My coffee is hot ... and I'm down to 5 minutes ...

but I wanted to share a few more pictures from the weekend. It may take me all week to get these on here! There is nothing like browsing Copper Center in the rain with a camera. Snap picture ... tuck under rain jacket ... snap another picture ... tuck in again. Well worth it tho'!

Ingenuity is something, isn't it? This was on the wall at the place we camped. He had all kinds of interesting flower containers ....

While I was busy snapping ... Donna & Anna found the jewelery. My Anna does love jewelry. :)

Back to the parking spot to cook up some hotdogs and then put out a fire. I can just envision these two twenty years from now ... still playing with sticks in the fire pit.

Some things never change. Whether it is boys in the fire or myself gazing at piles of old wood. I was nearly salivating at this stuff. I had made so many frames and fun things ... and hadn't even touched the stuff. It is still sitting there. I didn't help myself ... I was itching to ask tho'.

This would be our typical Alaska ... where we love our flower baskets.

They just brighten our summers.

I really have to run.

I spent the evening outdoors after work yesterday.

Rhubarb picked again.

Petunias tossed out in the woods. (I'll tell you why ... and then would you please remind me not to plant them next year.)

Anything, just anything, to be outside and enjoying the summertime.

Really, I'm going.

Have a great one!

Has it been an entire week since I've visited with you?

My goodness.

What a week!

In a quick recap ...

Last Sunday we attended the Sunday School picnic. The weather surprised us and was absolutely beautiful! Enough so that Janelle (in the shorts and brown tank) needed shorts. Mind you, she's here visiting from Phoenix. Okay. She's been here for a while ... several weeks. Doesn't take long to acclimate! My pictures turned out rather cruddy and I didn't manage to get too many of them.

We left the picnic a bit early and went drove up to share Hatchers with Ken & Donna. A must see if you're up here visiting with us.

We brought home a new friend to spend the night ... and lost another kiddo for the nite. (It's been that kind of a fun summer with lots of folks up here visiting. Super fun!)

Monday had Ken & Donna heading down to Seward and Homer. They did plenty of sight seeing and got in some halibut fishing. We did some more kid swapping day by day ... and more company in the evenings.

Thursday I had the day off work. Surprise!! Donna and I headed to Anchorage with B, A and T. Anna leaves to Minnesota for confirmation camp in one week ... and I'm getting a bit stressed. She needs things. Then she needs, really needs, more things! We got the confirmation black skirt and white top done. Whew! She found a purse that she just had to have ... otherwise she did really well! Dinner at Noisy Goose (or whatever other name we came up with) in the evening.

Thursdays car ride to and from town was quite fun. I laughed 'til I cried sometimes. We started playing with states names and came up with an endless mix of things.

What did Della wear? (Delaware)

A New Jersey.

She spilled a mini soda (Minnesota) was ended up washing tons (Washington).

Why did she do that?

I don't know. I'll ask her (Alaska).

Good stuff.

Friday it was back down to the Klutina again. This time we were a tad bit smarter and much more unlucky in the fish department. We hauled the camper along. We're more than ready to accept the fact that we aren't 18 years old ... and would like to get some sleep here and there. It worked out quite well. Stop for a "potty stop" without waiting in lines at restrooms ... while the youngest one takes a nap at the same time. Maybe she has a wee bit of her mom in her. I can sleep wherever and whenever ... love it!

The skies didn't look incredibly bright and brilliant on the way down ... and we never did see the sun.

We did camp right next to the river ... couldn't get closer for dipping the lines in the water. Problem was that the fish weren't having any of it.

So we walked down the street to the Fireweed Festival ...

browsed the museums ...

and even showed off Eskimo YoYo skills!

And, now, I've run out of minutes for this mornings chat with you. My coffee is cold in the cup and I must be getting off to work. We did have a fun day on Saturday with many mega somethings used up on the camera ... I'll be back to share!

By the time we reached the bottom ...

the rainbow was gone ... and so was the pot of gold.

I really was planning to share with you.

Fishing and a suprise for Tia

Seriously, I love surprising my kids.

Totally love it.

I don't know how Tia didn't pick up on the fact that we were getting company, but she didn't.

Not a whit.

She knew we were getting company.

