tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68510018094814933072024-03-14T07:24:40.589-06:00Dog, Dog, MooseA Colorado girl, her 2 cavaliers,
and their move to Alaska!!Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-29551310011375172622012-10-28T08:00:00.000-06:002012-10-28T08:00:03.277-06:00Salmon FishingI was invited to go on a salmon fishing charter this summer ~ the last time I went fishing was when I was a kid and we went camping. And that was from a shoreline, not a boat. So this was quite a different experience.<br />
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We drove down to Seward, which is about a 3 hour drive south of Anchorage.<br />
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This was our fishing vessel... <br />
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The Seward harbor...<br />
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Our fishing poles...<br />
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Fish bait...<br />
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And this was one of the salmon we caught...<br />
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The charters are great because they provide you with everything you need to fish. They'll even bait your hooks as well as gut, clean and filet your fish before you get back to shore. <br />
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Unfortunately I didn't get any other pictures than these because after I caught my first fish, my time was spent leaning over the boat bringing up my breakfast ~ apparently I do not have sea legs even with taking Dramamine. Several whales were also spotted along the way but as soon as I looked out at the sea to see them, it brought back my motion sickness. I had a lot of fun fishing and would love to do it again, but not if it means getting sick...I've either got to find a bigger boat, or stick to fishing from the shoreline... :)Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-81113098453419299732012-10-26T22:49:00.000-06:002012-10-26T22:50:41.548-06:00KayakingThe last activity we had planned for our Denali adventure was a kayaking trip ~ it was on a lake in Denali State Park (which is adjacent to Denali National Park) ~ a beautiful setting with Mt. McKinley hovering behind us...our guide told us it gets pretty smelly when the salmon are running but we were about 3 weeks too early for that experience...<br />
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and because we took a million pictures, and the mountain is so impressive, here are some final shots...<br />
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I would definitely head up north again ~ I want to do one of the flights around the mountain the next time I go!Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-89974170140788006442012-10-21T23:35:00.001-06:002012-10-21T23:35:50.439-06:00Denali National ParkI have been a complete slacker in updating the blog for several reasons, but am finally back...pretty pathetic that July was my last entry...have had a lot go on since then, so will be updating my pictures and entries since this is basically my on-line journal of AK experiences... <br />
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Denali National Park made national headlines this summer with the unfortunate death of a backpacker, killed by a grizzly bear within the park. It was a sad incident all-around as the suspected bear was later destroyed as well. Fortunately, the bears we saw on our visit earlier in the summer were all from a safe distance... <br />
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Continuing with our June trip to the park...the park is 6 million acres...bigger than the state of Massachusetts. Personal vehicles are only allowed to drive the first 15 miles into the park. If you want to go further in...far enough to hopefully see Mt. McKinley (or as my friend's son kept calling it "Mountain McKinley"), you have to ride in one of the park buses...we were all thinking we would be in those nice air-conditioned, cushiony seated buses...but no, they are old school buses, painted forest green.<br />
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We saw this mom and baby as we drove in to the park ~ one of the closest encounters we had with wildlife...thankfully from the comfort of our own vehicle...<br />
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The park is beautiful...<br />
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Dall sheep</div>
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Caribou</div>
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Fox</div>
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Denali was not visible...it's hiding in the clouds</div>
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This is at the end of our bus ride at the visitor center</div>
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Joleigh very attentive to the Park Ranger sharing information...</div>
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Getting sworn in as junior rangers...</div>
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see below...one of the bears we saw...</div>
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from V-E-R-Y F-A-R A-W-A-Y...</div>
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Truthfully, I was a little disappointed in our creature viewing from our first day in the park...I'd seen wildlife, including bears, from much closer at home in Anchorage...but the next day, we drove ourselves to the end of the road for a hike and as we neared our destination, we came across this bear...still a distance away, but much closer...</div>
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We watched him for quite awhile...mainly because he was slowly heading in the direction where we had intended to hike...so we thought it would be a good idea to see where he went first...<br />
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The people in this car got a nice close-up</div>
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We spoke with the people in this car after the bear had passed...they said when they rolled up their window, the bear jumped at the sound which is what you see him doing in the picture below...</div>
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We continued with a hike through the park on one of the numerous trails...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
caribou</div>
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Denali National Park is the only national park with a working dog sled team...they allow you to visit with the dogs at the kennel and they offer demonstrations at different times throughout the day. <br />
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These dogs were quite a bit larger than the dogs we saw on our dog sled ride...these guys are used for work in the park, so strength over speed is more desirable in them...they are used to get to places in the park that are not accessible by vehicles.<br />
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They breed one female each year and this year, there were 3 new pups...they were SO cute...very sleepy and very playful... <br />
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The ranger brought the team around during the demo. When these dogs retire from being on the team, they are either used to help train the new pups or they are adopted out. The day we were there, one of the older dogs was preparing to go to a new home in Montana. <br />
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I think I have pictures for at least one more entry from this trip...will update again soon!</div>
Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-23079398080340153792012-07-20T00:46:00.000-06:002012-07-20T00:46:26.145-06:00Denali...Mt. McKinley...DenaliThe name is interchangeable ~ I hear it both ways ~ not sure if one is more 'local' than the other...but my Colorado friends and I took a 4 day trip up to Denali National Park...we took our time driving up, and stopped in Wasilla at the local 'beach' for a quick lunch...<br />
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There were actually quite a few swimmers and sunbathers...it was in the low 60's...still a little too cold for me, but apparently a heat wave for locals...<br />
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I wanted to check out the town of Talkeetna as well as I had heard it mentioned quite a bit ~ it's the jumping off point for those who intend to climb McKinley. It's also where you go if you plan to take a flight around the mountain. We were told one of the best views of the mountain would be from the Talkeetna Lodge...and we were not disappointed...but keep in mind, Talkeetna is still 124 miles away from the Denali Park entrance...<br />
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You can see the tip of the mountain through the clouds...the brighter white through the greyer/bluer white...it's truly amazing seeing it up close...and more than once we were told that only 30% of people that visit the park / the area are able to see the mountain as it's often hidden by the clouds.<br />
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The lodge itself is really nice ~ would be a great place to stay for a weekend<br />
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playing with the camera, alternating the focus between the mountain and the flowers<br />
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See the plane flying low in the photo? A lot of small planes in the area...<br />
