Our annual quest for the perfect Christmas tree is one of our family’s most sacred holiday traditions. Last December (in 2023) Sam was over 2,000 miles away in his first year of college, so plans had to pivot. Maggie was plenty capable of harvesting her selected spruce all by herself, but we sure did miss having our full team together that day. We brought the tree … Continue reading Traditions in Transition
The sky has been alive this month, from ombre sunrises over the Chugach Mountains to stunning sunsets reflected in the Turnagain Arm tide: I find it challenging to photograph the moon, but trust me when I say this Hunter Moon was a treat to watch rise over Cook Inlet. It made for a beautiful drive to work one morning: And northern lights, in October! The … Continue reading October Skies
In Alaska, fall is one of those “blink-and-you-miss-it” situations. Last summer’s deluge of rain kept things green longer than usual, but eventually our world turned golden. For maybe a week? It was still chronically wet outside, but I guess that’s why God invented raincoats. (Or maybe that was George Macintosh? One of those two.) Maggie was the lottery winner of the season. She made plans … Continue reading Falling into Winter
I use air quotes whenever speaking about the “Summer” of 2023. It is easily confused with Winter 2022, minus the daylight of course. Sure, we had to mow the yard instead of shovel the driveway, but the moral of the story is we wore the same coat for both chores. And a person shouldn’t need a coat to cut the grass. The saying “there’s no … Continue reading The Little Summer That Wasn’t
It’s taken years of trial and error, but we finally have a technique for smoking salmon that is both tasty and replicable. We’ve been asked about our process so many times that I decided to post it here with step-by-step photo instructions. (These photos are from previous years; some images will be updated when I smoke our next batch later this summer.) We use a … Continue reading Smoked Salmon
It’s been several years since I’ve posted photos of moose calves romping in our backyard. This has become an annual event in May and June, and is a highlight of the summer for me. Here is some adorableness from 2019: I’ll never know for sure, but in my mind this was a pair of little bulls. That poor Mama had her hooves full protecting these … Continue reading Moose Montage
Detasseling corn is a rite of passage in Nebraska. Every July, groggy teens climb aboard dusty school buses at dawn, bouncing along gravel roads to cornfield after cornfield. Kids fan out across the field, one person per row, tasked with pulling the tassel from the tippy top of each stalk of corn in their assigned row. After row. After row. Detasseling was my first job. … Continue reading From Detasseling to Dipnetting
Nearly ten years ago I posted Swan Song, with photos of Trumpeter swans on Potter Marsh in the fall. Today I captured the spring version of their annual migration, and the marsh is currently overflowing with cuteness. We’ve been watching a nesting pair of swans for the past few weeks, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their cygnets. We certainly did not expect them to have … Continue reading Swan Song 2.0
Sam has officially graduated from high school, and I could not be prouder. Or more relieved. Don’t get me wrong, there was never a doubt in my mind that he’d strut across that stage with an honor cord around his neck, as he’s one of the brightest students I know. But I also really know him. I know he loathes and ignores early morning alarm … Continue reading Sayonara to Sam’s Senior Year
Ahhhh, holidays. The time of year we happily trade the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a different kind of crazy. It’s magical madness: a season where the refrigerator is always full and the mailbox is never empty. We silence our alarm clocks and turn on the Christmas music. We shop, wrap, decorate, bake, host, visit. Santa makes his naughty and nice list, while … Continue reading Holiday Highlights
Profoundly Ordinary 