The Great Hot Tub Caper

When I bought my home in Willow, one of the selling points was a hot tub room. Now, I never had a hot tub in the house, but I loved the one I had in Maryland on my back deck. I sat out there every night. I saw more stars, meteors, comets and one light display I can't describe or say what it was. Anyway, I had some great times in that hot tub. So, having one in Alaska should be great too!

 The room has a very large window facing where the northern lights dance. The walls are covered in tongue and groove paneling. It's a very cool room. BUT! I've discovered having a hot tub in the house is not my cup of tea. First, despite the fan and windows that open to let out steam, it makes the house damp. When you get out, water is on the floor and regardless of how much you dry off, water is carried through the house. And I didn't care for the smell. So I decided to get rid of the hot tub. That turned out to be tough. The only way to remove it was through the window! I'm not kidding.
So, first I tried to sell it. No takers, even with a really low price. Then I tried giving it away. Everybody wanted it, but when they'd come look at it, knew it would be too hard to move. It does weigh over 800 pounds. Finally, the fourth person I asked said yes and we can do it with no problem.
They used a method called cribbing.

 I never heard of it, but when I saw what they did, knew I had seen it before on houses that were moved. Dad and three teenagers did all the work. It was amazing. A few days before the move, they cribbed the tub as high as the window.



On moving day, my handyman and his assistant took out the big window. Then the family went to work. They built the crib up outside, moved the tub halfway thru the window, moved the blocks from the inside out and pushed the tub the rest of the way through. Then they lowered it on the trailer. Really, it was amazing and done so quickly! As they drove away, the handymen replaced the window. Now to clean the floor and move in my furniture. This is going to be my bedroom.  Can't wait to watch the northern lights this winter.

Pansies, petunias, blue skies

When the sun shines in Alaska in the summer it is as close to heaven as I can imagine. The breeze is cool, the air is clean and life is perfect! The first shot is the view from the back dog lot. The fireweed is blooming, the greenhouse tomatoes are very happy, and swallowtail butterflies are everywhere!

I have two flower containers under the windows of the house. They have pansies and petunias in them. Can't fail with these flowers.

Love the sky reflections.

It's July already!

Summer solstice came and went and suddenly, it's July. Tomorrow will be the 4th of July celebration in Willow. We have a parade, which I'll walk in with the Willow Dog Mushers Association---always a lot of fun. Then there is the community picnic behind the community center. Seems like everyone is in town for these two events. WDMA also holds a pet costume contest. It's a hoot. We've yet to have a dog win the grand prize, but have had an alpaca and a duck!
I have finished work with the census. My contract was up and the next phase involved going back to homes that refused to respond. Honestly, I didn't want to do that. Not sure why people have this grudge against the census considering it is mandated in our constitution to have it. I guess some people just don't like the gov't. for anything. To them I would have to say, fine--then don't use the roads, or the schools or medicare or social security or collect unemployment and here in Alaska---give up your PFD. My last day of work I had two unpleasant encounters with people. I tried really hard not to be intrusive and respect that I was on private property. One man said the last guy to come by was rude, so he wouldn't answer. Then one lady, in the same area, refused because the last guy was a jerk to her. Both were talking about the same guy. Well, I'm not that guy, but OK. Now, someone else will have to deal with them and it won't be fun. The good part for me was learning some of the back roads in my community. Meeting some really nice people and seeing some wildlife. I wonder if I'll do it again in 10 years.

So, this week I spent doing something entirely different. My neighbor Sue has a daughter, Teresa, and she is a horse trainer.Dark Horse Alaska  This past week she sponsored a clinic for riders and their horses with Kathleen Lindley, an expert trainer from Outside. Kathleen Lindley  Oh my gosh, what an interesting week. I grew up with my grandfather's race horses, but I have never owned one. Just never had the time to devote to one or the money it costs to keep one. I sure love them though, so this was pretty cool. I video taped each student and gave them a dvd of their hour lesson to review later. I learned so much and realized how much dogs and horses are so different to train. Watching Kathleen work a big, young horse and getting him to behave in ways his owner couldn't---not that the owner was bad, but Kathleen had the touch!-- was quite enlightening. I highly recommend Kathleen's clinic's if you ride and want to learn more about your horse and yourself.

Kathleen (left), Biscuit and Annie

This morning I had breakfast with Sue, Teresa and Kathleen before the two ladies headed to Fairbanks and another clinic.  What a nice time and a nice new friend.

