The Last Frontier

6/6/13

There's something about Alaska that gets in your blood and stays there.  While it's definitely not a life for everyone, Mike and I love it here and feel like it has become a part of our identity.  Looking beyond the obvious beauty of the land, it is a place full of little eccentricities that make it truly unique.  There aren't many places where, when you're driving and have to stop to check for traffic, that you also have to check the sky for airplanes before taking off or where activities are guided more by the weather, the sun, and the tides, than by a clock.

I can't help but look at that view and occasionally ask
myself "What was I thinking?  Who lives here and leaves?"

"The Last Frontier" is truly an appropriate name for this land.  While the road district can be pretty much the same as the rest of the United States with better scenery, even those places have their share of roughing it beyond what many would tolerate elsewhere.  The absence of running water in a household is not uncommon and there are tons of cabins that rent for over $100 a night that have no electricity or running water.  There exists a strong sense of rugged individualism that permeates every aspect of life.  Most people live off the land at least a little and many carve out nearly all of their existence from nothing more than determination and the resources mother nature provides.  There is nothing easy about that life, but there is something supremely satisfying about enjoying the accomplishments of one's own hands.

Conversations with Jesus, Again

6/1/13

We made it into the village today.  James had meetings through the week in Anchorage so we ran around the city and hung out in the hotel until he was finished and came down with James and Christopher on their way home.  On our way down we stopped and watched some people catching hooligans (this is the actual name of a type of fish, I promise).  They are small fish that are very rich in oil and pretty easy to catch by letting the current carry dip-nets down stream for a short distance.  We also stopped by a wildlife preserve to sneak a peek at the animals there.  Perhaps it's the crazy cat lady coming out, but the lynx twins were my personal favorites.  I will post pictures as soon as I'm able to get the pictures off of my camera, which may take a while given it uses a weird memory card.  We also saw plenty of wildlife on the side of the road, counting 21 moose on our way down including a couple newly born and very cute babies.

Our site seeing, while fun, got us into Homer a little late - 12:30 at night to be exact - so I was able to take a break from my ongoing battle with the sun as it was already dark when we got to the hotel.  Unfortunately, that also meant I was rather tired and not very attentive when we checked in and I realized on my way back from breakfast that I didn't know which room I was staying in and had to ask the front desk.  After a quick stop at the grocery store, I was once again sitting in a very small plane on the runway saying, "Please, God, don't let me die today . . . "


Musk Ox



Baby Musk Ox

Black Bear nursing an injured paw

Bull Elk

Kitty!  One of the lynx twins rescued as kittens after
a forest fire left them orphaned.

Running Away Again

5/29/13

We have run away to Alaska again!  While we have many concerned friends and family members who fear we may not return, we're only here for a few weeks.  We took our trip as an excuse to visit with Mike's cousin and family who live outside St. Louis and are looking forward to visiting with them again on our way back home.  Besides having our tooth paste confiscated at security, a few delays, and an interesting bout of musical chairs aboard the plane courtesy of TSA the flights went as well as eight hours on a plane in one day can be expected.  My tush made certain I knew it was as unhappy as the five-year-old sitting behind us, but all was forgiven upon landing in Anchorage.

James and Christopher met us at the airport, reminding us of two things we love so much about this state.  Stepping out of the airport brought another reminder with the sweet, salty smell of spruce trees and the ocean, followed quickly by a magnificent view of the mountains we love so much.  Given that we landed at 9:00 pm I was also quickly reminded of another aspect of Alaska I sometimes love and sometimes do not - the sun.  I remember having many unkind thoughts about the sun when we first moved up here as it enjoyed it's extended stay in the skies each day, then regretting every single moment of dislike when it disappeared over the winter.  There is currently a little over 21 hours of visible daylight each day, which means the sun and I are currently in the hate stage of our love-hate relationship - we may need to seek counseling.

Village Updates

So I know we've left the village, but it's still a very special place that will always have a piece of my heart, as will James and Carol.  They just thought they got rid of us.  We may not be there anymore, but we'll definately be chatting.  I got to visit with her on the phone and hear how everything is going in the village.  They've had some warm weather, so much so that it was comfortable outside without a jacket (and my brain fried by temperatures above 100 is thinking "What was I thinking?").  Summer solstice was last week so the longest day of the year has come and gone and she said you can tell the days are getting shorter.  Since it never gets dark right now, I'm not sure how exactly one goes about figuring that, but she says you can.  The red salmon usually start running in late May and we were told they had seen some in First Hole shortly after we left the village.  This year, however, they aren't coming upstream in large enough numbers so Fish & Game has shut down all fishing in the village.  Everyone is hoping that the salmon are being slow because the water is considerably colder than it usually is at this time of year and that they'll start coming in later.  If not, those who decided to be the early birds and have already cleaned out their freezers of last year's fish, might wish they had procrastinated a little more.  This year the early bird may go hungry - or at least not eat much fish.

