Tuesday Bear Hunt

Okay, third time's a charm, right? Tried again on the same trail as Saturday, but on a different track. Same result. We did use the "rickshaw" again and it saved us from lot's of extra packing! We struck out again on this trail, though only after we saw a sow and two cubs and 3 big boars that were too hard to get to! On our way we did get a close glimpse of the elusive "stupid chicken!"

We thought we'd try again at the Summit Creek trail. Once we made it to the open areas, we climbed up an insanely steep grassy/lichen-y bowl. It didn't look that steep, but as out of shape as I was, it took me forever to baby step up that slope. We made our way up to a rocky outcrop in the hopes of finding a bear. We didn't find one, but did find some amazing views.

I'm facing one way, and Pat is shown on the other view! It was incredible.

He's such a mountain goat!

Weekend Bear Hunts

I'm seriously going after this bear! We took a new trail up to a great-looking bear area. The sun was shining, the leaves were spectacular, and the bears were out! Unfortunately, the 3 glossy black bears were all out of reach for us. We just had to enjoy the day!

On our way home, we did stop to admire a brown bear feeding on the Kenai River. A very nice cap to the day, only made less perfect by the lack of a black bear! Sunday was a total repeat: a lovely hike up Skyline on a lovely day to find out hunters were already camped and hunting up there, down to try Summit Creek trail to find 7 other cars, back to Fuller Lake Trail to find even more cars there. A lovely day of scenery!

Fuller Lakes Trail with Rowdy

Ok, I'm being ornery! I include the brown bear tracks to scare you all! I wasn't afraid or nervous the entire time I hiked up to the lower Fuller Lake! No, I just normally jingle every possible noise-maker, talk loudly to my dog, and jump at every bird.

Once we got to the lake, I enjoyed a light lunch and the view while Rowdy inspected the entire area and marked it (for our protection, I'm sure!). I felt much better about all the tracks, since we hadn't seen anything and now planned to head back!

On the way back down, Rowdy flushed a few "stupid chickens" one of which landed in a tree right next to the trail. Since I had my vicious .357 loaded with .38's that Pat specially loaded light for me, I thought I'd try and see if I could help Rowdy with his retrieving! I did good, but Rowdy was a bit distracted with all the birds that kept flushing! He did come around...The views were beautiful with the fall colors. This is the "Lord of the Rings" tree on the trail!

Painted Kitchen

I finally have a photo of the painted kitchen! The cabinets are the color of the other walls in the house and the counter top is black. So far, it's pretty good! Much Richer!
Next, my wonderful husband bought me a new refrigerator that will be here next week!

Long hard week

As you can see, Pat has been able to take a break from his arduous work to take the company boat fishing. They did have to quickly scarf down their rib dinner to make it to the boat in time to fish before bedtime! His Inuit guide (actually he's Korean) took him up to where the fish were biting.

In the span of an hour and a half, he caught 7 "beefy" Silver salmon, and a nice Rainbow. They did have to rush back to camp and get a good night's sleep to get to work the next morning at 6.

Lest you all think that Pat's week was all fun and games, he did bring proof home that he did do a bunch of work! I won't even pretend to remember what he told me he was doing, but it was really detailed and he had to do it all from the hip.

This genius man of mine had to fit up all this pipe and even run a "pig" through. To keep the animal theme going, Pat had a good time with the local pets. The labs there were endless fetch-maniacs and bear alarms/attackers! They kept Pat's throwing arm in shape.

What day is it?

Another wordy entry follows, so if you want pictures, check next week when Pat gets home!
Well, I don't really know what day it is. I have been home and without working, the days run into each other. This week has been full of me trying to get used to being home. I've stayed up late often and slept in a couple times. I've run around with the dogs and have discovered that Rowdy likes to hang out inside the house with Bella and me! He stays on the rug by the door, and Bella has her bed. They behave angelically. At least when I am right there. I am postponing my shower until I put Rowdy in his kennel for the night.
I've been trying my hand at my initial list of projects. I have been severely humbled many times. I have realized how dependent I have become of my wonderful husband, and that's been a strange trip for me. I have finally mastered starting the weed-eater, but I apparently can't tighten or have broken the skill saw. I did discover that one can saw into concrete! Oops! That may have had an impact on the saw... That woodworking may take me a while! I moved on to a last-minute plan to paint my cabinets/counter top. The existing counter was previously painted a light sage green. Not a bad color, just pealing/chipping off and very stained. I chose a high gloss black. I'm not sure how well it will stick since I didn't sand it or anything. I'd heard of a trick to cover it with contact paper, but with all the chips, the surface isn't smooth anymore and it may not stick well. We'll see how the paint does first. The cabinets are now painted the same color as the walls in a semi-gloss. The previous white was very stained and also chipping off. I know that with my very small kitchen, the darker colors will likely make it look smaller, but since it's only temporary, I thought I'd play with color a bit more! I really like it. I wouldn't have chosen the color for permanent cabinets, but it looks warm and cozy - like a cafe! Pictures later! I like how the color takes the focus away from the cabinets, specifically. They don't stand out like they did before. Now all I can't stand to look at are my mismatched appliances, but they work and will stay until the kitchen is remodeled next year, hopefully!
The garage is slowly but surely moving forward. We've had all the concrete work done, I believe, and we'll work on the first floor framing in a couple weeks.
I just peeked out the window and was shocked that it was pitch black out. It's almost 10:00 pm, so I guess it's time, but it's strange to be in the dark. I told my dad that I saw the stars again for the first time this fall a week or so ago. It's always fun to see them again.
I felt an earthquake recently. I was sitting on the couch and Bella was asleep when I felt it. It felt like someone was shoving the couch a bit. I thought maybe I'd imagined it, but Bella jumped and looked at me as if asking "what was that?" It was only the 2nd one I've felt since we moved and it registered as a 3.98. It was a bit south and pretty deep. It's a bit freaky but kinda exciting as long as it's a small one. Similar to the tornado situation - exciting to see, but not to experience.
Tomorrow I have to go and pick up Pat's moose meat from the processors. I'm a bit nervous to pick it all up and find places to put it. We picked up a new freezer just for that reason, but there's going to be a bunch. On that note, I also just boxed up my bear skin and Pat's wolf skin to ship to Idaho to be rugged. All I need is his mailing address and off they go for a year or so!
Well, I really need to shower. TMI, I know. That means Rowdy's out and time for bed!
Oh, PS: You all need to move up here! We are getting $2069 for our dividend, and an extra $1200 for our fuel! I do think it helps to pay our still expensive gas. We did just recently drop a bunch to $4.44 gal for reg. unleaded. Still over $5 for diesel. Glad to have a woodstove!

