December

 I had to work Christmas Day, but got to leave work early and drove up to the big city to hang out with my kids, we had a nice meal and some present opening and laughs together. 
  This picture of the dog was taken 2 weeks ago when I drove home that is in the Turnagain pass, when we stopped to stretch our legs.  This is the side of the pass that the snow machiners are allowed to ride, the other side is for skiers.  The dog is standing on the snow bank checking out the activities.

 This picture is from yesterdays drive at a place called the Y there is a lake and I saw a 4 legged animal on the lake so stopped to get some pictures the coyote walked towards the road where the truck was parked.  There were other cars that stopped to look, the coyote didn't run away, I had climbed on the back of the truck to get some pictures to get  a view over the snow bank.

This picture doesn't need much information, that of course is the sweet baby.

baby

Mikaele Faith 12/9/11 @ 12:28p 7lbs 4ozs, 20 1/4 inches long.  Ten finger Ten Toes, hair and cute as can be.

survived

I always go overboard for Thanksgiving, so much so I call myself the Thanksgiving slave, (family says I bring it on myself) spend 3 days cooking, for a 1 hour meal, but then lots of leftovers is good, so now that a week later my dogs are eating good.  I so enjoy having all my kids with me on that day, that it is worth it, if I do ask for help there is someone to pitch in.  Also found time to get a quilt done for the Tuesday group, they had made one for one of the gals, who had fell when a moose chased her, she is getting the quilt next week.  I won't be there because I am heading to town for the birth of granddaughter, who may show up on Monday the 5th.  I have the week off from work, to spend with newest family member.  Update later. 

first customer

 This is the group of ladies that let me quilt with them on Tuesdays, they are a great group of ladies, they don't gossip (just fun stuff), they don't speak ill of people, if one needs some comfort then they make a quilt for them, it's quilt time with fun conversation and some lunch then back to sewing always getting lots done.

This is the first quilt that some one let me work on for hire.  The lady paid me $40.00 to quilt it for her.  I was not happy with the overall design, but she seemed pleased with it.  I don't have any more quilt for hire yet, but the quilt group has a top that they are giving to someone and they want me to quilt it for them, so I will pick that up on next Tuesday and work on that.  Got another quilt done that I am giving as a present for the family that took care of my granddaughter last summer on the weekends while I was at work.  The whole process of machine quilting is going much better, not a process of frustration, just getting the project completed with a bit of a smile on my face.

maybe to much

  When my mechanic is off to work, I pretty much do what I want when I want, and what I want to do most of all is quilt, read, cross stitch, watch a movie, walk the dogs, and eat.  Well to get out of my rut and maybe do some different things, I am playing Hockey again, signed up for a online college course (which is stupid if one doesn't have Internet at home) and got 6 charity quilts delivered.  Doesn't sound like much, but this morning I got up at 4am to study for the class, pack my hockey gear and some food for the day.  Paper due for class today, game at 4p and there is still quilting and walk the dogs.  I guess it doesn't sound so bad, I am a very fortunate person to be able to enjoy all those aspects of life. 

  This quilt, fleece blanket, flannel burp rags and receiving blankets are for my new grand kid to be born in December.  I gave the quilt to my daughter last weekend, she said " you never gave me a quilt before", my response was "its not for you its for the baby".  Guess I better make a quilt for her.

sewing

I have been busy sewing, made a diaper bag, changing pad, table runner, quilt.  The quilt with book is for the mechanic nephew who will be 2 in November, the diaper bag and changing pad are for my daughter, she picked out the material for the bag.  I took a class on Cotton Theory to make the changing pad (it was suppose to be a bath mat, but I liked the way it looked for a changing pad instead), that was a fun class, made the table runner with the Cotton theory pattern.  I also have 2 more quilts off the long arm and ready for binding, getting some ready for Christmas, they ain't very pretty looking, making them masculine, totally utilitarian.

class

About a month ago I was just looking on line to see if there was a class I wanted to take at the local college,  the ones I was interested in look full, so searched some of the other colleges in the state.  Well apparently I signed up for a class because I got a bill in the mail for a class with the Juneau campus.  Class has started so I hurried up and ordered the text book.  First assignment due tomorrow. 

