Shake, Rattle, and Roll

Rainy Day Heading Into Anchorage
July 2015

The laziness of the past couple of weeks has passed, and we are gearing up to be as busy as most Alaskans for the next several weeks.  I'm not certain how many of you watch the Alaskan reality television shows (I believe there are 9 or 10 now available for your viewing pleasure).  Before we moved here, we were known to binge watch at least four on more than one occasion -- Alaska State Troopers (of course); The Last Frontier; Alaskan Bush People; and Buying Alaska.  The Kilcher family featured on The Last Frontier are actually related to the famous singer, Jewel.  That has little relevance (actually it has NO relevance) to what will be shared in this week's post, but it is a fun piece of trivia, nonetheless.  In addition to being "famous relations," they often highlight on their show ingenuity, creativity, and the break-neck speed that occurs as summer draws to a close.  We used to think that their stories were exaggerated...not so any longer!

Part of the reason for embarking on this Reliving Alaska blog journey was to chronicle our time here for family and friends.  It was also to give us a new perspective -- one of deeper appreciation about this great state -- that I don't think we achieved the first time we had the honor of living here.  As a result, we are embracing portions of the Alaskan lifestyle that we did not experiment with earlier, but are finding we have a heart for this time around.  What we lack are unlimited resources for Alaskan toys, but you can all relax...this is not going to be a "gofundme" blog! Quite the contrary...we are learning that by returning to a simpler lifestyle, the budgeting for "fun" stuff takes longer, the work is harder and more time consuming, but our feelings of actual "accomplishment" mean more to us now than ever before.  I'm not sure we could have learned those lessons any other way.

Rainbow over the Valley
July 2015

So now...we prepare for the harried, frenzied season that is "the end of an Alaskan summer."  As we approach our one-year anniversary here we are so excited!  We are eligible for hunting/fishing licenses next week, and although we have missed the first sockeye (red) salmon run, we should be able to get to a place for soho (silver) and kings.  In addition to that, fireweed fever is still present and the blossoms are turning almost purple.  Raspberries and blueberries are popping at Girdwood, so we are making a trip there on Saturday.  Hopefully we will see beluga whales along the way at Beluga Point, as it is about the same time now that it was last year when they appeared.  We are planning to spend the next several days harvesting fruits for homemade jams/jellies, then harvesting what we can from our small garden.  The birds and squirrels took most of our seeds, but we have some zucchini plants that are doing very well, so we anxiously await those.

Ethan Canning Sockeye Salmon July 2015

Ethan Out at Front at King Tom & Queen Brenda's Castle

Ethan and I spent the better part of today at the Castle with Brenda, canning salmon that Tom took at the Kenai Peninsula.  He is working there for a few weeks.  They work all day, then fish when they can.  Sockeye are running strong, and Tom and another coworker were able to take 60 fish in less than 30 minutes dip-netting this past week.  Since he and Michael have already secured moose hunting dates in September, there is no room in the freezers for moose and salmon.  Brenda was gracious enough to ask us to help, and we will have a few jars of canned salmon to use within the coming weeks until we harvest our own.  We anticipate days full of picking, cleaning, fishing, cleaning, and then nights full of water bath canning and pressure canning.  As I've eluded to before...I've never canned anything in my life, so I have thoroughly enjoyed this newest adventure! I thank the Lord for Brenda and for allowing her to tutor us!

Somewhere in the midst of all of this, ptarmigan, grouse, and hare season kicks off.  Ethan and his daddy have a Hatcher's Pass hunt planned out, but our initial attempts at scouting have not been fruitful.  We've gone to the Pass at various time throughout the day, but no sightings thus far.  The trips have not been in vain, however, as the most recent one yielded a phenomenal sunrise over Gold Cord Lake and additional harvesting of fireweed.  The Little Susitna River there looks almost turquoise, and you can "feel" how cold it is, just by looking at its frosty hues.  It is hard to believe that very soon, it will be frozen and covered with snow.

Sunrise at Independence Mine
July 2015

Fireweed at Hatcher Pass
Little Susitna Flows in the Background

If a man won't work...he won't eat!

