I missed the party.

I missed the 25th Anniversary Party this evening for Becky & Wayne.

The party was a tad bit early as their anniversary isn't actually until August 24th, but family was in town ... and it worked.

Well ... not all of the family was in town.

I was home pouting a little bit.

I got over it.

I was on call and had to head back into work. As I was entering the hospital, I met Sharwyn leaving. She just got back from a cruise that took her to ports in Russia, Finland, Sweden, etc. Before she left, I had told her to think of me when she stood in front of the Tuomio Kirkko ... and if she had a chance ... to sample some Geisha chocolate.

My favorite.

Guess what she pulled out of her backpack and handed me.

So I had my wee little pity party with Geisha chocolate. Mmmmm. It was delicious. Then I had to hide it.

Jari really likes Finnish chocolate.

He ingests it faster than I do! (one really wouldn't think that was possible .. but it is.)

What else does one do at a Pity Party?

They head for the greenhouse ... where outside the potato plants are growing quite nicely. Next years garden is going to be quite sizeable ... I'm hoping ... in a different location.

Into the greenhouse where flowers can grow in any container available. Isa, do you remember this oil can? I confiscated it for the summer.

Tomatoes are blooming ... and I'm seriously thinking about piping music in for them. Remember that I have a bee hive growing in the greenhouse. I hand pollinate ... I fertilize ... I might start singing. I really (in case you can't tell) would like some tomatoes this year.

The plants sure like to grow. Will see if they manage to do anything else for me.

I gave up on the zucchini outside ... and started some inside. The look much better inside. Grow ... grow ... grow. I'm just tasting grilled zucchini. Might be handy if they bloomed first, tho'.

I know if you shake the tomato plants ... the entire greenhouse smells like tomatoes. But raspberries? I'm sure I can smell them somedays. I'll have to figure out how to trim these plants after the growing season. Any hints and tips are welcome. I've never had raspberries before and really don't know what I'm doing with them other than watching them grow ... and hoping to eat plenty of berries.

The strawberries are doing what they're suppose to. It is always fun to find a spot that works for something. They love their home. We love that they love it. They're giving us absolutely delicious tasting berries ... two at at time. We share that way. :)

I did some more walking about the yard ... will share another day. In the meantime, should you call, you'll probably find me out here. My favorite ever place around here. The sun (should it shine) likes to beat through the roof and heat the porch up quite nicely. It actually hit a whopping 90 degrees the other day. The mosquitos haven't been issued an invitation inside which really makes it quite nice. We haven't moved the grill ... and decided not to. Makes hauling food to the kitchen very convenient. The chairs are comfy out there ... and you only have to watch where you sit when it rains for a while. Then the roof leaks. But who cares? Not me. I still love it out there ....

watching the peas grow.

Off to a bonfire.

Okay.

So it was rather late when we started out.

I took a quickie nap after dinner.

Jari started downloading updates to his i-phone and wiped out the entire phone.

THAT became a big problem involving all kinds of monkey business that I don't understand, so it got to be after 9:00 pm when we started out to the bonfire.

Over the top of Hatchers ... I've never gone over the top before!

My camera and I don't get along very well when it gets dusky outside so I just left it at home.

Shouldn't have.

Remember that next time, Anita!

Made do with the camera on my phone.

We were looking for a paper plate attached to a tree on a dirt ride to the right ... or maybe the left ... which way were we coming from anyway?

We rode high up in the clouds. Knowing that we were surrounded by mountains and steep drop offs on one side of the road at all times. Catching glimpses of a mountain top here and there.

Back down out of the clouds ... absolutely beautiful! Mind you ... it was about 10:30 at night. Summer is still with us. The clouds were out in force and rain drops started falling as we descended.

We did find the paper plate.

And we met Ross & Denise coming out on the one track path as we were heading in.

So, backwards we went.

They were all soaked and leaving.

We got a good Friday evening drive out of the deal.

Saw so many beaver dams we were just amazed.

We marveled at the people who live in this world's inner cities who will never get to experience this kind of wonder.

And then we stopped for ice cream, chocolate and icees at Turner's Corner. Always a Post Hatcher treat for us. Kind of a habit to be perfectly honest.

Home to lose one game of Monopoly Deal and win another ... and hit the mail pile ... done with that ... cross that off the list!!

It is now tomorrow ... 2:00 a.m. to be honest .. what am I doing?!?!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

Almost made it through the week ... couple more hours to go.

Anna left for Minnesota yesterday.

Our Anna is such an easy going person. Gets along with everyone and her personality is so sunny. We are going to miss her around here. She's off to Summer Services in Minnesota this weekend, then some visiting with family and friends ... and finally on the 21st to confirmation camp at Stoney Lake.

Now I need to get busy and find her updated immunization records and fax them in.

Problem: the school has them and the school is closed.

First on the list of things to do this weekend is find something and get it faxed in.

No camping for us this weekend. I had wanted to go to McCarthy, but we'll save it for another time. I volunteered for Call on Sunday as we were planning on staying home for the weekend. On the list instead:

• clean out the dreaded mail basket
• start working on mucking out the basement
• find a miracle cure for my wilting cucumber plants
• try to make some refrigerator pickles
• dust the baseboards
• spend as much time outside as possible
• do some baking while inside and listen to services online from Minnesota
• maybe barbeque a bit and visit a bit
• take in the parade in Wasilla
• win a few rounds of Monopoly Deal

Have a great weekend!

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.