Tyler, Sydney and I are back in town. Back to driving cars, spending money at the grocery store, having both wonderful and miserable encounters with our fellow human beings and instead of focusing on harvesting fur as we’ve done all winter we are focused on how to get rid of it.
We spent just under 6 months out on the trapline this season. We had a successful trapping season. We got a big bull moose in the fall. We put our nets out to catch chum salmon for the dogs. It was a very slow run for us but we eventually hauled in a reasonable amount to feed the dogs over the winter. We got a start on a storage cabin/future bunkhouse cabin for our kids while we waited for trapping season to open. In mid November we had enough snowfall to start running trapline with the dogsled. We built a special box in my dogsled for Sydney and the day before Thanksgiving we took our first cross-country dog-sledding trip to our new line cabin at the lake as a family spending the holiday having an adventure. A good fur catch started trickling in by mid December promising a good trapping season. We had a simple, sweet, quiet country Christmas focused on love and gratitude rather than consumerism. January was a busy grind with Tyler having no time to do anything but trap and do the fur work that follows a successful catch. I was busy doing the other chores that come along with our lifestyle and doing my best to gracefully support my hardworking man. February came and we started wrapping things up on the trapline and get ready for our move back to town. We ended the season safe and sound which is the most important part.
I looked forward to getting back to “town” this year. I’m 32 weeks pregnant and my focus is getting ready for another big addition in our lives. These past few months I have looked forward to some of the creature comforts that most women enjoy during pregnancy like good friends to laugh and talk to, a good chiropractor, a prenatal exam for assurance that everything is going well and fresh fruits and vegetables full of vitamins I crave. Though I feel fairly good about my pregnancy nutrition, I was definitely getting sick of eating all of my fruits and vegetables dried and stewed. 165 days of oatmeal for breakfast also got old this year and I would find myself eating fresh eggs in my dreams.
I had wishful thoughts when we were out in the woods that when we got to town Tyler wouldn’t be as busy for a while and I would have time to catch up on the things on my list uninterrupted for a bit but motherhood is motherhood and fatherhood is fatherhood. Tyler had his own list of things he needed to accomplish before he went to work for the summer. We had a few wonderful weeks of family time spent together cleaning skulls from our catch, getting a general idea of what we will do with our fur catch from the winter and working on some various crafts made from bi-products of our fur catch like earings made from the canine teeth of lynx and marten and decorative chimes made from the cleaned bones of wolverine, wolf and lynx. Tyler’s already back to work for the summer season and I am back to typing and writing during Sydney’s afternoon nap. Luckily she is an awesome nap taker and I don’t have much to complain about in that department. I can reliably count on her taking a solid 2 hour nap in the afternoon. She even asks for her nap. She is like an angel to me….most of the time. The baby coming in May is probably going to challenge me more because I don’t think I can get so lucky twice.
Sydney and I most recently with our youngest dog Larry
Over the course of the next few months I am planning on doing some writing to elaborate on events from our fall and winter out on the trapline. I made time to scribble in my notebooks regularly throughout this past trapping season. I want to write about our fishing season this past fall and a few stories from fishing years in the past, what parenting is like in the wilderness, mushing dogs cross-country pregnant and with a toddler in the sled, a little essay I like to call filthy trapline stories about the reality and very unromantic side of life living in the woods, a story about our radio and the one station we can tune in reliably, and a summary of how trapping went for us this year and what it takes to shut down camp for the year. If I get to it maybe a bit about cooking in the woods and a few recipes.
In the next few weeks I am working on getting a little shop going on my website to sell some of our trapping items. Computers hurt my brain so wish me luck. More stories to come soon. Cheers!
I was thrilled to see your post this morning, to know that the three of you are healthy and safe, to learn of the new baby coming, and to finally read something new that you’ve written, as I’ve read every post of yours more than once since finding your blog. lol I am SO excited about the little shop you will put up on your website and look forward to treating myself to a little something! I cannot express how much I admire your grit and determination, and how much I wish that I could walk in your shoes. My husband is a software designer, and we are older now, in our mid-50’s, so I will never get to live a life like the one you have chosen and that I have always dreamed of living. I will live vicariously through your stories instead, and will always be a pioneer woman in my heart. 🙂 Looking forward to your posts in the coming weeks, knowing there will be a pause as you welcome that new little Selden into the world!