This week saw much yard work for us and also saw Alex come back after trekking through North Carolina and Ohio.  He made it back just in time for summer rains and rainbows over the Valley and for the 6.3 earthquake!  Nothing like sitting down to dinner, and the sturdy bench beneath you scooting on the floor as the chandelier overhead rolls in a clockwise motion!  Ethan continued playing with his Star Wars toys, looked up, and said, "I love earthquakes."  I just pray that the magnitudes stay that level or less.  So far, he has a great attitude about that particular "natural disaster."  We looked up on the AEIC website (www.aeic.alaska.edu) to verify the magnitude and realized that all across Alaska, there were more than 100 quakes that day -- just not that strong.  So that really put things into perspective for us!  Ahtna didn't care too much for it, though, as evidenced by her quick retreat to our feet in the "submissive" position.  We talked about it afterward and realized that her "submissive" position may have just been exhaustion -- she had been swimming earlier that day at Big Lake.

"I think I can..."

"I think I can..."

"I KNOW I CAN...
I love Swimming!!"

She's waded before, but this was the first time she had really been "swimming," out in the water and over her head.  She LOVED it!  Of course she did...she's a lab!  She won't retrieve anything yet, and she looked like she was drowning most of the time; but once she was in...she was in.  And she only nearly knocked Ethan and me off the dock and into the water two or three times.  She's definitely a growing puppy -- she plays hard, but she crashes hard!  And...she's not the only one!

Ahhh....finally! NAPTIME!

With the adventures of this week waving farewell, we have no idea what next week will bring!  Oh wait a minute... SCHOOL!  That's right!  School begins next week for Ethan...and wouldn't you know it?  First on the agenda is a fishing field trip!  What a way to start the 6th grade!  Please pray for Michael in the coming weeks.  He has been given a special duty assignment at work that requires an actual suit.  Since he's dropped two sizes, we will be suit shopping for him this weekend!

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengthenth me." Philippians 4:11-13

God Bless You All!

Tall Tales from the Top of the World

Weekly Greetings Family & Friends!

Headed to Gold Cord Lake

The landscape here is beginning to change yet again -- serving as a vivid reminder that time marches on -- despite our best efforts to hold it at bay.  The snow at Hatcher's Pass has finally melted, leaving luscious greenness everywhere that I think is probably only rivaled in Ireland or Scotland (though I've never seen either).  The birch tree leaves are beginning to yellow, and the fireweed continues to creep toward the upper stalk.  Ethan and I will be harvesting that again this afternoon, and will scout for blueberries, blackberries, and crow berries on the Pass for a future harvesting.

This past Sunday brought the first rain break for us, so we took Ahtna to Independence Mine to alleviate her (and our) cabin fever.  Ethan indicated that so far, that is truly his most favorite place, and I believe we could spend many years here and never hike all of the trails that exist there.  This time we hiked the Gold Cord Lake trail, along with hundreds of other park visitors.  This was the first time that we had seen so many people at one time there, and we have decided that although it did help with Ahtna's human and dog socialization, we prefer to visit there during the week.  I think that means we are officially "locals" and no longer tourists.  The initial climb was primed with gravel and well-worn, but still pretty rough for all of us.  Our adventurous son and his pup found a much easier mud path back down. Of course they did! The dichotomy reminded me so much of Robert Frost: "Two roads diverged within the wood, and I -- I took the road less traveled."

"Mr. Mark Finkleman's" Cabin

At any rate, we enjoyed our time and discovered Mr. Mark Finkleman's original cabin along with a pristine lake hidden among the rocks.  If you have the time, I'll provide a bit of back story...

Mr. Finkleman was a purposeful hermit, originally making his home at Independence Mine in search of gold.  After the initial strike dwindled and a falling out with the other miners, he moved to the interior of Alaska, close to Birch Lake outside of Delta Junction.  His desire was to search for gold and be completely left alone.  For many years, he was able to fulfill this dream until the United States government (the Air Force, specifically) swooped in and scarfed up his land -- to build a recreational area for its airmen, of all things.  To appease him, they paid him a handsome sum (as he wasn't fortunate finding any gold in that area), and they allowed him to keep his small cabin close to the lake.

