Surprise 30th for Rachel

Our friends Rachel and Matt are in town for several weeks before they head out to North Carolina to live. They were out next door neighbors for years and they left last fall for a several month trip to Australia. 

Its been wonderful to see them again, they are like family to us. During their Kodiak visit, Rachel turned 30! We had a surprise birthday party for her last weekend.

Cutting the red velvet cake--Rachels' Favorite!

Zoya

Afternoon Ski

This afternoon I rushed up to Pyramid to go for a ski and when I got the parking lot I noticed Gregg's parked pickup truck.  I looked up the mountain and there was Lisa and Gregg on their way up the trail. I hurried up after them, caught up, and then spent a couple hours skiing with close friends - a perfect Sunday afternoon, and totally unplanned.  I love totally unplanned ski dates!  Patrick

sick

I just spent the last 2 days in bed sick, and I have not been that sick for a long time.  I had flashbacks to times when I was sick as a child - to that 'Alice and Wonderland' world where everything is either too big, too small, too hot or too cold.  For hours at a time I half dreamed vivid scenarios where I would try and get everything just so in my head - only a few hours later all my earlier thoughts made no sense.  I also had a REALLY bad sore throat and cough.  Kudos to Zoya for putting up with me.

It wasn't all bad.  I did sort of come to life for a few hours at a time and read books.  The dogs kept me company on the bed and the sun shined in the window.  Our bed has a view out over the ocean - not a bad place to be stuck.

Today I feel much better. No more sore throat or wild dreams.  Right now I think I am feeling more the after effects of being in bed too long than the cold.  It's time to return to day-today life.  And let's hope no one else catches my cold.  Patrick

Another Try on the Red Alder

A few years ago I went on a quest for a red alder tree to plant in my yard (see old blog post here).  I found what I thought was a red alder tree and planted it, and it turned out to be a common sitka alder -  not the red alder I had wanted (click here for post).  Eventually, a blog reader named Tom took pity on me and sent me some actual red alders to plant (click here for post).  That first summer the new red alders did really well and actually doubled in size.  I thought I had accomplished my goal.

And then came a very hard winter which frosted and killed one alder and damaged the others.  Still in the spring the alders were doing well and when I left for the summer field season they were all leafed out and growing.  But when I came back later in the summer I found to my horror that the lawn mowing service had girdled the trunks with the weed-eater.  And so phase one of my Cliffside alder quest ended - All red alders dead.

Anyway, last fall Tom called and asked how the alders were doing, and I told him the sad news.  He commiserated and asked if I wanted to try again.  Boy did I ever!  And so I recently got another shipment of red alder saplings along with some big leaf maple and grand and douglas fir saplings.  I planted them all in various protected areas of the lawn.

I've learned a few things - only the most protected spots this time; each sapling will get a metal cage, and next winter (and the next few nights which are supposed to be in the low 20s) each sapling will get coat to protect against extreme cold.  I also talked to a local tree expert who recommended putting dead leaf litter from common alders around the red alder tree roots.  He said there is a symbiotic bacteria that alders use to fix nitrogen, and that it would help the new red alders get going if I could fix them up with some of this bacteria.

And so the red alders are in - and now it's time to care for them and keep the fingers crossed!  Thank you Tom!

Patrick

"From Kicking and Screaming to Kicking and Gliding"

This was our 2014 submission for the Island Trails Network Film Festival.

"From Kicking and Screaming to Kicking and Gliding" is a condensed 3 minute short of 7 years of cross country ski footage (and bloopers). Enjoy!

(Click here for actual Youtube link)

Zoya

Bike Rides to the Park

Last week Nora, Stuey and I 'discovered' the bike path into Abercrombie State Park.  Of course I had known about the path, and, to be honest, I have always been a little disturbed that they cut down so many trees to build it.  But it was not until last week that I actually gave it a try.  Now I am very happy with the trail.

