Bøger af Fran Kelso

Building a foundation. Gathering wood. Overcoming limits. It's all about building a dream, and Fran Kelso tells how in Alaskan Attitudes, her personal memoir about living alone on the Alaskan homestead. Kelso had always wanted to build a home and live on Spruce Island, Alaska. But when it's time to start building, her husband announces he wants a separation. Facing the end of her marriage and possibly the end of her dream, she decides to go on with the help of friends and moves forward with her plan-alone. Taking a leap of faith is harder than Kelso imagined, however. She moves into a home with only a three-burner Coleman stove for cooking, and no electricity, phone, or running water. A boat serves as her primary means of transportation. Her time alone teaches her persistence, determination, and a willingness to do the hard work required. Most importantly, she learns to believe in herself. In the hopes of setting a road map for others to follow in her footsteps, Kelso shares how she achieved her dream in this inspirational guidebook that demonstrates how having the right attitude can get you through life.

"Plant Lore of an Alaskan Island" identifies the most common plants in the Kodiak archipelago. It includes edible and medicinal plants, with recipes for preparing for your table plus a special index section of medicinal plants with a brief description of their use. Native uses of these plants are emphasized, making the book somewhat of an ethnobotany. It's a good "armchair book" because it includes stories of gathering adventures, a section on the history of Ouzinkie, with stories and pictures, a full description and illustration of each plant, plus a "plant family index" with information about each plant family represented. Color and black and white photos enhance the pages. Take this book on foraging trips or enjoy reading it at home. Though focused on Spruce Island, these plants or a similar species can be found in many Alaskan locations.