Skip navigation

Category Archives: Outdoors

Now you show up

This morning at work a nice little bull moose walked right out of the trees and headed right for us. We had to dodge into the nearby shed to avoid him. I tried to get a pic but wasn’t fast enough, just got a quick video of him walking off.

Moosie moosie

Whirlwind

This past week has been a whirlwind of activity. I’m not sure if I’m coming or going but it’s been great. The tail end of the previous week I spent time out hunting for moose, with no luck yet. Saturday we headed into town, the kids and I that is, to see Niki who’s home for a quick visit. And Sukkot is happening too.

We have enjoyed the time with our dear friends and have tried to do most all of the things we used to do when she lived here full time: foraging, bonfires on the beach (it’s not fish camp but it’s close!), Solstice Sisters Dinner, MNO, and just visiting while the kids all play.

True friends are never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart.

Author Unknown

All in all it’s been great for us. I know Niki has been going non-stop and these kind of trips aren’t really relaxing! But it’s been wonderful having her back, even for a short while. And having my Solstice Sisters all together again has been magical.

She’s been out on the road for two years. That separation has taught me to be thankful for all of our times together and share the gratitude I feel with others. Life is too short to do otherwise. Tell someone special in your life that you appreciate them today and why. You never know what your impact your words can have for good!

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

Melody Beattie

She heads out to Wasilla today, we said our goodbyes last night. Until next time!!! 💕❤️💕

#thankfulforfriends #blessed #solsticesisters #grateful

The ups and downs of cabin life.

Spruce bark beetles are ravaging our trees, everywhere. At home we have dozens dead but at the cabin they are more noticeable. Three lovely big spruce by the cabin have died and either us or the wind have taken them down. Cutting these trees was certainly bittersweet. I love these big ole trees. But they were no longer safe and had to go. Definitely a down.

Spruce bark beetle damage. There are thousands of these on a single tree.

It opened up the yard tremendously and let in more sunlight. Also less privacy, win some, lose some I guess.

The three stumps.

Jake came out with his mini excavator to help take down the trees closest to the cabin as well as pull some stumps for us. While there I had him dig a test hole in a consistently wet spot of the driveway. After about half an hour we had a pretty good seep of clear water so it looks like I’ll be developing a spring house for fresh water!! I’m so excited! Up for sure!

Little boy on board.

We still have several downed trees to turn into cord wood. And a deck to finish. And another coat of sealer to get on the cabin before snow flies. Our last two weeks of moose season will be filled with chores during the “not hunting” hours. Here’s to having a successful and productive moose camp! Hoping for a big ole up!!

No more stumps!
My test hole full of water. Will be pumping it out and developing the spring here!!

#aklife #drycabin #beetlespruce #beetlespruce #bettlespruce

Harvest Season

We spent Sunday morning foraging. Niki, Mo, Thing 1 & I. City Hall has some crab apple trees and an abundance of rosehips that we harvested for jelly making.

Loaded little crab apple tree.

While there we enjoyed each other’s company and solved all the world’s problems. We also enjoyed the flower beds and various different trees planted around the premises.

Dusty Miller in the Soldotna City Hall flower garden.

We found a large patch of wild roses and harvested a nice amount of rosehips. Thing 1 had a good time practicing plant identification for her Botany class.

We harvested enough crab apples for jelly, cider, sauce… You get the idea

Cut leaf weeping Birch.

Also enough to share with others. Part of the joy of wildcrafting is sharing with others.

Some ornamental foundation shrubs.
More flowers at City Hall.
Another bed relatively untouched by the frost.

We also had to harvest our own plants. Lil Bit planted several herbs for her Botany class last year. They did very well and we’ve enjoyed fresh basil, cilantro and parsley this summer.

Lil Bit’s parsley she grew from seed. Harvested to use in our matzo ball soup for Sukkot.

Alas, Old Man Winter is knocking at the door. Time to harvest as much as we can. Hoping for another cranberry picking soon. And a moose.

And afterwards we went for coffee.

#aklife #foraging #wildcrafting #bounty

A Great Day…

To pick berries, with my Solstice Sisters.

Sunshine, a little wind. Glorious big low bush cranberries. A few blueberries left and a good batch of crow berries too.

Children running amuck. Playing with their friends like they just saw each other yesterday.

Also a great day for a campfire on the beach. Roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, drinking a little homemade rhubarb wine. Enjoying the beach with my buddies.

  • With the sun right in our eyes.
  • Roasting the wieners
  • Roasting my tootsies.
  • Tide rolling out.
  • A little hazy but nice weather.

Friends make every day a great day.

#aklife #solsticesistersak #beachplease

Make that Ten.

So we got to the job site Monday morning to clean up and get the orders to do window & corner trim. So back to the mill for some trim boards and off to work we go again.

Corner trim and kitchen window.

Gotta admit it looks better with a little trim.

Living room window trim.

Now that we’re really done… I hope… It’s off to moose hunting camp.

#aklife #arewedoneyet #didyouseethatmoose

Answered Prayers

The forecast for this week wasn’t good, rain moving in. Yesterday I said let’s pray for rain to hold off tomorrow so we can get this roof done. It didn’t rain today.

#littlethings #answeredprayers #almostdone #day8

First day.

Seven

Days.

Today we made 6,731 trips up the ladder to install all the purloins and fascia. Metal goes on tomorrow if the rain holds off.

What day are we on?

I lost track.

Anyway, we sheeted both gable ends with siding. Put the lookouts back up. Capped the front ones, will do the back and sides tomorrow. I finished nailing off the last few pieces of bird blocking too.

Then we start the roof metal. Oh the joy!

#akcabin #arewedoneyet #buildingisfun #day6

Every little boy’s dream.

Site icon
Every little boy’s dream.
Teaching the young one.