Chevak bush Alaska People have asked me how I feel about this self-isolation, this 'living in a bubble' reality. "You must be used to this Emma, living in remote Alaska for six years!"
Well actually, it has brought up a mixture of feelings, some tantalisingly familiar, some very different. Yes, it is true I lived in a remote, peaceful community, protected in our community's physical isolation from the stresses of the 'outside world' - the hustle of city living, the constant hum of road traffic and the demands of a fast moving, answer-now society.
In Alaska, our home sat within the cushion of a deep silence where the endless magnificence of nature could be viewed from the window or experienced just one step outside our door. However in that village bubble, we could socialise, ask each other for help, check in on our neighbours and have potluck dinners and dances together. This caring community lifestyle, an integral part of the culture we became part of, was I believe the main reason I was so reluctant to return to 'civilisation'.
Māori are well aware of the importance of community living. "He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, people, people."
Well actually, it has brought up a mixture of feelings, some tantalisingly familiar, some very different. Yes, it is true I lived in a remote, peaceful community, protected in our community's physical isolation from the stresses of the 'outside world' - the hustle of city living, the constant hum of road traffic and the demands of a fast moving, answer-now society.
In Alaska, our home sat within the cushion of a deep silence where the endless magnificence of nature could be viewed from the window or experienced just one step outside our door. However in that village bubble, we could socialise, ask each other for help, check in on our neighbours and have potluck dinners and dances together. This caring community lifestyle, an integral part of the culture we became part of, was I believe the main reason I was so reluctant to return to 'civilisation'.
Māori are well aware of the importance of community living. "He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, people, people."
 Our view from the front door |  Bulk buying groceries in Anchorage was a regular summer activity. |
There was a time while living in Chevak however, when the bird flu pandemic took centre stage in the world. We quickly learned that as we lived in the middle of a large and remote bird sanctuary, a place where birds flew directly in from China, we needed to be on 'high alert'. Birds carrying H5N1 meant symptoms that began within two to eight days that initially seemed like the flu; cough, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headache and shortness of breath, could be symptoms of the avian flu. We also knew the disease carried a high mortality rate in humans. Sound familiar?
Although stored food supplies were no problem, my huge pantry bulged with preserves and long term food supplies gathered every summer, but living far from any hospital or well equipped medical facility, with no hope of medication arriving in time, we were fearful, drilled to listen for a local siren that would message 'pandemic plan, lockdown in your homes'. All of us had plenty of food supplies but drinking water was a different problem and my biggest worry.
The 'imported' faculty distilled local water, or alternatively fell ill to bacteria in the local water supply. This meant that gathering bottled water in case of an avian flu outbreak was of paramount importance. I still remember stacking bottles of distilled and bought water under every piece of furniture until I believed our house on stilts was going to sink into the snow and ice and if we didn't die of the flu, we would be buried alive instead.
Although stored food supplies were no problem, my huge pantry bulged with preserves and long term food supplies gathered every summer, but living far from any hospital or well equipped medical facility, with no hope of medication arriving in time, we were fearful, drilled to listen for a local siren that would message 'pandemic plan, lockdown in your homes'. All of us had plenty of food supplies but drinking water was a different problem and my biggest worry.
The 'imported' faculty distilled local water, or alternatively fell ill to bacteria in the local water supply. This meant that gathering bottled water in case of an avian flu outbreak was of paramount importance. I still remember stacking bottles of distilled and bought water under every piece of furniture until I believed our house on stilts was going to sink into the snow and ice and if we didn't die of the flu, we would be buried alive instead.
 Would we be buried alive? | So yes, I've found these Covid-19 times feel delicious in their familiar peace and quiet, in the return of birdsong, the friendly acknowledgements of locals, as well as the chance to spend precious time actually doing some baking. With Anzac Day arriving this weekend, I thought it timely to retrieve my recipe for Anzac cookies that I baked in their thousands while living in the bush; the cookies I wrote about in my books. The ease of baking these biscuits - no whipping of butter and sugar needed, the on-hand ingredients making these biscuits/cookies just so quick, easy and popular that I could have spent my days far from the classroom, just pottering and baking Anzac cookies in my kitchen. |
So along with Anzac Day's imminent arrival as well as the end to our Level 4 lock down at the end of Anzac weekend, I thought some of you may like to try to celebrate with my very well practised recipe, outlined below.
Happy Anzac Day everyone, enjoy your peacefulness, the tranquility of our beautiful surroundings, and stay well.
Happy Anzac Day everyone, enjoy your peacefulness, the tranquility of our beautiful surroundings, and stay well.
Emma's Anzac biscuit recipe
(Thanks to Margaret Fulton )
(Makes about 40 - and will freeze, I always doubled the recipe)
Ingredients
4 oz butter ( 115 gms) 1 cup rolled oats
2 tbspns boiling water 3/4 cup dessicated coconut
1 1/2 tspns baking soda 1 cup plain flour ( 4 oz)
1 tbspn golden syrup 1 cup sugar ( 8 oz)
Method
Melt butter and golden syrup in pan over gentle heat
Add boiling water mixed with baking soda
Pour into mixed dry ingredients
Drop small spoonfuls on 2 greased baking sheets
Bake in slow oven ( 300 degrees F/ 150 C ) for 20 mins
I put them in for 10 mins then switch the trays over for last 10 mins.
Let them cool on the sheets before removing and perhaps hiding some of them
ENJOY
(Thanks to Margaret Fulton )
(Makes about 40 - and will freeze, I always doubled the recipe)
Ingredients
4 oz butter ( 115 gms) 1 cup rolled oats
2 tbspns boiling water 3/4 cup dessicated coconut
1 1/2 tspns baking soda 1 cup plain flour ( 4 oz)
1 tbspn golden syrup 1 cup sugar ( 8 oz)
Method
Melt butter and golden syrup in pan over gentle heat
Add boiling water mixed with baking soda
Pour into mixed dry ingredients
Drop small spoonfuls on 2 greased baking sheets
Bake in slow oven ( 300 degrees F/ 150 C ) for 20 mins
I put them in for 10 mins then switch the trays over for last 10 mins.
Let them cool on the sheets before removing and perhaps hiding some of them
ENJOY
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