dwellers, not doing these things. I could never live the way they do.

Digging sweet potatoes in the next day or two here.

Jerry, heres one along the line of insanity. This bought to mind via gate locking. About 20 years ago I used to take the Sunday paper + I would walk down 1/2 mile to the road to get it. One Sunday I go down + there's this car through my fence bottomed out on a rock wall just missing my gate. Oh, this has to be deliberate destruction. Of course going over the rock wall trashed their oil pan + who knows what else, but I decided to go back to the house, get my logging chain + chain his vehicle to my gate post + call the S.O. Well, when I got back down the car had been towed off (by his buddies no doubt) but here's the really classic part. When the Deputy gets there + I filled him in he said, it's a good thing that you didn't chain that car to your gate; then you would have been responsible for any damage incurred both to fence + car as you by chaining it up took possession of said vehicle. Basically, I would have been forced to fix his car along with my damage. Who writes this SxxT?

You have some weird laws.

Dang Norm, I have not heard of a deal like that. Good you missed that one.

Damned glad I missed it too. Ann' you are so right; we not only have some weird laws but the guys that pass them. This last legislature just passed 666 new laws (Beastly, eh?) I dream every day of a "DO NOTHING" legistration!

While I am glad I live in an area that is 95% ranchers and other hard working types we do have some criminal element with drug addicts. Every once in awhile you hear about someone getting B&E'd or robbed. Big thing in the local city is to steal catalytic converters. These freaks target churches and other non profits that have vans or trucks.

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I just got back from a knife show in Vegas. I don't care if I ever go back. WAY to many people.

Jerry: I live in northwest Vegas in an area that has a lot of horse properties and a very large orchard. I rarely make it to the strip or downtown. Too many weirdos from around the country and the world coming to live it up and leave it here in Vegas. But, of course, that is why we don't have a state income tax, as they pay it for us with their gambling habits. Lately, even going to Costco, Sam's Club or Walmart has resulted in me being around waaaaaaay too many people for my liking. Since it's the holiday season (has been for a few weeks now)everyone and their dog is out and about. I hate it. I think that the COVID mandates have helped to make me even more of a recluse! And, being older I have little or no patience when I should have more.

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Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:

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I just got back from a knife show in Vegas. I don't care if I ever go back. WAY to many people.

Jerry: I live in northwest Vegas in an area that has a lot of horse properties and a very large orchard. I rarely make it to the strip or downtown. Too many weirdos from around the country and the world coming to live it up and leave it here in Vegas. But, of course, that is why we don't have a state income tax, as they pay it for us with their gambling habits. Lately, even going to Costco, Sam's Club or Walmart has resulted in me being around waaaaaaay too many people for my liking. Since it's the holiday season (has been for a few weeks now)everyone and their dog is out and about. I hate it. I think that the COVID mandates have helped to make me even more of a recluse! And, being older I have little or no patience when I should have more.

I here ya, my feelings exactly. The common folks with no skills just get in my way. And I hate big stores, have not been in a Wal Mart for over 10 years.

I am too old to survive Alaska but I do live in a remote area of Washington State. 6 foot fences with locked gates. And three big guard dogs that patrol the property.

Todays chores: Prepping the barn for 40 tons of Alfalfa. Working on bluing prep for a 338 Win Mag (Ruger M77) that I am building for the son in law. And making a wood case for my Forster Drill/Tapping jig.

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Originally posted by Alaskan Sourdough:
It is that time of year, once again, when everything is over fully stocked, the books are plentiful.

But the real treasure is that soon the logging road up my mountain will be closed to all but the most hardy and well prepared. There is a quiet comfort, in having five or seven or nine feet of snow the invaders must traverse for the spoils. Few if any of those escaping the Alaska cities, even own 60" snowshoes, and the few who do, would likely forget them as a priority item, as they escape their urban hell.

It is interesting that those who speak negatively about Alaska, can't grasp or appreciate the "absolute" total silence, and awesome beauty of snow covered mountain wilderness.

While not that remote, when I lived in Remington Ridge, it was so quiet that I could hear the stars twinkling.

Here, deep in the Heart of Texas, I used to never see any city lights. Only the stars at night. I have a scuttle hole in my roof in the old part of my house, that allows us to lie on the roof + watch the heavens. Friends from the city would come out, lie on the roof + fall in love with the unobstructed view, as well as the some from my upper deck overlooking the valley. Unfortunately so many city folks have moved out here + seem to be afraid of the dark that they feel the need to put up mercury lamps that is totally invasive of our nighttime sky. Well, someone has been shooting them out. I don't know who, of course, but I would give them more ammo if they needed it.