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Talkeetna is a small, quirky town...<br />
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There were colorful, decorated moose scattered throughout - decorated by local school children...we stopped for ice cream and were tempted to do one of the flights but decided that experience would have to be for another time ~ I definitely plan to return and do it at some point though.<br />
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We were constantly on the look out for any wildlife we might be able to see...especially bears...<br />
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I saw this as we drove over a bridge and was so excited...BEARS!! We turned around and went back to look, only to discover they weren't bears...they were BOULDERS!! :)<br />
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We continued catching glimpses of the mountain along the way and pulled over several times - pictures really don't do justice to how impressive it is towering above everything else...<br />
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We decided to have dinner here, as we didn't think the view would get much better anywhere else...<br />
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And there was actually an interesting story about this place...it's called Mary's McKinley View Lodge - after a woman named Mary Carey. In 1962, she drove from Texas to Alaska by herself to start a new life after her husband died. She taught in Talkeetna and homesteaded 100 miles from the nearest road at a spot with the best view of McKinley she had ever seen. She was an advocate for building the Parks Highway and the story goes that when she wrote to the governor about building a highway up from Anchorage to the park, he replied, "Alaska already has two roads, how many do you want in one state?" When the Parks Highway was finally built by her homestead in 1973, she built the above lodge at mile 134 along the highway. She wrote several books, including one that I purchased entitled "Alaska ~ Not for a Woman" (something she was often told by a local bush pilot). The lodge is actually now run by Mary's daughter ~ she spends the summers in Alaska at the lodge, and the rest of the year in Texas. She was in the gift shop, sharing details about her mom...including telling me that the book I purchased was typed on an old typewriter by her mother while sitting on the floor of her Alaska homestead.<span style="font: 14px Verdana, serif;"><br /></span><br />
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The mountains adjacent to McKinley are equally impressive, although they look so small in comparison...<br />
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This is the view from the deck of the lodge...<br />
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and our view from the restaurant...again, we were fortunate to have a relatively clear day ~ the clouds had shifted significantly from our stop in Talkeetna, to when we stopped for dinner. Another thing to mention ~ the best views and chances of seeing the mountain are actually outside the park because the weather around the mountain is unpredictable - people say the mountain 'makes its own weather'...and we found that to be true. I'll share photos from inside the park in another post, but we were not able to see the mountain inside the park.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-89549202007948515462012-06-27T07:00:00.000-06:002012-06-27T07:00:12.595-06:00Happy Birthday Dave!!Today is Dave's 9th birthday! Last year, both he and Duncan were gypped (I had to look up how to spell that) out of birthday celebrations (I was busy packing this time last year so Dave missed out and I was on a plane to CO this past December on Duncan's birthday). In the past, they have each received a 'store' bought birthday cake from
the local pet bakery, but that gets a little spendy and there are an
abundance of recipes available on-line, so this year, I decided Dave would get a home-made cake!<br />
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Happy Birthday Dave!! :)</div>
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They both exercised self-control for these photo ops (taken last night)...and were rewarded with cake 'samples' from the pieces carved out of the sides to make the bone shaped cake...</div>
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Peanut Butter Carrot Cake for Pooches:<br />
1 cup of whole wheat flour<br />
1 tsp. of baking soda<br />
1/4 cup of natural peanut butter<br />
1/4 cup of vegetable oil<br />
1/3 cup of honey<br />
1 cup of shredded carrots <br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease an 8x4" loaf pan. Mix together the flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients and mix until everything is well-combined. Pour into pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. "Frost" cake with peanut butter if desired.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-7428607553057630272012-06-24T19:08:00.001-06:002012-06-24T19:08:34.844-06:00Colorado VisitorsWhen I told people I was moving to Alaska, many people expressed interest in coming up for a visit, but I know it's not the easiest (or inexpensive) place to get so I didn't expect to have many people follow through on their wishes. However about 10 minutes after getting off the phone with my friend Denise, she called me back and said, "We're tentatively planning on June 2012."<br />
<br />
And here they are...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_upBUCK0zv4Bpi73bOonmvZU68CQsk25h_Y01dNnaKmEodWHqysw6fRM8J6mHZSUs4EPGp0JeHq5_rgF5Jfe4kqTAKZYU5beisxOV8E_-_oqxZDIjufWcp_jeVR3-cT2fbZcQdjaMU_I/s1600/DSCN0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_upBUCK0zv4Bpi73bOonmvZU68CQsk25h_Y01dNnaKmEodWHqysw6fRM8J6mHZSUs4EPGp0JeHq5_rgF5Jfe4kqTAKZYU5beisxOV8E_-_oqxZDIjufWcp_jeVR3-cT2fbZcQdjaMU_I/s400/DSCN0005.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brad, Damion, Denise & Joleigh</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We kept it low key the first day since they were short on sleep after a long, late night flight and early morning arrival - downtown Anchorage has an outdoor market on the weekends which is always fun to wander through. And the following day we went for a hike to Thunderbird Falls (where I'd visited last fall) and then to a Reindeer Farm in Palmer, AK.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joleigh</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The reindeer farm also had elk who liked to eat the tall grass around the farm</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
they weren't exactly shy...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
many of the reindeer (caribou) had new babies...</div>
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The farm was in a beautiful valley, the mountains in the background reminded me of being in Austria or Switzerland...</div>
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heavy sets of antlers</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
more babies</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
they also had a bison on the farm...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
as well as a moose...the bison and the moose are buddies</div>
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We contemplated doing another hike, but decided to just explore the area a little and see what we could see...there were a lot of 4 wheelers along the beach along the Knik River area...</div>
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D&D came along for the hike and the ride, and enjoyed exploring the riverbeds as well...</div>
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nothing like some good old fashioned rock throwing, right?</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Dave quickly plopped down and got comfortable, rocks and all...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Duncan had a great time too</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDB5-RJVF55pEAVhKM3WrynA9Y4fwFjvCzQ1-wx5h547GPTRZX-PF4wr8BxMjSdwU7gqrQJC1j6HgqBv16dM9w8e-tic3jC1YH_fA22_n4Pu2c758zFJ6o3pX6VUZK05MMHMNxYN-7oki/s1600/IMG_0460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDB5-RJVF55pEAVhKM3WrynA9Y4fwFjvCzQ1-wx5h547GPTRZX-PF4wr8BxMjSdwU7gqrQJC1j6HgqBv16dM9w8e-tic3jC1YH_fA22_n4Pu2c758zFJ6o3pX6VUZK05MMHMNxYN-7oki/s400/IMG_0460.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joleigh & Damion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
naptime</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
we saw a lot of signs that were used for target practice and were amused by the signs prohibiting firearms riddled with holes...</div>
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<br /></div>
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They left Anchorage Monday morning to do some exploring on their own down to Seward and Homer and then we met back up at the week for part 2 of our adventure...</div>
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<br /></div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-91959148080774883492012-06-06T00:58:00.000-06:002012-06-06T00:58:46.000-06:00Hope, AlaskaI'll be the first to admit that using 'outdoorsy' and my name in the same sentence do not exactly go together (unless it involves a pool or a deck of some kind)...but being up here makes it almost impossible not to mix the two together. I definitely was a slug during the winter compared to those I saw riding their fat tire bikes or wearing their cross country skis (to be fair, I DID go downhill skiing but that doesn't really count). But having been through the *snowiest* winter on record, I feel I have a deeper appreciation for the beautiful, sunny days we are getting and agreed to go on an 11 mile (gulp) hike last Saturday. I was assured it was an 'easy' hike (translation - not a lot of elevation increase), so I decided to give it a shot. Plus it was exploring a new area for me...Hope, Alaska.<br />