Inside the Cabin

But the building of other single and family cabins, along with the traffic allowed for sport fishing and small game hunting depleted his natural resources and forced him to come face-to-face with the large numbers of people he had hoped to escape.  Particularly difficult for him were the teenagers, who made it their sole purpose to terrorize and antagonize him on his own property.  Unwilling to take the meddling anymore, he warned the Air Force that terrible things would begin to happen if they continued to operate the Recreation Area.  Ignoring the rantings of the "crazy old Mr. Finkleman," the operators of the recreation area unleashed the horror that is still talked about to this day. The defeated Finkleman retired to his cabin, and was found dead two days later, atop his handmade birch bark bed.  The death was ruled as "natural causes," but most staffers believed he died of a broken heart.

Each subsequent season, as families would arrive for some R & R, personal belongings of one targeted family would begin to disappear.  A backpack the first year, a pair of Chuck T's sneakers the next, then a Swiss army knife.  The "lost" belongings would have been no big deal, if the teens that they belonged to hadn't also disappeared.  Workers recalled Mr. Finkleman's warning, and after three years' of unsolved missing persons' cases, the Air Force mothballed the Birch Lake Recreation Park. That was in 1961.  Then, almost a year to the day 40 years later, the Air Force renovated the cabins and re-opened the park.  The history of the park was memorialized on a plaque outside of the ruins of Mr. Finkleman's cabin.  The opening ceremonies even included a ribbon cutting on birch stanchions that were salvaged from the disintegrating furniture inside the cabin.  With the history of the camp intact, a full day of family fun and lakeside festivities, and all the cabins filled to capacity, the Air Force officials called the reopening one of their "great success stories for Alaska's airmen and their families."  That is, until Mikayla didn't return to cabin 3...

Following the boot tracks outside of cabin 3, Security Forces personnel cut a path through the dense forest to the recently memorialized Finkleman cabin.  As they approached the cabin, they smelled the faint odor of a smoldering fire, but the boot tracks disappeared.  Peering inside, they noticed a hole, freshly dug, in the center of what used to be the cabin.  Inside the hole they found a few ounces of gold; an old, ratty backpack; a pair of Chuck T's; a rusted Swiss army knife; and a brand new tube of lipstick...

GOTCHA! None of that backstory is true...haha...that was one of the camp stories that Officer Mike created during an Alaska Tracks camp at Birch Lake in the summer of 2001.  Imagine the looks on the faces of those youngsters (particularly the more ornery ones), when we "discovered" their belts, backpacks, and headphones in a dirt hole in a dilapidated cabin on the Birch Lake property.  Bahahaha!  Officer Mike, Miss Adina...that's NOT funny!

The Historic Lynch Cabin

But, what is funny and true is that the cabin Ethan and I found atop atop Hatcher Pass is the old "Lynch" cabin; and it was awesome!  I expounded to Ethan his Daddy's sneaky Finkleman ways so he would feel more comfortable about exploring the Lynch cabin.  Even though he laughed about the story, he said he could see how kids his age would be "flipped out" by finding their belongings in a cabin like that.  Further up the mountain, we found the Lake and were surprised to find people actually swimming in it!  Only two, and Ahtna...but she's a dog, and she's a lab...so...

Across the valley and up the other side of the mountain sits the Martin cabin (seriously...). We don't think the Lynch's or the Martin's from then are any relation to the Lynch's and Martin's now, but wouldn't that be something!  Maybe that explains a little of our affinity with the Pass.

Storm Trooper Rex out in Anchorage
for a day of fun, adventure, &
shopping!

Hot Air Balloon outside of Anchorage

Other than that, we are winding down our summer, and beginning to prepare for school starting again.  That includes trips into Anchorage for various items, and an occasional sighting of a storm trooper named Ethan.  Or Rex...I think his name is Captain Rex.  Outdoor enthusiasts continue to try to pack everything in that they can before school starts including fishing derbies, bike races, 5K's, boat races, and even hot air ballooning. We're not doing that...others are doing that.  We are hiking, recreational biking, and we will be eligible for in-state hunting and fishing licenses August 2! So we hope to be filling our freezer soon after that.

Please pray for Alex and Andrew as they prepare to head back to school soon.  Alex is "wedding it up" this week in Ohio as a groomsman for a former Cedarville buddy and beginning his own pre-marital counseling before his December nuptials.  He has another job interview next week for a higher level position within MTA.  Andrew is working hard at CFA and prepping for his return to Lee.  We do appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers that go up for them and us!

Gold Cord Lake Trail
Hatcher Pass
July 2015

Until next week's adventure!

We Love You...and stay away from Mr. Finkleman's Cabin!