She just was off the wrong track ... sort of helped there by dad.

Thursday nite Ken & Donna came up for their first trip to Alaska. We are thrilled to have them here! Can't wait for them to see some of the places we thoroughly enjoy. They'll be going off on a few adventures of their own ... they'll love it .. we're sure of it.

Friday evening dinner was fresh caught Klutina River salmon ... after shopping for fishing licenses and waders for a planned trip out on Friday nite. Delicious!!

Drive up along the Glenn Highway. We probably left around 7ish pm.

Got up to the river with plenty of time to spare. Ken & Donna's licenses weren't good 'til midnight ... no use spending money on a day with an hour of fishing in it. Save it for the other end instead.

Met Nate & Rita there with the kids ... both had caught their limits and it was time for Leah to do some fishing. What a helpful daddy he is.

While waiting ... I learned how to attach the necessary things to my line. Figured by the time I was done ... I deserved to catch a fish. Okay ... I'm still not going to be clubbing the thing, removing the hook or fileting ... at least not yet.

Midnight finally came!!  Shortly after this we moved on down the river and I left the camera behind. We fished 'til about 4 a.m. when I couldn't see straight anymore and was so tired it was getting a wee bit chilly. Mission accomplished!! Ken, Donna and I had all caught our first Alaskan Salmon!! Jari did a great job of getting plenty more for us.

I have never stood on a river fishing and watched the sun rise and set ... all within a few hours. Solstice is around the corner. Finally got the camera when we got back to the truck ... at shortly after 4 a.m.

While the sun was lifting up into the sky ...

people started to fill the river banks. Night fishing is awesome. You're virtually alone out there. No combat stuff going on. I nearly hooked Jari while throwing out my line ... would really hate to hook someone I don't even know!

Before my eyes closed and my neck moved to a permanent crooked position for the ride home, I did manage a "stop for a minute" moment. I really wish I could have stayed awake. There was no hope for me. Imagine the beautiful photo opportunities I missed along the way. Voi etta!

This is what happens when you fall asleep and don't hide the camera ... you sort of get caught in the act. Thank goodness the other 3 in the ride took turns driving. Home to sleep for a bit ... others for a longer bit. :)

Ross came over with his vacuum sealer thingy and ...

they got to work! Love the supervisor there .. he did a great job of it!

Tomorrow it is off to the Sunday School picnic ... and it's raining. Maybe if we all cross our fingers hard enough it will stop for the day. This summer is starting to feel like the one 2 years ago. Cool and rainy. I guess I really don't care, but I would like the vegies to have some heat and sunshine for a bit.

Me? I'll still choose the sweatshirt over the air conditioner.

Oh.

Yeah.

There is also that salmon fishing.

I'm hooked.

It just seems to be a challenge

to get to this blog lately. Maybe not the blog itself, but to taking pictures to share with you! I need to just jump in the car and drive ... with a camera in hand. So in the meantime ... you get to walk around the yard with me.

The fish are running on the Klutina and Jari is planning on heading there tomorrow. Friday evening entertainment for me was defrosting the freezer. Crack. Me. Up. What happened to good ol' Friday nites ... those when you went out to eat or something like that. Now I'm thrilled to get the freezer defrosted! Maybe so I can go fishing?

The rest of the weekend was typically busy and so good.

Saturday:

• glasses in to get the bows fixed (I am now wearing prescription reading glasses)
• refrigerator cleaned (really need to hit the grocery store)
• stop in at a retirement party to celebrate a career in the Army
• laundry room mucked out (at least for the moment)
• our field of dandelions got mowed
• completely missed all the photo ops at the Colony Days celebration. Bummer.
• a trip to Target (it is amazing the things that I schedule into this life of mine)
• Jari finished building me this!

The space without plants has been Duke's space. It was his place to lay and protect "his people". Back against the house wall ... just as in our other house. Anything I tried to plant just didn't survive. He just laid on it and killed it. Sorry, Duke. It is no longer yours. I want to tie something around the joints of this little rustic fence. Either some young sapling branches or some birch bark. Either way ... I love it! The first half of the area is full of strawberry plants. I put them in the ground last year and they are really going wild this summer. Now to fill the other side with the same. I was told yesterday that I could do this

with the runners. I snipped off the ones that were headed in the wrong direction and we'll see what happens. I may not need to buy another plant. My strawberry rhubarb pie garden may just work out after all! Who needs a salsa garden, right?

