Fall . . . I love the start of fall

September 2, 2014 the a.m. dog walk was under northern lights!  What a treat!  The air is crisper, the stars are out, and the mornings are now dark here.  I walk the dogs with the light of my head lamp leading the way so I don't kill myself walking in the dark.

Yesterday we had a good ol'storm rain for most of the day, high winds, and pounding crashing surf.  We also had  a "Sadie Storm."  A sick barfing dog from 3:00 a.m.  until 5:00 p.m.  I hate when our animals get into trash or dead things on the tundra or beach.  Luckily they seem to survive what ever they seem to think they need to eat.  Today I am watching her as she finally ate something and lets just hope it follows the normal course to the end result.

Here is a health Miss Sadie before she food some nasty treat that made her so sick.  She is fine but for about 12 hours she was one sick girl!

I am in love with the tundra! A close up antler lichen or it is sometimes called caribou lichen.  I am always fascinated by the plant life on the tundra.  At times I am convinced there is a whole little world of gnomes and creatures that live under its coverage.

Christian with "the girls".  We were able to mountain bike over the week-end.  We rode on the hard pack road that was put in on the beach to help reinforce the sea wall.

Oh in search of the internet!

Since I made this post yesterday WE NOW HAVE INTERNET AT OUR HOUSE ONCE AGAIN!!!!!!!  I can now add captions to photos!
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As soon as I have internet at my house again I will be posting!  I have a lot to share but no working internet.  This may be a good thing as I tend to get more work related things done!  Since it is my house I really don't like working from my house . . . at times I have to as there is no one interrupting me there.  Back to the issue no internet which makes it hard to blog.  I am hoping next week we will have internet back and working until then . . .

Photos just to let you know we made it back to Alaska and captions  will be added once we have internet!

Tally resting after a day in the back seat on our drive north and me knitting away during sunset. Some where in BC.

A short stroll from Nakusp Hot Springs in BC,

Tally enjoying a swim some place along the Alcan highway.  Every day the girls got to swim in a new swimming hole.

I love this photo of Tally she is all about FUN!

The nosiest campground in all of BC!  It was also very clean with wonderful campground hosts.  This rail line was yards from our camping spot and there was another on the other side of the river.  

The girls enjoying the AC and view.  If their eyes could talk: "Are we there yet?"

Jiffy Pop Popcorn!  The secret is a leather glove and vice grips and you get perfect popcorn every time.

Kluane Lake a beautiful spot which we love.  Last spring it was frozen on the drive south.  Now we all got to enjoy the sunshine and ice free lake.

One of our favorite hot springs, Liard Hot Springs, and I do mean hot!  This one is set in a pretty spot and always a treat.

Liard Hot Springs

This is the divider between the extremely hot pool and the lower temperature pool.

The boardwalk at Liard to the pools a pleasant stroll.

Takhini Hot Springs This place was a great discovery in the spring.  The pool is currently filling in the early a.m. 

Tetlin Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.  This little place has a nice small campground with the call of the lonely Loon.

Tetlin Camp ground with the morning cup of joe!

Back home in the village rainbow and all!

Christian with his huge grayling!

Now we are talking FISH---silver salmon from the Unalakleet River.

Another HUGE salmon!

Christian with a salmon more our liking!

Rainbow above Unalakleet River

Unalakleet in the far distance by Norton Sound and miles of tundra.

We actually hard a visitor here!  Our friend Karrin, recently back from Africa and now working in AK, dropped in for a week-end visit!

Here are several Kayaks a few plastic and the rest have been made by Maligiaq.  He was here at our school for some work.  I wasn't able to get in a paddle but I hope to next year. 

Maligaq working on a practice paddle.

Knitting and mosquitoes sometimes don't mix!

