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Tag Archives: Alaska life

Another Landmark

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Another Landmark

Touristy Day!

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Touristy Day!
Hanging at the Salty Dawg with my Seester.

Ultimate comfort food.

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Ultimate comfort food.
Half eaten meatballs & tomato gravy. So very good.

Day 14

So much fun. We went out to Dad’s cabin last night. I got to share my Quiet Riot with my Seester.

Me & Cletus by the fire pit.

Then on our way home we spent some time stopping to take pictures and explore. It was great fun.

At Discovery Overlook.

We saw a sow black bear and her cub at Stormy Lake day use area. That was pretty cool.

Mama bear, she hid her cub.

We stopped at an old cabin that’s for sale on the highway near the bluff. I’ve wanted to stop there for years and just never have taken the time.

One acre of scenic bluff view!!

We stopped at Three Bears for a few groceries, and a bear trap.

It was a great day of experiences with my Seester. So thankful for this opportunity.

#thankful #grateful #blessed #seester

Day 13, Tomatoes!

We scored two boxes of tomatoes at Country Foods last Friday. So Cletus and I canned them up today. We ended up with 8 qt jars and 4 pint jars, so 10 qts total volume. They look so pretty, like jars full of little red jewels.

I pressure canned these since I used quart jars. Takes less water and processing time. 10# for 10 minutes as opposed to 45 minutes in a water bath. If I had only a few pints I would have water bathed them. I used this post as a reminder about processing times and such.

First jar full.

Home canned tomatoes just taste so much better. And you know we’ll be having some meatballs and tomato gravy before she goes back home!

This has been a bountiful year all around. I’m so thankful for the variety that’s stocking our pantry this year.

#grateful #thankful #blessed

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 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

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