Tons of Fun and Smiles for Miles Here in the Frozen North

It seems like ages since my last blog, and so much has been happening here that it almost feels like those crazy days of summer!  Perhaps it's because we have more sunshine these days...or maybe it's our warmer than normal temperatures. Whatever the reason, our season has suddenly turned "busy." We are doing our best to enjoy each of our new adventures, though they appear to be doing their best to come in as rapid a succession as possible!

Mud Lake - Feb 2016

Ethan's studies have blossomed into full-blown algebra, theories of magnetism, creative writing, participles, verb conjugation, and ancient world history.  History, is his favorite subject, obviously; and we have been having long, insightful discourses about Hammurabi's Code and how terrible it must have been having whole scores of people terminated for minor infractions.  For those of you who haven't cracked a book in a while (or surfed historical documents on the net), please do!  It's very enlightening...and sometimes frightening!  But our learning continues, and most days there is at least one new thing that we uncover, discover, or recover.

In addition to the good 'ole book learnin', we have also begun to add more life skills.  We did fire building 101 last year, complete with birch bark scavenging, ax sharpening, and wood chopping. Since we weren't fortunate in our fall hunts or any ice fishing ventures last winter, we decided to ante up this year, and really try to make a go of it.  I have "ice fished" before, m-a-n-y years ago; but mostly as an adult volunteer helping the kids at our camps bait hooks, take fish off hooks, scoop the ice holes, etc.  So I knew a little something, but not much!  Keep in mind, the only "real" combat fishermen in our families are Grandpa Beaver, Grandpa Bradley, and Grandma Bradley; and they are all far away. Text and Skype advice is a bit harder to decipher than if we were face-to-face, but we definitely appreciated the tips from the "pros."

A Small View of Lake Lucille -- nearly 100 vehicles finally topped the ice

But the real full-on "SHOUT OUT" this time has to go to Mr. Jerry and Mr. Rob.  They talked us into coming out for the 2nd Annual MDA Fishing Derby at Lake Lucille in Wasilla last weekend; and...they hooked Ethan up with ice fishing gear so he could "try it."  Well...thanks so much, Mr. Jerry!  Ethan is more hooked than that 20-inch rainbow trout he caught!  Never mind that you have to brave the ice (which by the way is still 24 inches thick), or that you have to drill a hole with an ice auger, or that you have to drive your truck onto the ice and across the lake to get to Mr. Jerry's "honey hole."  But what a honey hole it was!

Fishing Mr. Jerry's "Honey Hole"

Ethan's pole wasn't in the ice water more than 15 minutes before he had a trout playing with the shrimp scampi on the other end!  Voila!  Got him!  What a nice 15-incher he was.  Ethan decided early on we were keeping and eating whatever he caught, as long as we didn't go over limit.

First Ice Fish -- Rainbow Trout!

About the time we got that one off the hook, the flag on the tip-up we had set was blowing in the breeze, and the bell was ringing like the Polar Express sleigh bell!  Maddie and I jumped out of the truck and ran/slid to the tip-up and began pulling it to the surface.  That fish was halfway across the lake -- which was a great thing -- because Ethan had time to pull his pole out of the water before coming to help. Ahh...another keeper!

Another Keeper!

And just when things started to slow down, and we were going to call it a day, Ethan set his hook and caught the monster -- a 20-inch rainbow trout.  With ice pole bent almost in half, I helped pull the fish up before Mr. Jerry's pole could snap.  He already lost another pole earlier in the day; and since he was so gracious to allow us to use his gear, we were really nervous about the possibility of destroying it!  But no worries...fish off line and all the gear safely returned, we called it a day and took Ethan's fish to the judges at the derby table for measuring.  His fish tied for 5th place overall in the kids' division, so we may have another potential contender for "family fish pro."

Rainbow Trout for Dinner

If you catch it, you clean it!
And we eat it!

Mr. Jerry assumed Ethan's spot on the ice, and ultimately went home with a 2nd place finish thanks to pulling out a 23-incher before the end of the derby!  Included in his prize bucket was a new ice rod -- a better one than the one he'd broken earlier in the day!  Ethan is gearing up to go again...in another youth derby on Finger Lakes in Wasilla this weekend.  He's trying to finish making his own pole for that one! (Ahhh...yet another life skill)!

Shaping his own ice Birch Ice Fishing Pole

After the derby, we headed into Palmer for the gun show and the art walk.  The guys hit up the gun show and the girls hit up the art walk.  Gun shows, I think, are self-explanatory; however, an art walk is something totally unique.  The premise is this...several businesses pick a weekend and showcase a particular art piece, practice, etc.  Patrons go from business to business to participate, and enter special raffles, contests, etc.  The whole "walk" typically covers 2-3 blocks and lasts about 4 hours. We were pretty bushed from being on the ice for most of the morning, so we only made it to about half of the businesses featured.  I will take full responsibility for that because I got us "stuck" at Fireside Bookstore coloring.  Yes! Adult Coloring!

