I'm not much of a fair-weather blogger

Dear reader -- you may have noticed that I don't post much during the summer.
Well, now it's officially Autumn, and foul weather has arrived in South-central Alaska. We've had wind and rain the last couple of days (and snow last weekend!), and the frost has put an end to our gardening efforts.

Therefore, chances are I'll have more time to blog again now. In fact, I started blogging two years ago around this time of year. It's been fun -- I'm not at all a regular or dedicated blogger -- I only blog "when the mood strikes". After all, it's only a hobby, and one should never become a slave to a hobby!

So what am I up to these days? Well, my olderst daughter is about to return from hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), roughly 2660 miles. It will probably be a difficult re-entry into "real" life, after having spent 6 months away from "regular" civilization -- probably on par to returning from a stint in a war zone or in prison, where one has gotten used to a life very different from "normal". Now she has the challenge of re-entering the job market, which has not improved a whole lot since she left...

At my own work, school class fieldtrips are slowing way down, and the Nature Center has started "winter hours". For me, that means I'll have time to bake and start quilting again -- I've agreed to make a 15th Nature Center anniversary quilt for next spring, so I better get started on that. Also, I'll be taking a trip to visit my folks in Germany later in October.


For now, I'm busy with "fall" cleaning around here (sort of the equivalent of spring cleaning): mosquito screens are taken down; the garage has been cleaned out enough to make room for the family wagon. The camper is winterized and stored, and firewood stacked for the winter. Soon, we need to change the summer tires to studded winter tires so we can drive on the ice and snow that is sure to come soon.

But not too soon!

Where did August go?

It's the 1st of September, and fall is definitely in the air !!!
Leaves are starting to turn color, and we're hearing Sandhill cranes -- way up high in V-formation, heading South!
This past month has just flown by: first 2 weeks of August we spend visiting hubby's folks in South Dakota, with a short stop in Colorado. Upon our return to RAINY Alaska (records have been set -- longest consecutive period of rain) -- we dove back into school/work and music. The kids participated in a 2-week marathon Chamber Music Festival, which culminated in 4 concerts last week, which were wonderful!
But, we're exhausted!

Someday, hopefully before the snow falls, I plan to post pictures -- I took alot, but now I've got to find the time to "wade" thru them...

Over Labor Day we're hoping to go camping nearby (weather permitting), with Wolfman recovering from the removal of 3 wisdom teeth -- that takes place tomorrow!

WISH HIM LUCK!

'Twas Hallow's Eve, and all through the town...

The wolves are howling at the moon in the early morning!
We've been having clear cold nights in the teens for 10 days now -- so it's been a bit nippy -- definitely frost-on-the-pumkin (frozen solid!) weather.


But no matter how cold, on Halloween Night Alaskan kids go trick-or-treating.


The girls are putting on make-up: they're going as PUNKS!










We took a bunch of kids trick-or-treating in a more densely-packed neighborhood, where people really get into the spirit of the spooky night... My favorite was the ghostlady who answered her door all covered in tulle (the material that wedding veils are made of).






Here is Little One as "Puff", the Magic Dragon Princess, all bundled up to stay toasty warm for Alaskan trick-or-treating. The pre-teen punks were not dressed nearly warm enough, and consequently got rather COLD, having chosen fashion over sensible clothes -- a common occurrence between age 10 and 20 something...






Back at home, big brother HAD to survey (and sample!) the loot, even if he's outgrown the actual trick-or-treating...

Alaska Harvest

It's harvest time. We got our first slushy snowflakes (mostly rain though) yesterday.
I'm stocking up on potatoes and other produce from the Farmer's Market, which is in its last week. Some of my favorites are the purple varieties!
Potatoes grow very well here -- but mine did not make it this year. My potato patch is located over the septic area we feared needed to be torn up (phew -- it didn't!) but that explains the general neglect!
Most years my cabbages are harvested by the moose before I get to them -- so now I'm growing them in pots -- still got some kohlrabi hanging under the house eves.

Growing tomatoes is not really possible without a greenhouse. I have 2 potted tomato plants I've been babying since May, carrying them in and out of the house depending on the weather. They produced some decent grape/cherry-sized tomatoes. BUT... thanks to the South Dakotan branch of the family, we recently received a box of the tastiest, juciest big tomatoes (Thanks, Jerry!)
Our Alaskan friends and neighbors are so JEALOUS!

Blueberry-picking

We went blueberry picking 2 weekends ago, with our friends who live one valley up from us. They now have snow at their house!
There was much frolicking among the kids -- so for a bunch more pictures, go to Pickin' blupers

Fall means getting ready for winter

It's been a glorious fall so far -- the colors are magnificent, the air smells so good! Sunday was my first day off in a while, and I just couldn't stay inside, even if the household needs some major attention. Instead I kept myself busy outside: cleaning the yard, winterizing, etc.

I took this picture of Mt. Cumulus yesterday. The snowline is still above4000 feet (1200m).
-- before long the snow will blanket us and it will look like this:






















As my family can attest, I started the day grumpy with "there's so much to do..." Besides the usual of raking leaves, covering the canoe, bikes and lawnmover with the quintessential "big blue tarp", I'm trying to clean up the garage to get make room for the car (we had our first frost at the house last night!) . I've finally finished moving over a chord of firewood from the west side of the house to it's new location near the kitchen/dining entrance.
And finally, around 3 in the afternoon, I got started on stripping our old picnic table & benches, so I can give them a new coat of weatherproofing. I love woodworking, even though my arms hurt last night after a couple of hours or sanding -- but I slept like a baby after a busy day of physical labor, proud of all I got done. Now I just wish I could bottle some of this energy for the dark winter months...

Fall is here!

Fresh snow in the mountains.
Leaves are turning; the air feels crisp.









A patch of lichen and lingonberries.
Lingonberries are called "low-bush cranberries" in Alaska. Their skins are tough, and they'll last all winter frozen on the plant (or in the freezer).
We toss them into German pancakes and baked goods together with blueberries.