Ashley Selden

An Alaskan Migration

A blog about my unique lifestyle and what really goes on in the lives of “The Last Alaskans”

Different

Different

I’ve thought a lot about writing on this topic before but have never seemed to come up with the right words to properly express myself in a way people might understand. I decided to be brave and try to put a few words down about what it’s like to be me, a 21st century trappers wife, living a life that seems 100 years ago amongst modern day people. read more…
1st Emergency

1st Emergency

Last winter was out 13th year having the trapline. Naturally something interesting had to happen. We’d been lucky so far and never had to leave for the entire winter or call out for help. Our luck changed last winter and we had our first incident. read more…

Arctic Darkness

Arctic Darkness

Since we had the kids the darkness and isolation of midwinter can really get to me. I do my best to remain cheerful knowing that its the best thing to do. I remind myself constantly that it’s a temporary thing. Starting Dec. 1, I always do a very serious countdown to solstice when I know things will start to turn around and go the other way again, towards the light. read more…

Back from the Trapline 2021!

Hello to everyone!

I just posted my first story of the spring this morning letting everyone know how we did last winter. When I went to check it out after I published it I realized the subscriber parts of my website weren’t working and no one was able to receive my first post in their email! It should be fixed now. I hope you enjoy!

Selden Family Update March 2021! Back in Fairbanks Area

Selden Family Update March 2021! Back in Fairbanks Area

Selden Family Update March 2021! Back in Fairbanks Area

Hello to everyone that takes the time to look at our website from time to time and try to keep up with our story. You are all very sweet and loving people!!! We hope that you all had a great winter despite the pandemic. If you had a hard time – hugs from our family. read more…

Off to the Woods September 2020

Wow, the summer absolutely blew right by. I apologize for the slacking as far as getting another post out. Once August hit and the garden was busy the online shop stayed busy, thank to everyone and the kids laundry cooking etc…the time just goooooes. Now I have just a few days left in town. I leave Thursday the 17th. I’m flying out with Wrights Air Service. I am packing, putting things away in the yard and running errands. Trying to keep my blood pressure down haha.

We’ve gotten a lot of feedback from people suggesting we take video of ourselves. Where this idea goes against our grain quite a bit we can understand that a lot of what we do and would like to relate to other people would be best done in video format, as well as fun for people. Soooo we are going to try. I say try. I don’t know how it will all turn out and I am not the best camera man especially not for myself but We are going to try. My dream was to have a video for you right now before I left but I don’t think I can accomplish that learning curve with editing it and learning how to get it on my sight and still get the stuff done I need to do before I am away from civilization for 6 months. One of the producers we met while working on the show has been trying to work with us on tips for shooting ourselves and has expressed interest in helping us do the editing in the spring. I have a decent camera and we got ourselves a go pro and all of the straps, stands bells and whistles. Sometimes I feel like Beverly Hillbillies trying to learn this stuff.

Tyler took off for the river in the boat last Wednesday, the 9th. He had a bit of engine trouble on the way up. I received a text Thursday afternoon that simply said, Boat Shop phone number ASAP. Luckily they talked him through it and all continued well. He arrived at our cabin the next day. He let the dogs go free when he got to our place and a dog we are borrowing for the winter named Delilah, ran off. We have never had this happen before. He called and called for the dog but had to go to bed that night wondering what happened to her. We figured she was a gonner, kicked by a moose, teamed up by wolves, etc when she still hadn’t returned by morning. Tyler went out to the boat to start moose hunting for the day and there she was sleeping on the boat. What a relief. She is one of our Dear Friends prize female! Tyler let me know this morning that he got our moose! We are going to have good food all winter. Cant wait.

As I write this now I have just mere hours left in town. I fly out tomorrow morning. I have a lot of last minute things to wrap up including finding a credit card the baby seemed to get a hold of, passing my mail key off to a friend for the winter, cleaning out the refrigerator and emptying the food dehydrators one last time. Nancy will be over sometime this evening so I can pay her for the books I sold for her and so I can get another copy for myself to read this winter. She is a dear friend.I will be selling her book again next spring when I return. After a fast moving summer season I am looking forward to taking things a bit slower and enjoying our family time. The kids are at just the cutest age right now. 15 months and 3 years. I just laid them down for a nap in order to get a bit done on the computer. I wish I had time to say so much more but my brain is fried right now. Can’t wait till I get to sit down and March and tell everyone about the winter. Please stay safe out there. Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Yes I have to prep for all of these holidays for the kids in August! I have a whole box of fun goodies and learning games. After I get done posting this I will be downloading preschool circle time podcasts for Sydney onto USB drives. I better get going now. Take care all of you!

 

The Radio is a Good Friend

The Radio is a Good Friend

Do you ever feel nostalgic about the 90s song Barbie Girl? If you listened to the one and only radio station Tyler and I can tune into for half the year you’d hear it about once a month. They still have a soft spot for it out in Fort Yukon. read more…

Summer 2020 Selden Family Update

Summer 2020 Selden Family Update

Summer comes on in a rush and passes quickly in the Far North. Just a month ago there were still patches of snow in shadowed pockets on Ester Dome, the big hill overlooking our place here north of Fairbanks and the rivers were bank full with spring runoff. There’s a moment there when we feel that we can rest easy, taking comfort in knowing that the whole of summer awaits and the long days will never end. read more…

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