Adult Coloring is Such a Thing!

It was amazing...particularly since I met one of my future selves there.  Maddie knew we were in trouble when we were greeted by a trio of older soprano voices cooing, "Did you come to color with us?"  Three of the most fashionable, extroverted senior ladies sat in the middle of the store, crooning to everyone that entered like sirens.  So, without the proverbial cotton balls for our ears, it was impossible to say, "No" to them!  We sat for awhile and colored, all the while soaking in their intellect, the benefit of their years, and their fun loving spirits.  One particularly brazen gal said, 'Next time we do this, I'm bringing my flask!"

Imagine for a moment, if you will, your grandmother, sitting amid other ladies her age, coloring "art" on fanciful pages, having "proper" conversation...then busting out her flask!  I had a great grandmother that dipped snuff so I guess flasks and Prince Albert in a Can could go hand in hand (or tongue in cheek, as the case may be).  It was a hoot just sitting there listening to them.  When we were finally included in the conversation, they made no small to-do of Maddie's southern accent. Poor thing!  I thought they were going to don her with pearls and tuck a Honey Ham up under her arm before they let us out of there!

I was most intrigued by a new phenomenon that has become popular here called art journaling.  I tend to keep a journal, but this was more than the written word and included collage, painting, sketches, poetry, etc., all gathered inside of a painted book.  We may try it for play time one day just for kicks and giggles!  By far, the grandest adventure of the day was courtesy of the Palmer Museum.  In honor of Valentine's Day, they were hosting "The Art of Love" contest.  Maddie entered this photo of her reveal to her Daddy on her wedding day and won first prize!

Included in her prize basket was a museum t-shirt, Giardelli chocolates, handmade soaps, and a gift certificate for a date night at the Wasilla Chepos (not cheap-os!) Mexican restaurant!  Yay, Maddie!

As if all of that weren't enough, Ethan and Ahtna have hit puberty together, and we are having a time! Ahtna spends most of her day talking back, turning her back, or in "time-out."  I feel certain she is rolling her eyes at me when I'm not looking, and she would do it even if I could see her!

What a teenage dog looks like in the midst of a tantrum!

Ethan spends most of his time in front of the mirror fixing his hair and shaving.  Yes...you read that right...shaving! He has a goal to have a mustache like Mr. Jerry's or a mountain man beard at age 13!

How do I do this again?

Beyond that, Ethan and Maddie have been hitting the watercolors, and we have spent some time at the new range in Palmer (more life skills) and sight seeing at Mud Lake.

Water Coloring AK Forget-Me-Nots

Range Ready

You Go Girl!

The views remain spectacular here, with bright, warm mornings that are starting again at about 8:15. Thank you for letting us share our adventures with you!  Until next time, God bless you all!

Mud Lake

"Now the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13

Scrambled Brains and a Side of Deep-fried Regret

Denali Destroyer Dolls

So here we are in the midst of a wintry thaw while our family and friends receive our deep snowfall again this season!  How is it that Alaska has been basking in 40-degree temperatures and our loved ones are receiving "gobs" of snowfall -- upwards of 3 feet? In January? In North Carolina, Virginia, and Missouri? With more snow for the central United States in the forecast?

Ah well...but all is not lost.  The warmer temps have given us reason to escape the "cabin fever" and enjoy some of those adventures that only the Far North can bring!  Ethan and I rallied behind the Denali Destroyer Dolls during their recent tournament and got our first ever taste of hard-core roller derby!  Those ladies are intense!

Ethan wasn't quite sure what to make of the mayhem; but once we figured out the rules of engagement, it was so interesting to watch the strategies unfold for the teams -- all while they were balancing on eight wheels!

What in the World?

Yours truly has been known to "cut the proverbial rug" while atop a scary pair of throwback skates -- even venturing backwards during a couples' skate or two -- but not recently!  Beyond their impeccable skill level on skates, I think Ethan was most impressed (or distressed) with the full-on body tackling hits and the nomenclature and costuming they used to taunt and terrorize their opponents!  Names like "Lil Bit O' Lightning," "Pistol Whippin' Wendy," "Rhode Rage," and "Gun Her Down." But it was "Wonder Wooten" that really got him!  Imagine a combination of the scary Joker from Batman (as played by Heath Ledger) and Wonder Woman -- the Amazonian wonder goddess on steroids!  Ironically, she seemed to be one of the friendliest girls out there, even though her costume might give grown men nightmares for weeks!  It was AWESOME!  By far one of our most fun wintry afternoons as we re-live this wonderful state!  Oh, if I were only young, spry, and didn't have a fear of hitting the floor -- HARD!

"Wonder Wooten" -- Roller Derby Alaska Style!

