Thursday, July 27, 2017

Exploring the Area

We had a couple of hours this morning and so we began exploring the Matsu Valley. The Palmer visitor center seemed like a good place to start.  We picked up a TON of biking, hiking, tourist maps. They have a little museum.  They also have a 1.5 hour movie about the Colony experience.  We will go back to watch it. We do know  in 1935 the Federal Relief Emergency Administration began an experiment to known as the Matsu Valley Colony.  The story is fascinating and I plan to learn more.

We were amused to discover we are closer to Tokyo than Tallahassee. 

I'm trying to convince Stacia she needs a purse like this.  
Moose Heart Bag 
 Other than picking up pamphlets and maps, we wanted to see what grew in the garden behind the center. This is all part of our research as we dream of landscaping and gardening.

This sculpture represents the giant veggies of 2009. These records have been broken since then. 
 Carrot - 18.99 lbs, zucchini 29.65 lbs, beet root 42.75 lbs and the cabbage was 127 lbs. 

We noted kale will do well here. 

And potatoes....

Cabbage is a given - but there doesn't seem to be much of a center to this yet. 

Artichokes! 

The gardener on duty shared a wealth of info and seemed to be happy we were asking questions. We got tips on making a berry hedge.....and how to compost in the nasty weather....and which types of tomatoes do well here....and we learned about stinging nettle and pushki.  He also showed us where the community garden is and told us we can harvest as we'd like.

Michael joined us in the garden but was over at the Alaskan Bible College while we were inside. He was happy to discover someone who had graduated from Western Seminary, as he did.  He found out info about the college and was invited to consider being their chaplain for a semester next year.

We dropped the kids at Uchi and Michael and I drove in to the VA center in Anchorage.  We stopped by Lowe's to see if we could find a riding lawnmower and a smoker.....still looking.

Cory and his Dad were out exploring Anchorage today and came home with a treat for us all - ice cream, even dairy free ice cream.

Lee, is doing laundry. Michael and Cory went out to buy flies - maybe they'll catch some reds tomorrow???? The kids are playing Pandemic and I'm wrapping up the day's "to do" list.

We just heard Josiah and Jamin are in Tok. Back in Alaska. They will make it here tomorrow with BreZaak's things.

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