Rose Petal Jelly

My mother was gifted with some of this jelly and this recipe, several years ago, from a Soldotna, Alaska woman. It has a light unique flavor and its very very good.

Rose Petal Jelly Short Cook Method

1 3/4 C Rose Petal Juice
2 T Lemon Juice
3 1/2 C Sugar
3 oz Liquid pectin

To extract juice: Pack rose petals tightly into measuring cup to measure 1 1/2 C . Place in a large saucepan and crush with a masher or glass. Add 2 1/4 C water and bring quickly to a boil. Simmer the petals until they have a washed-out color. Strain the liquid. Measure 1 3/4 C of the rose petal juice. Add lemon juice and see it turn a beautiful pink.

Place juice, with lemon juice in a large saucepan. Add sugar. Mix well. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour in liquid pectin. Bring to a full roiling boil and boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, skim off the foam with metal spoon and quickly pour into hot sterilized containers. Cover with 1/8 inch paraffin. Use within 6 months, or color will fade.

More Readings From One Man's Wilderness

The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke

Covering the years of 1974 - 1980

John Branson, Editor

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Daily journals and timeless observations of a unique man.

He was a master of wood and camp craft, and keen observer of the natural world, this tireless hiker lived in a small log cabin for 30 years built in the Alaska wilderness.

One of Proenneke's interests was to protect some of Alaska's wild lands for future generations of Americans.

Wild Edible and Poisonous Plants of Alaska

This is one of my more popular books. It's put out by the Cooperative Extension Service of the University.

It is a softcover book and has 91 pages. There are both black and white illustrations and color photographs.

Revised Edition ©1993

Wild edible greens, stems, roots and berries are still used in great quantity by many Alaskan natives. These edibles often grow in quantity near villages. Wild edible plants are still important food sources in many areas of Alaska.

Another group of Alaskans who can use wild edible plants to a good advantage are homesteaders and others who live miles away from any grocery store. Wild edible plants, literally growing in the homesteader's backyard, can help satisfy that late winter and early spring hunger for the taste of a fresh, raw vegetable.

It is hoped that this booklet will help those interested in recognizing the edible plant life around them. A section on poisonous plants has been added. Some people still assume that "there are no poisonous plants in Alaska. "This is not true. There are several poisonous plants; some plants like Cicuta, the poison water hemlock are deadly. Every year seveal lives are lost in Alaska due to poisonous plants. It is just as important to know what not to eat as it is to know what to eat.

Here it is in my Shopping Alaska Store

Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve is so enormous. It is comprised of 13.2 million acres (528 thousand squares kilometers) six times the size of Yellowstone.

There are two roads lead into the park, one from the west ending at McCarthy, and one from the north, ending at Nabesna. It's a little rough driving into this wilderness area. Be sure to bring a spare tire or two along just in case. Also, although you will find lodging, there are no gas stations along the way, so plan your trip carefully.

There are many things for the adventurous among us to do including: hiking, flightseeing, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, and other recreation.

This national park which boast the United State's second highest peak, Mount St. Elias, at 18,008 feet, also has more than 150 glaciers, among them the Malaspina which alone is the size of Yellowstone, the Nabesna, which is 75 miles long, and the Hubbard, which advances 10 meters per day.

For more information on this beautiful national park please visit the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park website.

Today I am highlighting a book, from my e-Bay Store Shopping Alaska, that tells you all about this rugged wilderness with few amenities and no maintained trails, a place for true back country adventurers.

Written by Danny Kost Hiking in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park the book also contains descriptions for 50 hikes, and a wealth of valuable hints and tips. The book also provides information for services available within and around the park including bus services, air taxis and guide services, and also contact numbers for visitor information including the national park and local communities.

Golden Days Fairbanks Alaska 2008

The Golden Days Celebration in Fairbanks comes along every July when the days are long and the summer warm.

The Golden Days Street Fair is in the downtown area. They blocked off a section of downtown and it was like one big street party with people everywhere. There was lots of food, things to buy and games for the little ones.

Fairbanks claims that the Grand Parade is the largest parade in Alaska. I was frankly surprised that anyone was watching it because in my opinion it seemed like everyone that lived in Fairbanks was in the parade! The claim they have over 100 entries which I certainly believe as we watched for over an hour with no end in sight. There were old cars, school pep groups, clowns, dogs, non-profit groups, a military band and of course the fire engines.

The highlight of the weekend is the Rubber Duckie Race. They number 6,000 rubber duckies, sell numbered tickets, and on race day, set those large yellow duckies loose on the Chena River. They float downstream, round a curve, and finally make the finish line at the Golden Heart Plaza just at the Cushman Street Bridge. There was cheering and yelling as people gathered along side the river and on the bridges just to catch a glimpse of the duckies as they made their way down river.

I have to admit that got caught up in it all the excitement. I had purchased a couple of tickets and we actually found a place along the river bank where we would have a good view of them coming around the bend.

The Milepost 2008 Alaska Trip Planner Travel Guide NEW

"Legendary Alaska trip planner and Alaska travel guide to the highways, roads, ferries, lodgings, recreation, sightseeing attractions and services along the Alaska Highway to and within Alaska, including Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and the Yukon."

This book is a wonderful reference guide for any trip you may be making up to Alaska this year.

It's great for those folks venturing up in an RV or for those coming up via the ferry system or cruise ships. Even if you plan to fly in and rent an automobile or RV this book is a valuable source of information about Alaska.

Aerobatic Books

There are more pilots per ca pita in Alaska then in any other state. Not that there are a lot of Aerobatic maneuvers but still it's an exciting sport.

People often ask if Aerobatics is a dangerous sport. A lot depends upon the pilot themselves. For instance, in 1989, Anthony Ziemiecki, a Cocoa Beach aerobatics instructor and decorated Army pilot, died when his vintage 1954 Navy training plane crashed into the airport runway at the TICO Warbird Airshow.

Flying in his North American T28-C, Ziemiecki attempted a split S -- a maneuver that some say is unsafe at low altitudes.

His plane dove almost nose-first into the end of the runway.

Three years later another pilot was killed at this same airshow.

By it's very nature, aerobatics involves risks that are not involved in non-aerobatic flight; but, as with other aviation activities, it is only as safe or dangerous as the pilot makes it. Discipline, planning, common sense, and knowledge are the basic prerequisites to safety. Aerobatics can be quite safe if safety rules are followed religiously:

Today's air shows are nostalgic reminders of the thrilling barnstorming air shows of years past. When airplanes were still quite new and daring pilots would show off their amazing skills and daring maneuvers.

Aerobatics doesn't have to be dangerous. You can control risk to whatever suits your tolerance and experience. It does take training and understanding of where the danger resides and that's why a good pilot never feels like he's seen it all.

If you have any interest in learning these skills there are several books with a wealth of information that can get you started.