 

Fireweed Fever Flourishes

Ethan Harvesting Fireweed
July 2015

The fireweed blossoms continue to grow, signaling the waning of our summer days.  We have been ever watchful, waiting for the perfect opportunity to harvest this unique plant in the hopes of preserving its color and flavor in homemade fireweed jelly.  To be quite honest, I don't remember seeing the first blooms; but within the past two weeks purple and pink color has flooded our roadsides and meadows, making it impossible to resist the harvesting urge any longer.

For those of you who are not familiar with fireweed, it is a perennial known for its ability to regenerate in some of the toughest climates.  Ironically, our research indicates that it got its name because it is one of the first plants to reappear following fire within a region.  If that is the case, I fear all of Alaska may have been burned at some point because it is hard to escape the breathtaking beauty of its skyward-reaching blossoms - they are everywhere!  Locals lovingly (and comically) refer to themselves during this time of year as having "fireweed fever."  It must be a real thing because I think I have contracted it.

For nearly a week, I have been planning an attack along multiple roadside venues in preparation of harvesting at least a garbage bag or two or petals.  I've never canned anything in my life, but I have been so anxious to try fireweed jelly, that it's almost as if a sickness has overtaken my brain -- looking at weather forecasts, waiting for canning equipment to go on sale at any of our local establishments (and almost not caring if it doesn't!), and praying that the fireweed will continue to bloom until I have all of my supplies at the ready.  Fireweed Fever is definitely diagnosable!  I broke down Wednesday and bought all of the canning supplies at Walmart -- which just happened to be having a sale!

Thank the Lord for my poor husband and sons that humor this ailment. I think they are anxious to try some of the jelly, too; but the fireweed bug didn't bite them as hard as it bit me.  As the good Lord would have it, we were out running errands yesterday on one of Michael's coveted days off. On the way home, we scoured the roadside, and like any good Alaskan, we found the perfect spot to pull over and chop weeds.  Literally...

Based on the Blooms,
Summer Appears to Be About
2/3 Complete!

I can honestly say that I don't think I would be comfortable doing something like that in any other state; but here...well, you can just get away with that sort of thing.  Ethan was first in on the action, as he had brought along his hunting knife.  Keep in mind, he can skin some of Alaska's largest fish and mammals with that knife, but yesterday he sharpened it on fireweed stalks.  Fireweed can grow as tall as nine feet and is used by the Natives to measure the length of summer.  It blooms from bottom to top, and the best jelly is made from open blossoms.  When it begins to bloom, that marks the beginning of warmer weather and summer.  When the blooms are open near the top of the stalk, summer is almost over.  It's amazing to me how God uses even the plants to illustrate His expertise throughout creation. What is even more amazing is that He allows us to share it.

8 Cups of Fresh Fireweed

So after carefully harvesting a large kitchen trash bag full of fireweed stalks, we had enough for our first batch of homemade jelly. Yay!  We pulled blossoms before church, washed them, and refrigerated them until we could get home to finish.  We boiled the blossoms in a concoction of lemon juice and water for 10 minutes, then strained the juice. 

Fireweed Concoction

We reboiled the juice with jelly pectin and sugar, poured into jars, sealed in a boiling water bath, and voila! Homemade fireweed jelly! And...it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I thought we had enough to share, but alas...we do not.  Bahaha! 

Not Enough to Share...

 I can definitely understand why this is a feature at our local farmers' markets and craft fairs! Speaking of... Ethan and I had date day Saturday morning, and visited the Palmer Garden and Art Walk.  First stop was Vagabond Blues coffee for French Vanilla, Hot Cocoa, and a giant chocolate chip cookie.  I know...I'm a terrible mother...cocoa and cookies for breakfast! Hey...before you judge...it was Date Day.  Date Days are special occasions, and we do things we wouldn't normally do, eat things we wouldn't normally eat, or eat things out of the order we would normally eat them.  I encourage you to try it sometime...it's so much fun! Besides...it's infrequent enough to relieve any "permanent" damage!  

Date Day in Palmer, July 2015

It was an interesting event -- lots of local musical talent, and individual vendors were selling "garden" themed art.  For example, one woman had taken old dining room table chairs, gutted the seat area, replaced the seat with garden mesh, and had a mini-garden growing where the seat used to be.  Clever re-purposing.  I am not that smart, so Ethan and I walked around to see what ideas we could pilfer from others.  Fireweed Jelly was all we came up with!  See?  Fireweed Fever is a real thing!  They even make medicine for it. It's called Fireweed Jelly!