All Grown Up!

I searched and searched, and I finally found the little guy! The frog is for Jackson, Sydney and Raegan to see what their pet tadpole became! He has lots of brothers & sisters as I can barely walk along the bog without seeing them jump away from my feet. This little fella is about the size of a thumbnail.
The weather has been changing, and my tomato is not happy. It was beginning a big second flush of growth and blooms before getting hit with a 35* night. I don't think it will come out of it.

In order to keep myself from really believing Fall is here, I keep watching my wildflowers bloom. They haven't minded the cool, wet summer. It took them longer to bloom, but I don't mind the late color.

Pat has left for a week or so to go across the inlet. He took the camera, so I may just have more wordy entries! One thing (among many) that I miss when he's gone is the fire he starts every morning. We've been feeling the chill in the mornings, so it's beginning to feel very cozy to have the fire! It's so nice to have the chill gone by the time I bring my coffee that he wakes me with into the living room. Yes, I'm spoiled and thoroughly happy!

A Week in the Life...Loading up on Protein!

Last Monday I took Baker Hensley, a friend of mine from work, down the last 24 miles of the Swanson River. We spent one night on the river and had fun catching these big silver salmon that were fresh from the ocean. The weather was awesome and we didn't see a single brown bear. Although we were having an awesome time, I was in a hurry to get home so I could load a four wheeler and go moose hunting!
I loaded up and drove an hour and a half to the Caribou Hills to hunt moose with my good friend Justin Adolph. He met me in the parking area and we rode three miles into the hills to his cabin. The next morning we rode across the canyon to look for a legal bull. We saw a cow and a calf but no bulls so we rode back through all the muddy swamps to the cabin for second breakfast (moose hunting is a little like working on a platform, we eat like kings!!) Through a spotting scope we found a herd pf 8 or 9 moose including one bull. They were back across the canyon and close enough to the trail to be retrieved if we did get him so we loaded up and headed out for the bull. 30 minutes later we were within stalking distance of the herd so we took off our rain gear so that we could move more quietly and began to sneak in on the feeding herd. The wind was in their favor so we crossed a steep ravine to circle up the hill and get down wind of them. After some anxious waiting and watching the bull finally appeared and we were able to verify that he was a legal bull. Suddenly all the shooting and hunting experience I have acquired over the years went out the window and I made two of the worst shots in my hunting career. Evidently being that close to a 13 hundred pound ungulate has an affect on the nervous system. Well, despite my poor accuracy I was able to dispatch the bull and I had my first moose!!

After gutting the moose, we rode back to the cabin to get Justin's Dad and his "mud buggy". This thing can go anywhere!! We were able to get the buggy to within 30 yards of the bull and carry him out in one piece. After gutting, skinning and removing feet and head, the bull weighed 650 pounds. This is usually half the live weight.

My thanks to Justin and his dad Joe for letting me hunt with them and stay in their cabin, they are truly great people!