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See where it says "Potter Marsh" just below Anchorage on the map? I live sort of near there - up in the hills a bit, so on the map, I'm kind of to the right of Potter Marsh. You can see where it says "Hope" just across the water of the Turnagain Arm, across from Rainbow Valley...it's 'only' 15 miles from one side of the water over to Hope, and you can SEE Hope across the water from the Anchorage side...but there are no bridges, so you have to DRIVE all the way around the Turnagain Arm on the Seward Hwy (the red solid line) until you reach the Hope Hwy turn off...so even though it's close, it's far (approx. 80 miles)...make sense? :)<br />
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the view from the OTHER side of Turnagain Arm</div>
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it was a beautiful day! We were armed with bear spray as they are in the area, but the only evidence we saw of bear was some black, tar looking poop</div>
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we had to cross this 'avalanche' of snow...and in other areas, there were muddy, boggy messes to slog through. I had one mishap with my left shoe - it was squishy and gross as my foot sunk into the mud and covered the entire shoe, but that's what trail shoes are for, right? :)</div>
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Mountain reflection in the water</div>
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Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to hike we go...</div>
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the U.S. Forest Service comes through and clears fallen trees from the trails but this tree was tall enough for us to walk under</div>
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we didn't let an old, rickety bridge slow us down...</div>
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we all made it safely across</div>
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These plants are called "Devils Club" and I would NOT recommend reaching out blindly to grab them to help you balance as you're slogging through mud...I'm still trying to get nettles out of my hand and wrist...</div>
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the tide was out as we reached the end of our hike at Gull Rock</div>
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This was the only wildlife we saw...a Stellar Blue Jay</div>
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He was a little scavenger and we could tell he was used to being around campsites as he quickly swooped in to catch whatever crumbs he could find</div>
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We stopped for lunch at our end destination, Gull Rock</div>
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The Alaska Range (above)</div>
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The Chugach Mountains (below)</div>
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I was hurtin' by the end of the hike...sore feet, sore knees, sore back...and a word of advice...or warning...however you want to take it....if you find yourself at a fork in the trail and some of the group thinks you should go to the left because that's the way you came but the leader of the group cuts you off and says you should go to the right because he "knows where he's going" but after about 15 minutes of hiking UP and further away from the campsite that was IN VIEW at the trail fork, that same leader says, "huh, I'd have thought this trail would have met up to the beginning by now", I cannot promise that I will exercise the same restraint I did on Saturday and not cause bodily harm to the arrogant SOB. All I can say is, it's a good thing I don't have a gun...yet... :)<br />
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We DID make it back eventually...although we definitely added more time and length to our return trip (I'm not bitter about that, REALLY, I'm not...), and stopped in the actual town of Hope (population - 192) for refreshments...<br />
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This is how they serve beer on tap in Hope, AK...<br />
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Hope was a gold mining town, established in 1889</div>
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This is the Social Hall, built in 1902 and still used today for various events. It's a quaint town, in a beautiful area ~ was definitely a great way to spend the day...hike and all! :)Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-60934844776012585452012-06-05T22:46:00.000-06:002012-06-05T22:46:07.948-06:00May UpdatesA lot of these updates were shared on Facebook but for those that are not on Facebook, I'll do some quick updates here...<br />
<br />
- I felt my first earthquake - measured 4.7 on the Richter scale - there was a loud rumbling sound and then the house shook back and forth a few times - I had just woken up and felt the bed shake back and forth a little - at first I thought it was the wind, but then realized it was an earthquake...no damage was done - kind of a cool experience!<br />
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- The contractor working on the house called me a few weekends ago to report a mama bear (black bear) and 3 cubs were on the back deck...and one of the cubs was attempting to climb a tree that grows up out of the deck...I thought they'd be long gone by the time I returned home later that day, but I did catch a glimpse of the mama and one of the cubs from a distance off one of the neighboring roads...the cubs were TINY.<br />
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- Then just last week, the contractor called for me to come downstairs and 'see the bear'...we saw this little guy running through the trees/shrubs...but no sign of his mama or any siblings. I also read an article last night about a neighboring community that has been advised to be on the look out for up to 4 brown bears (grizzlies) that have been reported in the neighborhood. They killed a homeowner's llama and have been attracted by trash left out...it's a good reminder to be mindful when out and about for sure!<br />
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- We'll be at our peak soon for # of daylight hours...we're at approximately 19 hours right now...the sunset is supposed to be 11:30pm tonight. I'm sitting out on the deck right now, approximately 8:30pm with the sun still shining high in the sky...a beautiful night!<br />
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- Am seeing more and more small planes flying every day - Dave appears to think they are some kind of bird and barks at them.<br />
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- I also saw my first porcupine driving home one evening - it was attempting to cross a busy street but stopped, raised the quills on his back and turned around when he found himself in the path of a cars headlights.<br />
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- And finally, saw my first owl as well - it perched up in the tree one night a few weeks ago, I think it was trying to decide if the dogs were worth pursuing for dinner...but considering their recent vet visit, I think it would have been a challenge for the owl to haul either one of them away as Duncan is 30 lbs and Dave is 34 lbs...guess I wasn't the only one that filled out over the winter! :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcgut6QfbY4leWiA6AF3Fj8ueqxpDzZ78Afas3qIkJ3bmjU0o38DBU7egaClcHf0jvRIBNxs8wKXegNVUFdFYKjWLRn-7EEOdLpu1_4hQF-edHUDzeUxdI7rtOU9ePcEUPG1ov4ONLvTP/s1600/IMG_0352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcgut6QfbY4leWiA6AF3Fj8ueqxpDzZ78Afas3qIkJ3bmjU0o38DBU7egaClcHf0jvRIBNxs8wKXegNVUFdFYKjWLRn-7EEOdLpu1_4hQF-edHUDzeUxdI7rtOU9ePcEUPG1ov4ONLvTP/s400/IMG_0352.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-86974818799699613632012-05-19T01:42:00.002-06:002012-05-19T01:42:27.069-06:00Duck, Duck Moose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think I need to look at merchandising Dog Dog Moose...it appears there may be a market for it! :)<br />
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My cell phone rings (unknown Anchorage phone #)...<br />
Me: "Hello?"<br />
Unknown Alaskan: "Do you own Dave?"<br />
Me: (think to myself...well Dave is WORKING at the house but I wouldn't say I 'own' him)... Say out loud.. 'Um...'<br />
Unknown Alaskan: "I mean do you own a dog named Dave?"<br />
Me: (lightbulb goes ON) Say, "oh, YES, yes I do..."<br />
Unknown Alaskan: "Well, he's sitting on my porch..."<br />
<br />
The little turd decided to go on his own little jaunt down the road to the house at the end of the street...I told the nice 'neighbor' I would be right there and proceeded to drive down the road to get him...when I arrived at her home, he was happily following her back and forth as she unloaded groceries from her car. When he saw me, he came strolling over with his tail wagging like this is something he does every day. He has been known to wander but never this far, so as of now, his 'roaming' privileges are revoked indefinitely.<br />