Ahtna and Remi

The weather was pretty that day for a little bit, but for the past week we've been dealing with rainy, muddy conditions.  It's been difficult to get out and hike any, but we have taken a couple of trips to the dog park at Lake Lucille.  Ahtna met a new friend there, and we think there should be a movie about a Labrador named Ahtna and her friend, Remi, the Great Dane. Remi is an 8-year-old male Dane, and pretty much an old man; but he was patient with her and that is helping her socialization with other dogs.  We went back Tuesday night, but Remi wasn't there.  There were four other dogs there, and they all played well together.  Ahtna was still the smallest, but that was good for her.  She is learning her place in our family and learning her boundaries with other dogs.  

Ahtna, April 2015

Ahtna, July 2015

I'm not into all of the social media daily events; however, I do know that Thursday's are typically a throwback.  So I am posting a throwback pic in honor of Ethan's acquisition of Ahtna.  It's hard to believe we've had her less than two months.  Time marches on...

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."  

James 4:14.

Scouting for a Youth Hunt

The "Other" Side of Hatcher Pass July 2015

Greetings once again from the Land of the Midnight Sun. I say that with a bit of tongue in cheek now, as we are losing daylight and rejoicing at the darkness that appears between 1-3 a.m.  It's amazing how our bodies have reacted to the "waning darkness."  We remembered from years ago, but not fully.  That coupled with our hiking and traveling has made for a weary, but memorable, summer.

Alaska Transportation Museum State Trooper Car
4th of July Parade

We celebrated the 4th of July like many others -- taking in the local parade, eating great food, and remembering why we are the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.  The Wasilla parade spans about 3-4 different city blocks, and embodies the "relaxed attitude" that Alaska is known for. The parade route itself is a series of switchbacks through "downtown" Wasilla -- which is 2 blocks off the main Parks Highway thoroughfare.  No closing that bad boy down -- people couldn't get to all of the tourist destinations in Interior Alaska!

4-H Rebel Riders

The Colony High School band, the local Dance Company, and the 4-H Rebel Riders horse club were the only entrants who ever learned how to "march" together and in a straight line.  But that made it all the more fun and exciting!  While the crowd of 4,000 was nowhere near the numbers that Faith, NC sees during a typical 4th (or the Denton Thresher's Reunion!), the atmosphere was just as festive and the entries were way more eclectic!

"Charter College Punch Bug Tricked Out with Flags"

Our favorite was the "tricked out" punch bug (made us think of Grandma Lynch on road trips!), the Roller Derby Team, and the 4-H Rebel Riders.  Firetrucks and Police Cars are always cool, but it was the Alaska Transportation Museum's old cars and float display that stole the show!

Sunday morning after worship service we had a church picnic (so glad we found a church that LOVES food, fun, and fellowship)!  Fried chicken, sides, salads, and desserts were the order of the day!  After that, families changed clothes for Minute-to-Win It games.  Several of the games reminded me of Bethel youth activities and ACE Convention games.  We stacked cups, shook jelly bean rattles made with 2-liter bottles duct-taped together, blew up balloons and used the "hot air" inside to knock over plastic cups, and moved cotton balls from the tips of our Vaselined noses into a bowl -- with our hands behind our backs!  I had an opportunity to meet a sweet young lady named Ahava who was visiting for the first time.  She filled me in on all things Job Corps related which was very enlightening!

Monday was Date Day, and Alex graciously agreed to keep Ethan for us, so Michael and I could spend the day together.  With all of our schedules the way they are, sometimes it's challenging to carve out time for a date.  Such was the case this time, but we made the most of it! It was time for our monthly Costco run, so that became part of our "date."  I took Michael to Costco, complete with pizza and hot dog lunch in the Costco food court!  I know what you're thinking..."Really, Adina? The Costco Food Court for a date?"  Listen...don't knock it until you've tried it!  They have pizza slices the size of your head (as our Maddie likes to say) and world famous Nathan hot dogs.  They also have a turkey sandwich on ciabatta bread that is amazing.  And with a large slice of pizza, a hot dog, a berry smoothie, and a large drink for less than $5 in Alaska...well, this one income family was making every penny count!  We also hit up Michael's craft store for nifty wedding finds and ideas.  To be fair, though, that really wasn't a great date day for Michael...you know...mega grocery shopping and craft storing.  So we also hit up Grannie's Guns as a potential future gun store and Tandy Leather for knife sheath making equipment!  Then it seemed a bit more balanced and was a great date day!

Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we decided to take the dog for a walk that evening and met another family on our street -- Marcus and Karen.  They have three very small children, two huge great Danes, and the most amazing South African accents!  We talked for quite a while in their yard, and they proceeded to inform us they have found fresh bear scat in the woods adjacent to their home.  Two years ago, they had a grizzly in their yard, so they aren't sure if it's the same one.  And irony or ironies...she home schools their children, and they all go to church with Alex!   I love the way the Lord works!

This year's State Fair entry photo
Theme: "Dig In"

We introduced Ahtna to their Dane pup -- who is seven months old and weighs over 100 pounds!  Ahtna tried hiding behind Ethan and Michael and any flower she could find!  It was hysterical.  The only puppy she's really taken with is the one she sees in the mirror.  She is definitely Ethan's dog and developing a personality that matches his!  Her kennel is in his room throughout the night, and once she wakes up for breakfast we move it into the living room and close the bedroom doors.  From there, she lies prone in front of Ethan's door and whines until he either gets up or we let her in so she can sleep on his bed with him!  If that weren't enough, Michael "inadvertently" taught her a "trick" while we were in NC.  The Sockeye Willow fire was burning that week and the temperatures here were the highest they've been all summer.  Without air conditioning in the house, temperatures upstairs held steady at 86.  Michael read somewhere that when dogs get hot and they don't want to drink water, you can keep them hydrated with ice cubes.  So...he fed her a few.  Now...anytime I use the ice machine on the fridge, she comes running from wherever she is in the house and sits and waits for her cube.  Crazy dog!

But, she is super smart, and completely potty-trained now -- for nearly two full weeks! (YAY!) She's learning to play fetch, sit, and come and will now grab her leash and wait at the bottom of the front stairs when she needs to go outside.  Hunting and gun training come soon, but we're hoping to get her into a Puppy Training 101 class for socialization with other dogs soon.  She does well when we are hiking, but she's come across several "un-friendly" dogs and is a bit skittish around the big ones.

Atop the Ridge at Hatcher Pass
Scouting for Ptarmigan and Grouse

Viewing the only remaining
snow at Hatcher Pass

Finishing up the earlier part of this week, we had planned to go to Hatcher Pass at 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning to watch the sunrise and scout ptarmigan and grouse hunting areas.  Sadly, the weather did not cooperate, but we won't complain about the much needed rain.  It allowed us to sleep through "sunrise," but we donned our rain clothes later in the morning to scout.  Alaska State Fish and Game has opened up a youth hunt this year at Hatcher's Pass for youth 16 and under who are accompanied by a licensed adult hunter.  The hunt runs from August 10-25, and it will fall in line with just over a year after our arrival! (For those of you that don't hunt...that means we can pay resident prices versus non-resident for our hunting licenses). It's also an area that we are extremely familiar with, so the scouting was awesome.

View Across from Independence Mine
Zooming in will allow you to see our "tiny" red truck...far right
That gives this photo and the heights that we climbed new perspective

"Here, Grousie, Grousie.."

We hiked an area we hadn't hiked before, across the road from Independence Mine.  When the snows come again, this will be where we venture for epic sledding.  If I can get some cross country skis by then, and a skijor harness for Ahtna, she and I will tear it up!  We learned rather quickly on our hike that she is a p-u-l-l-e-r.  She weighs nearly 30 pounds now, and pulled all of us -- at least once -- off the trail, down the hills, and over the prairie dog villages.  At one point during the ascent, Ethan let me have her leash and she literally pulled me up the incline.  I had reached my maximum climb capacity, which she seemed to know.  She put her head down, pulled, and all I had to do was hold the leash.  It was almost like riding an escalator up the mountain.  Even with the rain, the hike was worth it, and we found several potential hunt areas.  We didn't see any grouse or ptarmigan, but we will try scouting again earlier in the morning the next time we go.