Took the few frames of honey out of the hives, doesn't look like much honey, but I guess that's better than none like last year.  Still lots of bee's in the hive, there were lots flying when we took the frames, I dream about bee's that night.  Now I need to figure out how to get the honey out of the frames.  Got 2 zip lock sandwich sized bags of rhubarb, there is a few carrot and some lettuce still in the garden, I ate all the peas about a hand full.  I know it doesn't sound like much but for a non-garden person it was nice to get some results.  Next year the other raised box will be able to plant in, (lesson learned don't use to much fresh horse manure).  There is enough stuff to make one more raised bed, so hopefully we can get that built and filled with dirt this year and ready to plant next. 

Out side of the kitchen window was a mound of dirt that was ugly and I have been wanting to move it.  So started in with the wheel barrow and moving to another location that needed dirt.  The tractor does a much better job of moving dirt that a shovel and wheel barrow, so most of that dirt is moved, going to rake it flat and plant some grass seed, a nice new view out the kitchen window.  Not that I like hanging out at the kitchen sink anyway. 

Kodiak Vacation

A awesome trip was had, we had found prior to departure a list called "101 things to do in Kodiak", I had highlighted some of the things that I thought we would be able to do.  It was a good way to get a feel for the place and destinations to see.  We did see or do about 45 of the things on the list.  Kodiak is a beautiful place lots of friendly people and we were very fortunate, blue sky's sunny and warm, the entire time we were there, we didn't feel a rain drop until we were on the last hour there and on our way home. 

  Tuesday night we caught the ferry to Kodiak, it was a overnight trip, got into Kodiak about 1p, we had some tips from locals on places to go and see, we did a few stops then went to the visitor center to get a walking map, she pointed out a few must do places and we had already been to them, the lady looked at us and said "you just got in on the ferry?"  we told her we are power tourist.  Had great eats and checked into the hotel, the manager for some reason put us in a bigger room for free (we found out at check out that he saw our group size and had a bigger room available so gave it to us)  that was great so if you every get to Kodiak we highly recommend the Comfort Inn the only draw back is that it's out at the airport about 5 miles from town, so a car is needed. 

  We got to go tide pooling with a science teacher and she was very knowledgeable about all the stuff in the tide pools.  Saw a bear, visited with some people on a sailboat that have cruised for 2 1/2 years from Sweden.  Ate pastries made by a real French chef, amazing good.  Lots of boats of boats to look at.  Drove up behind the town for a view of the entire area. 

                                                        On way to Kodiak

                                                                 Port Lions

                                                                Touch Tank

                                                             Fort Abercrombie                        

                                                          Walked across bridge

  Got back on the ferry for the trip home Friday afternoon, got into Homer at 7am,  Saturday morning when we woke up the grand kid she said "I don't want to look at stuff anymore".  We told her we are getting in the car and going home.  Guess we saw lots of stuff.

pictures from the last few weeks

                                                     Dip netting Kasilof River

                                        Was a beautiful day to be out, we only got 1 fish

             There were 2 guys in Dry Suits floating the current they did really good catching fish

                                                       Sail boat heading for dry land

                                                            Gotta love beautiful Alaska

                                Sail boat headed from Harbor to Land  (pics a bit out of order)

                                                            4th of July Canoe Jousting

                               Mechanic giving his boat a cleaning, you can see the lab on board

                                                     4th of July Pie Eating contest

Homer Harbor Derelict Boat with Seagull Nest

Survival Suit Race 4th of July

Young Eagle let me get really close to take picture Homer Harbor 4th of July

new queen

Hey big news,  Went to the dr with daughter to see what kind of baby, ITS A GIRL, 

and one of my bee hives lost it's queen, so I called the bee guy and he sold me another queen, he also came by the house and looked at the hives, sure enough no queen so that hive should be back in business with a queen to boss them around again.

take me out to the ball park

Last Sunday I just could bear to go home to an empty house, so went to the Ball Park instead, free admission and hot dogs, was a little cloudy and chilly but the sun did peak out for a bit, I really enjoyed the game.  Where I was sitting must have been the lonely old ladies section, there were several that fit that description (me included). 

