The Alaska economy showed broad improvements in 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 as it rebounded from the pandemic lows of 2020. A steady recovery of jobs in nearly every sector resulted from improved tourism, rising oil prices, a strong housing market and consumer liquidity from government stimulus programs. We believe that the potential […]
Today's selection -- from A Wicked War by Amy S. Greenberg. Zachary Taylor was one of the heroes of the Mexican-American War, and soon enough became the twelfth U.S. president. But he was not pleased when Democratic President James Polk ordered him to Texas to prepare for the possibility of that war, first because he […]
Today's selection -- from The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson. In 1958, when John Lennon was 17, his mother died after being struck by a car: "At a party celebrating Commonwealth Day, John and his band play on the back of a parked coal lorry. As he sings and plays, he sees three […]
The first book in a new non-fiction series of Little Black Books comes out today. Each of these books offer over 100 bite-sized snippets of information. Besides being informative, they make excellent gifts. As we hit graduation month, Life’s Little Black Book would be an excellent gift. It’s guaranteed there’s something you don’t know in […]
Our students have compiled research in three topic areas. Below are the links to their research tables that can be downloaded for searching and viewing. For a state-by-state review of Mandatory Reporter laws, click here. For a state-by-state review of Background Check laws, click...
Our students spent the summer working on the inaugural project of the LDICP. Through their extensive research, massive databases of information on state statutes regarding the abuse of children ave been created and will be posted here as their work is finalized. Here are...
With remote work on the rise and email so easily accessible on smartphones, it’s become increasingly difficult to feel like you can truly unplug from your job—even when you’re on vacation. In a recent U.S. survey conducted by Visit Iceland, 45 percent of participants confessed to checking their work email during vacation. And because Visit […]
When it comes to fantasy, people think a lot about magical items. Rings, armor, swords, and all of these enchanted objects come to mind. I hear them get mentioned more often than another category: Temporary Magic Items. I also like … Continue reading →
Debby Gies found another gem for us to enjoy – D.G. Writes is where you will find an archive full of wonderful posts across several subjects including writing tips, social issues and book reviews. Thanks to The Dodo D. G. … Continue reading →
We live in the most perfect area to have a staycation. The gulf with its white sand beaches are only five minutes away. We have the best restaurants with fresh seafood and seats with the best views. The charter fishing experience is top notch. Evidently, this is not a best kept secret anymore. The only […]
Michael Shaw, the creator of this compelling documentary, describes it as "a journey seeking to both face up to the global changes we are collectively facing, as well as an exploration of how to meet this time with a ready, willing heart." Through a series of in-person interviews with key people who are exploring the […]
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about content consumption — what we consume, how we consume it, and why we do. As someone who spends a ton of time creating,… The post Considering Content Consumption appeared first on Positively Present - Dani DiPirro.
May named after Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility, is a fabulous month in Texas. The fertility angle is easy to understand since the weather in May is ideal for romantic evenings.Twelve best things about May—especially in Texas? Here's my lsit.1. At the top of my list is that May is when Day Lilies burst […]
By: Stewart Brennan I look back on the disaster that was 2021 and do not find much of anything good to talk about as it was a year in which online censorship metastasized while the world plunged into a lockstep fascism, where friendships ended, families broke up, and all the celebrations of life came to […]
WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish, 44-W-4"Failure isn't failure unless you let it be. It's simply a change in direction. Just count your many blessings move on. With God's help, anything is possible!"Deanie Bishop Parrish passed away peacefully in her home in Waco, Texas, on February 24, 2022, just one day shy of her 100th birthday. She met every challenge […]
"Jacqueline Cochran was looking for WASP. They told me I would have to be interviewed and they would contact me when they came to the Wichita area. But I didn’t wait for that. I went down to Houston for my interview, to speed things up. And I think that’s one of the smartest things I […]
Slow-moving cars and traffic jams are annoying but really are not anything new. Period films dating back to 1906 show heavy city traffic and lane-changing drivers just as daring as those you see on the roads today. Today’s circa 1950s lead image and the expandable version below containing a highway bridge and off ramp in...
To end the week today, we have this image of what appears to be a well-established upscale restaurant in or near Colorado that was found without any background information. The structure and the lush vegetation growing on the stone foundation and its construction give it the appearance of being constructed quite sometime before this late...