Across from Independence Mine
Perspective: The tallest of the buildings in the background is a 3-story dormitory

Alex wasn't able to join us this time...he was getting a haircut for another interview with MTA.  He has applied for a Level II position, which will be a promotion for him.  Andrew also got a haircut this week :)...the man-bob endeavor was slowly driving him crazy.  Actually, I don't think it was the man-bob itself -- but the 100 degree weather and humidity and hotter than that temps in the Chick-Fil-A kitchen that finally did it in.  In addition to their haircuts, they both also received positive news of scholarships this week! Praise the Lord for His provision as they prepare for their fall semesters!

Ethan had his first MAJOR bicycle crash, but walked away from it with only minor cuts, dirt, and gravel road rash.  He has a couple of "nice scars" in the making, he says.  He crashed at the end of our road, and "limped and bled" all the way back home.  It reminded Michael and me of our elementary summer days -- when road rash was expected, we cleaned ourselves up, and went back out for more! Thank goodness we were able to pass that tradition on to Ethan hahaha!  After a self-inflicted bath in peroxide, he was back outside in no time, riding faster than ever!

That about wraps up this week for us!  Until next time...we love you and wish you all well!  We're still living and loving Alaska.   And like the Super 8 Motel..."we'll leave the light on for ya!"

The Butte from Last Week's Post is the small "hill" to the left
Pioneer Peak towers over the Mat-Su Valley in the distance




"For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name."
Amos 4:13

Re-living Exercise

Early morning wake-up calls at the Martin B & B

Apologies for my delay in posting for a few weeks.  I'm excited to report that a jaunt to North Carolina for Ethan and I to meet my newest nephew, Jackson, was a huge success!  Despite the initial air sickness from Seattle to Charlotte that Ethan experienced -- for f-i-v-e hours -- the trip was a great one!  Thanks to Dramomine and Mrs. Renae's peppermint essential oil recipe, the air sickness stayed away for our return trip.  The fires that began in Willow, AK while we were in NC have subsided, but now the work of rebuilding for many of its residents is beginning.  The rain in recent weeks has helped the firefighting efforts throughout the state, but it is difficult watching others go through such trials.

As you may have guessed from the title of this post, we are "back" into somewhat of an exercise routine - or at least trying.  I say "back into" because everyone knows that it is nearly fruitless to exercise while on vacation - particularly in 100+ degree temperatures, a near similar humidity rating, and fully surrounded by something (anything) that is deep-fried or smothered in chocolate.  The juicing that we had been doing will have to be re-started, and any weight that I lost before the trip found its way back to my belly and thighs at the bottom of a deep fried chip basket -- right next to the old fashioned chopped BBQ sandwich.  You may be wondering -- why all the exercise frenzy and why so sudden?  I'd like to espouse ideals about how exercise makes us feel healthier, look leaner, and adds years to our lives.  And while all of those ideals are true, our reasons go deeper -- much vainer (or perhaps, "in vain" - we shall see).  As my dear sweet husband puts it, "We don't want to be the 'fat' family members in the wedding photos!"  Beyond that, I'd like to be around for awhile longer, if the Lord tarries, to watch ALL of my children mature into adults, and when the time is right, to be around as a grandmommy.

As most of you know, our eldest son, Alexander, is marrying his longtime sweetheart, Madison, in December of this year.  In 171 days to be exact!  Which isn't a very long time for us to lose at least 15 years worth of the weight we have gained!  How did we get to this place? Honestly, I'd like to say that my weight came from "having Ethan."  Of course Ethan is 10 years old now and active as all get out, so I'm not certain anyone is buying that reason anymore!  He runs amok through the neighborhood with his new friends Brody and Hunter, searching for lost dinosaurs, ancient villages, and warring with armies from long ago.  They use toy guns, sticks, and knives and climb over fallen birch logs, through muddy bogs, and up steep inclines. They ride bikes for hours, and they run when they are not on their bicycle seats.  Actually last night, as Ethan made his way into our driveway to put his bike away for the evening, he had to pause to run inside to escape the moose that was lurking in the shadows by his Daddy's workshop.  For real...