Their athleticism can't be beat, and their enthusiasm was only rivaled this past Saturday when we hit up the Willow Winter Carnival.  Maddie was able to join us for the Carnival, finally getting a taste for some of the sporting events that are so popular in the winter here -- dog sled racing, snow machining, dog pulling, carnival rides and...OUTHOUSE RACING.

Snow Machiners in Willow

Dog Pull (200 pounds)

Goldilocks & the Three Bears after the Outhouse Race

Grandpa Beaver...Goldilocks and Three Bears have already heard your joke and put it into use in their outhouse marketing!  Three teams competed this year, and the Willow Fire Department came away with the "official" win; however, I think the Three Bears won for people's choice.

Super Slide

Who does this at 20 degrees?

Alas...trying to relive more than Alaska, I joined Ethan for a ride down the Super Slide following the outhouse races.  For those of you that know me well, heights are NOT my thing...even under the best of circumstances and when carnie rides are on pavement!  Add to the excitement giant rides that are balanced precariously on wooden blocks atop ice and snow and you're only moments from disaster!

Seriously?!?!

But it wasn't the lapse in judgment climbing to the top of the Super Slide that did me in.  It was the lapse in judgment that said, "Hey, let's ride the Scrambler!" and that still, small, Maddie-sized voice that said, "That used to be my favorite ride! We should ride it 'For the Blog!'" Since when did I start doing stuff "for the blog?"  Well, apparently, since Saturday!

You all remember the Scrambler?!  That carnie ride that spins in circles ad nauseum and throws your body into the person sitting next to you while the ride operator waits for victim number one to throw up before ending the ride?  I'm not sure what made me do it!  Yes, I am.  It was my daughter-in-law, Maddie.  She made me do it!  She gets all the blame -- for my scrambled insides, my side of deep- fried regret, my sore muscles, AND my biggest smiles and loudest squeals in the cold, Alaskan winter wonderland.

Scrambled Brains!

Who ever thought it would be a good idea to strap unsuspecting people into a contraption in the middle of winter that serves to offer its victims as projectiles at rates of LOTS of miles per hour? This is the ride that's meant to cool you off during the hot summers; but no...let's put people on it in the middle of winter and see what happens! So here's what happens...you laugh hysterically, you're thrown into your ride partner (because of sheer force and the ice that you're sitting on), you're squished if you're the unfortunate soul on the outer corner (poor Maddie), tears on your face turn to ice on contact with your cheeks, your makeup is all smeared off, and you don't open your mouth for fear of your tongue sticking to any number of metal objects associated with the ride!

Even though it sounds terrible, it was actually wonderful - and I'm so thankful that used to be one of Maddie's favorite carnie rides!  After Saturday, I'm not sure that's still the case!  But if nothing else, we can say we were living life -- loud, proud, and fun -- daring each other along the way to try something new, in this yet-to-be-tamed wonderland!

Scrambled Brains...yes!
Deep-fried Regret...only in my sore muscles; not in my adventurous heart!

"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore." Psalm 16:11

Moonlit Walks and Facing the Unknown

Apologies, apologies for the absence of blogging, but wedding plans and Christmas holidays with family will always take precedence!

The Newlyweds on frozen Willow Lake, with Denali Photobombing

     I'm trying to get back into it, but recent events and being out of the habit have created a sort of "blogger's block," I guess.  And I tend to "run off at the keyboard," so to speak, writing on ad nauseum.  So I've been trying to think about how to curb that tendency...as you can see, it isn't really working.

     I've started this first blog of the New Year a total of five times.  Each time, I've gotten about half way finished, many complete with pictures, and just stopped.  None of them were "quite right." This one may be no different, but it will be considerably shorter than any of the others. We all start projects with the best of intentions, and then lose the instructions (don't want to use the instructions), it doesn't "feel, sound, look, taste, or smell right" or we simply just get sidetracked by life in general.  I'm sure many of you get that, too.

     I don't know where I am on that gamut, but I did have an epiphany this morning that seemed share worthy at the time...so that's how I'm jumping back into blogging!  To fully comprehend the share-worthiness, there is a bit of back story.  Many of you know that I have always been a bit of a ... what's the right word... a fraidey cat.  Yes, that's definitely it...a fraidey cat.  Even when I was little, I was always excited about moving to a new home, helping set up my new bedroom, making new friends, and exploring in general. That is, until night fell.  The darkness seemed to awaken every horrible imagination I could create, and I have no doubt that my parents' mattress bore a permanent divot from my sneaking into their space in the middle of many nights.  I also recall (and I can't even say vaguely because the memory is burned into my skull) stalking all areas of a new property with my Dad and his flashlight as he "proved" to me there was no such thing as ghosts, goblins, 'haints, and boogey men.  Goblins and boogey men I could handle, it was spiders, snakes, mice, and other unseen things that generally go "bump in the night" that curdled my blood.  Truthfully, in days gone by, if I were completely honest with myself, in a moment of sheer terror, I imagine I would have been that immovable statue -- you know...the one we all yell at on the movie screen -- "Run, Girl, run!"  The only difference is, I know better than to wear high heels!  So I'd be frozen there in my mukluks waiting to be devoured by whatever that thing was that made that horrible noise in the underbrush!

