9/11

I will never forget:

Hearing my brothers, sister and mom in the kitchen, the TV was on and that was very unusual at our house so early in the morning. I crawled out of bed and found out about the first plane. The news was still inquiring as...

to wether it was an accident or not, then I watched the second plane via live feed crash into the tower. It was unreal. It looked like a scene from a B rated movie, just a fast smash on the screen. No one said anything, we just stared like it couldn't be real.

The affect on the nation was 100%. Big things and little changed, immediately, and long-term. For us, my grandparents got stranded in Alaska with no flights flying for days after the attack. Dad was out moose hunting and didn't even know.

We saw more American flags flying in Alaska then ever before, and a wave of patriotism swept the country.

Not Patriotism alone, but the return to the Lord for many. Our country's foundation of Christianity seemed to strike a chord in the hearts of many. People turned to the God who could heal their hearts and their land. It seems so short lived, that return.

"We will never forget," our President vowed. Forget what? The attack? The images? The vulnerability? The fear? The faces of our enemies? The war that followed? No, we will never forget those things, but I think Bush hoped that in not forgetting THOSE things, we wouldn't forget our weakness. We wouldn't forget our need for a Saviour. We wouldn't forget that God alone is the defender of our nation. What an impact on my heart, the events of that day. So much so, that when I glance at the date on my computer screen, a lump is in my throat instantly. tears. May we never forget....may the cross that stands at ground zero STAY at ground zero. May the hearts of the people repent and come to Christ who is the only one who can ever heal our country.

I will never forget.

9/11/2001

Holy Smokes!

 

Wow! What can I say!? The kielbasa just got better!

 

Years ago, my sister and brother in law gave us a Little Chief electric smoker. The element was broken, and, at the time, I couldn't find a replacement. Knowing this, I pulled it out today, prepared to turn it into a briquette-powered smokehouse.

 

First, I searched of wood chips. Finding none, I soaked toothpicks in liquid Smoke. I placed them in an aluminum pan of cold water, and dumped a half bottle of liquid smoke on top.

 

Then, I lit a fire in the bottom of the smoker with briquettes. (First I put them in a pan too, but that was short lived. They got dumped on the floor of the Little Chief once they were burning well)



 

Next, I placed the wood chip mix on the bottom rack of the smoker. I placed 1/3 of the links on the remaining racks and lowered into the smoker.

 

I used a meat thermometer to monitor the smoker temp. I did not want it above 160 degrees. At first, it rose to 200. I opened the lid, added ice water to the wood chip pan, and left the lid off until it cooled down.The temperature stayed low, and when it started to drop significantly, I lifted the whole rack out and added 5-7 briquettes to keep the smoke going. I repeated this 2 or 3 times over the next 3 hours of cook time. It worked perfectly.

When the thermometer read the sausage's internal temp of 155, they were done.

If you don't have a spare old smoker, or metal box similar laying around, the same affect could be done using a standard briquette-based BBQ set. Just use a small layer of briquettes, then a pan of water/flavored wood chips over them, then a rack of meat.

 

Mmmmm, mmmm, DELICIOUS!!! I just want to eat them all up!

Batch # 2 is smoking now. :)

 

Moose Kielbasa 101 (and an intro you may skim over)

Well, hello, old blog!
Should one let sleeping blogs lie?
Can you teach an old blog new tricks?
*shrug*
Let's get started, shall we?

 

Growing up, Dad fed our family on whatever was in season: deer, rabbit, duck, grouse, salmon, lake trout: if it could be hunted, it was going to be dinner. Of course it needed to be cleaned and packaged and frozen too. Everyone helped in this process. Mom would cut with a reluctant and the classic, "If YOU kill it, YOU clean it!" But she still slaved away with a knife and double-lined rubber gloves. Ken, with a holster of bleach water to wipe down bloody door handles and light switches, Jamie, who mysteriously had a lot of Boy Scout events during hunting season, and Lacey and I, who never seemed to get out of it for anything!

It paid off for me, as I took a job when I was 17 at a game processor's during moose season. My boss was from the lesser 48, North Dakota, I believe. Dirty-old man, Dwayne was his name. My being only 17, Dwayne was afraid to let me touch knives due to liability. So, I was key wrapper in the establishment. The second season, he taught me all about sausage making and the smokehouse. This was amazing knowledge! I was fascinated. Plus, when pieces hit the smokehouse floor, you could no longer give them to customers. YUM! Pepperoni sticks, salami, kielbasa, hot dogs, polish dogs, you name it. The smokehouse was the place to be!

