Playing in the Dirt

I have found my happy place! 

Inside this greenhouse! I  was surprised how warm and humid it is when I went inside....relax your muscles kind of heat! I must get a thermometer. I am convinced a hot tub in a little house like this would be heaven. Many of you remember I was promised a hot tub and sauna if I moved to Alaska.....Just sayin.....With a bit of work a set up like this could count as both.   It would be wonderful to put a pool, or chair, in a spot like this. 😅

Michael started building beds for the green house Friday. Alex tilled it. Michael planned to add to the beds, but has  hurt his back. He's still down for day 2 with ice.  Nolan came home from work and asked what project he could help with.  Alex has been working with Michael a lot since we moved here and was confident cutting the wood and putting the beds together.  He and Nolan took care of that....

Stacia and I worked on raking the dead grass out of the yard. It didn't take long to realize this was going to be a horrendous job with a yard this size. I have egg and "project" money set aside. I came in and told Michael I thought a thatcher for the back of our lawn tractor would be a good investment. Cory's folks de-thatch a few times at the start of each year and it breaks up the dead stuff and it blows away.  I don't see myself in my 80's out there raking acres of dead grass. 😕 It's an investment in our "real retirement," which you will know has begun when we reach Social Security age.

 I am smiling-the-silly-grin-excited to have some of the seedlings out of my kitchen  and into dirt. 

I gave everything at least twice the space shown on the square foot gardening chart. It still looks crowded...but I have 7 watermelon and 3 tomato plants that aren't planted....I don't mind having extra as everything died last year the first time I planted. I have back ups if that happens this year. Michael suggested I would need another, bigger greenhouse when he gave me this one last year. I think he may be right. It look didn't take it long to fill up. 

Cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes across the back 

This is the watermelon side

Michael was going to build me a shelf too. I'm not sure what I could grow up there....I have melons and cantaloupes with nowhere to go - but I don't see either on a shelf. Maybe we won't do a shelf until I can figure out what to grow up there. Herbs in planters.... What would you put on shelves?

Ah - a rattler (quake not snake).

I LOVE all this sun!!!!!

Note - I know it's not June and I take a risk planting. I had a sourdough (old time Alaskan resident) tell me to plant when the birch leaves are the size of squirrel's ears.  Sounds good to me. 

Gideon (aka Bubbie) is TWO!!!

What a fun cake! 

Tomorrow, Gideon turns 2 years old! He has been an incredible blessing in our family. Gideon was born early....and has made up for that slow start by moving very, very fast ever since.  He's healthy. He's got a huge heart - I've never seen a toddler give hugs and kisses as frequently and generously as he does.  BreZaak invited us all over to celebrate this afternoon.  Michael has done something to his back and isn't walking well at all. He didn't make it. The rest of us were there.  It's been a month or so since we've all been together. 

Uncle Cy and Annie 

 I haven't seen Annie for 3 weeks - and WOW - she's growing! She's gotten long. She is in the 75th percentile which is huge for these kiddos. Bella has always been petite and, as I said, Gideon began life way early.....he was in a hurry to get here and help his family move to Alaska! It took him a bit of time to even hit the charts.

Stacia purchased Bella some sparkly tattoos....

He wasn't quite SURE why Mom was giving him a lit cake - but he was game! 

Benny was given a "small" piece of cake. This is a treat. He took his fork, and stabbed extra from the other plates. Where there's a will - there is always a way! LOL

I don't believe Gideon had realized the  gifts were for him.  He was excited to open them. It started with just he and mom....

Everyone else was happy to join the fray. 

Gideon solved the problem by jumping up on the hope chest with the gifts. 

It was fun for Cory to see the light at the end of this round of classes and be able to join the festivities. 

Aunt Arielle and Annie

S'More Season

Today marked the first S'more of the season. Our goal - to enjoy this summer to the fullest - one s'more at a time. I splurged on a bit of popcorn instead of a s'more. I can have no more added sugar until June.  But, before the s'mores there was a day....

Michael left bright and early for Men's breakfast! We tended to the seedlings, worked out, picked up a bit and waited...

When Michael  wasn't home by 11:00 a.m., Stacia and I headed for the store. It turns out Michael had done the same. We coordinated lists and got er done....a bit of groceries, a new kitchen appliance, some pants, birthday gift, and gardening stuff.

Josiah stopped by with the news he has put down an offer on a duplex in Eagle River. Working the plan! 

Michael brought home a fun toy for Gemma and Papa's toy box....

Dino promptly ate the tree...

Jamin joined us and everyone but Stacia and I headed out to play Boccie.

It's become obvious we need to rent a thatcher and do some work on this yard....but we need to haul out a LOT of spruce trees first.