Moose in the Meadow

With that back story, flash forward to present day.  We are currently 4-5,000 miles away from our respective families, living independently in the back woods of Alaska.  And, as you may have read in previous blogs, we are not the biggest things on the food chain here.  You also know, I tend to speak more courage than I actually show -- boasting of wanting to ride moose and such! Now that I think about it, that's probably not courage...but I digress.

Each day begins with a special ritual that Ahtna and I have developed.  I am an early riser, by nature; and regrettably, I have passed that trait on to the four-legged member of our family.  So each morning, in the "uber darkness," we rise.  Usually I hear her stir first, then I get up and make a small pot of coffee.  I get her food dish and together we make our way to the mudroom so I can "gear up" to face the first quick, cold breaths of our Alaskan winter mornings.  Donned in bunny boots (that aren't made from real bunnies), gloves, hat, and coat I grab the most important item of our early morning ritual -- one of Michael's police spotlight flashlights.  On clear evenings, I could land small aircraft in our backyard with that thing! But yesterday morning and this morning...it was not necessary.  The moon, in all its glory, lit up our yard and the surrounding yards like those pictures in The Night Before Christmas.  Earlier this week, the Northern Lights were dancing a beautiful green; but this morning they gave way to fog and clouds.  There's something completely overwhelming about standing quietly in the snow, sheltered by moonlight.

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Psalm 8:3-4  

There in the moonlight, I could hear the slow, deliberate breaths we inhaled and let escape. It was almost as if we were trying to hold our breaths so we could preserve the silence of the morning.  Then, in the shadows, I could see our breath swirl in front of our nostrils and mouths. Those noises and the crunching of our feet in the snow were the only sounds hanging in the air.  Light ice crystals fell from the sky, and the moon was literally hypnotizing.  Then, all at once, reality hit...I was alone, in the darkness, in the wilderness, with our dog.  Sure, I held the power of "instant" battery operated light in my hand, and the house was close by and offered "escape." Even though I was completely surrounded by moonlit woods, darkened houses, and the kind of scary quiet that is deafening, escape was not necessary because suddenly, I was not afraid.  In that scary, beautiful moment, I realized that the God of the universe loves me, cares for me, and "visits" me in places such as this -- most often when I least expect it.

He has been there all this time...in the dark, scary, unfamiliar places from my past and in any new, unknown ventures that await me. He knows what I'm feeling, when I'm feeling it, and why I'm feeling it. I'm not in as much control as I like to think I am.  But He is.  And because He is, my reasons for fearing are fading...just like the moon, with the rising of the sun.

Denali
View from Willow Lake, January 2016

May you have your own epiphany about His love for you -- amid whatever scary, unknown circumstances you face.  Wishing you well with all our hearts!

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee."
Psalm 56:3

Sleepless in Seattle's Got Nothing on Toothless in Alaska!

Post Thanksgiving Blessings and Merry Christmas Wishes to You All!

The Blessing of Another Alaskan Sunrise

Just when we were "hunkered down" and prepared for winter, a blast of unseasonably warm temperatures made its way here last week, bringing with it freezing rain and sheet slicks of icy roads. Several schools in the area were closed last week as a result - a somewhat unusual occurrence here. Our waning daylight is taking its toll on all of us, as we are all routinely nodding off by about 7:00 p.m.  Daylight dawns near 10 a.m. now, and it is very dark by 4:00 p.m.  We will continue to lose daylight hours until December 21 at a rate of 4-6 minutes per day.  Ahtna has become as sluggish as we, sprawling herself wherever someone will rub her belly until she is happily snoring and chasing those things that dogs chase in their dreams.  She snores more loudly than any human, and her leg twitches, deep sighs, and sleep whines make for great Alaskan evening entertainment! Can you tell we don't get out much?!  She does seem to wear herself out on our walks to the mailbox, literally "swimming" in the snow and ice banks there and back.

The past few weeks have been full of surprises, and we seem to be in a "season" of supporting our local dentists.  Whoever coined the phrase "shop local" probably never paid Alaska prices for goods and services -- particularly "difficult to obtain" goods and services.  For the first time since our move we have seriously contemplated bartering something as a trade...thinking that may be the way of our future.

Unbeknownst to yours truly, Michael had been nursing a sore tooth for nearly a month.  In retrospect, he was trying to wait until "after the kids' wedding" to take care of it, although knowing his angst against anything "dental," that excuse is still somewhat suspect.  At any rate, the pain got to a point that there was "no waiting."  Anyone who has ever experienced significant mouth pain understands. He saw our regular dentist in hopes of having it taken care of immediately.  Nothing doing...he was referred to a specialist in Anchorage...to be seen five days later following a round of antibiotics.  The specialist took one look at him and sent him packing back to our dentist for an extraction; however, the extraction was too extensive, so he was referred to another specialist..."round and round and round he goes; where he stops nobody knows!"