Fast forward to my life in AK now...

Dad heads out of town to hunt on August 31. Tells me to join him if I can (now a single Momma of 3, working, it didn't seem likely). September 1st, 0740, I'm up, prepping for a garage sale that will last until I head to work at 1400. My cell rings to the tune of "Yellow Bird," which my mom and dad used to sing to me, "Meeell-o-dee, way up in banana tree...". It was Dad. Reception was nil and we lost the call almost immediately. "Great, opening day: doubtful he shot something within the first hour of daylight. SOMETHING must be wrong." No second call. Five minutes later, I call him back, and reach him.
"Can you hear me, Melo?"
My Thoughts:
*Don't waste time with dumb cell phone chat.*

"Yes, Is everything OK?"

"Melo, do you hear me alright?"

*JUST TALK!*

"Yes, Dad, what's wrong?"

"Well, I shot a moose, and handed the rifle to Donna (his wife), and she shot another. Bring help!"

~MY turn for needless chatter.~
"You're kidding!? WHAT!? How'd you get so lucky? WHERE? Are they in the water?" ~snap back to the importance~ "Ok, same spot as always? Do we need XtraTufs? We'll be there soon."

"Ask Dirk (My fiance') if he has friends to bring, we need plenty of help, have to cross a stream."

"Ok, bye, Dad!"

Dad, field dressing moose #1

I woke my honey, who'd barely been back to sleep after getting up early to mow greens at a golf course. I also called my brother, Jamie. After 20 minutes of throwing rain pants and other gear together, grabbing a leftover banana cake, and my Nalgene, I picked Jamie up with my 4 year old nephew, then Dirk. I also called my boss and informed him that I'd be late to work. A little more than an hour later, we were standing over two dead bulls. One had just one spike for a a lop-sided antler, and the other was a 3-pronged fork. Small, but meat in the freezer! Dad had barely begun field dressing one, so he and Dirk got back to work on that one, while Jamie and I started the little guy. (By little, remember a yearling bull is about 700 pounds).

Jamie, Dad, and Dirk, preparing to hike out with the meat





Me/ Front 1/4

Dirk/ Rear 1/4

It honestly did not take us long to have all 8 quarters and 2 bags of trim back to the road. Dad and I each carried front quarters twice, while Dirk and Jamie took the hind quarters. Dirk snagged a bag of trim on one trip, and Donna had carried one the first trip. After that, Dirk and I headed back to Fairbanks so I could be to work an hour and 40 late. Jamie and Dad finished the hauling and cleanup.

 

 

Dad gave Jamie and I one moose to split. I spent the last 3 days processing him, and am very happy with the hundreds of dollars I'm saving on meat for the year that is packaged and in the freezer as I type.

Me, preparing burger for freeze



Gabriel, grinding burger

Judah, with 60 pounds of ground moose.

Yesterday was grind day. 40 pounds of grind was wrapped and frozen. 20 pounds, I reserved for my sausage making pleasure.

And now, the part you have all been waiting for...........

 

MB'S MOOSE KIELBASA 101:

 

 

 

 

Need:

• KitchenAid Stand mixer with GRINDER ATTACHMENT AND SAUSAGE STUFFING KIT (If you plan to do this annually, upgrade to the 600 Pro Series-the Artisan just doesn't know how to handle a moose!)

• Hog Casings or Sheep Casings (or callagen if you just can't get over using straight intestines. I prefer the natural casings, as the callagen is a mix of non-natural substances and pieces of bone, tendon, and skin and often tastes weird and has a paper-like texture) *You can purchase any type in a variety of sizes and quantities on Amazon, or just the hog and callagen at Sportsman's Warehouse, though amazingly enough, even in Alaska, they thought I was odd for wanting the hog casings.

• Beef Suet (I prefer the beef fat to the pork, as I have read that mixing pork fat in red meat can cause a natural chemical reaction that CAN be toxic) *Call the butcher Dept. the day prior to pick up, as they typically cut in the morning and will need to know to reserve the fat for you* **I prefer a leaner meat, so I only ordered enough for a 10% fat volume; most sausage recipes ask for 20%**

• Sausage BINDER *Also found at Sportsman's Warehouse, I got a product of "Hi-Country." I was not terribly fond of the ingredients (Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Corn Syrup Solids, and Hydrolyzed Whey Protein), but wasn't nitrates or MSG, and I needed something to make this meat sticky and more sausage-like that regular ground stuffed in a casing.* (The link here is for a better binder that uses a mixture of wheat, corn, and rye flours.)