Stock footage might not sound too sexy or fun, but this is an easy one to start and doesn’t require any start up funding. In fact, you can start with your smartphone camera. Ready? You Ready Are You Ready GIF from Youready GIFs What is stock footage and how does it work? Stock footage […]
Can you please help me track down a book from childhood?I read it sometime between 1985 and 1988 (I think!) whilst at primary school in the UK. Although it could have been an older book, maybe from the mid-70’s to the early 80’s?Book title: It was a chapter book, but I can’t recall the name at […]
Seatmate (Love Lines Book 3) by Cara Bastone Narrated by Amanda Ronconi, Zachary Webber, Josh Hurley, Carol Monda, Corey Allen, Allyson Johnson, Eric Yves Garcia, Tanya Eby, and Dina Pearlman Made for audio. Completely stands alone. Clean Romcom. The first two audiobooks in the Love Lines series, Call Me Maybe and Sweet Talk by Cara […]
November 11, 1950. New York. "Gimbel Brothers department store. Interior. Raymond Loewy Associates, architect." 4x5 inch acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. A street floor named desire Ah for the infinite loveliness of Gimbels. We're the most enticing, most alluring street floor that ever walked the ways of beauty. So […]
September 14, 1951. "Tillett residence, 170 E. 80th Street, New York City. Mr. and Mrs. on couch." The influential textile designers D.D. (Doris Doctorow) and Leslie Tillett. 4x5 inch acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.
My mom Thérèse Helene (Larochelle) Lavoie (1943-2019) when she was around 20 years-old in the early 1960s near Saint-Isidore, Dorchester, Québec, Canada. A similar photograph taken at the same time was captured in an oil painting.
In reply to Christmas Stockings: 1950: I first heard that now antiquated line on "I Love Lucy". Lucy and Ethel bought identical dresses at the competing stories. The witticism was so familiar that Gimbels used it in a 1953 ad. The New York Gimbels opened in 1910, a block south of Macy's in the Herald […]
I’m posting this recipe for Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms and warn you: it’s NOT that difficult to make these scrumptious beauties! I found the recipe (including video) on Kitchen and Craft. This site is definitely worth a visit! I tried my hand at making these stuffed squash blossoms after a visit to a local farm-to-table style […]
Avoiding trouble when growing tomatoes in Florida can be challenging. While warm weather is conducive to growing tomatoes, it’s also the perfect climate for pests. From caterpillars to stink bugs, your tomato plant is prime eating for these beasts. NOT PRETTY–but don’t despair! While these critters have it out for your plants, you can outsmart […]
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 23, 2022 is: mercurial \mer-KYUR-ee-ul\ adjective Mercurial means "changing often" or "characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood." It can also mean "having qualities of eloquence, ingenuity, or thievishness attributed to the god Mercury or to the influence of the planet Mercury." // The boss […]
Letitia Wright seems to stand by her controversial and dubious vaccine stance, although she didn’t directly address the issue when speaking with Variety on Sunday. The outlet caught up with Wright at Kering’s Women In Motion dinner at the Cannes Film Festival, where she expressed no regrets after enduring a media…Read more...
For the last few weeks, streaming giant Netflix has been having a toil of bad news. From getting sued by shareholders for reportedly misleading them about subscriber numbers, facing online outcries over their cracking down on password sharing, and large layoffs across the company, Netflix has been feeling the effects…Read more...
Evaluating an entire season of Saturday Night Live is tough. With some 180 sketches (not to mention monologues, Weekends Update, musical performances, and all the rest) over roughly 20 episodes, a season of SNL can blur into a hazy wash of sound, fury, and questionably necessary recurring bits.Read more...
When the “Moody Foodie” arrives in Bob’s Burgers season two, Bob way overthinks it. The mustachioed cook and father of three is desperate for the hotshot writer to like his food after the critic’s snide prose has already condemned three other restaurants in town. But between the kids’ antics and Linda being, well,…Read more...