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But at least I know his new dog tag works! :)<br />
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- Last weekend we were finally able to start seeing some of the front lawn and in the past week, quite a bit of the snow has melted...there is still a LOT left in places, but each day brings more and more greenery (well brown for the moment...but hopefully it will be changing soon)<br />
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none of this lawn was visible before last weekend...</div>
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- I think I've picked up more dog poop in the last couple of weeks than I ever have before in my life...as the snow melts, the amount of bathroom breaks the dogs made over the winter has become evident...I 'invested' in one of those pooper scooper gadgets and it was well worth it!<br />
<br />
- We've had quite a few sunny days, and I even decided to 'lay out' on the deck one afternoon - I rolled up my jeans, took off my jacket and soaked up the sun AND the 'warm' 50 degree temperatures we had that day...and then I laughed thinking if I was in Colorado, I would not be 'laying out' when it was that 'cold'...it's all relative I guess :) <br />
<br />
- Duncan & Dave both finally got haircuts thanks to "Mel's Grooming Salon"...I didn't get a 'before' picture of Dave, but here's a before & after of Duncan, and an after of Dave...I think they both lost a couple of pounds just by getting those cuts...<br />
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Dave</div>
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It's now staying light past 10:00pm - this is the dogs looking out the window last night around 9:00pm...still very light out...<br />
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We had 4 or 5 strong 'hurricane' wind storms over the fall / winter...as a result, there are many broken, damaged trees throughout the neighborhood...and there are even some that were completely uprooted as you can see below...<br />
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a lot of now 'horizontal' or leaning trees everywhere...</div>
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this is the snow behind the house...Duncan found a way back there on the other side of the house and then realized he was stuck<br />
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I took a painting class a few weeks ago...this is what the teacher's painting looked like...<br />
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and this is what mine turned out looking like...I think my lilies look like retarded star fish<br />
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it was fun to try, but definitely not one of my natural talents...what did impress me was that we only used four colors for everything...red, yellow, blue & white all mixed in a variety of ways to come up with these colors. <br />
<br />
Our final group of students finished up last week, so the part-time school job I have been doing is now finished until the fall. One of the things I've heard quite a bit about from them over the past few months was their participation in "NYO"...which stands for Native Youth Olympics.<br />
<br />
The NYO includes 10 events based on games past generations of Alaska Native people played. They are events that allowed them to test their hunting and survival skills,
increase strength and maintain endurance, agility and the balance of
mind and body. Students from 7th to 12th grade participate in the various events.<br />
<br />
The pictures below are students practicing the one foot and two foot high kick. They must jump in the air and touch the ball that is hanging from the pole with one or two feet and then land back ON their foot/feet. The ball gets raised higher and higher until there is one person left. <br />
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Students also practice balancing on one hand and kicking up to touch the ball<br />
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This event is the 'one hand reach' - students must balance their entire body weight on one hand, reach up and touch the ball hanging from the pole with their other hand, without letting any other part of their body (elbows, knees, feet etc...) touch the ground...pretty impressive...<br />
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This video is not from today but it is an example of one of the other events that takes place...</div>
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it's called the "Seal Hop"...</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9fwxT0LhdHE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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it makes my knuckles hurt just watching it...</div>
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I've really enjoyed working with the students this past year and look forward to continuing with them next fall.</div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-76690213103208627052012-04-02T01:56:00.000-06:002012-04-02T01:56:33.739-06:00Weekly Specials: Lilies & Rugers<div style="text-align: center;">
What kind of guns does YOUR local grocery store have on sale this week?</div>
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Nothing says "Happy Easter" like a fresh bouquet of flowers and a new rifle...</div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-9337578847472290422012-03-24T11:59:00.001-06:002012-03-24T11:59:43.469-06:00Outdoor Fun: Whittier, Outdoor Movies & SnowshoeingA few days after visiting Girdwood, I was invited to drive down to Whittier to check out the reports of even MORE snow than Anchorage or Girdwood - and we were NOT disappointed...<br />
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This is the school in Whittier</div>
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This is the entrance to the school...thankfully there is also an underground tunnel that leads from the residence building to the school so the students do not have to go outside...</div>
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Go Eagles!</div>
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Some of the students who come to Anchorage for the Voyage to Excellence program I am working with attend school here.</div>
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the flagpole</div>
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see the wall of snow behind the stop sign? It's HUGE</div>
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the snow covers up most of the windows</div>
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This is Carol, one of my bosses...again, see the wall of snow behind her?</div>
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This is Tony, one of my co-workers, climbing up the 'mountain' of snow behind the school</div>
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he made it to the top...</div>
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and continued to walk on top of the snow - he was walking on top of trees</div>
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one of my other co-workers, Jenna, climbing to the summit</div>
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backside of the school</div>
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and trying to come back down, without rolling down the pile of snow</div>
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here comes Tony</div>
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unique way of coming down...</div>
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As soon as we stepped out of the car and began walking through the lot, I slipped and fell on the ice...falling seems to be a natural extension of trying to walk for me....so I did NOT try to climb up any snow walls. :)<br />
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Here guys were clearing snow off the roof of a building</div>
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and again, this is the building where the majority of the 182 residents of Whittier live - the school is located behind this building</div>
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I don't think this van is going anywhere for awhile...</div>
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neither is the truck...yes, that is a truck buried next to it </div>
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docked boats</div>
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another buried vehicle</div>
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This was quite a different view of Whittier from my <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6851001809481493307#editor/target=post;postID=1406257335166155288">summer visit</a>!</div>
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Celebrating birthdays are always fun ~ especially when they are for other people! This was my contribution to the birthday boy...</div>
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thanks to one of my <a href="http://pinterest.com/melodyp/great-ideas/">Pinterest idea boards</a></div>
How does one celebrate a 40th birthday in Anchorage on a Friday evening in March? By watching an old black and white film...outside...on the side of the house...a nice arrangement of patio seating or snow benches were provided...<br />
