ANCIENT WISDOM, THE DECLINE OF FOSSIL FUELS AND TECHNO UTOPIA: Sir Ken Robinson, a noted speaker about child development and future education, presents a study of 1500 children age 3-5... and 98% test as "genius". Over time, that percentage drops until we reach adulthood and see that only 2% of the adult population still test as genius. A good way to think about this is to do this now: Take a minute and write down all of the uses you can come up with for a paperclip. Ready... go! * * * * * If you're like most people, you've got a list of things like: Holding paper together. Opening a lock. A fish hook. A figure (paperclip art)... Maybe…

Primitive archery kit. Scrap buckskin pieces, moose bone awl, pitch stick for seating arrowhead into arrow shaft, deer antler knapping tool, foreshaft, extra points, sinew, tobacco and obsidian flakes.  

Darkness makes the candle relevant. How would you know how to love beyond fear without this opportunity? Pictured: Abalone oil lamp with wick made of mugwort leaves and cord of New Zealand flax. I usually use olive oil because it burns smokeless and is fine for indoors.

  I've lived with the land via homesteading and also replicating Stone Age living. I lived for many years on an average income of $3000/year, with most of the money spent on non-food items. I lived along the most remote mail route in the lower 48 states, where mail came once a week by jet boat on the Snake River, and it was a 3 mile walk down canyon to get it. For over 20 years, I didn't buy meat or fish from a grocery store. I have lots of experience in hunting and gathering, both with modern tools and primitive ones. I fully support anyone who wishes to pursue conscious hunting, fishing and gathering. Along the way, I suspect…

Life isn’t always easy.  Sometimes our lives are just plain difficult, or even painful, and we can’t immediately change it.  We need to “BE” with difficulty. Modern society doesn’t teach this essential skill, but in fact teaches the opposite.  We are bombarded with images from the media showing us how to be more popular, prettier, smell better, more comfortable.  There is no market in the acceptance of one’s current state of affairs. Consequently, most people who experience difficulty immediately look for something to “fix” it.  Maybe some chocolate will help.  How about a movie?  Call a friend?  Something to drink? It’s not that these “fixes” are bad, it’s just that our experience of difficulty has something to teach us, and…

Despite your best intentions, the advice of friends, and the parenting books that you’ve read, you may some day realize that you are unqualified for the job of parenting. You struggle to instill your values, protect your child from harm, and provide her with the tools necessary to become healthy and successful. And yet, your child may resist your teachings and behave in ways that you find maddeningly opposite to what you want. She may whine and complain, or be slow, or have temper tantrums, or won’t eat what you make her, or a million other frustrating behaviors. Why? What are you doing wrong? You have a problem if you see this as a problem, when it is really an…

Choose a location that is free from tree roots.  Sand is the best substrate to build a no trace fire upon.  If there is sod, dig down at least 3-4 inches and set aside the sod.  Lining the edge of rocks is up to you; rocks hold heat and reflect heat back towards the fire, making for a hotter fire, but the flames may blacken the rocks. Gather a large quantity of small twigs, finger-sized branches, and wrist-sized branches and keep them in separate piles. Begin your fire with the small twigs, but keep half of the twigs aside.  Build up your fire with larger sticks until you are using the largest wood that you have and maintain the fire…