Dawn my sincere apologies for the delayed response. I received hundreds of responses after I put my first post up from well wishers and everyone is so kind and supportive. I wish I could keep up with the questions and respond to everyone as they come in but I can’t find the time yet. Even when we get back to town this lifestyle is a busy one. Tylers been working and I have been home with Sydney, running to the laundry mat, hauling water for our dry cabin, starting seedlings for the garden, making crafts and answering the demands of a toddler…I feel awful that I can’t always respond to all of you kind folks so I feel like I need to make my excuses. Thank you so much for reading my stories! Nothing is wrong with my website that I know of anyway…comments only show up when I respond to them is my understanding. I read and save all of the comments from people because many people ask very interesting questions that I hope to answer throughout my writing and so I save them as references.
A question was posted on FB about your door on your new cabin to why it swings inward? I got curious because others swing out also. Glad to hear you all are doing well and had a good season! Looking forward to watching it!
Hahahaaaa, I am impressed people pay such close attention. The door on our original cabin at that location also opens in. We like it that way because it simply makes it easy to crack for some fresh air when we need it. When I do a lot of baking or cooking it can get really hot in the cabin even on the coldest of days. As for bear protection…. when we aren’t at the trapline we screw sheets of plywood with hundreds of small screws poking outward onto the door and all of the windows and we’ve never had a problem that way. Our door is south facing and we rarely get wind or snow blowing from that direction…so never drifts at the door just in the back. Almost all of our wind and weather comes from the NE. Also we aren’t too afraid of bears trying to get in while we are around. We have all sorts of other distractions for a bear if they come into our yard that our door wouldn’t be their first stop, it’s more likely to be our smokeshack where we keep our moose, the fish pile or our dog team. We have time to notice and get rid of a problem bear before they try to open the front door. As for later in the winter… when we are gone on the trapline, they are usually sleeping for the winter by then.
Thanks for the quick reply! Just curious now that you had your little family in December did you guys have a Christmas tree for Sydney?
Yes, We had a very special tree for the family to enjoy and I will include pics and a story at a later date.
Hi Ahley. I just recently discovered the show and I am amazed. While I’m sitting on my comfy couch watching you guys I myself can’t imagine myself even being brave enough to take on that lifestyle. Just going potty in an outhouse would be a game changer for me.😉 I have so many questions but I’ll keep it to one – why are your cabin doors so low? Does it hold the heat in better? Sydney is beautiful. Congratulations on your upcoming new arrival. Wendy
Hi Wendy! The cabin door are often low for two reasons. Reason one is to have as much heat loss as possible. Reason 2 is one people rarely think about…structural issues. Many trap line cabins are so small that the walls are actually very short, its the gabled roof that gives the cabin the greatest height down the center of the building. You can not/should not cut a door opening into the gabled part of the wall. We are all limited to the actual wall height. Also not wise to even cut into the top wall log for your door opening. You might notice that our door on the new cabin we built at our main camp is well over 6 ft. tall ….well thats because we have 11 ft walls on the cabin.
Would we ever live out in the Refuge permanently? Well…We would like to spend a full calendar year out at the cabin sometime in the future but no, not permanently. The isolation would be really hard for me. I know that the peace and quiet that our life offers sounds like heaven to people who never get a break from large populations of people, lots of noise, awful jobs…etc, but quiet and isolation like we experience for half of the year is something you just don’t know about till you experience it. I love it but when it comes time to have hugs, conversation and laughter with good friends and family, nothing can make up for it. I need that 50/50 balance of life in the woods and community.Tyler would do all right without coming out of the woods but I need community part time, especially now as a mother.
Is your rental still available? I can’t seem to find it anywhere, on any website, to view.
rental not on airbnb yet for this summer took it offline for now until I see if it’s possible with new baby coming and Tyler will be working long hours this summer. Thanks for you interest. Will be up again 2020 for sure
Hello Ashley Thank you for allowing us into your private life- I am wondering how much gardening you do now to prepare for the cabin? And you said you miss eggs but you do baking? What do you bake? What is your favorite food you miss when in Fairbanks?
Thank you again!