Remember that scene in Castaway with Tom Hanks?  You know the one...not where he loses his mind talking to Wilson the volleyball...the other one...where he knocks his own tooth out with a rock and an ice skate blade?  Let's just say we live in a state with an abundance of both skate blades and rocks...and Michael was in the front yard scoping some of our larger rocks!  Thank goodness we were able to get in fairly quickly with the surgeon.  After a round of conscious sedation and a good bit of digging, the tooth was out, and his relief was immediate.  I do have footage of the drunken stupor that ensued, but I've been sworn not to post it!   However, Ethan laughed hysterically when his Daddy looked at him with a glazed look and told him that his mom was "out of his league when we started dating."  After a long pause, he then looked at Ethan and said, "And I thought she was snobby, too!" Hhhmmm, nothing like truth drugs to make you re-evaluate your own behavior and how others may be perceiving you.  Ethan giggled the whole way home, asking terrible questions, and poking fun at his daddy's answers and the fact that he was "seeing double and triple."  I kept telling him he shouldn't make fun of his daddy.  He believed me when the sedation medication made Michael nauseous,  erupting into a catastrophic spectacle on the passenger side of the car!  Because of the falling ice and snows, we weren't in a position where we could safely pull over; but thankfully, nearly everything made it out the window! Sadly, though, it froze to the back passenger window on contact -- right at eye level for Ethan, who just happens to be a sympathy puker!  Even as I type this, I laugh so I don't cry - or maybe I'm laughing until I cry -- imagining what other drivers must have been thinking watching this grand parade make its way down the highway! Finally...safety...and a grown, drugged man with his 11-year-old son...holding each other up and making pretty pictures in the roadside snow, with their breakfast (or lack thereof) as their "art" medium of choice!  And, no, there will be no accompanying blog pics!

As if that weren't enough, poor Michael developed a terrible cold.  Apparently the infection from the tooth extended into his nasal cavity; and, per the dentist, he cannot blow his nose for a week for fear of re-opening his surgical site!  Thankfully, he's had a few days off, and he's been recuperating with the 3 Musketeers of Cold and Flu Season -- Halls, Vicks, and Nyquil.

Squirrel Hunting Before the "Temp Thaw"

"Andy Squirrel...wanna come to dinner?"

Just when I thought reprieve was in sight, Ethan called to me early in the morning following his shower. Can I just be honest?  The words a mother never wants to hear are, "M-O-M...can you come look at this?  This is NOT good!" Particularly if you are a mother of boys.  I cannot even begin to tell you the horrors that possibly await following those statements!  In this case, I walked into the bathroom to find Ethan wrapped in a bath towel smiling at me.  Again...sheer terror as a mother of boys!  I looked at him questioningly (is that even a word?), with my eyebrows raised and my head cocked to one side. He stopped smiling, turned his head so that his left cheek was fully facing me, and then smiled again -- a big, Alice-in-Wonderland Cheshire cat smile.  And there, protruding from his gum was an abscess the size of a small apple!

Since we're doing movie throwbacks in this blog, perhaps many of you will remember the hands stretched to the sky, and the screams of "Stella! Stella!"  Now, all together, using our imaginations, picture me, in our bathroom, in the same position...face toward the ceiling, arms raised high, and the words, "Really?!  Really?!"  But instead of it being followed by a crumbling of knees and further sobs, ours was followed by that nervous laughter, shaking of heads, and another emergency trip to the dentist.  And, guess what?  Another extraction!  Two in less than a week - by two different members of the family -- and two for Ethan in less than three weeks!  This one even needed a suture! Gross!  It makes us feel just grand knowing he currently has five loose teeth still hanging in there (spoken with tongue in cheek, of course...or in his case, tongue in tooth-hole).

Recovering, Post-Oral Surgery,
Death Star Style

Now before you question our family's dental hygiene, please be assured...we DO BRUSH!  With toothpaste!  We also routinely bathe and use deodorant...but I digress.  Both of their mouth issues are hereditary and just happened to rear their ugliness in succession.  So, of course, our family has had endless discussions about heredity, illnesses that arise as our bodies change and grow older, and just generally about unexpected moments...interruptions...in life...and how we respond or react to those circumstances.

During these weeks of thanks and blessing, we were reminded that even in tough times, the Lord is there.  There is a purpose and a plan; we just may not always know what it is.  As much as we like to think we "know stuff," God doesn't need our help or our advice when interruptions occur.  He needs our dependence and trust in Him. And someday, when we see Him, face to face, all our our "whys" will be answered.  Until then, keep trusting...

Lake Lucille, December 2015
It's Almost Ice Fishing Time!

