Nelson Martin of Columbia, Missouri, sent me this message:

 “Check out the poll on the home page of www.strike-the-root.com, on what is their readers’ favorite libertarian magazine!"

Wow! Backwoods Home Magazine is winning the poll. Goes to show what “living by example” can do. I don’t think of BHM as a Libertarian magazine, but as a Homesteading magazine, even though other Homesteading magazines would not ever entertain the thought of writing Libertarian commentaries.

BHM is more the embodiment of Libertarian ideas. Ninety-eight percent of the content has to do with taking care of yourself and your family by doing things around the homestead. You’ll never find a “government solution” in BHM. John Silveira and I comprise the only Libertarian commentary, with his Last Word column and my My View column. These columns are more valuable, I think, surrounded by articles that shows people living their lives by taking care of themselves, whether it involves building their own home or canning their own food.

Most readers of BHM do not consider themselves Libertarian, and probably pretty much ignore politics. But they tend to live their lives as we Libertarians wish everybody would — by taking care of their own needs and by minding their own business, not the business of others.

I expect the dawning American recession, coupled with a Hillary, Obama, or McCain in the White House, will make BHM more popular than ever as people retreat into their own world hoping to escape the heavier hand of Government.

Two of my sons and I are recovering from winter cold viruses. Sam missed four days of school, Jake two, and I’m just kind of moseying along with a milder version of whatever they have. We got a nice break in the rain today with 60-degree sunny weather, so we all went outside for some vitamin D.

Then we set off the brush pile with some diesel fuel. It was so wet it took a bit, but it lit. They love our annual burn. Our brush pile has been in the same place for 10 years, and this year it was huge due to the big storm we had two months ago. Burned all day and has plenty of coals as I write this post just past midnight.

The rivers are expected to rise as the snow in the mountains melts. We had a beautiful sunset again. Great place to live. I love it here. Maybe I’ll fish tomorrow if the ocean is calm. Maybe even go upriver to visit Franz Shindler.