No mess, no fuss, and no frying. Completely BAKED amazingly crisp-tender chicken parmesan for the entire family! Crisp-tender chicken parm without any of the frying mess? Yes, please! Not to mention, the melted mozzarella right on top along with the juicy, blistered cherry tomatoes. It’s a very quick sheet pan dinner (serving enough for 4) […]
Taco night just got even better (and quicker!) with the juiciest, most flavorful shredded salsa chicken! What’s better than build-your-own taco night? Tacos that you can make so effortlessly right in your pressure cooker. It starts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs (of course!) cooked in your IP for 8 minutes in a pool of the […]
This month, I’m focusing on art because my newest inspirational release, A Summer To Cherish, features an artist, David Fodero, who is losing his eyesight. He is the hero of the story. Ashley Madden is the spunky heroine who teaches art to children with disabilities. I am a musician and applaud the arts. In my […]
I read this and laughed. You may enjoy it too even if you’re not that old. “I have everything that I wanted as a teenager, only 50 years later. I don’t have to go to school or work. I get an allowance every month. I have my own pad. I don’t have a curfew. I […]
Now that the Sammy appears to be willing to be operational, it was time to do some other things for her.Some of you were aware that the Sammy sported a sticker on the spare wheel which read: "0 to 60, Eventually". Something to perhaps give clueless drivers a hint that perhaps the Sammy doesn't accelerate […]
Should have kept my mouth shut and not incurred the wrath of the gods of things mechanical....Yesterday, Thursday, May 12I'd just taken Thing One to work with the Sammy and had returned home noting that the engine seemed to be overheating a bit.Once I got out of the car, it was obvious why. There was […]
If you’ve read my book The Chaos Kind, you might remember a certain CIA SOG (Special Operations Group) character named Dutch. And while I don’t write characters based on real people, that doesn’t mean none of my characters were inspired by them...So yes, there is a real Dutch, who a long time ago I was extremely lucky to train […]
Not taking a position on last night’s Smith/Rock incident. But for anyone piously intoning some version of “Violence never solves anything, violence is never the answer, violence has no place in XYZ, etc,” have you considered what discourse would be like with zero possibility of offense to words leading to violence?Actually, you don’t have to […]
Long before we were a sailing family, Alisa and I were a young couple in love with adventuring in Alaska.The opportunity to introduce Eric and Elias to the delights of outdoor living in the Great Land was one of the big bright sides of our return to Alaska.Earlier this winter, the boys and I headed […]
So...this beautiful island is our home.See the barky?The boys just had their spring break. A week off from school and nothing to keep us from buggering off in Galactic. The weather was generally poor - nothing like the pics above for the most part - so we just snuck off to the west side of […]
Caregiving is well-trodden terrain in Parkinson's circles, but what of the reciprocal practice of caregetting? It is a critical skill that doesn't get the same attention. Read some caregetting tips here.
Plan now to get to Whittier for your “26 Glacier Cruise” aboard the m/v Klondike Express with Phillips Cruises and Tours! See it all in one day, departing from Whittier! ... The post 26 Glacier Cruise special: join the Klondike Club and save $$$! appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.
Mint is a reasonably cold-hardy perennial, meaning it grows back every year under the right conditions. Just like there are many different kinds of tomatoes (cherry, beefsteak, roma, etc.), there are plenty different varieties of mint, too. Here’s an overview comparison of three different kinds of mints that grow well for me in Anchorage, Alaska: […]
Do chickens still lay eggs in the winter? That’s a common question many curious poultry lovers ask me. The answer? It depends. Egg laying chickens will naturally taper off and cease egg production in winter months, assuming you live somewhere that gets darker in winter months than summer. In Alaska, where our winter months might […]
This is the easiest, best gluten free pizza crust! With minimal ingredients and no kneading, you can have gluten-free pizza your whole family will love on the dinner table in no time. If you’re new to baking gluten-free, this is the perfect recipe to start with. With my step-by-step directions, there’s no need to be... […]
We came to this land in June of this year, in the midst of a heatwave. We thought we could make a home from … The post A Home In The Mountains first appeared on Backwoods Mom.