Maria has an air fryer. This was our first time to see one in action.  It was amazing. Freddies had these on sale. Michael nudged me to get the biggest - 6.5L.  The small sizes had held me back.

Air Fried - CRISPY cauliflower

Amazing - the taste of frying without the saturated fat 

Nolan got home from work. 

Stacia made an Irish Cottage Pie and Flatbread for dinner. I made go-withs.  Arielle and Benny visited while we ate. They were waiting for Cory for dinner. 

Cory got home from work. 

We headed outside to play and enjoy the fire. Such a beautiful day! 

Michael, Josiah, Nolan, Jamin 

 Roo jumped at me when I went to feed the chicks. I brought him out to get to know everyone... Someone named him Reuben. The guys were trying to keep him out of the fire and he made a run for it between their legs and into the fire...then out. He is rechristened - Phoenix.

We brought Oreo outside too.  We weren't completely satisfied with our local chick purchase this year. We lost 8 - quite possibly 9 as we don't think the littlest is going to make it. One thing I do LOVE about buying local is we have such a variety of chicks it is easy to tell them apart and name them. They get names as they are not going to be any of the carnivores meals.

Odd crop circle and trampoline

Benny waited for a moment when everyone else was tired of archery.....

Alex told him to bring the arrow back. He did....but then he reached down and slugged Alex right in the nose. Totally unexpected. Unfortunately, all the uncles laughed...and if Benny can make the uncles laugh....

I need to replenish the s'more kit when I go shopping this month.....right along with the fishing kits. 

No Place Like Home

There really is no place like home! And when HOME has turned GREEN while you were away...ah, heavenly.   Here are some shots from our first day at home.

This was all bare when we left

We arrived home at 1:05 a.m. and slept for a few hours.

I discovered it is getting light around 3:30 a.m. these days (and staying dark until midnight or so).  Hello - spring/summer!  Yes, spring/summer does seem to be ONE season this year, though I'll mark it according to the calendar for labeling purposes. I've entered my season of sleeplessness.

We unpacked. We are unsure what to do with the bags full of Krista's things....they will sit here until we can find a spot to store them until she arrives. LOL

There is so much to do  in the spring - that has to wait until the ground thaws. The ground thawed while we were gone and we're aching to get to "projects," but there were things that HAD to be done first.

Our chicks had grown....we gave the brooder a complete cleaning and  let them outside for the first time.  They are so cute at this stage of growth.

We hoped Lucille, our free range hen, would bond with the chicks and we could put her back with the flock this winter with a posse....strength in numbers. Things were going well until she pecked the weakest.  We discovered we definitely have a roo! See him in the middle. The only one with a comb, a tiny wattle, and the start of spurs. We are hoping to socialize him and keep him. It may help with the predators this winter, as well as the spring fever that set in with the hens. 

We deliberately looked for Cochin chicks this year. We loved Rosie, and she weathered the winter well with no comb, feathered legs and feet. She was also bigger than many of our hens. Dumb weasel.  We call this gal, Oreo....because she looks like cookies and cream.

We also have 2 white, 1 gold, 1 black, and 1 or 2 speckled Cochins 

Arielle reports Benny greatly missed his people while we were gone. He would go to the stairs and call and he knocked on the uncles door - looking for SOMEONE. We loved the polo's he made for us. Today, he followed us around - chattering up a storm. He is especially Papa's shadow. At one point, Michael walked over and leaned on the wood stove in our yard (whatever)....Benny followed and took up the same stance at the stove.

The baby bunnies have also grown

Alex tilled the greenhouse again - Michael made some beds for the space

We cleaned out the coop and gave the girls all new shavings and such

This says home - fresh eggs

She didn't want to budge - "I was quite happy with your absence!" 

Benny and I wandered off to inspect the changes in the woods! Wow. Lots of green grass, devils club, fern.......

And about that hammock....Benny climbed aboard with Stacia

We've missed this little one's expressions - below he had just pulled the sides over his face to play peek a boo! 

I tried to wake up our scoby

In the evening I went to church to meet up with the best group of ladies in the valley!  Our team had planned a scavenger hunt and ice cream social. Jennifer did a great job with all the details. Pastor Shannon (the only man in the photo) created the rules and a list of things for us to do. This enabled all of us to participate. He did a fantastic job. The added bonus was if anything WAS out of hand.....HE was the one who sent a group of 20 competitive women to do it. ::wink::  We divided into five teams and took off.....

I loved the opportunity to spend time with Staci and to meet her mom. 

Alas, we were not the winning team.....but next year THESE gals will have to defend their title.  Isn't the trophy fun?

Brittney, Kelly, Donna and Jennifer

It was a perfect day. Sun, chicks, chickens, grandblessing, gardening, and church community. We're home.