PRODUCTION:

Follow directions on your casings packet. If using Hog/Sheep Casings, you will need to soak them for an hour and a half in warm water prior to use, so at some point int his timeline, be sure to do that.

Once your meat is ground, weigh it out in 5 pound increments. I chose 20 pounds. I wanted a 10% fat, so I reduced my ground meat to slightly over 18 pounds, then made the rest of it ground fat.

Place your fat/meat mixture in a bleach-cleaned cooler big enough to mix it by hand. Add your FLAVOR *this is a recipe for 5 pounds of meat, so while making 20, I multiplied it by 4*

**IMPORTANT** If you choose to use the BINDER, you MUST double these spices. The BINDER weakens the flavor. Do not double the beer: It will  be sticky-icky!!

2 T. Granulated Garlic

1/2 T. Salt

2 1/2 T. Paprika

3 T. Sugar (white or brown; I used half and half)

1 1/2 T. Black Pepper

 

3/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper

1 T. Mustard (recipes called for ground, but I didn't have any, so I used yellow hot dog mustard)

3/4 T. Celery Salt

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg (Recipe called for more, but nutmeg scares me -I don't like it- so I used less)

1/2 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Oregano (most recipes called for Marjoram, but I replaced it with Oregano, because that's what I had)

1/3 C. BINDER

1 C. Beer (I had Alaska Amber on hand from 2 Christmases ago when I made beer-cheese fondue, and I'm not a drinker, so IDK if it matters what beer you use, but I can say this sausage is sweet and delicious!)

MIX WITH HANDS: very important to use your hands, because not only will this evenly distribute the fat, and flavors, but it works with the BINDER to make the meat the right consistency.


~I needed to take a break and cook dinner for the hoodlums (we had moose steak sammiches), so I put the sausage mix in the fridge for about 45 minutes. I think this really worked out because it stuffs better when chilled.~

Attach the appropriate size sausage stuffer to the meat grinder on the kitchen aid. -note from past experience-if you don't have the instructions, it pieces together like this: (don't forget that plastic spacer thing that slides over the rotor-spinner doohickey)

Find the opening to one of your slimy casings, and run warm water THROUGH it. (Think filling water balloons) This process stretches the casing, and rinses out any unwanted residue.

Slide rinsed casing over sausage stuffing nozzle. (Think scrunching up nylons/long socks)

Tie a knot in the end of the casing so it is just at the end of the nozzle.

Load sausage mix in hopper (I find making Table spoon size balls first feeds best)
*This is easiest with 2 people, 1 to load the hopper, and one to regulate sausage size and twist the sausage at the right length, but it can be done by 1. I used both hands to regulate sausage size, when leaning on the pusher-feeding the meat through the hopper- with my left cheek-inventive, I know!*

I had my mixer on full speed, sounding like it was ready to take flight. Not sure if that was the correct speed, but it worked.

Use your hands to ensure the right amount of casing is being filled. Too little with be tight, and over stuffed. That will likely burst as soon as it hits the frying pan, if not before! Too much casing will be loose and limp without forming the right consistency for the meat. You'll start to feel and see the right consistency as you go.

When they've reached the length you desire, give a quick twist in the casing, then bend the sausage backward to allow the second link to come through, guiding it's fill and length once again. Repeat until you've reached your desired number of links. (I wanted four)

Shut off the mixer after you reach your chosen number of links. pinch the end that's still attached, and give yourself another inch of casing before you snip it. Tie that in a knot, and set your links on a dry anti-pill towel to dry: a small fan wouldn't hurt on them either

Tie the remaining casing in a knot and continue, adding new casings when needed (Don't forget to rinse them through in the water-balloon manner first!)

Once you've made all your links, place them in the fridge to continue drying. I put mine on stacking cookie cooling racks, but I'm wishing I had a mini fan as well, they should be sticky-dry before you smoke or freeze them.

Once they reach the sticky-dry phase, wrap them for freezing. I LOVE the vacuum sealers for this, as it will seal 4 of them snuggly without compromising their structure. A whole moose is too hard on the household sealers though, so I'd only use it for the links alone.
You can prepare for freeze by wrapping the desired number of links tightly in plastic wrap, then freezer paper sealed with masking tape.