Abby Napier
powdered eggs! and they don’e taste good for just eating but work for baking. The food that we eat out there a lot but not too often in town that I love is stewed moose bones with a lot of meat left on. mmmmm moose marrow is so good
Hello Ashley congrats on your pregnancy and You are one really substantial woman. you and Tyler work so hard and your hard work pays off. Just wondered why you don’t drive a point down to reach water for your present cabin like you did at the on on the trap line that was so smart. Just want to say I admire you and tyler greatly. and we love watching you on TV. I was raised off grid on an Island till I was 5. I know what your life is like in that respect. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
Hello Dorothy,
Yes I would love to have running water while we are in the Fairbanks area! However, it’s not possible where we live because we are living on permafrost here. Out at the trapline the permafrost line doesn’t lie that close to the river… still gravel bed down below that cabin. People who have “running water” in my neighborhood have insulated above ground tanks and a truck comes around when they get empty and refills them. We like our “town” cabin for it’s privacy. You can’t drive up to our place. It’s walk in only….makes things totally private but a pain in the but not to have gravel up to the house. Despite what people may think, we don’t have much of an elevated income from appearing on the tv show but if we did….you bet I’d consider moving to higher ground to have running water part of the year! Especially now that I am a mom and in charge of everyone’s laundry and cleaning!
Ordered and received a pair of the beautiful Marten teeth earrings Ashley makes and sells in her online store. It is so cool to have a piece of the Alaskan wildlife we see on the show and she included a lovely handwritten note with the earrings.
Thank You, Thank you, thank you for the compliments and support!
Hey, Ashley! There is a link in your shop that does not seem to be working. As for the category called “Ruffs” and results in an error message when I click on it.
Thanks!
Thank You for the information! I’m not sure what link might not be working? As for ruffs…almost ready with that one but nothing is happening for a reason so far…photo shoot of those products awaits this coming weekend.
Dear Ashley, I love reading about your experiences and life. I think what a blessing to be young and wise beyond your years. I especially love that you realize the important things in life. I saw a lovely crocheted blanket with Sydney. Do you crochet? I see you read alot, but wondered if you made the blanket. I’d love to send one for the new baby as I crochet. I realize your space is limited, so I thought I’d inquire first. Hope everyone is well. Michelle
Thank You for your generosity but we have lots and lots of blankets. I do crochet though but haven’t done much work lately. Sydneys Great Grannies were addicted to crocheting us blankets! Thank You. We are doing well and waiting on baby to come in May.
I understand. I am home fulltime as I had Thyroid cancer and now have acquired hypothyroidism (and Lupus, rendering me disabled). I just wanted to feel connected I suppose since I cannot live and work as i would choose. I was curious if because of your life choices if you will homeschool your children? I did my son until he was in the 6th grade. Although it was hard work it was wonderful to spend that time with him. Hope you are enjoying your Spring! P.S. I love seeing all your photos!
So sorry to hear you are very sick….so very sorry! Yes as long as we continue living this lifestyle home school is our only option as we will always be out in the woods almost the entire school year. I look forward to the beginning years but dread everything past the 8th grade! baby steps…I will know what to do when I get there. Learning in the woods has its benefits for learning for sure Sydney has already learned to recite her alphabet since she was 21 months because I am with her all the time and we make it fun to work on it. Hugs to you!!!!!!
Ashley, you have s lot of “grannies” online . We love watching your family develop. I would like to suggest an online Baby Shower for you. You could set up a Baby Register at Amazon. You can select the items that you want and need. Not only baby items , But things that might make you and babies’ lives easier on the trap line .You know your needs and storage space so you select what you need. Please consider this. We want to help but more than that we want to “participate “
Hello and Thank you. I have to admit that sort of thing would embarrass me to set up for myself and feel presumptuous.I’m pretty much set up for number 2 baby out on the trapline because the baby will be able to use all of Sydneys baby stuff save for a few clothing items if we happen to have a boy instead of a girl. We are waiting to find out till the birth to find out what we have.
Hello Ashley,
Love the show. You mentioned Tyler is working in Fairbanks…..what is his “in town” job?
Tyler works for a small company called Log Weavers building log homes. Log Weavers has a website if your interested in looking… the homes they build are really beautiful. http://www.logweavers.com
I was excited to find your blog. I enjoy your show very much and truly hope they add more seasons. Thanks for the blog updates.