It is a GREAT way for the kids to safely get to the park and it is a GREAT trail for bike riding.  In the past they have just done loops in our driveway.  Now they have some place to go.  Still, Stuey does have some things to learn about crossing roads so it will remain a parentally guided trip - for now.  But in the not-so-distant-future I think it will become the go to trail.

I was also surprised at how many other bicyclists and hikers we saw on the trail.  I had always sort of assumed it did not get much use, and whenever I use that park entrance I've gone by car.  Now I see that the bike trail and sidewalk have made it much more pedestrian friendly.

Inside the park we also found this old time well and pump.  I showed the kids how to pump up water.  It had a warning sign about how the water needs to be treated before use.  But I bet it is good water if you boil it first.  Actually, I bet I've drunk far worse water and done nothing to treat it - dead cow water from Chirikof comes to mind.

Patrick

Springtime in Kodiak

In the middle foreground is the plateau where I have been skate skiing for the last few days

It's my favorite time of year.  After rising above the land on the other side of the bay all winter the sun is finally starting to rise out of the ocean in front of our house.  By mid summer it will be rising out of the trees on the northwest side of the bay.  The days are getting longer.  The crocuses are blooming.  And best of all the skiing is great.

We've had a long run of cold sunny weather and I have been skiing every day after work.  Today I realized that I have gone for a ski every day for 4 straight weeks!  I am beginning to get a little tired.  Maybe a rain/snow day would not be such a bad thing?  Patrick

Still coming up over Spruce Cape, but just barely.  By next week it'll be rising out of the ocean further to the left.

Skate ski tracks at my own personal terrain park

Birthday Cards

For my birthday Nora and Stuey made me hand made birthday cards.  I think Stuey took A LOT of time working on his.  I love the deer on the mountain and the caption from my mouth that 'I am the birthday boy'. Hand made cards are the best.  Patrick

Questions for the Tooth Fairy

The other day when Stuey lost a tooth a he wrote up this note for the tooth Fairy and put it under his pillow with the tooth.  The Faerie did not answer the questions this time but he/she will get around to it for the next tooth payment.  Somehow I get the feeling that Stuey is working up the nerve to ask her on a date.  He just wants to get a few things established before he asks her.  Patrick

Oh No

This afternoon I noticed that the crocuses are blooming in our yard.  I can't complain because for a while there it looked like they were going to bloom in early February.  And I also know that just because they are blooming does not mean we will not see any more snow in our yard.  Every year it seems I take a picture of crocuses blooming in the snow.  But I will admit that crocuses are a harbinger of spring.  Soon enough the whole yard will be green and I'll be mowing the lawn once a week.

Nonetheless, April is the best month of all for skiing on Kodiak.  This is when we generally get most of our snow up high.  It is also when the crust sets up and the days get long.  So the best of winter is yet to come.

Today I went for a skate ski up in the mountains.  I will be doing this more and more often in April.  Patrick

Vertical Pans

Lately I've been holding the camera vertical when I create panoramic pictures.  Rather than a very long and thin picture the pans have a great deal more vertical depth.  I've also found that they tend to stitch together better. I created the one above this afternoon on the 'automatic stitch' setting on the camera and it did a pretty good job.  I can't believe it has taken me so long to figure out this trick!  Patrick

End of Spring Break

Today is the last day of Spring break and this afternoon we took the kids to Spruce Cape to break up a little cabin fever. It worked! Within moments of all of us piled in Patrick's Hyndai, moods were improved. Tank was happily perched in the backseat between Nora and Stuey.

It was a a very windy day on the cape, not great for hanging out on the beach at the end of the trail. But the hike out and back was fun with some running, walkie talkie time and "sword fighting" with old pushki rods. 

This spring break we were blessed with nice sunny weather, snow for the kids to ski on and I had a lot of time off to hang out with the kids and their friends who came over for play dates. 

Zoya

action shot!