All Our Love --

"Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

As the Snow Flies...Baby It's COLD Outside!

Pink Sunrise Before the Snows Fly
Pinks like these are a clue that snows are on the way...

See? Snows arrive in full force...
Michael is in the car on the left...ironically on his way to have snow tires put on the car!

We believe we are in the first swing of our winter season now, as the snows have arrived; and we do not anticipate temperatures above freezing from now until spring.  I'm not sure how you all feel about it, but we absolutely l-o-v-e the snow!  All of the yuck that comes with trees losing their leaves and grass and plants dying seems to turn joyous with that first snow that completely covers the ground. Hatcher Pass saw 17 inches of new snow, and the boarders and sledders have been out in droves...well, until the past few days.  We are into our third day of negative temperatures...yes, you read that right, negatives!  -2 or -3 isn't so bad; however, yesterday and today we awoke to -13 and -21 respectively here on this backside of Wasilla.  Amazingly, when we got to church in Palmer Sunday, the temperature there was nearly 4 above zero!  Such a drastic change in only a few miles -- but such is the life here.

For those of you that have not experienced temperatures that cold, allow me to delve more deeply into what happens to homes, vehicles, and your own person on days this cold:

1.  It is still possible to go outside without freezing solid; however, you MUST bundle up in layers and leave no skin exposed for any considerable length of time, lest frostbite begins to take hold.  We walked to the mailbox (1/2 mile away) with thermals, jeans, long sleeve shirts/sweaters, insulated bib overalls, wool socks, snow boots, coats, wool mittens, hats with face masks, and snow goggles or sunglasses.  Staying warm is not the issue when dressed like that. Breathing normally is...

2. You see, at certain temperatures (and we haven't figured out the exact temperature yet, except to say that it is below zero) something happens to your body when you inhale frozen air into your lungs.  The initial body response is a cough and a sputter, as if you are trying to breathe in poisonous gas.  Your body reacts (sometimes more violently that others) and tries to get you to "spit back out" any air that made it inside.  Once that situation is under control, most folks try to inhale by breathing through their noses.  This stops the sputtering, but creates an entirely new "symptom overload" for your unsuspecting nerves.  In case you have forgotten elementary and middle school science, allow us to remind you that inside our noses are tiny hairs -- used mostly for filtering out bad stuff (you know collecting the yucky dirt, mucous, etc. that tends to collect there throughout the day and making what we refer to as "boogies").  Couple those tiny hairs with what you know about the freezing temperatures of water.. and voila!  Nose hairs as stiff as boards that make it feel as if your nostrils are permanently frozen open, never to be closed and normal again!  A very deep inhale past all those frozen nose hairs leads to the chest filling with frozen air, and the sputtering begins again in earnest. Now the cycle of frozen breathing and sputtering is complete and will continue indefinitely until you return to the comfort of warmth inside you home or car.  Even boiling water evaporates on contact with such cold temperatures...

3.  Ah...but lest we forget...we should talk about homes and cars.  Temperatures inside hover between 63 and 67, and that is hot compared to the outdoors!  The warm air from inside the home crashes with the cold air outside the home, and creates nice ice spectacles on even the most insulated windows! Condensation forms inside, with resulting ice in all the cracks around the inside of the windows.

Hello Ice Creepers...it must be below zero outside!

Mealtimes are particularly brutal when the increased temperatures from the stove, oven, and/or crockpot add to the overall temperatures indoors!  And while our home is a newer home, even we have not been immune to the "ice creepers"...loving creatures that beg to get inside where it is warm, so they try to worm their way in through the cracks around the doors.  I'm not sure what people do who are truly homebound...as we have to open our doors at least twice per day to detach the ice creepers to ensure we can get out of our home in the event of an emergency.

4.  And once we get out...well, we are blessed with an automatic start for one of our vehicles.  We simply press a button and the car starts and the doors lock.  The truck...not so much. After battling the house ice creepers, we arm up to tackle to truck creepers.  Without an automatic start or a block heater, we manually start the truck and allow it to warm for at least 10 minutes before attempting to move it.  On really cold days (-20 or colder), the round tires actually form into squares -- SQUARES! So warming and driving slowly for the first few miles is necessary to ensure a smooth drive.

Before you feel sorry for us, keep in mind that the Interior (near Fairbanks) gets MUCH colder temperatures than we do.  These temperatures will usually only last a few days here, while they have been known to last for weeks there.  Engine block heaters and automatic starts are nearly as much of a requirement there as a tank of gas.  Here, we consider them "nice-to-haves," but not mandatory.

But that is why we carry "emergency kits" in the backs of vehicles.  Not your traditional ER kit, but extra snowsuits, gloves, hats, blankets, food, candles, etc.  In the event of a breakdown (particularly in a pocket that may not have cell service or another vehicle passing for hours), the ER kit could save you!  So for now...we wait...until Wednesday.