First moose sighting in our yard in more than a month (June 2015)

It has been an interesting phenomenon for Michael and I to observe from our comfy seats on the couch. Bahaha!  Reminiscing about our own childhoods, we recalled summer days spent away from home from dawn to dusk - where we only needed to tell our parents where we were going (or what houses we would be between), and we only had to be home in time for dinner or dark -- whichever came first.  Of course we can't tell Ethan to be home by dark here -- we wouldn't see him for three months!  But it has been amazing to watch him branch out since we returned from North Carolina, make new friends, share all of his toys, and let his imagination lead his playing.  He would rather be outdoors playing than watching TV or gaming on systems, and I REALLY like that.

Independence Mine Summer 2015

Ethan and I have hiked quite a bit since arriving in Alaska, and all of us enjoy that type of activity together.  We just haven't really had the time to do much of it together this summer.  Alexander hasn't had a day off in over a month (until this week), and Michael's poor body doesn't know if he's supposed to be awake or asleep due to his work schedule.  Ethan and I have finally recovered from our jet lag, so this week has been the first "normal" week we have had in quite awhile.  So...after observing Ethan and his increased energy level after only a few days outdoors with friends, we decided we would increase our energy level, too -- by getting rid of our cable TV and by taking Ahtna (and ourselves) on a hike a bit more strenuous than Hatcher's Pass or Independence Mine.  Please don't be misled...Hatcher and Independence are not for the faint of heart. And now that summer is here, the prairie dogs and badgers abound - as Ethan and I learned on our most recent visit there.  We could've shaken hand and paw with a badger, but we decided better of it...it was quick enough to escape a photo op, but slow and close enough to scare us down the mountain.

Michael suggested the Bodenburg Butte in Palmer (also known simply as "the Butte") which he, Ethan, and Johnnie File climbed in the early spring.  His only concern for us was the 400+ steps to the summit. But we were determined we could make it, and we definitely need the exercise.  One trip to the top of the Butte should melt off at least 3 inches and ??? pounds, right?  The summit's elevation is just shy of 900 feet, so it should be fairly easy, right?  WRONG!!

Atop the Butte, Facing Matanuska Glacier

Matanuska Glacier

One website says that good "footwork and decent agility are recommended," giving the allusion that any aging 40-something woman with arthritis in her knees and a 2-month puppy with short stocky legs should be able to make the easy 3-mile round-trip with limited or no problems. Bahahahaha! Trip duration is estimated at approximately 1-hour each way.  Four hours later as we reached the parking lot to head for home, I was thankful for so many things:  thankful for the unbelievable gift of the Lord's creation, and my ability to share it with my family; 

Pioneer Peak from Atop the Butte
(June 2015)

thankful for Him allowing me to reach the summit - even though I was panting harder than the dog on most occasions; thankful for the park crew and volunteers we met along the way who worked hard to preserve the trail and make it a bit easier for people like me to reach the top; thankful for the stranger at the top who was willing to take our picture to capture this memory because I know that one day I will not be able to ascend those stairs;

Making it to the Top!

 thankful for the day-campers at the top who helped me appreciate this season of being a stay-at-home mom; thankful for the children and other dog owners along the trail who helped us with Ahtna's socialization training; thankful for a caring and encouraging husband who was concerned about how my knees would handle the trip and who was willing to go as slow as necessary so we could all make it to the top; thankful for children who aren't "too cool" to spend time with their aging, "slow" parents on wild jaunts like these; and so much more...

Growing as Brothers, but still missing Andrew!

Not surprisingly, Ethan and I are a tad sore today. Okay I am ALOT sore today, but not nearly as much as I expected to be.  My knees actually feel pretty okay. And Michael? Well, he had to keep tugging his pants to keep them up while we hiked.  You see he's been walking at night during his work shift as he does perimeter checks and other "police" things.  Alex frugally bought a Bowflex off Craigslist (that's my boy!) a few weeks ago and has been using that and doing pushups every chance he gets. So the Butte hike was "just right" for them.  Ethan and I will keep hiking while they are working, and I imagine that as fishing/hunting seasons rear their heads later this month and early next month, our re-living exercise won't seem quite as overwhelming.  Now I just have to hope that filleting fish, field dressing grouse and ptarmigan, and helping to pack out a moose does the trick on those inches around our (my) waists.  :)

Re-living exercise is fine, but we're learning that re-living our faith with our children is definitely more meaningful.  So now, we aspire to do that -- whether we are the thin or not-so-thin people in the wedding photos.

"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." I Timothy 4:8