Central Ave Bakery & Deli: 237 central Avenue (406)- 863-8788

This summer I stumbled into a fantastic bakery which I quickly fell in love with.  Central Ave Bakery & Deli is close to my home.  I can walk to their front door in about 3 minutes or bike over in about a minute! Central Ave Bakery & Deli is fun, up beat, and cheery.  The frosting on the cake is they have friendly, helpful, and extremely pleasant employees.  In simple terms, the owner knows her stuff and has created a welcoming bakery and deli in downtown Whitefish.  I love how busy they are and the constant hum of chit chat and customers coming and going.   They have some of the best bagels this side of New York!  If you are in Whitefish and looking for a nice cup of coffee, a sweet treat, a great lunch salad, sandwich, or  take home pre-made pies and dishes to bake at your home this is the place!  I am sure you will be as pleased as I am to add Central Ave Bakery & Deli to your list of favorite bakeries and rest stops!

Bláithín

My Bláithín sweater is true to form creeping along ever so slowly.  I did make yet another change and learned and used German Short rows which worked out great and got rid of several gaping openings form the turn and wrap method I deplore!

New fan of German Short Rows for shaping.

No loops or large stitches from turn and wrap.

Sewing in the loose ends from the color work on the yoke.

I am presently working on the cast-off edge of the lower body.  I am stuck in a thinking stage as I can not figure out why one would cast-off 232 sts. and then pick up 232 for icord.  I am going to re-read the pattern and then most likely do an icord bind off instead.  Once that is done I will be steeking the front which means cutting the front of the sweater open.  Steeking is a method I actually really like and use often.  I was hoping to have this sweater done and off the needles before the reverse migration starts.  I am doubtful this will happen! 

Song of The Summer King

Recently, I met Jess E. Owen the author of Song of The Summer King.  Jess not only wrote Song of The Summer King but set up her own publishing company and  self-published her book!  No small feat in today's publishing world.  I had to read her book.  I really enjoyed Shard and the rest of the gryfon characters.

This book is part of The Song of The Summer King Chronicles.  It is a young adult fiction and of course fantasy.  I read it with the sole purpose of being able to recommend it to older elementary students and to the Alaska Battle of the Books committee.  I fell for the main character and can hardly keep myself from starting the second in the series.

I am not a huge fantasy fan but I  really enjoyed the strong characters in her book.   I am also not a fan of the darker side of young adult fiction out there today.  This book is full of adventure, problems and challenges one faces growing up.  It is positive and not full of the darker side of life.  I would certainly recommend this book to upper elementary  and middle school  fantasy fans.  Jess won me over and I hope I can turn some of our students on to her work.

This is Jess' second book that I can barely keep from opening!   I will be mailing this up to Alaska soon to stop me from reading it now.  I will save it for a nice stormy Alaska week-end.

Summer Time

A random selection of photos.  I take a lot of flower photos from around my home in Montana in the summer.  This way I can look at them in Alaska when it -40 this coming winter.  Hang basket and honeysuckle a great combo.

Tiger Lilies are ever so bold.

I love flower pots but I hope next year to move back to hanging porch boxes.

Sadie enjoying a cool down after a mountain bike ride.

My nephew enjoying an evening on our front porch.  Porch time is critical to my R & R that is needed before returning north.  G always makes you smile!

Sadie trying her best to relax after a stressful day in a dogs life! :-)

One of my favorite areas close to Whitefish.  This is the Haskill Basin area that I LOVE!  Soon if all goes well this drain will be protected for ever.

This is not the best photo of Fire Weed.  The story is once it blooms to the top then summer is over.  Actually when it gets to the top here in Montana it is time to return north to Alaska.  When I get to Alaska it is almost done blooming and summer is over up there!

Mmmmm yum huckleberries! We have been picking and making milk shakes!  My favorite way to eat these berries is right off the bush by the handfuls!

Colorful Indian Paint Brush.

The end to another great mountain bike ride----thanks Christian!

Tally relaxing after our ride.

Nothing like a good back rub after a great ride.

Time Flies . . .

Once again time races by like a bolt of lighting. We have been far too busy!  Two family reunions. One of which we were completely responsible for . . . WORK lots of WORK!  House guests . . . and what have I learned?  I have learned, I am very selfish when it comes to my time and if I don't stay in my routine-----I am not a nice person.  Enough said!