Wednesday, the temperatures return to "normal" and the snows return.  That will mean fresh wet powder for sledding and building snowmen; deeper, softer snow for tiring the dog on our walks; and a reprieve from "cabin fever."  Because let's face it...it must be really important to leave the warmth of snuggling in your home to brave temperatures like these.  We just pray for the folks who have to work out in it -- die hard Alaskans they be! Brrr!

The cold has driven the animals further down into our valley, and the moose are so frequent now that I think I'm the only one who still gets excited to see them.  They terrorize the dog, as she is afraid of her own shadow anyway, but they seem undaunted by our presence.  Even in the dead of night now, it is not unusual to see them in the moonlight bedded down out back or grazing on the tall dead weeds in the woods.

Things that go "thump" in the night...

Ethan and I made the mistake of trying to watch them through the downstairs bedroom window last week.  As we pulled the drapes back, the startled moose ran by the window, scaring us senseless!  If the windows had been opened, we could have put our hands out and petted him as he ran by.  But to hear his heavy 6+ foot body "thud, thud" against the house as he ran was just disconcerting enough that we ran upstairs to be higher than he!  If you google "moose inside," you'll likely stumble across an article about a moose who gained entry into the Wasilla Carrs grocery store last week by walking through the automatic doors!  They really are undaunted, and they go wherever they can.

So while the temperatures are colder, we are preparing for next hunting season and waiting until the lakes are completely frozen before we venture out ice fishing.  We thought we might try that last year, but the temperatures warmed up too quickly before we were eligible to fish.  I think this year will be better, as we've already seen some people ice skating on Wasilla Lake.  Personally...I think they may have been insane, as the temperatures have only been at freezing for a few days.  I, myself, wait until I see pick-up trucks driving out on the ice before I'll even walk on it.  Call me crazy, but call me warm and dry, too!

Latest Guidelines from The Frontiersman

We have also helped Ethan recuperate from his first dose of nitrous oxide and a tooth extraction. Nothing we could say could prepare him for his uncontrolled laughter; however, when the dentist said, "All done!" and he hadn't felt the tooth come out, he gave a huge thumbs up!

Tooth extraction - modern style!

Thank goodness his birthday was a few days later!  We got to celebrate pre-dawn, Frontier Alaska style.  Jeremiah Johnson happens to be one of his favorite movies, and a shout out goes to Mr. Corso for helping a young man's dream come true!  Now comes the binge watching of Mountain Men on Netflix and donning fur and leather goods!

Until next time, we love you all and miss you dearly!

"Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
By the breath of God, frost is given..."
Job 37:9-10a

Day Dawns with the Moon Still High
in the Matsu Valley
Oct 2015

WOW!  Has it really been nearly three weeks since our last posting?  While that doesn't seem possible, I know that the days are beginning to run together, and that my calendar does not tell a lie. The extra hour that occurred this past weekend has escaped us, and the darker days and nights leave us feeling tired and exhausted even earlier.  Alaska may be doing away with Daylight Savings Time in 2017, so we are trying to use all the "extra" hours we can get our hands on!  The days here have grown short, with sunrise occurring between 9:30 and 10 a.m. and darkness descending by 5 p.m.  I do so wish I had a better camera than my smart phone to capture all of the wonders we are seeing -- particularly during the twilight hours and when the Aurora are dancing.

Cotton Candy Sunrises

Moonrise Over the Chugach Range

Sentinel Spruce

We have seen the Aurora three times within the past couple of weeks, though they are very faint and the times in between their sightings are growing longer and longer.  The exception, of course, occurred this morning and we were so fortunate to see bold chartreuse, pinks, and purples ribbon themselves throughout the entire sky!  They are beautiful, but further North is really the place to view them best (and no offense to our Interior neighbors, but we don't want to move back to Fairbanks just to view the Northern Lights)!  We had three full moons last week, and one night in particular, it was massive - almost as if you could reach out and touch it.   The sentinel spruce that stands guard outside our bedroom window looked vaguely like a decorated Christmas Tree with the moon as its star on top.  I am thankful for the true darkness as our sleep is deeper. Now if we could only get Ahtna to sleep throughout the whole night!  The time change has wrecked havoc on her little system, and a trip to the vet for spaying didn't help much either.  She has just about worn out her pitiful face, though; but she has been hysterical to watch!  We have decided to lovingly dub her "dumb dog" or "miss sassy pants"...depending on her mood and ours!

Miss Sassy Pants
Don't Let Her Fool You!  She's Not That Pitiful!

She is ridiculous -- barking at falling snow flakes and at the door every time she hears the click of my camera.  We think she may associate that sound with moose, as I can't resist taking pictures of them anytime we see them.  So now...even if I'm only taking a picture of Ethan, if she hears that "click," she begins to bark uncontrollably. Oh, to have been a researcher with Pavlov!