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It was a 1922 documentary, called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanook_of_the_North">Nanook of the North</a>", projected from old film reels (you know the kind you had in junior high and high school science classes - the ones that make the click, click, click sound as they rotate around the projector)?<br />
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Nanook's family coming out of a kayak...he had a wife, a child, an infant, and a puppy all stored in that thing...it looked like a small clown car at the circus...as they all crawled out from the front of the kayak<br />
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And finally, in honor of St. Patty's Day (not really), I went snowshoeing for the first time...<br />
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looking north towards Anchorage - Mt. McKinley in the background - it was a PERFECT day - except for the part where we immediately starting snowshoeing up a VERY vertical trail...</div>
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Kicked. My. Butt!</div>
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Tailgate party afterward in honor of St. Patty's day</div>
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portable kitchen, portable speakers with Irish tunes, and Irish beer</div>
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it was fun snowshoeing...</div>
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but the tailgating was even MORE fun...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89Fpk3YLPj9OIAN76QTbU4SQ2hu-ecXIMHc_0wBPf6vjaRI_ZZPdolw8T4fRSF5WX5ge2ZX5Klvkkcdw9NJMANwaHRsc6AH0lEwMzlCDnn8RFvRLullW-pohG1NUJdEImU1WbAV9OVtCh/s1600/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89Fpk3YLPj9OIAN76QTbU4SQ2hu-ecXIMHc_0wBPf6vjaRI_ZZPdolw8T4fRSF5WX5ge2ZX5Klvkkcdw9NJMANwaHRsc6AH0lEwMzlCDnn8RFvRLullW-pohG1NUJdEImU1WbAV9OVtCh/s400/IMG_0193.JPG" width="400" /> </a> </div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-69066976564039656352012-03-22T19:10:00.001-06:002012-03-22T19:11:29.603-06:00Updates, Updates, Updates<b>IDITAROD UPDATE: </b><br />
So the Iditarod is over ~ the winner was 25 year old Dallas Seavey - the youngest musher to win the Iditarod. He follows in his father's footsteps as his father won the race in 2004. The second place winner was a female musher, Aliy Zirkle, coming in an hour after Seavey. It was fun following along reading updates on the progress and delays some of the teams encountered...stories of mushers falling asleep while riding, falling off their sled, having to catch up with their dog team. Remember Lance Mackey?<br />
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He was delayed at one stop for approximately 45 minutes while his male lead dog and his female lead dog (who was in heat) decided it was a good time to hook up. There was no breaking up those two. (I'm guessing that was NOT part of his last minute discussion in the above photo).<br />
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<b>ANCHORAGE SNOWFALL UPDATE:</b><br />
As of last week, we are 3.3 inches away from breaking the snowfall record in Anchorage...that would be over 132 inches...my math multiplication tables may be a little rusty, but I believe that is ELEVEN FEET of snow...<b> </b>there have been reports of several roof collapses over the past several weeks, including this church roof:<br />
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I thought Anchorage had a lot of snow, until I went back down to Girdwood...talk about some major snowfall...<br />
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perhaps a new marketing tool for a shed company?<br />
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kind of a funky / cool snow pattern on this roof </div>
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some Colorado influence in Girdwood :)<br />
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this looks like a gingerbread house with a big glob of frosting plopped
on the roof - just needs some candy accessories and it's all set</div>
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I attended a Mardi Gras themed fundraiser one night with some of my school co-workers...</div>
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It was a fundraiser for the <a href="http://roundhouseatalyeska.org/Home.html">Roundhouse Museum in Alyeska.</a> <br />
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It was held at one of the board members homes in Girdwood, situated with a great view of the slopes at Alyeska Ski resort<br />
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candle holders are made out of ice</div>
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wall of windows looking out at the slopes</div>
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lights on for night skiing</div>
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a wood-fire pizza oven was brought in for the evening</div>
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The beer drinking unicorn lady won the costume contest...well deserved after wearing that around for the evening! :)</div>
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I think that's enough updating for one post...but I have more to share soon!Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-60236744747453418402012-03-05T15:03:00.003-07:002012-03-05T15:03:51.604-07:002012 IditarodIn spite of my reservations about dog sledding from my January sled ride, I couldn't pass up an invitation to attend the start of the Iditarod race...one of the most popular and well known Alaskan events around.<br />
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There was a ceremonial 'start' in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, but the official start of the 40th Iditarod race took place Sunday, in Willow, Alaska, about 75 miles north of Anchorage. I rode up with some friends, one of whom was going to assist with one of the dog teams as a dog handler.<br />
It was definitely unlike anything I've ever experienced before...<br />
how do you transport 16 dogs and a sled?<br />
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The dogs each have a kennel with hay to bed down on while the sleds are stored on top of the vehicle...<br />
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some mushers kept their dogs kenneled until closer to the start time<br />
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others had them out, tied to the trucks...<br />
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catching some zzz's before the race begins...<br />
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and even dogs must provide urine samples...<br />
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how does one go about getting a dog urine sample? By tying a baggie around it's waist<br />
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I wonder how one gets the job of dog urine sample tester...<br />
There are a variety of different sleds...and they are very well packed... <br />
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lots of extra dog booties for their feet...<br />
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the dogs are lined up, getting checked over and prepped for harnesses... <br />
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there are 66 mushers participating this year...17 of those mushers are female...this is Kristy Barrington (above), one of the competitors...her twin sister is also competing this year...<br />
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This is another musher, DeeDee Jonrowe...it was her dog team that my friend was there to assist...she is a tiny little thing ~ she ran her first Iditarod race in 1980 and she has finished in the top ten 13 times. She holds the record for the fastest female to run the race. She is also a breast cancer survivor...<br />
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This is Lance Mackey...he is the first musher to win the Iditarod 4 years in a row...and he is the only person who has won both the Iditarod AND another 1000 mile race, the Yukon Quest, 2 years in a row (that race is run approximately 3 weeks BEFORE the Iditarod...talk about some amazing dogs!!). His father and brother have also each won the Iditarod...He is also a throat cancer survivor.<br />
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Last year's Iditarod winner, was John Baker, a Native Alaskan, and the first Inupiat to win the race. He also set a new record, completing the race in 8 days, 18 hours, 46 minutes and 39 seconds...beating the former record by 3 hours (the first race in 1973 was completed in just over 20 days).<br />
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Many, many people turn out for the start of the race<br />
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There were even tailgaters in the parking lot...who needs the NFL when you have the Iditarod? :)<br />
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The sound of the dogs barking & yelping in excitement gets louder and louder...each musher lines up at the starting banner...<br />
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they take off every two minutes...<br />
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the first team getting ready to go...<br />
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Here is DeeDee all layered up and ready to go...guiding her team to the front<br />
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And here is Lance having a final discussion before taking off...<br />