It has been a long week for me.  Not sure why? 

Was taking a little nap and heard a knock on the door, mind you no one ever does that, so I was surprised to see a man standing at the door with a little girl, said he was visiting from across the street and needed to chop some wood, could he borrow an ax.  So I went out side and loaned him a ax.  Not sure if this was smart or stupid.  I could hear him over there chopping wood.  When I got up in the morning the ax was returned.

more vacation pics

 Denali a good water dog

 the cook shack on the beach we ate most our meals on the deck

 My favorite paddling boat, hold supplies, kid, dog and me.

 beautiful country to paddle by.

the dock at facilities, water taxi drop off, and since my mechanic needed the jeep keys they got to Homer one day before our vacation was over, I hooked the keys to a floatable cushion and they motored the sail boat by the end of the dock and I threw the cushion to them, successfully I might add.  So they met us at the dock in Homer and we loaded the jeep this time it was really loaded because there was 2 more bodies and more gear, back Home we went, took the kid to meet up with her mom who took her back to ANC, mechanic and buddy stayed for 2 days rested up and off to ANC they went.  I had one day to myself before I had to go back to work.  I have to say it was a nice time.

vacation

Had a good week off from work.  Took a bit of work to get the kayak, dog, kid, and supplies loaded in the jeep for Homer.  Had a nice trip on the water taxi to across the bay, could see Homer from the cabin.  It was a nice way to spend 5 days, heated cabin had bed and table, then on the property was a shower room and a cook shack on the beach. 

We did a 5 mile hike first day, 11 mile paddle second day, 5 mile hike with 3 mile paddle day 3, so day 4 we took it a bit easier, day 5 we left early back to Homer.

Sail boat update, finally HOME

gram

I drove to Anchorage May 23 to pick up my grand daughter. Drove back home the 24th and we had been having non-stop fun ever since. The 5 year old is so shy around other people, but you would never know it when it is just her and I she talks all the time, the only time she is quiet, is eating or I am not sure when else, because if she is quiet I have to find out what kind of trouble she is getting into.

We found a couple of activities in the newspaper last Thursday there was a quilt display, and Friday night a dance recital. One of the complaints I have about this town is the lack of directions to a function, everyone assumes that the name of a building 20 years ago is still good directions even though the building has changed names 3 times since then. All the streets have names but they don't seem to make it on the ad. So after about a 1/2 hour of looking we found the quilt display, there was about 5 cars in the parking lot. I enjoyed the quilts, and they had treats so grand kid was happy. The next night we went to the dance recital and I commented on how full the parking lot was, wonder kid response was "see I told you more people like dancing than quilts".

Next week I have off from work so we planned on a little get away. Going across the bay and stay in a cabin, bringing a boat, dog and clam shovel, hiking boating and tide pool exploring are on the agenda.

Sailboat update, some where in the ocean between Sitka and Yakatat, looks like might make Yakatat today.

Happy Mothers Day

I took a evening class the other night, a how-to make a flower arraignment for Mothers Day. We all brought a dozen roses, vase and sharp knife. Well only one other person and the instructor showed up for class, the lady that runs the community school program got delayed in a meeting so there was no one to open up the home-ec room for us. So we visited for awhile in the hall way and then decided to go into the girls restroom for the class, we took the trash cans turned them upside down for a work station for the vases, used the water from the washing station in the bathroom. The instructor was very informative and we got our dozen roses in vases. The community school director was very impressed with the make-do attitude and said she had never had a class in the restroom before.

Which remind me of a time in high school, when a group of us wanted to watch a movie that was recommended for all to watch, well we couldn't find a empty room in the whole school, so we went into the boys bathroom and watched the film. It was a odd little movie, the only thing I can remember is someone jumping off a bridge. That and a guy I had a crush on was also in the bathroom watching the movie.

over the river and through the woods

OK so it's through the mud

and down the trail

to the bees house we go.

The bees came in a day late, got lost in shipping, it was not a good day to put bees in the hive, raining, blowing and cold, didn't go well. So I am hoping for the best.