The Moose Family That Has Taken Up Residence at Our Place

"Can Ethan & Ahtna Come Out to Play?"

Now that the snows have begun to fly, the moose are abundant.  We are visited routinely by a mother and her twin calves.  It isn't at all unusual to hear Ethan call from the basement, "Mom! I can't take Ahtna out yet...the moose are in the yard!"  As a matter of fact, the same little moose family visited us three times yesterday.  They ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner in our side and back yards.  And can I just say that I NEVER get tired of watching them.  The boys still make fun of me for wanting to ride them like horses.  However, after seeing this mother moose, I'm rethinking that!  She has a glare that I cannot explain.  Ethan doesn't mind taking the dog out, except at night.  The darkness can be so disconcerting, and the moose are so stealthy that they can be right next to you and you never hear them coming!

Stealthy Beasts!

So usually our last time out at night consists of Ethan tentatively holding Ahtna's leash while a parent stands nearby as "Guardian in the Dark."  Somehow, last night, I was the walker, and Ethan was the guardian...until he whipped the flashlight around around into a pair of yellow, reflective eyes!  Then he left me! He left me!  I felt like that girl in the first Jurassic Park movie - the one that sits in the car when the T-Rex arrives saying over and over, "He left us! He left us!" about the only "adult" in their vehicle.  I was more concerned that the eyes he saw belonged to the calf...and we couldn't see mama!  I was just waiting to be charged from the side!  But thank the Lord, Ethan returned quickly with Alex (and his gun) in tow!  With a few quick moves of the flashlight we found two sets of reflective eyeballs (ah, both calves)...but we never did find mama before Ahtna finished her business and ran inside.

The Safest Moose Around!

Given all the moose activity here and at the parks in recent weeks, we have begun discussing the option of bow hunting from a canoe.  That would be a new one for us, but may yield more options for harvest.  That idea presented itself following a recent trip to Red Shirt Lake.  After Ahtna got her surgery stitches out last week, we took her there for some much needed recreation.  For those pet owners who have had the "pleasure" of trying to keep your puppies "calm and non-excited" for 10 days, you know why recreation was necessary!  We put her on a 50-foot rope and just let her go. Since she is lab and a puppy we still can't trust her off leash yet.  So many smells and so much water...swimming (well, mudding) was a must!  Suddenly, as she sprang back onto land, I looked across the water in time to see the FIRST BULL MOOSE in the wild that we have ever seen!  He was amazing!  And again, I wished for a decent camera! Agghh!

Bull Moose at Red Shirt Lake
October 2015

But no matter...we had binoculars, so we spent the rest of our time watching him from the opposite shore.  Then Michael decided to go to the Nancy Lake overlook to get a closer peak.  We all descended the overlook just in time to watch him steal into the foggy bog near the shore.  And then he vanished!  Just like that! Unbelievable!

Best Seat in the House for Moose Watching!

Watching the Bull Moose Head Into the Foggy Bog

In addition to the amazing new landscapes we are enjoying, we have had a Missions Conference at church, visited the Anchorage Museum for science units, splashed in on a birthday party at the Wasilla Swimming Pool, seen the Colony Middle School perform a fabulous rendition of The Sound of Music, taken Ethan to his first hair salon for a "style" and massage, began putting up the Christmas tree (listening to Christmas carols and watching Christmas movies!) and completed our wedding wardrobe shopping!  Now before you throw stones at us for not "letting the Bird have his day," please keep in mind that our Christmas will be spent differently this year than any other year!  And truth be told, fresh snow causes Christmas cravings, and Christmas movies and music somehow make us nicer people!  Isn't that a sad statement?  Ethan even noticed it in himself and said, "We should have Christmas all year round!"

Ethan's First Salon Massage

Rico P. "Suavay" & his new do!
And, yes, that's an iced pumpkin latte...

"Baby It's Cold Outside"

Beyond this recent fun, Rehearsal Dinner plans have begun in earnest, and we are all trying to stay healthy for travel and everything wedding!  Please continue to pray for us.  Michael has picked up his first seasonal cold since our move last year. Ethan is having at least one tooth extracted this week, and maybe two. I am still battling anemia, and we are trying to figure out the cause.  At this point that means a little green pill three times each day for three weeks, then an iron blood check. If that doesn't work, we look to infusion; and sometime within the next two months, I get to swallow a camera -- woo hoo (spoken with tongue in cheek and as sarcastically as possible)!  We are praying that in the absence of total healing, the Lord will give wisdom to the doctors and an answer for this continuing issue.

We love and miss you all, and pray for an opportunity to see you all very soon!  Much love until next time...

"The mountains declare that He is Lord; the valleys proclaim that He is Lord.
 All nature shows His glory as it stretches out before me;
Oh, I could never doubt it!
My heart just loves to shout it -
That the Lord, He is God! He is God!"
 Lyrics from an old praise song at Christian Growth Center in Christiansburg, Virginia