How I Broke my Vow to Never Feed Bees Sugar Water
This June, I caught a swarm of wild bees in a swarm box, put them into a horizontal hive that I built in my shed, and they settled into their new lives behind our cabin. I never imagined they might not get enough honey stored away before winter. Click on the video below to hear them buzz (more on what they’re drinking shortly).
Dreaming of Wild Bees in Trees
My last thought before I fall asleep is of how I’d catch a swarm of wild bees, install them in the crook of an old tree and let them live up there, just like they were living in a hollow old tree. I wouldn’t medicate them, bother them or even take their honey. I just want to watch them come and go with tiny balls of orange pollen on their feet.
Crankin’: Long Distance Bicyclists Talk About Their Bike Journeys
Though I take most of my trips on the back of a mule, I always enjoy meeting long-distance bikers in my rambles. Here are the stories of three people taking long bicycle trips I thought you’d enjoy. They are Johannes “Hans” Myors, Sven Eckhard, and Ji Liong.
Johannes “Hans” Myors
Reverend Hans’ story is one of stick-to-it-ness. As of the day I met him on the side of the road, he’d pedaled 168,000… Continue reading
Listen to “The Creston Dinosaur” on Atlas Obscura
In 2008, my mule Polly and I traveled from Canada to the Mexican border in a homemade mule wagon. I interviewed folks along the way, and one of the favorite characters I met wasn’t a person. It was a giant green cement dinosaur outside Creston, South Dakota.
Flash forward to now. Recently Atlas Obscura, the website dedicated to obscure Americana, contacted me about doing a story about the Creston dinosaur. I… Continue reading
The Long Ride: Melissa Priblo Chapman Discusses Her Book “Distant Skies” (Part 2 of 2)
In the early 1980s, twenty-three-year-old Melissa Priblo Chapman rode her horse Rainy 2,600 miles alone across America. She encountered rattlesnakes, thunderstorms and Great Plains busters, but she also encountered kind ranchers like the one who hooked her up with a pack mule. Almost forty years after her trip, Melissa wrote a book about her voyage called “Distant Skies”. I recently interviewed Melissa about her book and trip.
“Distant Skies”: Melissa Priblo Chapman Discusses Her New Book (Part 1 of 2)
Melissa Priblo Chapman dreamt of “riding through some distant town on a trustworthy horse” in elementary school. It was the late 1970s. When she was 23, she saddled her horse Rainy, hauled her puppy Gypsy into the saddle with her and headed west to live her dream. This week, I interviewed Melissa about her new book “Distant Skies: An American Journey on Horseback”. Here is Part 1 of a two-part series of our conversation.
Happy New Year 2024!
Are the wars, political unrest, and climate change making you nervous about what’s to come in 2024? This year, instead of paying attention to the bad news, you need to focus on improving your luck. For me, that means starting January 1 with Hoppin’ John.
Getting to Know Hoppin’ John
I first came across Hoppin’ John in Oriental, North Carolina, while writing for TownDock.net. A neighbor of… Continue reading
“Two Proud to Ride a Cow” and “Woody and Maggie” Author Appearances for Bernie Harberts
Book signings, programs and interviews are a great way for me to meet my readers. They’ve taken me all over the nation and sometimes, my mules even join me. Here’s a sample of some of the signings and programs I gave to promote my first two books.
Border Books and Gifts
Rapid City, SD
*Saturday, April 25, 2009… Continue reading
“Trash to Triumph” Book One Step Closer to Publishing
`Hot damn! This week, I received the manuscript of my new book “Trash to Triumph”. It’s about riding my mules Brick and Cracker from North Carolina to Idaho. This is a huge milestone as I’ve been working on this book for over 2 years.
How to Catch a Snake in Your House
I was taking a nap when I heard my wife Julia say, “honey, can you come here?” I walked into the kitchen and saw Julia looking at the cookstove. Our cookstove is a two-burner camp stove hooked to a twenty-pound propane tank. It’s black and greasy. I didn’t see anything. Then I saw the black snake next to the pot we boil our coffee in.
The bottom of the snake’s head was white and so… Continue reading