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some of the dogs have the most beautiful eyes...<br />
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The mushers have a team of dog handlers to assist them prior to the race, right up until the announcer says 'go'...without these handlers, the mushers would be hard pressed to keep their team from just taking off. <br />
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This is Jaimee Kinzer, and this is her first Iditarod race...<br />
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Jeff, assisting with Jaimee's dog team<br />
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final prep before taking off...<br />
<br />This is a small video clip I took just showing some of the dogs excitement and anticipation before getting to take off...DeeDee's team getting ready to line up next...<br />
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Last year's winner, John Baker, preparing to take off...he's #11, and just casually walks up to get on his sled in the last seconds...the team behind him is preparing to line up and those dogs are READY to go... <br />
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Many of the mushers are obviously from Alaska...but there are also some participants from the lower 48, including at least 2 from Colorado and one from Kansas. Norway was also represented by one or two participants.<br />
Some other random facts:<br />
- There are actually 2 routes for the Iditarod race - on even numbered years, they run the northern route, on odd numbered years they run the southern route. The northern route is actually 1112 miles long and the southern route is 1131 miles long, but the 'official' length of the race is 1049 miles in honor of Alaska being the 49th state. The race starts in Willow, AK and ends in Nome, AK.<br />
- There are 52 vets assisting throughout the race this year and spread throughout the various checkpoints to ensure the health and safety of the dogs.<br />
- Mushers start out with 12-16 dogs but may 'drop' dogs along the way if they have any that are having health issues or not able to continue. However they cannot trade / swap out dogs for others along the way - the dogs they start with are the ones they must cross the finish line with.<br />
- The winner of the race wins $50,000 and a brand new truck...there are also smaller cash prizes for the other top 29 mushers who cross the finish line...this really isn't a lot of money for them considering the amount of money they must put out for equipment, training and food for the dogs. It obviously takes a certain kind of person, who has a love for the sport and the dogs to compete in this race. <br />
It was a beautiful, sunny day (high teens, low 20s) to start the race...it most likely won't stay that way for them in the coming days, but you never know...they seem to be prepared for just about anything...the link to the official Iditarod webpage is <a href="http://iditarod.com/">here</a>. There is a lot more information about the race if you're interested in more details... <br />
It will be fun to follow along and see how they all do...Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-88635833845641126482012-02-27T20:07:00.000-07:002012-02-27T20:07:48.965-07:00Hello, My Name Is...Duncan & Dave are sporting some new bling...<br />
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and no, they're not smeared...that's my intentional blur across my phone number in the photo so I don't have random people calling me :)<br />
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they told me they wanted their new tags to match their collars...such picky dogs...purchased from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/sofacitysweethearts?ref=seller_info">this</a> fun shop on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy</a>...she has many different colors, patterns and fonts from which you can choose... <br />
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Their new name tags came in handy this weekend as they were introduced to a new friend... :) this is Murphy...<br />
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a cute little furball</div>
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he's constantly in motion, so it was a challenge getting a non-blurry photo of him</div>
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a typical playful puppy...Duncan was a little snarly with him (I think he's becoming a crotchety middle-aged 'puppy' now that he's 5 years old), but by the end of the weekend they were buddies</div>
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he likes to nap on the lower part of the coffee table</div>
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such a cutie, he's just a LITTLE smaller than D&D at this point, but not for long!</div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-47369866019965238652012-02-26T23:48:00.001-07:002012-02-26T23:48:22.348-07:00Siri...ously?When I was in Denver in December, I upgraded my cell phone and finally joined the land of iphone owners...one of the features of the newest model is "Siri", the virtual assistant that allows you to dictate texts, emails, reminders or ask for directions or restaurant locations or pretty much anything you want. I've only just begun exploring what it has to offer, but I'm convinced the name "Siri" is short for 'Seriously'....as in did you SERIOUSLY just ask me to look that up? I'm sure at some point there will be a site or blog dedicated to strange questions and requests asked of Siri...<br />
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My most recent request? "What does moose poop look like?" It's been awhile since I've seen any moose...as I'd mentioned before, with all of the snow we've received this season, the moose have been forced to search for food further down into the city....on my way home from work one morning last week, I finally saw one walking along the road...only the second one I've seen since December....but then, a couple of nights later, as I left the house and made my way down the hill, I saw what looked like large piles of rabbit (BIG rabbit) pellets in three separate places...which led to my inquiry...<br />
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and here's an interesting (admittedly that may be debatable to some people) fact...moose poop looks different in the spring/summer than it does in the fall/winter because their diet changes...more grass in the spring/summer, and more bark/leaves/fiber in the fall/winter...so you get 'cow patty' piles in the summer and 'rabbit pellet' poops in the winter. :)<br />
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My point of all this? It's a sign to me that spring is S-L-O-W-L-Y coming...the moose say so...<br />
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and yes, I just blogged about moose poop...another first for me! :)<br />
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We had some visitors on Friday...Duncan has not forgotten how to alert me...<br />
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Welcome back! :)</div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-40374494317520169652012-02-07T18:08:00.000-07:002012-02-07T20:37:43.125-07:00Well UpdateSome great news to share...remember the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6851001809481493307#editor/target=post;postID=6613170798470591056">clean water well project</a>? Enough $$ for the well was collected and the people in the Busoga village now have a new water well and access to clean water. They've gone from having this as their water source for drinking, cooking and cleaning...<br />
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<a href="http://www.momentswithlove.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">source</span></a></div>
to this...<br />
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<a href="http://www.momentswithlove.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">source</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It's so cool to see something like this come together with the help of people all over the world.</span></div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-10508627867512433492012-02-04T15:41:00.002-07:002012-02-04T15:41:27.346-07:00Ice Sculptures & Dog SleddingMore fun from my mom's visit...a drive downtown to view some ice sculptures...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCm6tj82Z-a_5t0uO7yUxHM3qaDCRtAkoXkAl-jiOqX7WkaXWDzmKBhiLSUcmFtEuW0wlSeGwBs1yjb6dCXqnWPmRJHlojcs5mWa5nx1MtunS3Z_HBb90BgWHurMl8VwNEm_8-KwJTicpX/s1600/DSC_0265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCm6tj82Z-a_5t0uO7yUxHM3qaDCRtAkoXkAl-jiOqX7WkaXWDzmKBhiLSUcmFtEuW0wlSeGwBs1yjb6dCXqnWPmRJHlojcs5mWa5nx1MtunS3Z_HBb90BgWHurMl8VwNEm_8-KwJTicpX/s400/DSC_0265.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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peacock</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy Feet</div>
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Giraffes</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
playful seals</div>
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ice skaters</div>
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race car</div>
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the winning sculpture...dancers</div>
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semi truck</div>
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train</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
dinosaurs</div>
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and a birthday surprise for her...going on a dog sled ride...<br />
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a balmy -6* (yes, that's NEGATIVE six degrees)</div>
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13 dogs pulling us</div>
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what's that saying??...if you're not the lead dog, the view never changes??</div>
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very true...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The dog ride took place near Alyeska, at a place called Moose Meadows...it was a beautiful area...</div>
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there were many cross country skiers...and even some campers?!?</div>
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Dario, the musher...he's participated in the Iditarod 9 times</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
the dog musher informed us the -6* temps were still a little warm for
the dogs liking...he said their ideal temp to run is -20*...when we
stopped the dogs were 'biting' at the snow, eating it / helping them
cool off...<br />
he also shared some of the history of dog mushing, and explained how it's evolved over time from using dogs for transportation back in the day, and needing huskier dogs, to now primarily being used for racing, so speed over strength is a more desirable trait in the huskies used...the average weight of the dog is only about 45 pounds, which surprised me</div>
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This is where the dogs live...the black dog is standing on top of his igloo house</div>
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the dogs who were chained were howling back and forth with the dogs who were pulling our sled</div>
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waiting for their turn to go sledding</div>
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my mom and me (in the background, NOT the foreground) :)</div>
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We switched seats at this point and my mom warned me to hang on sitting on the back bench because she almost fell off a couple of times...not even 5 minutes later, we came around a curve and hit a bump, and guess who went flying out of the sled?? :) Thankfully the snow provided a soft pillow landing for me.<br />
<br />
Overall, we had a fun day, however, I don't think I would go on another ride...there are people who see animals as utilitarian and others who see animals as part of the family...I definitely fall in to the latter category...I felt sorry for the dogs! When we stopped, I saw that some of them had small cuts on their paws from the snow and were licking their wounds...and I swear I saw the ones that were chained up shivering :) I wanted to bring them all home w/ me and keep them inside. It was a cool experience, but not one I wish to repeat.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-11668742268961548522012-01-30T17:00:00.000-07:002012-01-30T17:00:00.573-07:00More Hurricane WindsI had the chance to break in the new snowblower again, and again and again earlier this month...Anchorage has already reached it's average snow 'quota' and we've still got a couple more months to go...I'm officially past the point of thinking the snow is pretty...now when it snows, I just think, 'oh, crap...more work'. It IS getting easier and faster for me using the blower, however, I don't care HOW experienced you are with snow removal...when there are 95+ mph winds blowing all day and all night AND it's snowing...the result is insanely high snow drifts...and a snowblower, or even a plow truck isn't gonna cut it...this is what happened while my mom was visiting...stuck...again...but instead of a fallen tree blocking the driveway, we were snowed in with drifts across the driveway.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHY7z5Wsq6FIqno265UULZN7N7tad4qZrP64B1A8ws4uO0xOpkh1KiJ9lw0BOxTJgjEZwEG1I2uJY16BVLo2EqpmWR0_nS0dB8u5CXPmI6xPO5gveDAK6OCpa8C_unc5LOs0mgUTG8tLk/s1600/DSC_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHY7z5Wsq6FIqno265UULZN7N7tad4qZrP64B1A8ws4uO0xOpkh1KiJ9lw0BOxTJgjEZwEG1I2uJY16BVLo2EqpmWR0_nS0dB8u5CXPmI6xPO5gveDAK6OCpa8C_unc5LOs0mgUTG8tLk/s400/DSC_0291.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is where the driveway should be...instead...there is a wall of snow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwVySOVhO38hSKtPK_UyF8f3gSO-wOcGc8IzzCU4gnv8g2vPNowBU-tZ_mTlZUw3_mCsjmXkbbDFLhyphenhyphenfqBs2pt-9LbMfE1C0DMo62iLnfomLNrT4yQgIG97UrkZmgydN8dZPX1n_UqzrO/s1600/DSC_0292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwVySOVhO38hSKtPK_UyF8f3gSO-wOcGc8IzzCU4gnv8g2vPNowBU-tZ_mTlZUw3_mCsjmXkbbDFLhyphenhyphenfqBs2pt-9LbMfE1C0DMo62iLnfomLNrT4yQgIG97UrkZmgydN8dZPX1n_UqzrO/s400/DSC_0292.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the marks in the snow were my feeble attempts with the snowblower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KSV1CLIHRsqTXE_1CvbNQ83Ik3MQI-aevcX8mOoGhLwbb8S_kzbnwFvN69QI1vGiqxhE1Ml-luworMzkSZAHGINJ1VWaeYKxndWQzoEK1Jx7jqYf8Qcdh3IxZEs1l2O2xp_x6CmulQnK/s1600/DSC_0294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KSV1CLIHRsqTXE_1CvbNQ83Ik3MQI-aevcX8mOoGhLwbb8S_kzbnwFvN69QI1vGiqxhE1Ml-luworMzkSZAHGINJ1VWaeYKxndWQzoEK1Jx7jqYf8Qcdh3IxZEs1l2O2xp_x6CmulQnK/s400/DSC_0294.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not even a plow truck is getting through this</td></tr>
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There was more tree damage...this time to one of the deciduous trees in the back deck...thankfully there was no damage to the roof...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was the first day since being in Alaska that I thought, 'What the HELL am I doing here?!?" I had to call a company with a bobcat to come and dig us out...and missed working one of my PT job shifts as we weren't out in time for me to cover it, but I was never so happy to be free as when John, from John's Excavating, came knocking on the door. :)<br />
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and proof that I actually DO know how to use the snowblower...we got MORE snow the day after John cleared us out...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
the piles of snow left by the backhoe</div>
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there I am...</div>
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John Deere is my new best friend :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CxotfGG1qUbz1-GaMdpGvT49xNBi1VzB8hBuicp-KiR1JEnJnv9pshGUKeJuTnI6KMFNUreADr5nqRER9lG-I6a4gJfbjmSEO34TI_QgDhh-xatnkdEIwO3EbfbRq222vjGHaUliDypD/s1600/DSC_0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CxotfGG1qUbz1-GaMdpGvT49xNBi1VzB8hBuicp-KiR1JEnJnv9pshGUKeJuTnI6KMFNUreADr5nqRER9lG-I6a4gJfbjmSEO34TI_QgDhh-xatnkdEIwO3EbfbRq222vjGHaUliDypD/s400/DSC_0334.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-27127943801610356082012-01-29T20:48:00.003-07:002012-01-29T20:48:59.865-07:00Seven Glaciers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Alyeska Ski Resort has a nice restaurant located up on the mountain, accessible only by tram. For the ski crowd, they have an 'express' restaurant area for those who do not want to ski down to the base to eat...for those looking for a nicer place to dine with a great view, <a href="http://www.alyeskaresort.com/dining/seven-glaciers-restaurant.aspx">Seven Glaciers</a> is the perfect place...I took my mom there for a belated birthday celebration...we opted to go for lunch, in hopes of actually HAVING a view, as you are not able to see anything at night. Unfortunately, it was a snowy day, so all we had a view of was white, white and more white.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seven Glaciers restaurant</td></tr>
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We shared appetizers - a crab cake with lime aioli and jicama salad<br />
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and a scallop bisque soup - a lobster bisque, with scallop, chive oil and caviar<br />
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my first time tasting caviar...it was okay - just tasted salty - not sure I would ever pay the oodles of money that some do for it...<br />
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for our main courses, we opted for the beef filet and pork schnitzel - they were both good...<br />
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This was our view...<br />
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and this was our ride...<br />
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the Christmas decorations were still up in the hotel, including this large gingerbread house / church...<br />
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and outside the hotel...all in all, a nice (but cold) day.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-48065849025475926352012-01-19T01:45:00.002-07:002012-01-19T01:45:45.456-07:00Breaking News?!?I have been a total slacker when it comes to watching much of any local news coverage - just the occasional headline browsing...for SOME reason, I decided to click on the <a href="http://www.9news.com/">9news</a> website tonite...and just what was the headline that greeted me?!?<br />
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<a href="http://www.9news.com/news/article/243306/188/Trader-Joes-files-paperwork-to-come-to-Colorado">TRADER JOES FILES PAPERWORK TO COME TO COLORADO...</a><br />
