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Day 10, Thankful on Another Level

Kids noticed black smoke out our front window emanating from the trees so Claire and I went to investigate.

You know the delay in your brain that happens when you expect to see one thing (like a bonfire with tires) and there is something entirely different (a burning vehicle) and your not sure there’s a person in there or not? Yeah.

About the time my brain registered what was going on, there was a small explosion, probably the battery, which really startled me. Then my neighbor saw me and hollered at me to get away in case the gas tank explodes.

Time is so strange, it seems to happen so slowly but really it was just seconds.

So at least I knew the old Capt was okay, he was standing in the street. We were both on the phone with 911.

I’m so thankful that our neighbor seems to be okay and the fire didn’t spread to his cabin. The fire department arrived very quickly too.

#grateful #thankful #blessed

Day 9, my Seester

I’m just so happy my Seester is here!!

She’ll never get rid of me! Bwahaha!!
Tired.

#grateful #thankful #blessed

Day 8, a break from the rain

Yesterday we had a window of opportunity. A light mist and fog in the morning which tapered off by late morning. Then few hours of no rain! And, *gasp* a couple hours of sunshine! It’s been so long since we had sunshine I nearly forgot what it looked like.

What is that brightness in the sky??

We were able to sheet the carport roof and get the metal up. Sans one edge of trim, and stitch screws to finish up today.

After work I came home and planted daffodil and tulip bulbs in the dark. I figured that window of opportunity was fixing to close. Then I made dinner. Thus I forgot to post.

Later today my Seester arrives for a long visit. I’m so excited!!!

#grateful #thankful #blessed #tired

Day 7, Catch up

Another soggy day. If I can’t go to work and make money I might as well make food! More canning today, this time for the doggo. Expanding her food choices to include some chicken, and a lot more salmon.

I also need to get caught up on paperwork. Oy. I need a home version of the paperwork reduction act. Why is there so much paper??

I really appreciate these catch up days. I’m thankful to have the energy and drive to get things done, and thanks to Old Man Winter, the time to do it.

Weather forecast says more rain tomorrow before it turns colder and brings wintery mix. Oy. Maybe I’ll get my tulips and daffodils planted tomorrow?

All this rain has played havoc with our highway. Mudslide near Cooper Landing yesterday. Glad I don’t have to drive to Anchorage any time soon!!

#blessed #grateful #thankful

Day 6, Age Old Traditions

The weather isn’t cooperating to put the roof on the carport we’re building. That allowed us to stay home today and I used the time to prep up some of the food I cleared out of the freezer yesterday.

I used my roaster (thrift store find) to cook up 10# of chicken leg quarters and broth. While that simmered away I slow cooked our dinner, jerk seasoned moose ribs. And chopped up carrots, celery, onions and potatoes for my chicken soup.

I ended up with 4 quarts & 12 pints of chicken soup, 1 pint of chicken meat with broth plus 5 pints of broth. The canner is in there working away right now.

I enjoy canning. Aunt Arta was the one to introduce me to the old art. I used to marvel at her pantry full of home canned tomatoes, beets and pickles. They were so beautiful sitting on the shelves. I loved canning tomatoes with her. And even moreso eating her signature meatballs and tomato gravy that she made with them.

Canning was never drudgery, she made it fun. I also remember one summer canning peaches with my cousin Shirley. Her oldest, Crystal, was a baby playing with the pots and pans while we worked up the peaches. That was a lot of fun too.

Then those years I lived on Idaho I got back into canning in order to stick to my strict no refined sugar diet. Canned everything using fruit juice sweeteners. Learned a lot back then.

Now it’s primarily meat that gets canned here. Salmon, moose, some chicken. And jelly/jams. Once in a while we get a surplus of veggies or fruit to process.

I’m ever so thankful that Auntie took the time to teach me, to share that age old tradition. Pass on her knowledge for future generations to benefit from. May her memory be a blessing.

#grateful #thankful #blessed

So it begins…

It’s November!! Woo hoo. Winter is definitely here, a dusting of snow to welcome November’s arrival. It’s day one of my birth month. Gifts and adoration accepted daily, of course.

November also brings some of my favorite things. Pumpkin pies and cornbread dressing. Birthday cakes and ice cream. My Mom’s birthday too. And her anniversary, in no particular order. A surprise visit from my Seester!!! As well as an early Hanukkah. It will be a busy week starting with Thanksgiving, then birthdays and rolling right into the feast of dedication.

November is a huge birthday month in our realm. There’s the twins, Thing 1’s boyfriend’s birthday, MaKayla, Me & Mom’s and a few other friends and memorial days thrown in there.

Grandpa’s was the 21st and my dear friend Katherine’s was the 28th, both of blessed memory.

I like to think of November as a month of feel-good, like a warm sweater, sitting around a bonfire with a hot cocoa and all your loved ones kinda feel good.

I hope your November is just as good. 💖

#birthdays #november #family #friends #feelgood

Day 5, Dreary Days

Today has been one of those dreary winter days. Overcast, trying to rain, not cold enough to freeze during the day but wait until night fall.

There’s still so much to be done outside but the weather kept me inside today. I cleaned out the freezers and pulled out all the fish reserved to make more dog food for Panda.

Found a few surprises, but not Jimmy Hoffa. Thought we were out of moose summer sausage and Italian sausage and I found some if each! It’s the little things in life. We’ll be enjoying these this week.

All the dog food that I had canned up has finally ran out. We’ve got one jar of salmon left. Not too bad for experimenting with the idea. Panda loves it.

Sunday is our day to clean the chimney. Thing 2 takes the lead on this and the girls help with clean up and getting the fire going again.

I’m thankful for a productive day, for every one pitching in and getting things done. For warm fires burning. Team work makes the dream work.

#thankful #blessed #grateful

What We’ve Been up to Lately

A late season build, a timber frame carport. Got as far as the rafters set before the snow put a halt to the roof going on. Waiting for a dry clear day to finish it off.

12′ x 21′ carport.

  • Setting the piers in place
  • Posts up
  • Now for the beams… Too heavy
  • Bring the mini in to set the beams
  • Rafters almost done.
  • King posts and cross supports.
  • Rafter cap up. One more side to go.
Progress

#aklife #snd

Day 4

Today was busy. BOW hunter education course with Thing 1 & Mo. We’ve been studying and preparing for two weeks now. There’s a lot of info to take in.

Study manual.

Thankfully we all passed the written and field test. Woo hoo.

My qualifying target. Shot pattern being the deciding factor.

These classes aren’t offered down here on the Kenai very often, usually in Anchorage. So not having to travel in winter is great!

The classes are hosted at Snowshoe Gun Club. They have a very nice facility. We had great instructors too.

It was nice to get a good refresher course, it’s been a minute since I took a hunter safety course. This one was more in depth than I remember. Experiencing the course with my girl was nice too. She did quite well and is a pretty dang good shot. Don’t mess with her.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to take the class, thanks to Mo for suggesting it. And grateful for the shared experience. Happy that I remembered far more than I forgot from all those years ago. Hunting and firearm safety is a lot like riding a bicycle, but it’s good having a refresher!

(BOW stands for Becoming an Outdoor Woman, it’s not an archery course)

#outdoorAK #aklife #shootest #hunt #womanswork #grateful #thankful #blessed

Day 3

Warm gear is essential when building outside in the winter. Some days even double layers beneath your insulated outerwear is essential. Without the insulated gear life is utterly miserable and those work days drag on.

My old Carhartts have seen better days. I’ve been wearing them for five years now I think. They were gifted to me by my friends Sam & Vanessa. They were a real blessing at the time and I’ve been grateful for their warmth.

I’ve patched them and tried to keep them serviceable for a couple of winters now. But the time has come that they need to be retired. These can become spares for the cabin.

Patches

I’ve been looking for a good used pair at the thrift stores for some time now to no avail. Even then a pair will be about $40 used. Heavens knows I don’t want to pay Freddy’s price of $200 for a pair! Today when we went for lunch at the local hardware store… Yes, you read that right… They were having a storewide sale and low and behold their insulated gear was included. And they had women’s wear and not just men’s!!

So for a little more than twice thrift price I have a brand new pair of insulated bibs, (that fit right & are long enough) to keep me toasty while working in the snow. I’m so excited! Lots of pockets & a hammer loop too! Woo hoo!

New Ariat insulated bibs, with pockets!!

Plus we had a great grilled panini and homemade soup at the Old Goat Cafe.

Triple blessed.

#thankful #blessed #nikiskihardware #alaskalife #womanswork