Erica K Wisner

We write on a variety of topics, but you'll see some common themes: doing things for yourself, being creative, being green or 'sustainable', exploring and enjoying the world.

My background is informal education: museum, camps, classes, and workshops. (I've taught at OMSI.edu, trackersNW.com, cobcottage.com, cityrepair.org, and cascadiawild.org, among others.). My formal education was in physical sciences & fine arts. You may also have seen some of my writing or illustration under my maiden name, Erica Ritter.

My husband Ernie is a lifelong mariner, builder, and learner. He got a degree in botany along the way, and has focused his attention the past few years on ecology consulting, natural building, and appropriate technology. I sometimes edit his writing for publication here, so I've included him in my profile & photo. Just so you can see who you're talking to....

Thanks for reading,

Erica K Wisner (and Ernie)

In the Spotlight

Northern Comfort: Staying beautifully warm

The ideal home is comfortable winter and summer. Part of the trick to affordable heating is to heat people instead of space; and part of it is to use smart home design in the first place. This article describes a great number of useful tips and tricks, worth knowing whether you own or rent.

• 
  3
  dengarden.com

  Get It off Me! How to Remove Sap, Glue, and Sticky Goo

  3 months ago

  Pine resin smells wonderful at Christmas time, but I hate the black marks it leaves on my hands (and anything I touch) for days. This year, I discovered a miraculous solution for removing sticky slime from my hands and skin: waterless hand sanitizer.

• 
  17
  Individual Sports

  How to build a 'Skin on Frame' boat - and why

  4 years ago

  Why Skin on Frame: Skin on frame boat building can be one of the fastest, most satisfying, skills-rich projects you can do. It teaches you essential skills to build almost any wooden boat. It's not difficult, and you don't need to already have...

• 
  8
  Porch, Deck & Patio Improvements

  How to Build Wooden Steps or Decks

  2 years ago

  This article demonstrates how to build wooden steps, a landing, or a deck, with personal experience and expertise.

• 
  7
  Toys for Kids

  Building Wooden Boats - Speculation on a Joint Adventure

  12 years ago

  OK, so I am a wooden boatbuilding nerd. When I think of building/buying boats, I think big, because in a couple jobs, that was what I did.... build BIG boats. Remembering those jobs got my brain on the track of how to build a bunch of boats cheap....