The dogs always enjoy an outing, this is the hound in stealth mode. Since she can't hear and doesn't see well, there are no big bad scary things out there just fun things to sniff for. In her younger days she was always by my side, now she wanders off in the woods more, but she still catches up to me when we are out walking.

Here's the lab, she is getting better about staying close, and obeyed with the stay command to take a photo, I think she likes having her picture taken, my other dogs didn't like it to much kind of like me.

spring is almost here

Son #1 and granddaughter came down to visit last weekend, and a muddy time was had by all. My finally clean house it not so clean any more someone put muddy hand prints outside and inside of the sliding glass door. That's OK Windex will take care of that, it was nice to have them come visit. I got home from work on Saturday afternoon and couldn't figure out where they were, knew they were close because all the dogs came running. I have always known that the property in certain areas turns into a lake in the springtime, but here is proof that the lakes exist in the spring time. They used shovels for oars, and the water isn't really deep, but enough to float a canoe.

The charity quilts that were dropped off last fall to be quilted, all got done before the lady came back to get them this spring. The picture is to far away to see the quilting, but I was grateful for the chance to get to practise on the quilts. I would like to keep doing some quilting for the group. Sounds like they will have more available for me to quilt.

Things are looking a little brighter. Maybe part of it is the spring, and some sunny weather.

Update on the sailors, they have finally left the pull of Vancouver Island and are officially on the inside passage, a couple of really good days has gotten them quite a way towards home.

life

Life is slowly getting back to normal (what ever that means) I have days where only sleep feels right, days were only eating feels right and have been reading lots of books. I need to get out and walk more, but the lab had gotten a split toe nail, I thought it would grow out, but she kept snagging it and it wasn't healing, so finally took her to the vet, they knocked her out and removed the toe nail, put a big wrap on the foot, that she had to keep on for 3 days, sent her home with pain killers and meds to keep the infection away. Did manage to keep the wrap on her foot for the 3 days and kept it dry in this sloppy weather. I put a newspaper sleeve over the wrap, then a fleece bootie and another newspaper sleeve with lots of tape. That worked to keep it dry and just the bootie to keep her from chewing it off, I brought her to work with me and kept her in the car. Took the wrap off last night toe looks good. She is so happy to be able to walk with out pain. The vet said to keep the toe nails short, I never thought she had long toe nails, but they cut them all and they are short. So guess I better start cutting them. Any way now that the dog is all healed up, I will be able to get out and walk more. The other project is my kayak I have been trying to re-varnish it all winter, not very successfully. But I promised the mechanic that it would be done when he got back. So I need to get busy on it. Did work on it for about a hour last night. Hanging out in the garage is just not my thing. I like hanging out in the sewing room better. I have been quilting some. Got 2 quilt done since I got back from NM on the long arm and another ready to put on the frame. The mechanic and buddy are on the sail boat heading to AK. He has a "spot" that send a e-mail to let me know where they are at, a google map shows the location. He sends a message in the evening when they have reached their designation at the end of the day.

hard times

If I could have got up at talked at my moms memorial service, this is what I wrote down to say. But I could not get up and talk it was way to emotional to handle. I have to say that this time has been much more difficult than I ever would have imagined. I know my mom was not in the best of health, but was not prepared (but who ever is) for her death.

DONNA
daughter
sister
wife
mother
aunt
sister-in-law
grandma
step-mom
beloved friend
great grandma

A few sentences can't describe the life she lived.
My loss is...someone who kept me safe and was always ready to talk, and listen.
She was always easy to please, but not always easy to appease.

Her life was varied, full, lived with color, light and joy, in spite of many difficulties. No subject was to small to learn more about.

