Today I’m grateful to be home safe and off the roads. Snow days in Alaska are rare… I get that. Other states call off school based on a meteorologist prediction, but not us. We can be in the midst of an ice storm at 4 AM and still refuse to cancel school at 7 AM. Because it might improve? It’s the ultimate no win situation … Continue reading Home Safe
Last week was all about hiking, and the grand finale was an 8.8 round trip hike to Rabbit Lakes. The more I explore new trails in the Chugach National Forest, the more I understand why so many people slap “I Heart Chugach” bumper stickers on their Subarus. Summers like this make me wonder why the entire planet isn’t migrating to Alaska. There is an infinite … Continue reading I Heart Chugach: Rabbit Lakes
SEASON 2 May 24-25, 2015 How crazy that we headed out for the first trip of Season 2 on our boat exactly one year from our maiden voyage . We live about two miles up a curvy mountain road, so pulling the boat up and down is no easy feat. We made it halfway down when Clark realized he had forgotten his wallet. Should we … Continue reading Boat Log 8
It’s baseball season again, and this year Sam and Maggie are on the same team. Boy does that make life easier! Last year we hardly ever got to attend games as a family, since we were always split between two different fields. This year it’s so nice to cheer them on at the same time! Here are some pictures with Sam on 2nd base, and Maggie … Continue reading Our Little Angels
Homer Sea Week is a biennial tradition our kids’ school, and this was our family’s second time participating. Two years ago the kids were in 1st and 3rd grades and we stalked them most every minute. (Flashback post can be found here.) Now they are two years older – 3rd and 5th grade – so we let them roam the beach more independently, but we weren’t … Continue reading Homer Sea Week: Round 2
“And always remember, while your right to express yourself may protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution, being heard is a privilege that must be earned.” ~Steve Johnson, UAA Debate Team A few months ago I attended a debate about marijuana legalization in Alaska. It was moderated by Steve Johnson, the coach of the University of Alaska-Anchorage’s award winning debate team. Both sides … Continue reading Gratitude 11: Civil Discourse
Today I offer up two strange and seemingly contradictory items of gratitude. Bear with me. Gratitude #7: Dry Pavement. Oh how I miss thee! This morning I woke at 4:30 AM to nearly a foot of unexpected snow. I say unexpected because yesterday the kids were roaming the neighborhood without coats, and Clark drove his ’67 Camaro (note: not a winter vehicle) to the grocery store. I … Continue reading More Gratitude: Dry Pavement, First Snow
It’s been a crisp but colorful October, and the sunsets have been a real treat. The sky wrapped herself in a variety of hues this month, each of them equally stunning. Most evenings she picked the quintessential pink, one of the most common colors in her closet: Other days she pulled out the gray. Not an angry gray, but a pensive, reflective calm one: And one special … Continue reading Gratitude #5: The Wardrobe of the Sky
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” ~John Muir, Alaska Days With John Muir, 1915 A few weeks ago I asked my dear friend Nancy, “If we could do anything to celebrate your birthday, what would it be?” It took her a few days to answer honestly, but … Continue reading Gratitude Day 3: The Gift of Hatcher Pass
What a relief that no one was hurt in last week’s magnitude 6.2 earthquake that rattled Alaskans. My school library sustained some decent damage, but my ego may have taken the biggest hit of all. Here’s the scoop: There were three classes in the library that morning, in addition to about a dozen kids on individual passes. When the shaking started I was walking down … Continue reading Gratitude Day 2: Happy Endings & Lessons Learned