I’m home now. I’m looking at the flea market couch I brought up from California; I had cushions made three times over the years till I got it just right. Now it’s just right. It’s been in my life 42 years. Tim has been in my life 34 years, but he had to be out of […]
I’m saying my goodbyes to Toronto. I’ve seen my last Hot Docs Festival film, and I’m just back from my last author program. I’ve probably had my last roti, checked out my last book at my local branch library, gone to my last art workshop. Horror of horrors, I’ve even watched my last play. The thing […]
“The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should […]
On the day the National Park Service retrieved the body of one dead climber from near the 20,300-foot summit of Mount Denali, another was entombed in the Kahiltna Glacier. The as-yet-unidentified Kahiltna […]
It’s here. The big day. My memoir, the one I spent 15 years struggling over, launches today from Raised Voice Press. I’m feeling very exposed, very vulnerable. This is not at all similar to when Dolls Behaving Badly launched from Hachette Book Group. That was a novel, and while some of it was based on… […]
I had had Alaska writer Dan Walker’s YA novel SECONDHAND SUMMER on my list for a long time, and two weeks ago finally had the chance to dive in. I wasn’t disappointed. Walker’s book, geared for middle school readers (but still immensely enjoyable for adults), follows 14-year-old Sam’s move to Anchorage from the small fishing… […]
This is a GREAT recipe to have. It's super easy to make (2 bowls and a spoon) and the muffins are moist and super chocolate-y. It's my "go to" recipe for sure.In the 1st bowl, stir together:2 cups flour1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup unsweetend cocoa powder1 cup semi-sweet […]
My list of 10 Best Gifts for Cooks and Food Lovers helps last minute shoppers buy great presents for the food obsessed; most of the items on the list I’ve used and loved for years. Most importantly, if you act quickly, there’s still time to order most of my recommended gifts and have them arrive […]
It's Stick Figure Saturday again! Simple coloring pages with a lot of room to play with techniques, backgrounds and colors. I hope you enjoy this week's installment. Click the images below for larger versions to save/print/color! Stick figure dance coloring- small jpgStick figure dance coloring page- large transparent png
There will be eagles and jellyfish and herring, Oh My! Join us at 3:30 p.m. this Earth Day, Friday, April 22, for the 2022 Parade of the Species. After missing two years due to Covid-19, this is the 19th Parade … Continue reading →
I LOVE my grandmother’s navy bean soup, but it takes forever to make with soaking the beans overnight and then slow cooking the soup all day. I decided to try it in my Instant Pot and it was a success! Not only that, but my kids loved it…score! Ingredients: 1-2 Tbs. olive oil 1 onion, diced 3 […]
Thanks for the question Michi - trailing currant does grow wild in Sitka. I notice it most commonly along the edges near beaches, but have seen it at other locations also. The berries are blue, but have a whitish bloom on them (link goes to a picture I took of them a few years ago)
Good Day, I was curiosed at the Foto of the Trailing Currant (Ribes laxiflorum). It looked to me familiar and when I looked it up in german it confirmed my guess. Do they grow wild in Sidka? What color berries do they have? Thank you for sharing, Michi, Switzerland
Since 2016 I have worked in Hoonah to help build a vision. The Hoonah Native Forest Partnership is a unique model of community-based forestry that seeks to meet the objectives of land managers and the needs of the community. The project relies on training a local workforce in natural resource inventory and landscape improvement. I’m […]
At the end of July we took the boat over to Halibut Cove to hike the Saddle Trail with the kids to picnic at Grewingk Glacier Lake. It's a great trail for kids to master themselves, and Riggs hiked the whole way himself. Raina was in the backpack, but more because we wanted to hike […]
A man who just moved to Homer about a year ago from Chicago has started a podcast interviewing people from the Homer community. He called up my husband a few months ago and asked him if he would be willing to be interviewed. My husband said sure, so the second episode of Alex's podcast features […]
Well, 2017 was not a good garden year in my area, even for those of us with greenhouses/high tunnels. I'm sure I didn't help my chances at all; we had a month between returning home from the States and getting the roof on the high tunnel, and I didn't start any seeds or work the […]
I just love an easy dessert, don’t you? This is Strawberry Dump Cake is one of the most simple desserts to make. You don’t even have to stir it!! Fresh ... Read more The post Easy Strawberry Dump Cake appeared first on Little House Big Alaska.
Mountain View is in for a treat — a whole new store full of treats, in fact. Packed with dozens of varieties of handmade custom candies, classic favorites, and assorted other sweets, Sweet Creations Lollipop Boutique is one of the latest businesses to open doors in the neighborhood. Owner Missy Simms made it for the […]
During our time in Washington we also took some time to drive over to Kennewick to visit some of my family in that area. We camped in my aunt and uncle's driveway and visited them and some of my cousins. The highlight for the girls was the nerf war for sure (pictures here). It was […]
This is part two of our recent drive up the Dalton Highway in partnership with Go North Car and RV Rentals. Built for purpose, not comfort, the Dalton Highway is a 414-mile twisting, turning route between Interior and Arctic Alaska. Partially-paved but mostly dirt (or mud or ice, depending upon the conditions and/or season), it […]