I am missing you so much.

broken heart

A trip was scheduled to visit my mom in NM, instead of a visit, there is a memorial service.

silver lining

sometimes one just had to look hard for the bright side. I had a bad day at work, but my son and granddaughter came to visit so that was nice. About 730p grandkid and I drove up to the store, after our shopping we went out to the car and it had a flat tire. That's the 3rd time this winter that tire has gone flat. So I put the spare on which is just one of those funky little tires, but that went flat as we drove away. So here is my jeep in the road in the winter with 2 flat tires now. The silver lining. It wasn't very cold out, there wasn't alot of traffic around, we had lots of grocerys in the car. Called my son to bring me a summer tire. So today I drove the mechanic vehicle to work with my 2 flat tires in the back to drop off at the tire place today.

weekend

My daughter and SIL drove down for a few days, the plan was to go snow machining up in the hills, but as the day got later and we hadn't even left the house it was decided to just go out behind the house. Turned out to be a good plan her machine broke and had to be towed home. We still got to go out for a nice ride until the neighbors lab got caught in a trap. So we started back home. The lab is OK, but I have 2 new dog bites on my arms to add the the 2 scars I already have from dog bites. It was a nice day and a good day for a ride. My ole hound doesn't like to lay in the snow, so a nice soft bed on me she found. They also got to come watch me play hockey, and took some pictures of the game. That's me on the bottom of the picture.

cold

We have been having great weather, a little chilly, just means putting on lots of layers to go outside. The mechanic is only here for 1 week this month. With the great weather we have been going for a snow machine ride in the evenings, riding that old elan is quite a work-out. On the back trails, the big hills the elan can't climb so one has to jump off and push it the rest of the way up. The only way I could semi keep it on the trail is to ride with my knees sideways on the seat.
I finished my first full sized quilt on the machine. Need to keep track of time better when quilting so I can sort of know how long it takes me, that way I can come up with a base for charging, if and when I get that far.

snow

It's been lots of fun lately with all the new snow. Not the snow blowing and shoveling part, but the snow machine part. I have got out quite a bit lately, learning to stay close to home with the mechanic gone though. The old elan broke down on me one day, but I got it running again, just did all the little tricks that I have seen the mechanic do and got the machine running again and got home. Took a long ride in the fresh snow, the elan felt like a jet ski. That day it kept running fine, I sure get funny looks from the folks that have high dollar machines with all their snow gear on. Three night ago I decided to go for a ride went to the bird bath and got about mile and half from home and the machine quite running, I think I ran out of gas, so walked home got another snow machine and went back to tow the elan home. The hardest part of that trip was getting all the machines back in the garage, I was pooped by then.

Got home from work yesterday had to run the snow blower again, shoveled snow and couldn't resist just had to go for a ride so took out the rescue machine and got in a quick ride. Feels like I spend the day on handle bars, snow blower, snow machine and quilting machine, but I am enjoying it all.

eagles

When I drove into the yard yesterday after work I saw an eagle go for a tree top with another eagle already perched on top. So that eagle moved to another tree and this eagle landed on the tree.

You can see how close to the house they were, right above the dog houses. I let the lab out of the kennel and the dogs were running around waiting for their walk, I had time to run in the house get my camera and get some pictures taken.

You can see an eagle on the tallest tree top. Look to the right and you'll see the other eagle.

This is very unusual the eagles fly over the property all the time, but this is the first time I have ever seen them land. The closest eagle was gone by the time I got back out of the house after I bundled up for our walk. The farthest eagle was still in the tree watching us. These pictures are taken from the back of the house.

did ya ever wonder?

where a moose gets a drink of water in the winter? Well I never thought about that, until I saw a place were the creek had some overflow as I was getting my boots wet while walking on the frozen creek. So I got off the creek in case I fell through the ice and there was a soft spot where it looked like a desert movie how they dig in the sand and hope some water trickles in the hole. The moose in the snow (not the desert) had dug a spot and it looked like the water had flowed in the spot he dug and he got a drink.
My last days off, on a 3 day weekend, I took a walk to the bird bath, which had no open water due to the cold weather for so long, but the birds were still hanging around there. So picture this (since I have no camera, but I will get a cheapo small one to carry on my walks I promise) nice snow cover land, evergreen trees, a huge full moon sitting just on top of the trees, beautiful bright blue sky, and 25 eagles sitting on tree's and flying through the air. It was such a awesome sight I actually had a tear in my eye ( and I don't tear up very easy).

snow

I came into work for a few hours today since it is a holiday, overtime pay, so only a little work needs to be done. But the nice surprise is SNOW, it started snowing, didn't think that was going to happen it has been so cold. I turned up the heater a notch just to keep the house a bit warmer, not to mention I was cold. Might have to break out a snogo if this keeps up. The lab turned up lame so we have been sticking close to home, want that leg to heal, no visible sign of injury she must have pulled something with all that running with the snogo.