Summer Winds Down

Hey! I haven't posted for a while because Pat has the camera! I like to post with pictures and I don't think I have many recent ones. Pat has had the camera since he took a buddy down the Swanson River to fish for Silvers, and still has it on his Caribou Hills Moose Hunt! Without spoiling it all, I'll just leave the stories until Pat gives me the pictures and he can narrate his wild times!
I'm still plugging along at the greenhouse, but will likely only work for one more week. I may drop by a time or two this fall. I have been trying to decide what to do with myself this winter, and I have a couple ideas. I may get involved with an organization called Love, I.N.C. (Love, In the Name of Christ). They work with at least 6 different denominations of churches that work to help people in need in the community in ways that vary from food and money to furniture and a ride to a job interview, just to name a few. I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but that's a possibility. I may also look into volunteering for Hospice. I tried when we moved here, but was unable due to missing a required week-long class that is only offered once a year. I'd like to start swimming (not due to any Olympic aspirations) at our local indoor pool, but exercise is something I do as rarely as possible. Finally, an option that I'm exploring is to expand my hobbies to include something as expensive as Pat's multiple hobbies: woodworking! I'd actually really like to get into it a bit. I have a billion ideas of things that I'd like to make, but discipline is not a strong point for me, so starting small and finishing a project may prove difficult. I also have a goal to find a bread recipe for Pat that actually rises and tastes good! Oh, and that doesn't require a million steps and 14 different flours.
Well, that's me in a nutshell for now. I'd show you pictures of my glorious greenhouse or fabulous flowers, but we've already discussed where the camera is located.
I hope to have more interesting and less word-y entries coming shortly!

Some "Reel" 'But Beating!

This video says it all!

Big 'Buts and Sweet Cheeks! The Perfect Day!

This weekend my friend, Ryan Klawitter, took us halibut fishing in his 20' Bayrunner. The weather was beautiful and the water was calm. He took us to a spot that was surrounded by mountains and sheltered from the breezes. Even if it's windy, it's calm back where he fishes.

Melissa caught a halibut within 5 minutes! It was a small "chicken", so we let it go, but it was a sign of what was to come. In all we caught a dozen halibut (kept our limit of 2 each), and several gray cod. Before the day was over, we both had 40 lb. halibut in the boat! Melissa hooked one fish that stripped line off the reel and escaped within 20 feet of the boat. We can only guess that he weighed between 50 and 75 lbs. We also saw sea otters, jumping salmon, and lots of jellyfish.

This was an Irish Lord that Melissa caught. It's a fish that is all head, mouth, and tail. Not a keeper!

After the fishing slowed down and we'd caught our limit, Ryan took us sightseeing. He then took us down a bay that had a gorgeous waterfall!

After the filleting was finished, we put over 60 lbs. of Halibut in the freezer. And, if you want any, you have to come up here to get it!
Thanks, Ryan!

Having a Blast!

Pat recently set up some shooting targets in the backyard. I know, only in Alaska! (yeah, maybe a few other red-neck states!) After giving the neighbors a call to let them know it's us, Pat takes his hand-cast, hand-loaded bullets out to practice his speed shooting.

Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?

Gluten Free Blog!

Hey, just for all of you whom we may visit, I've started a blog that will have "normal" recipes that are naturally gluten-free. I'm hoping to include most of our regular meals, and then those that I experiment with. Most of these are likely to be relatively simple since I don't like to cook! I've found lots of other blogs with really fancy recipes, but I have a real lack of ingredients up here! I know that there are friends of yours out there that also struggle with Celiac or may just have a wheat allergy. Feel free to pass along the blog site. If you have recipes that you'd like me to include, I'm up for that as well. I have a link on my blog roll. Thanks!

Greenhouse Update!

Just the other day, it was the most perfect day! The sun was shining, the wind was non-existent and the temperature was warm but not hot!

Besides the multitude of flowers in bloom, my tomatoes are ripening, my squash has been yummy, and I'm anxiously awaiting the first pepper!

Last Week

Work has been getting tough. We have a rogue flamingo that seems to be out for us.
Despite the cold, cloudy, rainy weather, we do still have a few blooms!

Friday night, Pat took me out and we had dinner and played a bit of pool at our new local smoke-free, alcohol-free pool hall!

Sorry

I know I've not been diligent in posting. I've been back to work and much more interested in other family's blogs! My sister has been updating her blog to relive our time together, and my sister-in-law has been adopting a super cute little boy in China. I've been mostly watching their blogs this week! If you'd like to see more on Julie's blog, I'd highly recommend it! The link is on the right! I'll update soon~maybe!

New Nephew!

Today, or tomorrow in China, we are adding a new nephew! Pat's sister and brother-in-law are picking up their Joshua Shen as I write! He will have lots of welcoming family.

Thank You!

The last many days have been a whirlwind of kids and fun activities. I've had the amazing opportunity to watch my nieces and nephews wake up in the mornings, have breakfast with my sister, and watch the news with my brother-in-law! This morning "routine" we had was followed by all the activities that made our new memories.
I can't begin to express the gratitude I have to my brother, Chris, for bringing my sister to me! for bringing the entire family up here to visit! I know it couldn't have been easy. I also know that there is no real way to understand a sister bond, but he supports us just the same. Thanks, Chris!
I enjoyed the most wonderful time with my sister. Julie is such an incredible woman. I see her interact with her children in such a loving manner. She loves them, instructs them, disciplines them, laughs with them, and leads them. She is also a great wife. I see how she supports her husband and loves him. A model for others and her daughters. She's also an incredible sister. She loves me through all my craziness. She gives me advice and makes me think I can do things that I would never believe possible. I think she gives me too much credit! I am glad that she listens to all my blabber about my self analysis and loves me anyway!
I love you!