So, today was a quiet day. Going to the PO, doing laundry, cleaning the dog yard. Good thing I cut the grass when I got home last night as it rained again today. We've had a lot of rain. I've been volunteering at the State Park this year since their budget was cut. Last weekend was the start of combat fishing for King salmon. Well, this week they closed the river. Not enough fish to allow anglers to get one. What a bummer. But, it also meant I didn't have to be down in the ticket booth last night. And, despite being chilly and rainy today, my greenhouse is like a sauna. The tomatoes are doing great!!! I have only picked one cherry tomato from a plant, but there are plenty more ripening on the vine.

The inside walls are dripping with humidity and the plants love it. Even with temps outside in the 60's, the plants inside are very happy and toasty warm.

After playing with the tomatoes---I have to use a small paintbrush and pollinate them--I went to see how the dogs were doing. Imagine my surprise to find them all on the back deck waiting to go inside for dinner. I tried to get another group shot of the magnificent seven. People ask me how I manage to get such cute shots of so many dogs. Well, patience is a virtue for sure. But, what you don't see are all the bad shots I take too. I'm not completely happy with the ones I got today, but they still make me smile.

Chena behind the fireweed.

Everyone is there, but what a pose!(left)

Spirit is yawning and Nahanni seems to have found something under the steps.(right)

Now Rosie is bored! And Fritter is no where to be seen again!

Is Nahanni asleep? And where is Fritter? 

The best I could get is below. We'll try again another day.

             Fritter walking, front row-Chena, Rosie, Nahanni, Pearl; back row- Maggie and Spirit.

And while I was out, I grabbed a few shots of the dwarf fireweed next to the back door. Can't believe it's blooming already. Well, it will be a few weeks before it tops out, then 6 weeks till winter. HA!

And the parting shot, taken in the parking lot of Fred's---wonder which Iditarod finisher this is!!?? Cool plate!!

SUMMER SOLSTICE

The longest day of the year in terms of daylight hours was yesterday. While further north in Alaska the sun will not set, here in Willow it did dip below the horizon just after midnight. I can't say when it came back up as the storm clouds had rolled in and it was raining. But I ventured out around 11:30 to find these shots in and around Willow. For those who have been to Alaska for the Iditarod restart, the lake in the photos is Willow Lake where the restart happens. Looks kind of different now! It was a lovely evening out there too. A mama duck and about 12 ducklings swam by and the loons were out there too, diving for fishing and calling.  Just really a serene setting. All photos were taken between 11:30 pm and midnight. None have been adjusted for contrast or color. What you see is what the camera saw.

From the road leaving my subdivision, looking north to the Alaska range. It's about 11:30 pm.

From the view spot in Willow along the Parks Highway, across from the hardware store. A few drops of rain were falling now.

The same view spot, looking south towards Wasilla. (right) Zoomed into the sunset below.

The next few shots are from behind the Community Center looking over Willow Lake. About 11:45 pm.

Leaving the Community Center, it looks like the sun is almost gone. A few minutes before midnight.

But as I turned back into my road, with rain on my windshield, I could still see light behind the Alaska Range. Midnight!

LONG DAYS OF SUMMER

 With the summer solstice tomorrow, Alaskans are enjoying long days of light. While the sun does set in Willow, it doesn't get dark. We lose the sun around 12:30 am and it's back around 3:30. Don't hold me to those times since I am usually asleep. Some Alaskans use black out shades to make their bedrooms dark in summer. Not me. If I'm going to wake up, I like to see the lovely birch tree outside my window. I'm lucky, the light doesn't bother me.

Having returned from my fun trip to Canada (here's Chena (left) and new kid, Fritter). I immediately went to work for the census. Yep, I am one of "those" people who come bug you to fill out a form if you didn't send yours in. I even bug you if you did send it in and somehow was not recorded. It's been an interesting job and I've enjoyed most of it. I did listen to a few irate people who didn't like the government, said it was a waste of time and money, already sent it in and no I'm not answering again. But most were pleasant---if I even saw them. Where I live in Willow, many of the homes are summer or weekend residences. Gosh, on April 1, which is when you were counted for where you lived, some of these places were still snowed in.  I traveled mostly around Nancy Lake. Found some lovely homes that if they were mine I'd live there year round! I also saw a bit of wildlife and I always love that. When I first started work the lakes still had some ice on them. As the weeks went by the ice melted and birds appeared. The white ones are Tundra Swans. They are so gorgeous.

Melting Nancy Lake in May to the right. What a nice day that was. Tundra Swans looking for a place to land below.

I didn't take any photos of homes I visited with one exception since it was lakeside and publicly visible. This sweet little old log cabin (above)with an incredible view of the Alaska Range beyond the tree tops.(below) Wow, what more you could want?