Spring Skiing at the Golf Course

We got a snowstorm on my birthday and since then the weather has stayed mostly cold and sunny.  It's been dropping down below freezing at night and then getting up to near 40 during the day.  If this was New England it would be perfect maple-syrup-making weather. Here on Kodiak it is perfect for cross-country-skiing-in-the-afternoon-with-kids weather.

And, since it is also Spring Break, the weather is very much appreciated.  Over Christmas Break the weather was mostly grey and rainy and the kids did not want to play outside.  It felt like we were all cooped up in a cell at Rikers Island or something.  For this school break they have been self-entertaining outside and, wonder of all wonders, even playing together outside.  We have made trips to the golf course, and there have been after dinner walks down the road in the evening sunshine.

Patrick

Evening walk with Stuey

Stuey's pic of the light through the trees. 

"Mom, don't Power Walk!" Stuey exclaimed at we headed down cliffside road towards Ft. Abercrombie this evening.

"Stuey, did you just say, Don't Power Walk?" I questioned. A smile formed on my face and I chuckled to myself. Images of women walking very briskly holding onto hand weights came to mind. And then there is me...just walking my normal pace. 

"Yes..when you walk too fast!" he replied. 

 Stuey is so insistent on me not walking beyond him. At times it really starts to cramp our walking or skiing moments. 

As we entered into the park, Stuey continued to  insist I stay behind him and not walk an inch ahead. 

"Stuey, I'm going to head back home now because this isn't fun for me to not be able to walk a normal pace." I asserted. 

"Ok, then I'm going to stay right here," he protested.

I turned and started walking towards home farther and farther.  A minute later I turn back and Stuey is sprinting towards me and he says "ok, mom...I want to walk."...out of breath. 

I was glad that he came around with my walking pace and we headed into the forest once again. Stuey likes to do short sprints and he talked about who is the fastest sprinters in his class. He asked me how you get stronger. I explained how running builds muscle and you have to keep running to keep that muscle. 

At one point he charged ahead in a swampy area, deep in the forest. 

"Mom!!!" he exclaimed from afar. 

"Yes?" I questioned.

"Look! The sun!" he shouted.

The evening light was so stunning on the trees. As I approached Stuey I saw him taking a picture of it. He loves his photo safaris.

During the walk, I promised myself that I need to do this more often...take off with Stuey on hikes. Oftentimes he says "no" to going when I ask him. He is such a fun walking partner and its the most precious time ever with him. I get to hear all about the thoughts in his mind and his questions about the world. 

Zoya

Spring Break Kodiak style

Staycation at Pasagshak cabin

Spring break arrived in Kodiak with a bang...a big snowstorm! Finally, some snow to have fun in. 

Nora and her girlfriend made a cute snowman outside. And they did lots of sledding on their luge tracks down the hills on our yard. I love snow because the kids scramble outside for hours...and I can hear the squeals of delight from inside the house. They come in wanting hot cocoa, with bright red cheeks and smiles. 

On Saturday night, my girlfriend Elise and I ventured out to Pasagshak beach to stay at a friends cabin. It was a 15X15 slice of heaven. Cozy as all get out.  

The cabin had a toyo stove heater which quickly heated up the tiny quarters. Elise prepared a wonderful meal of spanish rice and tortillas on her camp stove and we enjoyed the meal after a walk down the beach. It was a perfect staycation. The next morning we awoke to a significant blizzard. Fortunately, Elise drives a subaru AND had 2 chains that we put on the front tires. Then we headed off, back towards home. 

putting the chains on

 Cabin on the beach. 15X15 slice of heaven.

And we awoke to a blizzard! 

Mision accomplished: Chains on!

Zoya

49

Mother Nature brought Patrick the best gift ever for his birthday last week~a snowstorm!

Patrick was able to go for a ski on his big day and we enjoyed a ski themed cake that my friend Megan made (as well as his traditional birthday pumpkin pie).  For dinner we made sausage burgers and lisa and gregg brought smoked salmon dip. 

Heres to a fun-filled, laughter filled 49th year, Patrick!

Zoya