WriterByNature.com

January 30, 2008 6:29 pm

Barry Keegan told me that, prior to the Civil War, people kept their toothbrushes in cups of charcoal powder. Barry suggested I give his recipe for survival toothpaste a try. It works.

Here’s the recipe: (more…)

January 25, 2008 9:24 pm

“I said to get a bent lever stick. No one ever listens,” Barry Keegan grins, sighs and reaches for the bent stick I should have seen for myself. He hands it to me.

I’m kneeling in mud, trying to balance the elements of what is known as a Figure-4 trap. I’m juggling a forked stick, a length of hand-made cordage and a rock that I pray doesn’t land on me. Barry, as if hearing my thought, places a stone underneath the large rock to keep it in place.

Barry is an instructor at Hawk Circle. More accurately, he is an inspiration, a champion and an advocate. Barry loves finding new ways to build a shelter, get fire by friction, or fine-tune a trap. Barry’s creative mind and physical coordination make him a true master of Bushcraft. He doesn’t waste a move. He always gives more than he needs to - and more than any other participant. Without his added muscle-power, my classmates and I might not have had a roof or insulation for our winter survival shelter. With insufficient snow for a quinzee, we had to build another kind of shelter, which took more work than any of us realized.

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6:04 am

This happens to be Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis); Black Birch (Betula lenta) tastes sweeter.

In winter, when the sap is not flowing, you can scrape the cambium (the layer between the inner bark and the wood) and steep it or brew it for a delicious beverage. The following recipe is for a winter harvest, when the sap is not flowing and the tree is dormant.

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January 22, 2008 5:56 am

In addition to waxing and waning in a pattern, the moon rises and sets in a pattern.  Here is how the moon moves in relation to the sun. (more…)

January 20, 2008 5:16 pm

My last three days at Hawk Circle were spent on the survival trek part of their Winter Intensive program. I had the choice to spend the time solo or as part of a group. My decision was based on the quality of snow on the property. I hadn’t used my cross country skis yet this winter.

So, with a good quality sleeping bag, my day pack, eight Larabars, two acorn burgers, three liters of water, two sets of warm clothes, my knife, a compass, a clock, my digital camera, a lighter and my skis, I set off solo for three days. Here are some of my journal notes:

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January 14, 2008 7:18 am

I’ve experimented with acorns on and off for years. But it was Rose Barlow of Prodigal Gardens who enlightened me on how to create a ground meat effect using acorns.

I used frozen acorns in my recipe. Next season I will put Rose’s acorn roasting technique to the test. (more…)

January 10, 2008 6:52 pm

This is a neat recycling project. Try making new paper from old paper you would otherwise throw away. The results can be surprising.

Many types of paper that can be used include:

1. Computer Paper (unprinted)
2. Newspaper (If you want a grayish colored paper)
3. Magazines
4. Egg Cartons
5. Old Cards (For heavier paper)
6. Toilet Paper
7. Paper Bags
8. Non Waxed Boxes (Pre-soak in warm water)
9. Office Paper
10. Tissue Paper (For finer paper)
11. Typing Paper
12. Napkins
13. Construction Paper (more…)

January 8, 2008 11:23 pm

There is a connection between the brain and the hand.

The longer I live, the more I’m convinced that I need to actually write on paper in order to recall information I have learned but not yet internalized.

I use my eyes and hands differently when I keyboard. I need to actually grip a pen or pencil and push it across paper in order to remember. (more…)

January 5, 2008 8:27 am

The Hawk Circle advertisement reads:

Two Feet of Fresh Snow
17 Degrees Below Zero
No Tent
No Electricity
No Problem.

The reason: a quinzee - an Inuit word for a snow shelter made from compressed snow, which is then hollowed out.

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