Nature’s Gifts

The quillwork cloud patterned sky dissolves into a white blanket, high enough to enjoy the views of the sharp, rugged peaks from my writing spot. The calm movements of the ocean glisten the surface into a mesmerizing silver display. The deep blue green waters near the shoreline closely match the depths of the abundant evergreen trees, with sprinkles of leafy green hovering over the coastline where the alders bloom abundantly until the sharp edge of the high tide line. Nothing survives the touch of the ocean, unless of course, it’s meant to be there. 

We’ve been here full time since May, living our Alaskan coastal homestead dreams. The hand saw is buzzing away in the background, as Scott makes the final four shelves for a drying smoke house. He spent the better part of a day constructing it a few days ago, while the abundant red salmon we harvested were brining in salt and brown sugar, preparing them for the journey into jars and our store room for shelf stable resources.

We joke we are resource hoarding, but the reality is with 5 kids that come and go, and an Alaskan summer that shares so many plentiful gifts, it’s hard not to. We expect the winter season will bring winter kings into our coolers, but for now the reds are plentiful at our home in Tutka Bay. 

We moved in the spring, using our 44’ motor sailer as our moving truck, and our 9’ whaly dingy to shuttle our household items to shore, including dozens of totes, bedroom dressers, working desks, and even my dumbbell weights.

It was quite the feat moving our belongings across the bay from Homer, to the beach where the cabin is located, up the hill, and finally, into our new living space.

Although we were busy with our wilderness transition, it was impossible to be completely distracted. Mother Nature provides, even on the walk to the cabin. The fiddleheads and devils club shoots were in full bloom and often on our dinner plate. Fiddleheads we enjoyed sautéed with butter and garlic, and the devils club shoots were refreshing straight from the plant stock or delicious soaked in moose fat, seasoned with garlic, pepper, and salt, and sprinkled with cheese. Before this spring, I had never heard of eating the shoots of devils clubs, but they quickly became my favorite trail snack and dinner time side. 

With the second half of summer at hand, the berries shall be fruiting soon and we’re on the look out for mushrooms. Our favorites king boletes and sulfur shelfs should be popping up soon too, destined for our dinner plate and the dehydrator for more shelf stable storage.

Some of the greatest gifts of homestead lifestyle are foraging and harvesting. It connects you to the land in a different way. Our life is defined by the seasons instead of schedules, the tides instead of traffic, and the weather and ocean conditions instead of uninvited chaos. It’s a simple, peaceful life, filled with adventures and magical surprises each day. We continue to expand in our natural essence bathed in nature, and it’s incredible to observe the same in our children, as well.