We just think we are homesteading

Last night we watched the real thing!
Sure we have a wood pile and use a wood stove, I do mostly home made food, hang out my laundry to dry either out side or on the racks and we live a basically simple life.And no out house, the best part =)
But... if we didn't have the wood, we still would not freeze and I do have a dryer if I need it and I can run to Walmart or the commissary if I need too.
I don't have to go out and camp at 20 below to catch a few fresh fish, I don't have to go out and cut down a tree for wood because if I don't we will freeze to death and I don't have to sit on top of a stump waiting to kill a squirrel and then make a fire and eat because I need fresh meat and I don't have to keep the toilet seat in the house because if I don't it will have an inch of ice on it when I go out side in the 20 below weather to visit the outhouse.

I happened upon this show on TLC last night called "Alaska, The Final Frontier" It is about the Kilcher family.

The dad settle there 80 years ago, living outside Homer AL on some 600 acres of land and some of his family had opted to carry on the tradition.

They live with out running water or electricity and have outhouses. Outside, away from the house. And they have to keep the toilet seat inside so it dosen't freeze. They have 4 months of summer and during that time they grow a garden, fish and hunt for food and then freeze what they have to during the winter. They can and have a root cellar to keep things fresh as long as they can. They even have cattle and if a calf is born during the winter they have to go out in this minus weather and look for it until they find it. Now dosen't that sound like a fun night. And they have a bear problem, big nasty angry brown bears, that come and steal their cows. And for the most part they seem to enjoy it.

Now I know that TLC can sensationlize things just a wee bit, but I know these people are the real homesteaders, and life is probably not easy for them.I am not sure why they stick with it, maybe it's the challenge, love of the hard life or what ever.

But as for me, I will take my small slice of the easy homesteading and will be glad my toilet seat can stay attached and isn't a tool a need to carry around with me. =)