OK, my 365 photo project didn’t quite work out. Actually, it was an epic fail. I admit and accept responsibility. I guess now is the time I’m supposed to start making excuses for why the project failed, but I’m not going to do that. The problem wasn’t the project, it was me. So what went wrong and why should anyone … Read the rest
More on being a Backyardsman
I got my first issue of The Backwoodsman – a.k.a. Ritchie’s Magazine – by accident. It had an article about using dandelions for food, something my wife was interested in. I liked it so much I made a point of getting the next issue. That issue had an article that made me a fan for life. Being a Backyardsman by … Read the rest
Stinky feet and wool socks
I have stinky feet. Been that way my whole life and nothing seems to help. Foot powder, vented shoes, whatever – my feet sweat during the day and then they stink. It’s never a problem – heck I’m already married so who cares, right? (Just kidding honey…) But when I went to my wilderness first responder course it became a … Read the rest
Don’t make New Years resolutions
I don’t make New Years resolutions. They sound great, like a New Beginning or something like that, but really to me they’re a waste of time. I guess they’re a waste of time for a lot of others, too. People who study these things say that around 80% of those making New Years resolutions don’t keep them. In fact most … Read the rest
Making do…
A couple years ago I wrote about building a miner’s cabin in the backyard. That idea didn’t really fly with my wife so I changed tactics. I quit calling it a miner’s cabin and started calling it a storage shed. THAT idea she really liked. We manage rental properties as a side gig, so our house and garage are always … Read the rest
The Great Indoors
About a month ago I started sleeping on the floor. My wife didn’t kick me out of the bed, and our bed is actually pretty comfortable. I just wanted to see if I could sleep on a hard surface. Turns out I can’t, at least directly, so I got a sleeping pad. Also I wanted to change my eating habits, … Read the rest
Happy Easter
Happy Easter. Easter is my favorite Holy Day (nee holiday). I like it better than Christmas, Thanksgiving, and July 4th – Independence Day. I like it for the spiritual implications, but even if I wasn’t a Christian I’d like it because it signifies renewal. It’s fitting that we celebrate Easter in the spring. When the dead cold of winter is … Read the rest
How to be a Backyardsman
Every other month I look forward to the latest issue of The Backwoodsman. When I found this magazine it was like a breath of fresh air. Especially Being a “Backyardsman” in the July/August 2017 issue. Scott Siegfried could have been speaking for me. Like him, I wish I lived in a much more rural or even wild environment, but job … Read the rest
The Backyardsman
Welcome to The Backyardsman. You might be wondering just what a Backyardsman is. Simply, it’s a play on the word Backwoodsman and I’ll admit to blatantly borrowing the term from an excellent article by Scott Siegfried that appeared in the July/August 2017 issue of the Backwoodsman. To quote Scott, “a backyardsman is basically a backwoodsman who sticks closer to … Read the rest