Jari also made me something else that I was asking for ... but I need to take the broom to it before I dare post a picture. It does look quite sweet. Cost nothing, looks good and serves the intended purpose. Can't beat that!

Some things just take a while to get done. Why is that? We Jari put plastic up on one side of the porch over the winter ... the last of which finally came down yesterday evening. And several baskets went up. Now the flowers just need to grow!

Tom Huhta was here for the weekend (bringing along his 10 year old son who dreams of moving here someday) so we had a nice discussion Saturday evening, followed by a very nice Sunday afternoon. We had Steve and Jeannette over in the evening. It has been so much fun having them here in town. Moments like these ...

are pure priceless. (Anna, I pilfered a picture from your FB.)

Otherwise, I'm just enjoying summer ... and planning a wee bit for winter.

Was just pumped yesterday bright and early in the morning. Once in a while I hop on the airline sites to see if there is anything worthwhile anywhere. Last year I missed the deal because I didn't have time scheduled off of work. This year I got it! I've already scheduled vacation from work for the end of February and beginning of March. What would have worked as far as Spring Break last year won't work this year. SB is one week later. Kids are going to miss 2 weeks of school. Ouch. We'll just have to work and plan on that ahead of time. Two tickets down. Several more to go. Fly from Anchorage to Phoenix for 25,000 miles round trip (20,000 if you use a US Airways credit card for your $30 fee). Anna figures she can do the missing school thing. Let's hope the state of Alaska has some money come PFD time in the fall ... and maybe we'll manage to get a couple more flights scheduled. Now I have to just fix the vacation days at work. I have us leaving a day earlier that I planned on. Messes me up all the time .. this leaving after midnight stuff!

Off to work and then maybe some overtime this evening. Someone gave me a great idea for a chicken dinner last week. I can't remember what he mixed in with the honey! (I wonder if his wife remembers .. I know where to find her.) It is driving me crazy! I'll do what I can remember .. and put it in the crockpot instead of a baking bag ... and see what happens!

Have a great day!

Friday morning ...

I heard the oddest thing this morning. Was sitting out on the porch and I heard what sounded like a cow eating grass. Munch, Munch, Munch. I really have heard that sound before.
And. I. Don't. Own. A. Cow.
I had a moment of fear for my garden.
Then I realized that the sun has been in hiding and my garden doesn't really know what it should do without sunshine.
Whew!
So, what does a good girl do?
She grabs a camera.
And couldn't find any critters to capture.

Instead she captured a bit of everything else around here.

I have been assured that the lawn will be mowed on Saturday. I don't know that I would necessarily call it a lawn at this point. Maybe a weed patch. But it is green ...

and our darling Duke does love to smell the flowers ... he doesn't care what color they are.

Lilacs. Everyone else has lilacs in full bloom. Mine are trying to get there. I'll just get to enjoy them longer. :)

My mystery white tree that blooms absolutely beautiful and gives me no fruit whatsoever. She gives plenty of beauty enough without the fruit ... I'll keep her.

Strawberries doing a great job of growing ...

while I'm way behind in the zucchini department.

The nasty little critters are building themselves a home in the greenhouse. We kicked them off the screened porch ... looks like they found a new home. We're letting them stay a while. We even made extra holes for them so they could get in ...

and we're hoping they do the pollinating for me.

Dahlias probably won't grow for me. If my lilacs still aren't blooming ... is it any wonder that my tulips won't bloom? Why do I think that dahlias would?

Violas are just the daintiest ever.

The wooded areas are absolutely beautiful. Full of soft feathery ferns and wild roses.

You're not likely to catch me on a shopping expedition of any kind in my free time. Instead, perhaps I'll take a camera with me and head out on an explore through the trees this weekend ... seeing what I can find.

Another busy weekend around the corner. Jari went fishing today with Steve Forstie ... talk about a throwback in time. They use to fish together every Tuesday evening ... for years. Did they golf on Thursday mornings? I can't remember which day of the week it was. They'll have a great time, and if the kings are biting for them ... then it'll be what my dad calls a perfect day of fishing ... nothing to clean!