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
Summer is a time for salmon, and Alaskans are chasing them right now. A few weeks ago we headed to the Kasilof for some fishing. The fish weren’t running strong, but the sun was shining and we decided to give it a shot. Our family’s dipnet permit allows us to catch up to 55 fish per season, and the kids are now old enough to strap on … Continue reading Watch us Dip, Watch us Net, Net!
After all the big water, ocean going boating experiences this summer I cannot describe how great it felt to be back on the Kenai River last weekend. We’ve had our little raft almost as long as we’ve been in Alaska, and it’s been the vessel for many memories: getting engaged on the Gulkana River, Clark’s float hunts on the King Salmon, and camping with a … Continue reading Back to simpler times
I’m not sure what is up with me. Usually I covet the time I carve out to write in this blog, but since we’ve been back I’ve felt a bit uninspired. A transitional period, perhaps? Nothing profound? Post-vacation funk? Back-to-school blues? Or maybe we have just been going strong, reuniting and reconnecting with our Alaskan family. In hindsight, we’ve only been home for a little … Continue reading Inspired vs. Tired
Profoundly Ordinary 