I spent the weekend camping and fishing at Elephant Butte Reservoir. There isn’t much left of the lake, as the reservoir is at 1,4% of its capacity. It is wild to see such a small body of water where a…
Year: 2026
New book review!
I have a new review of my first book, Against Doctor’s Orders. I truly appreciate all the folks who have taken the time to give their review of my book. If you would like to purchase a signed copy, contact…
Why I use mason line rather than bank line for many off-grid homesteading and camp projects
For making things like tripods, temporary shelters, and other general camp projects while out in the forest, I’ve found mason line to be an awesome alternative to bank line. First, it’s far less expensive. Second, you get more of it…
Living On Earth – Batoning Logs To Make Fire Kindling With A Knife Is Silly
In my life, I’ve started thousands of fires. I started doing bushcraft as a child growing up in the 1970s. Back then we called it playing. I trapped my first rabbit when I was 10, and ran away from home…
Mastering Flint and Steel Just For Fun!
While I wouldn’t want to use flint and steel as an emergency option for starting a fire, it is a fun skill to have. A few years back, I started fires in my wood stove all winter using only flint…
Living On Earth – Scouting For Black Bear and Making Primitive Traps
There is nothing like crafting a wishbone figure-four deadfall over a very fresh pile of bear scat while out scouting for the fall hunt. While primitive traps are illegal to use in New Mexico, knowing how to make them and…
Living on Earth – Cabin build
I’m building a 12×14 cabin on a piece of property we own. Many people are purchasing pre-built portable sheds and living in them these days. People just can’t afford to pay rent or a mortgage, so living in a storage…
Dear Diary – July 21, 2026
It takes more than love Anda and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary yesterday. We were thinking back to our sessions with Bill Sasso, who was the minister of the Unitarian Universalist church in Carbondale at the time. During our…
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