Sunny's Corner

Hi!  This is Sunny and I finally convinced mommy and daddy to let me write and share my story.  Last summer we all moved to Alaska and have had a lot of fun this past year.  There was much to do in the village and I kept myself very busy despite my family's interference.  I tried to visit the neighbors downstairs several times, but had to be very sneaky to even get out the apartment door.  I also tried to explore the village and introduce myself to everyone but mommy always got me at the outside door and would never let me get any further - how very unfriendly!  She kept fussing about the dogs in the village.  I guess she was afraid they might kidnap me and take me home to their houses.  In all the time I spent sunning in the windows I never saw any other kitties, so I bet critters of the feline persuasion and pretty valuable in the village.  I was allowed to venture out onto the deck and enjoy the outdoors from there, but it's very hard to stalk and catch a bird in such a small space with no cover - for the record they have some very large birds that looked very tasty, but I'll never know as my hunting grounds were so unfairly limited.  I did discover the village has some very tasty fish!  I have become a connoisseur of fish preferring my salmon raw and at room temperature and expecting it on demand.  Halibut, though, is not so tasty which is a pity considering their huge size.  While my parents wouldn't let me go visit the neighbors, I did have one neighbor who would come to the house just to see me.  Miss Carol would keep me company when my family was gone, play with me, brings me presents.  She loves me very much and just might be my very best friend.

Now it's summer, though, and it was time to head back to Missouri.  I must confess I think my family had this a little backwards going to Alaska for the winter and returning to Missouri for the summer.  Kitties get cold very easily and require sunbeams for proper napping and those are in very short supply in Alaskan winters.  At least I got to ride in first class on the way home.  Well, it was coach for people, but until the people at the airlines learn to appreciate and recognize pets as the members of the family that they are, coach for people is first class for critters.  Otherwise you're stuck between some smelly, slobbery dog and someone's luggage full of stinky shoes and dirty laundry in the cargo area.  So I rode home in class and have been working diligently to get everything at home situated and comfortable, but there is one major problem . . . I am going bald!!  Ever since I've gotten home my hair is falling out everywhere.  Mommy insists I'm just shedding, but I don't think she is taking this problem nearly as seriously as she should.  She is also not providing me salmon on demand any more . . . I may need to find the number for the humane society to report neglect . . . and learn how to dial the phone with my nose.

Trip Pictures

Caribou - Her rack has seen better days, but she's still a cutie

This time we were on the death side of the Lake of Death

The Lake of Death's view from the truck - eek!!

 Baby elk

Stone Sheep

Home!!

We are home!!  It only took 11 days to get here, but we're here.  We had to make a pit stop in Salt Lake City for a couple days to attend my dad's wedding.  I suppose everything in the universe must balance out eventually, so our relatively snag free trip seems to have been made up for in their wedding plans.  When we arrived in Salt Lake City on Tuesday we expected to attend their wedding on Saturday.  They had made arrangements to have the ceremony at a friend's house and had every detail figured out and in the works except one . . . a preacher.  Wendy spent most of the next two days calling trying to find someone who could officiate the ceremony, but none were able to.  Thursday she called the courthouse to see about getting married by a justice of the peace, but all of their appointments were booked already.  Fortunately, the nice lady on the phone did say they could do a walk in ceremony that would be held in the hallway outside the office that issues the marriage licenses (which, interestingly, also happens to be across the hall from the bathrooms) so Friday Mike and I went to be witnesses to their marriage.  They still had the party on Saturday and did a little commitment ceremony so the rest of the family could witness their union so, despite the stress, all ended well.

We packed some of Wendy's things in our trailer and were on the road for home Sunday morning.  This time we had three drivers to share the load which proved very helpful  given it's a very long trip to make in two days.  I would say all went well, but no one thought to mention that this road had it's own cliffs of death that I, of course, was so lucky to be driving through.  Okay, so they had guard rails, but how much security can those things really offer?  I want five foot concrete walls.

Despite the death traps along the way, we were able to arrive safely and will be posting pictures very soon.