Someone's been eating my lettuce!

A few days ago, I planted the salad greens in my garden bed. I watered them, and clipped a few leaves for my husband's lunch. The next morning, I noticed that one head was thinner than I remembered making it. I questioned the kids to see if they tried to help. "No." was the answer. I didn't give it anymore thought, figuring it just looked different from pruning, transplanting, etc.

The kids and I walked next-door for a little Vacation Bible School my neighbor is hosting. We were gone for a couple hours. Upon returning, two more heads of lettuce were chewed to bits! A closer look revealed a vole hole!

Though the little rodents are cute as can be, and I protested their death for a year, I will not be sharing my salad with them! I couldn't find any guaranteed natural deterrents online, so traps it is. Ick.

An avid predator trapper in my past, I don't really enjoy catching anything small and cute. Fox, mink, lynx, wolves, no problem. Voles: spare me! John was taking care of the dead ones yesterday (2 in a couple hours), but I woke this morning to find a dead one that I will have to dispose of. Birds, voles, squirrels, mice...they just shouldn't be dead. They should run around and be cute. I suppose, however, if being cute means eating up all of my hard-earned gardening produce, the voles must die.

Mommy Bird

Well, it's been two weeks since the eggs were found. What I have read says babies should be hatched now, but Mommy Bird has NO INTENTIONS of letting me find out! :) I snapped this VERY CLOSE picture last night, and hope to find those babies if I can catch the nest while Mommy is out bug hunting!

My First Love

I recently read something someone wrote about how they loved Alaska so much, had moved away, and now referred to the State as if it was their old boyfriend. I liked this analogy. My first love was certainly this place. Its beauty, its silence, its mystery, its adventure.

Though being a mom has slowed my ability to take off on the spontaneous, crazy adventures of yesteryear, I still enjoy the everyday happenings of my life in Alaska!

I took my kids on a dog-cart run a few nights ago. We were cruising down the dirt road when I told the dogs to "whoa," and the kids to "shh."

(Picture from 2009)

We stopped and listened. To nothing. The quietness of Alaska air is amazing! No freeway traffic, no dogs were barking, no birds chirping, no horns honking, no people shouting; just silence! It sends a thrilling chill through your soul when this happens and I love it!

~I love it "like my first love." I am glad we still love each other. Yeah, we have our conflicts (-50 always brings up a fight), and our disagreements (why so many months of darkness?), but in the end, we were meant for each other: Alaska and me!

Looky What I Found!!

Okay...so I didn't really find them myself, the neighbors' 7 year-old son found them. He ALSO took the eggs out, ran them into his house, and showed his mom! Thankfully, she told him to put the eggs back "right away!" I was still concerned that "Mommy Bird" may not return. The nest is only 4 feet off the ground; perfect height for little boys!
I checked last night, and still, there was no mommy bird. I was sad. I checked again this afternoon, and saw only eggs...BUT, there were three eggs, and yesterday, only two! Mommy Bird had returned!

Tonight, I saw Mommy Bird sitting quietly on the eggs! :)

I can't wait to see little, naked birdies in here soon!

Etsy

I have recently learned of and fallen in love with Etsy.com ! Etsy is an online marketplace for all things homemade! There are so many amazing things on it, I knew it was the perfect place for this Alaskan to buy and sell! Check out my Etsy shop, where you can find all sorts of cool things, like this caribou antler necklace I carved!

Make Your Own Topsy Turvy Planter

I started my plants in March. The happy, little seedlings have grown wonderfully on my kitchen table. I was hoping to get them outside sooner than later, but it's snowing today! Yes, snowing. Not so happy about that. So, due to the snow, here they are, sitting on my table, longing to live outdoors.

Just yesterday, I planted the strawberries. Everything else, I have grown from seeds. I couldn't find strawberry seeds, so I purchased the plants at Holm Town Nursery in Fairbanks. I purchased a Topsy Turvy planter for the tomatoes, but decided to make my own for the strawberries.

• I started with a Parmesan Cheese container. (A milk jug would work too) Also a knife. I left the label on for recycle charm. :)
  








• Cut one hole, staggered from the other sides, on each side of the container.

• Layer the bottom with rocks for drainage.






• Fill with Soil to just below the first hole, then pop the roots through the hole, into the planter. Fill, and plant accordingly. (Like my little helper!? Yes, he is wearing a headband: God bless big sisters!) :-)
  





• Water, and place the lid back on.

It should work as its own, mini greenhouse. Our planting season is VERY short (About May-the end of August) so that's why I planted inside the house in March, hoping to begin my first harvest around June. So, I beg the Lord to remove the snow and bring back 70 degree sunshine! My family wants the dining table back!