Wilderness Blues- Ramblings from the Great Land

  FAQ:   What are certificates?  |  What are stars?  |  How do I become a ranked author? Sometimes I feel like a character in the Gary Larson cartoon- The Far Side. He always portrayed goofy looking animals or characters in bizarre situations. One of my favorites showed a lady jumping out of a burning building, striking a trampoline - like device that the firemen are holding, and bouncing into another building that is also on fire. I found that hilarious, but then I have a weird sense of humor. The reason I mention this is it appears that no matter what I do in my life, something out of the ordinary always seems to come up. For instance, I was at my doctors office a few months ago. We talked about private matters like my prostate. I told him I wasn't going to go for any more prostate exams. The exam entails a doctor sticking his digit up your back side and feeling around. The last time I visited my old doctor, I told him I wasn't going to do the finger tric...

  When I moved to Alaska and discovered that I could be paid to catch fish, I was ecstatic. All I needed was a boat and a license, both of which were procured within two years of moving here. Like most jobs, there are certain aspects that are enjoyable and others that aren't so much so. Catching fish was a lot of fun; cleaning up the mess it created didn't bring nearly as much joy. Because I was catching salmon using hook and line, the fish brought a higher price than ones that were caught in nets. Each fish was brought on board individually, stunned, and bled by cutting the gills, and then cleaned and put in ice. Salmon have a tendency to put up a fight and even though they may be clubbed and gaffed, they sometimes would thrash around the deck, especially Humpies. Pink salmon, or Humpback salmon- Humpies, are the smallest of the Pacific salmon, ranging from two to five pounds on average. They are worth the least amount of money and are the hardest to kill, frequently tearing o...

  I'm sure we're all familiar with the old saying that what goes up must come down. While it may not be referring to Christmas decorations, the same is true nonetheless. Today I got started on the mighty chore of having to remove the decorations from outside. All the hard work I had to go through a few days after Thanksgiving has to be reversed. When I was decorating the house, I had my I pod and was listening to Christmas music. It helped me to get in the mood. I always enjoy having the lights and garland on the outside of the house. When you live in a place where the winter nights last about eighteen or more hours, coming home to some brightly shining colored lights helps to lighten the mood. When I was a kid, we never decorated the outside of the house. Those were the days before LED lights, so each bulb drew a fair amount of power I'm sure, and they got hotter than a welder's apron. Lighting the outside of your house was something that was reserved for those who wer...

  From time to time, I like to vent my frustration out in the open. In part because it makes me feel better to get something off my chest, and in part I'm hoping for a solution, or at the very least some agreement with my view. Today I'd like to say a few words about pockets. They have been around for about five hundred years, and are a necessary part of every man's attire. Where else could we put our keys, glasses, pencils, telephones and dozens of other doo-dads? While I don't wear cargo pants, you know those trousers with umpteen pockets, I would probably be tempted to. However, I know how I am. In no time at all I'd have every pocket filled with something, just in case I needed it that day. Before you know it, I wouldn't be able to walk. Something like Swiss Army cargo pants might be a good idea. They would come pre-filled with only the necessities that the average man might need, plus a few extras, like some fishing line and a few hooks in case you passed b...

     My wife, Jan, has spent the last few days baking. It was quite a monumental effort requiring her to clean the kitchen three times one day alone. I can attest to the fact that baking is a messy business. Whenever I make Mexican Quiche  I incorporate all the counter space. I'm too cheap to pay for pre-made pie crusts, so I make my own, thus I need room for the flour and Crisco and a big bowl. Then I have to drag out the eggs, a cutting board for the veggies, and bowls for the salsa and canned milk. What a mess. In any event, I was glad that she cleaned up after herself. It makes eating the cookies she's baked all the more pleasant. As you can see, she made ample amounts of chocolate chip cookies, both with nuts and without, some sugar cookies, and another kind that is coated in powdered sugar and rolled in crushed pecans. I can't recall what she called them, and I didn't have room for them in the picture, but it doesn't really matter. The bottom line is that they...

    I read this post last night on the writing web site Fan Story, and asked permission from the author, Diane Truelove, if I could post it here on my blog. She graciously allowed me to. I found the story to be a truly delightful gift to the readers, and I hope you agree.  Biographical Non-Fiction posted December 16, 2018 er and is holding the #56 spot on the  top ranked reviewer list . Portfolio  |  Become A Fan A Christmas long remembered and cherished... The Magic of Santa's Christmas Box by  Mrs. KT Afternoon shadows are now gathering on this snow-tossed December Sunday as I sit here by the glow of a warm, cheerful fire. My Christmas shopping is completed, cards have been mailed, and baked goods have taken over the kitchen counters. Soon, our home will be filled with the laughter of our adult children, grandchildren, and dear friends as Christmas festivities begin. But in these quiet moments, as I await everyone's arrival, I smile, as my thoughts t...

   Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. It's my favorite holiday. I think it's appropriate to take at least one day of the year and give thought to our many blessings, and thank God for them. It's also the one day of the year when a person can get away with eating massive amounts of delicious food and not feel too guilty about it.   Like many households in America, we had turkey for dinner. One of my sons-in-law wanted ham as well, and since he donated one, we cooked it also. Of course there was all the trimmings to go with the meat- green bean casserole, candied yams with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry Jello salad with cream cheese, a relish tray and of course pie. Pumpkin and apple both.    Even though there were eleven people at my table, our stomachs can only hold so much at one sitting. That means leftovers. I don't mind leftovers for a day or two, but we still have turkey in the refrigerator, and frankl...