Wilderness Blues- Ramblings from the Great Land

It's been a while since I've been able to sit down at the computer. As I've mentioned in the past, it's the busy season. Fishermen, much like farmers have to make their money during a reletively short time span.  It can get hectic to put it mildly, so when it's time to fish, there's no question about the proverbial  fish or cut bait debate, you fish, and hope like heck that you are successful. The bottom picture shows a small fraction of the trollers fishing Homeshore for Chum and Pink salmon- also known as Dogs and Humpies. Last year several folks from Sitka approached a fish buyer about providing a packer to buy the fish and transport them to the plant. There are several wild runs that go to various areas around Juneau, and there is also a large number of fish returning to DIPAC- Douglas Island Pink and Chum hatchery. Historically these fish have been targeted by the gillnet fleet, even though all commercial fishermen are assessed a three percent tax to enhan...

This is my son Brian. He was a bit of a surprise when he was born. Even though Jan had been to the doctor's  we had no idea that there were two babies in the womb. Everything about his birth was unique. First, of course was the fact that he was even there with no one's knowledge.  After Jan delivered Ben and  the doctor was waiting for the placenta, he stuck his fist out , I guess just to let everyone know he was here. Everyone in the delivery room was in a bit of a state of shock, but it was a nice surprise in any event.  God in all his wisdom gave us two boys. One would never have done it for us. Jan mentioned that if there were only one she feared that he would either be a wimp or a bully. To this day they are each other's best friend. They've always been each other's best friend and fiercest competitor. Both boys excelled in wrestling and it wasn't unusual to hear an argument start upstairs between the two and before you know it the scuffling and thumping wo...

It was a beautiful June day here in Hoonah today. I went out fishing and even took my camera, but the fishing was slow and I didn't see anything I wanted to take a picture of ...until I got to the old school shop. That's where the Glacier Bay Tribal House Project has been located. The doors were open so I dropped in to talk to Gordy Greenwald. The screen they've been working on for the past four months is finally finished. It was beautiful. All of the designs are from Gordy's imagination- each is original. I guess the screen won't be going anywhere any time soon. The park service in Glacier Bay hasn't erected a building for it yet and Gordy wasn't sure when they were going to get around to it.  Along with the screen I noticed several masks that one of the local artists, Herb Sheakley had carved from red cedar. He also made the bentwood box picutred here. I think I mentioned before that the boxes are made from one solid piece of wood, scored on the back and ...