There was one moose I kept running into also. I'm pretty sure it's the same one as it was the same area every time. Young and a bit nervous---that's a good thing.

The lakes melted fast through May and we had some picture postcard days. It even felt hot when the temperature rose over 70 degrees F.

You may recall that last September the Pioneer Lodge burned down (above). This was a fun gathering place in Willow, along Willow Creek and the Parks Highway. Everyone was sorry to see it gone. Well, this past month, it is really gone. All that is left is most of the stone fireplace. Rumor has it they are rebuilding. I sure hope so.

But summer is building time here in Alaska and here at Husky Heights, we are building too. Well, my friends Keith and Mike are building. I left for the day! :) 

With Keith's dog Jack as the supervisor, the men managed to put together a pretty nice greenhouse. 

Coming from Maryland where growing tomatoes is as easy as planting them in the ground, I've had a hard time adapting to how to grow things in Alaska. Well, not this summer. With the greenhouse, the tomatoes are doing fantastic! My apologies to Karen Ramstead---she'll understand!

Even with dandelion weeds growing, the house looks really cool out back.

Can't wait to gather ripe, juicy tomatoes!        

Summer also means walking dogs. Keith and I took Jack and Maggie for a swim one day at South Rolly campground. LOL---why is it dogs have smiles on their faces after a swim in a cold lake??!!

And on the way home, we saw this guy along Nancy Lake Parkway.(below)

That weekend I would take photos for the Willow Race Series. They were running the Red Shirt Lake Trail, not far from where we saw the bear. But it was a great run. My favorite shot of the day is below--Mom and son having a great run.

Of course, I couldn't help but get a quick shot of this butterfly along the trail.

A few days later Keith and I hiked the same trail to Red Shirt Lake. We didn't run into any bears, or any other wildlife, though I did see a bald eagle out at the lake. It was a nice 6 mile hike with Jack, Maggie and Spirit. 

A view of the Talkeetnas from the trail.

Red Shirt Lake

From this spot you could see all the way to Pioneer Peak near Palmer. Cool!

Pink! chiming bells

I need someone to tell me what these are!(Thanks to Susan Laugal who pointed me towards Marsh Mallow, I do believe this is a Blue Mallow.But then Gail Thiessen sends me a link for Wild Geraniums and it looks like that is it! And two more confirmations from Tina Owen and Jane Eagle--it is a  wild geranium. Thanks everyone!)

A few days after our hike, signs would be posted that a Sow and two cubs were on the trail and hikers should be aware. That's a brown bear with cubs! Yikes!

The best part of summer is when friends come to visit. I've had the planning team for the Willow Dog Mushers symposium meet here several times now. What a fun group. Last time everyone brought their dinner and we shared food. Almost got as much work done as food eaten! I also had Marlene and Doug visit for several days with their fifth wheel parked in the driveway. What a fun visit. It reminds me of all the great things there are to do in Alaska.  

We visited with friends Mary and Mike and their dogs (Mike is the one who helped Keith with the greenhouse). After the visit, we drove up to Hatcher Pass in the evening. Always a great place to visit.

Mike and Doug visit while Mary grills the burgers. MMMM---thought the men did the grilling?!

Mary and Marlene watch the dogs below.

Doug and Marlene at Hatcher Pass.

Later in the week, we took a drive to Talkeetna. One of my favorite Alaskan towns. Yeah, it's for tourists, but it's also pretty cute. THE mountain was sort of out that day.

We stopped at the view spot just before town. Marlene and I below. Then we walked around town before having a great dinner.

Painted moose decorate the town. They are really cute and quite imaginative!

Talkeetna is a very small town. It is where those who wish to climb Denali gather before they begin their trip. Lots of climbing tales told in this town.

On the way home, the sun was clouded over by smoke from the forest fires up here. Fortunately, since that time we've had a lot of rain and most of the fires are out. I even heard some places near Tok had snow last week. I did see some new snow on the Talkeetnas this week when I went to Wasilla to shop.Yep, that's Alaska---where it can snow most anytime.

The good news is I got my permanent Alaska fishing license. Given to those over 60, I can now fish---or hunt (not me!)--and not pay any fees. IS this a great place or what? I hope to float Willow Creek before it closes and reopens for combat fishing. Seems the Kings are IN! Silvers later in the summer. I hope to get my Scamp on the road and head to Homer too. I haven't been there since 1982. Ah yes, I love summer. After tomorrow, the days will begin to shorten. Gotta pack in as much as possible before the end of the season.

And with that, I'll post this shot of a truck I saw in Wasilla the other day. We should always remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice so the rest of us can lead the lives we do. Thank You.