A Year In The Life - Day 24, June 14, 2014

The pic for today is kind of a badge of shame for Sarah and I....  :)  Abram has been spending his days inside the osprey backpack with a bug net on - and today, the bug net was apparently not doing the trick. Usually this stems from Abram pulling a fistful of the netting in and gumming it - which of course opens a hole somewhere in order for him to be able to bunch up the material.  The poor guy was eaten ALIVE by the mosquito infestation we in Alaska call normal...and it's really not even close to what should be the peak.  July and August should be brutal...

A Year In The Life - Day 23, June 13, 2014

Shots of the day for Friday the 13th include an exploration adventure that was full of bugs and fun. Apparently Sarah and I have not lost our affinity for taking our boats to places they shouldn't be...and back again...

A Year In The Life - Day 22, June 12, 2014

Today's pics require little explanation:  A family wood-fetching trip turned into a one-on-one matchup between Warren and Mom.  In a rainstorm...while carrying Abram on her back...and dodging Ada.  Enough said. :D

A Year In The Life - Day 21, June 11, 2014

Today's pic involves a little beachcombing and salvage.  A shot of me cutting gill net parts of of a gnarly stump.  It got interesting out at the far end - hurry up out there and cut and pull something before sinking...or when boats roared by and various parts of the two trees would submerge with the wake...had to dance to try and keep the feet dry. :D  But the net is coming along.  Now we have enough web, a leadline to cover, and almost enough floats.  Nearly there...

A Year In The Life - Day 20, June 10, 2014

I offer two pics today - one, representative of the current state of things, and the other, representative of all the fun our little boy is having growing up in a place that is ideal for being a little boy...

Today offered a bunch of pics from down on the water as we searched for more parts to our 'homemade' gill net'.  The restricted regulations are really putting a hurt on the subsistence fishing - while offering a much needed reprieve to the subsistence FISH.  At any rate, it is still dip netting only, except for non-salmon species, which allows for 4-inch mesh (to avoid incidental King catches).  These guys went the route of the dip net to try for some Yukon Chum.  Threw in some chrome/antique filter to add some flair.  :)

And W found a new squad of friends while down at the river today.  Here he is joining in their newest rock-throwing challenge with a friendly girl, while another little boy rushes to not get left behind in the game....  Life is GREAT.  Sure wish we could go back to where he is... :D

A Year In The Life - Day 19, June 9, 2014

Just a bit behind...that's where we were on the trail of the moose we nearly crossed paths with today.  He/she was close enough to smell, but all we got to see was this set of tracks out ahead in the trail:

Maybe next time...

A Year In The Life - Day 18, June 8, 2014

Well, today was one of those odd days where there is sun, and then rain....and then sun, and then rain..., and then...you got it.  The last few days have brought more of the overcast and rain than sun, and so the seedlings in the garden were just sort of crawling along.  Today's brief glimpses of sun though apparently were enough to spark a little something.  More peas emerged from the ground, more radishes, and more carrots, as well as new ornamental flowers.  Now we are able to see broccoli, cauliflower, corn, pepper, rutabega, turnip, cabbage, carrots, shallot, leek, and spinach plants.  The only two, in fact, that haven't emerged/germinated have been the beans and the cucumbers.  We have grown some cukes inside, as well as the tomatoes - that are exploding, so they may have to stay in for good.  At any rate, here is a shot of some explosive germination!  Bring on the thinning! Our first try gardening in the far North is off and running...here's part of a row of spinach: