A beauty of a day! (And, yes, I spelled “Koocanusa” wrong on my weekly email. Duh.) Kayaking Koocanusa Bridge Evening
Author: Shelly
Former nomad, currently adjusting.
Every Campsite Should Have a Predator View
I read once that the ideal home base for a family of predators (I think it was lions, in this example) is on a high plateau, with a wide-ranging view so they can keep an eye on grazing prey below. Plus the location should have drinking water nearby and some kind of cover where the […]
What Would I Do in a Real Emergency?
And by that I mean, what if Tracy unexpectedly, suddenly dies? This happens, you know. Hollywood movies and my own experiences tell me that the prime scenario, if you’re blindsided by grief and lucky to have the resources, is to be at home, first in bed and later at your home desk, surrounded by capable […]
Camped at the “Secret” Fishing Spot
It’s a secret, yet this road happens to be named Fish Creek Road; the guy in line at the dump station in town told us about it under his breath, putting his finger to his lips with a dramatic “shhh”; and my old friend David, whom I caught up with briefly in Missoula, said, “Oh, […]
Waterwheel Tiny House Finished!
I made lots of errors on this one, but it’s the most visually interesting one I’ve made, despite that. I took on the wiring job myself this time, and voila! All the lights work but one. (There’s always one!) And I don’t mean to disparage Tracy’s skills as an electrician; he did completely retire our […]
Tracy Labors on His Birthday
The University of Montana I’m excited to be near Missoula, where I lived for two years getting an MA—which was not especially practical, but, damn, I had fun. All until the last three weeks. That’s when I learned a lesson that saved me from the wrong lifelong path. Although I love taking classes and researching […]
Banjo: a Good Dog in a Bad Situation
Readers ask for more Banjo, so here’s a Banjo story that’s not particularly epic or even travel-related, but those Banjo-lovers out there might enjoy it. You know how we spend nearly all day outside, which leaves us dirty, sunburned, bug bitten, and itchy in general. So worth it. Banjo’s in the same boat. She asks […]
Our Own Private Mountain
Instead of heading north in Montana, we picked just a little west, into more mountains for elevation. We’re outside a tiny town called Elliston, which is near Helena, which is HOT. It’s in the 80s up here in the mountains, but that’s not bad; a record high of 106 was set in Billings yesterday, 108 […]
Lessons from Isolation
Tracy says it’s been ten days only that we’ve been camping without cell signal, and in truth it’s not been more than two consecutive days, since we’ll drive out to download email pretty frequently. But when I check my calendar and my social soul, it feels for sure like three weeks. Maybe all summer? When was it I […]
Waterwheel Tiny House Update
I’ve done so much work on this one since I last posted about it that I thought it deserves its own post. This way people who don’t give a darn can skip it easily, too. So this one has been the most challenging, and not because of all the fiddly work but because the instructions are, […]