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How was there not one single post about this on Facebook today?!? I think I'm suddenly feeling a little homesick... :)Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-2294582628161809612012-01-08T17:30:00.000-07:002012-01-08T17:30:33.578-07:00Christmas & New YearsI didn't spend much time on the computer (with the exception of the times I had to work) while my friends were here but we had some good fun and I had some new 'firsts' while they were here...<br />
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first Christmas celebrating with little Avery (for me) since bringing her back from China...<br />
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Max giving kisses to Travis for his special plane</div>
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Austin</div>
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Anna & Rebecca</div>
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Avery with her new baby</div>
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Duncan's first Christmas in Alaska</div>
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Travis chopping onions...</div>
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There is a ski resort about an hour away from Anchorage and we all decided to go skiing...but rather than taking multiple cars, we all got to ride together in the "Magic Bus"...<br />
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first time riding the "Magic Bus"...<br />
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courtesy of this guy... (thank you Travis)<br />
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to go do this....<br />
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for the first time in Alaska...(me in blue, Rebecca & Travis)<br />
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This is the <a href="http://www.alyeskaresort.com/">Alyeska Resort</a>...it was a beautiful day to ski, the sun actually came out, and we had some great views of the mountain range and water below (you can see the water behind us in the upper left part of the photo). I hadn't been skiing in several years but it comes back to you quickly and the snow was great. And before today, I thought "The North Face" was just an <a href="http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/index.html?cm_mmc=Google-_-Brand+Terms-_-Brand+Terms_Exact-_-The+North+Face">apparel company</a>...<br />
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Alyeska actually has a 'North Face' that I almost foolishly went down... :)<br />
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I didn't want to ride back to Anchorage in an ambulance, so I quickly backtracked and stuck w/ the blue runs...<br />
<br />We took turns visiting each others homes for different meals...one night was at the Smith's for fresh king crab legs direct from Dutch Harbor...<br />
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ready to go in the pot...<br />
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first time learning how to cut into those crab legs...I broke the handle on the scissors I was using<br />
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I don't know of anything that wouldn't taste good dipped in melted garlic butter...and these were no exception!<br />
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New Years Eve was hosted by Rebecca & Travis...<br />
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lots of good food...<br />
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first time getting to try Borscht, a traditional Russian soup made from beets...it actually was very tasty, unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it.<br />
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the kids had a good time with their light sabers<br />
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there were paper lanterns everyone wrote their wishes for 2012 on and then we released them into the sky...<br />
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Aidan is ready to launch one of the lanterns...<br />
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And finally, some fireworks to shoot off at midnight - fireworks aren't really any fun here for the 4th of July because it doesn't get dark enough to see them, so they are more of a big deal for New Years...<br />
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We only had one close call where the fireworks shot off horizontally instead of vertically and almost hit the neighbor's house. <br />
<br />
My friends have returned to Russia, so the house has quieted down...however, I have one visitor remaining...my mom is now here for a few days, my first 'official' visitor...so far, she has been treated to lots of snow. :)<br />
<br />
My 'unofficial' gift from Travis was a new snowblower...he took care of all snow removal while they were here, so I had a reprieve for a couple of weeks...but they left early Friday morning...and I've already 'gotten' to use it twice...it works great though...I've cut down my snowblowing time to about 1/2 my original time of 3 hrs...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByO5ineZ_F8GZ_VQEb05LMfKsINFVcGFDd7mC2YmECoDAXlc7wveIG301DiDeTJ_81Iqel59RfnD_FMQI7SJUkForoJEtXAf3fCHk_02bg3S6tPFPlIGVZwIPXuw52kn1HMYxHstbDCIw/s1600/059307020525xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByO5ineZ_F8GZ_VQEb05LMfKsINFVcGFDd7mC2YmECoDAXlc7wveIG301DiDeTJ_81Iqel59RfnD_FMQI7SJUkForoJEtXAf3fCHk_02bg3S6tPFPlIGVZwIPXuw52kn1HMYxHstbDCIw/s400/059307020525xl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-83487770794477314992011-12-24T11:04:00.000-07:002011-12-24T13:54:31.395-07:00NativityI try to limit my Christmas decor purchases to just one or two ornaments each year...but if I see a Nativity ornament or set I like, I have a hard time walking away... The first Nativity set I bought was at a Kansas craft fair several years ago...I'd been waiting to get one until I found just the right one...the pieces were all hand carved and painted - rather rustic looking but I loved it. Unfortunately, I left it tucked safely away in CO as it was rather large to haul up to AK, but I recently found a new one...miniature size...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3HN6gKyYXJQ/TvVr0_peYKI/AAAAAAAACLs/qwjS-rOutAQ/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3HN6gKyYXJQ/TvVr0_peYKI/AAAAAAAACLs/qwjS-rOutAQ/s400/DSC_0004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Instead of the traditional shepherds, wisemen, sheep and camels, this Eskimo Joseph, Mary & baby Jesus have a moose, a husky dog, a seal and a polar bear visiting them in their igloo manger... :)<br />
<br />
I got this ornament when I first visited Alaska several years ago...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNULrRdVQZc/TvY45mftB6I/AAAAAAAACM0/SZJ5SfVM-1g/s1600/DSC_0123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNULrRdVQZc/TvY45mftB6I/AAAAAAAACM0/SZJ5SfVM-1g/s400/DSC_0123.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph, Mary & Jesus moose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
here are some others...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hZU2_dij25E/TvY6FRJ-hhI/AAAAAAAACNA/mS0wvTfGvDQ/s1600/DSC_0124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hZU2_dij25E/TvY6FRJ-hhI/AAAAAAAACNA/mS0wvTfGvDQ/s400/DSC_0124.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gVbG7fHxadE/TvY6RsCZ77I/AAAAAAAACNQ/aGuUVJLknPc/s1600/DSC_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gVbG7fHxadE/TvY6RsCZ77I/AAAAAAAACNQ/aGuUVJLknPc/s400/DSC_0128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
and here is one other set I have...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-epUNAxIC8SE/TvVsyLJ-NiI/AAAAAAAACL4/npKsKnJOBw0/s1600/il_570xN.197215058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-epUNAxIC8SE/TvVsyLJ-NiI/AAAAAAAACL4/npKsKnJOBw0/s400/il_570xN.197215058.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
courtesy of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/38850469">Etsy</a> - simple wood pieces painted & sanded</div>
this one combines my love of dogs and nativities...although I never thought to put them together until I was emailed this picture...<br />
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<br />
which got me thinking...Nativities and Cavaliers? Could there possibly be? Of COURSE there is....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ImBGyr982_I/TvV2GvsuOEI/AAAAAAAACMc/Y4eq8307mTY/s1600/il_570xN.210727541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ImBGyr982_I/TvV2GvsuOEI/AAAAAAAACMc/Y4eq8307mTY/s400/il_570xN.210727541.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66534557/king-charles-cavalier-nativity-scene">Etsy link</a></td></tr>
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Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas from beautiful, snowy Alaska!Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001809481493307.post-90929996348634004282011-12-18T07:01:00.001-07:002011-12-18T07:02:24.954-07:00A New VisitorDuncan and Dave have had a new visitor this weekend, and I'm not talking about the 2 girls that are taking care of them while I'm gone...<br />
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Thanks to Alanna and Christy for the cool lynx pictures...AND for making sure the boys stayed inside while this new visitor hung out on the deck...to them, it looks like any other cat and those foolish dogs were just barking their heads off at it while it was eyeing them for lunch!Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356965426655894106noreply@blogger.com4