The lab did catch a eagle, it was at the bird bath and the mechanic and lab were out on the trail, the lab does like to chase birds, so when she saw that eagle close to the ground she went after it and actually caught the eagle, of course the lab is going to lose in that event, the eagle gave her a few good pecks and she let it go, good thing the eagle didn't get talons on her. She did come to the mechanic when he called her back.

snow machine ride

This adventure happened 2 weeks ago, was a nice sunny afternoon so about 3p I decided to walk the dogs, but the dogs got to walk and I got to ride one of the old skidoo elans. So told the mechanic we were going to the eagle watering hole. When I got to the watering hole I ran into a trapper so we chatted for a couple minutes he called that cool spot the "bird bath:. Said the eagles will get totally wet and then they can't fly until they dry off. Even in the winter they get totally wet in the open water. So I decided that since it was so nice out we would go a bit farther down the trail and do a loop and end up back home. So down the trail we went, well I missed the turn off and ended up going a long ways down the trail. About the time the sun was going down, I figured I better let the mechanic know where I was, so I stopped looked at my cel phone which is zipped up in my coveralls right, it's 430p, well I got to pee so I';; call him after I pee. Some how the cel phone fell out of my coveralls (could have been the unzipped pocket ha) I couldn't find the cel phone in the snow anywhere, it's getting dark and I got to keep moving. We went a few more miles down the trail and I realize that this isn't right I must turn back. Meanwhile the dogs are still running with me, the ole hound had caught up with us when were at the bird bath, I thought she had stayed home, so I have to let her ride with me on the snogo but it's hard to ride that old machine with a dog so I kept falling off it or the trail, make her run a while and then give her a ride. Well the 2 trappers had told me that day, they had lots of traps out, so then I worry about the labs getting caught in traps, if we keep moving then they won't be poking their noses or foot in a trap. Good think I had my headlamp with me because the elan has no headlight, so we are heading back home finally in the dark, and the elan quits running about 3/4 of a mile from home. So I start walking home. I hear a snow machine running and stops and someone is hollering well it's the mechanic, he has been out looking for me for the last 2 hours. He isn't very happy with me cuz I'm not where I said I would be and I didn't call. Well we went back and got the elan and drug it home, got it running again and sno go's in the garage, when I went in the house it was 8p. The mechanic went to look for the cel phone the next day but didn't find it so I got a new cel phone. The hardest thing about no cel phone, I don't know any phone number and no way to tell time.

lab vs moose

The mechanic has been home for the last 12 days and he does keep me busy. I do have stories to tell though...

The lab has a thing about moose they can't be in her yard, they can't be on her trail, they can't be where she is walking on the roadway or even by the road, she has to go bark at them. If the moose runs she will follow for awhile, figure she has did her job and then come back to me. If the moose decides that it can tolerate the barking dog and just stands there eating, she will continue to bark at it for who knows how long. So I go for a walk with the 2 dogs and there is a moose that decides it doesn't care if that dumb dog is barking. Of course the moose is out in the open and so I give it lots of room in case Mr Moose decides to run my direction. So the dog wouldn't come to me when I called, I walked away hoping she would follow and she doesn't, the dog barked at the moose for 1/2 hour. Well by this time it's getting late and darkness isn't to far away and I know the trappers will be coming out of the woods on their snogo's so I need to get the dog off the moose so they don't shoot the dog. I have walked about and extra 1/2 mile with the dog still barking at the moose, so by this time I am so mad I am going to get that dog, moose there or not. So I walk toward the dog and moose the moose runs off into the wood with the dog behind, once the moose is in the woods the dog comes back to me and here comes the trappers, at least the moose is gone, so I finally get up to the dog and hit her (gently of course). We'll that would be a lesson learned the shock collar is now on her for our walks and it works great a shock when she chases the moose and she comes right back to me without the moose. The moose count is up by my house 6 in a mile or less.