I am going to attempt to smoke some of my links as soon as I stop this blog....I'll let you know that process and how it turns out later.

Happy Moose Season!

Paris, pretending to eat the tendons, fat, and various trim. Odd child, that girl.

What's Up!?

So, I've been completely busy with my etsy party plans, that I haven't posted in a while. I thought whoever is out there may want to know the happenings of my life in North Pole.

Mama Bird:
STRANGE thing about her...After being attacked by Mommy Bird AND Daddy Bird several times, I was never able to take pictures of the growing babies. I am slightly concerned about their fate, however. One day, I found a small pile of teeny birdy feathers in the yard. :( Noticing that both parental bird had been away for a while, I checked the nest and found it void of life. One, still-born egg lies in it still. I don't know why, but it just makes me sort-of sad.



Garden:

I am happy to report that my thumb is quite green these days! The tomatoes are flowering along with the peas. The Potatoes are requiring new dirt daily, and the broccoli is getting so leafy! ~Can anyone tell me when it will turn into sprouts?~ Carrots, strawberries, and herbs are good, and scallions abundant! Overall, I am very pleased with the gardening progression. I am slightly disappointed at the availability of garden soil, however. No one has any! Home Depot, Lowe's, Fred Meyer-it's all gone! My poor cabbages may not move into the garden at all!


BABY GABEY:

Last week, Gabe caught a little cold. Unfortunately for his premature lungs, a little cold becomes a big ordeal rather quickly. We spent the better half of last weekend in and out of the hospital, but avoided admittance, nonetheless! Though his oxygen was low, and his breathing labored, we were allowed to take care of our little guy at home, giving him breathing treatments via a nebulizer and oral steroids. A week and a half later, he has a runny nose, but is doing MUCH better. The nebulizer is a different story...

Moses:

My beloved "pound puppy" had to go to the doggy doctor for the first time since we got him in 2006. He has some sort of yeast infection on his skin due to allergies. He is most likely reacting to the high levels of pollen and cottonwood this time of year. One-hundred and thirty-one dollars later, we left the vet with special shampoo and started bathing him twice a week. Of course he LOVES this, right!? ;) Well, he isn't a TOTAL waste of fur and money...A couple of days ago, Moses refused to sit in his seat. After much his continual protesting, I went to see if he may have wet the bed and been embarrassed. No wet spots, BUT, I DID find a burned-up outlet behind the chair. The nebulizer plug was completely blackened and the wall was hot. After unplugging it and taping off the outlet, Moses reclaimed his seat. I would like to publicly declare him to be a "good boy!" (this time)

Etsy party:

With only two weeks of planning, my business, MB's, was able to pull off a pretty good craft party! Of course, I had some excellent help from two friends, Tara, and Jennifer. We built a fun, hot-air balloon pinata and stuffed it with candy AND craft supplies! We had a huge cake, mustaches on a stick, and so much more! The infamous crafter, Kate Clark was there with her news-worthy iMaxi for the iPad! SO very funny and clever, Kate was a star at the party! (Once she admitted what her product was, that is! ;) ) All-in-all, it was a great beginning to what I think will be a regular happening around here for years to come!!

Food:

Unfortuantely, there is not a GREAT selection for lower-priced yummy foods to go in the Fairbanks area. BUT, I am hungry and off the Chili's to spend a rediculous amount of money on food to share with me and my hoodlums. Love to all...will blog again soon.~MB

Area Crafters Invited

So, I got totally psyched about this thing Etsy.com is sponsoring. It's a craft party and it's at my house: June 18th and it's open to the public. PLEASE RSVP here: http://www.meetup.com/Etsy-Craft-Party/6803/
AND, invite your friends and ask them to RSVP too!

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!

Remodeling in Progress

When I started this blog, I wanted it to be "all things Alaska." I wanted to refrain from being too personal, too centered around me and my family. Instead, I wanted it to be open for stories and information about Alaska-things that make this place great. In an effort to keep this the center of the blog, I'll be introducing new material such as how-to articles, featured Alaskan handcrafts, and other Alaskan things. I would like feedback on what else you would like to see here on "Life in Alaska." Why are you following this blog? What is it you want to know about life in AK?

Under Contsruction

Wow, almost a year since I blogged on here. I think it's time for an over-haul....Please Stay Tuned.

Not Even a Sordough Yet!

I realized that a week ago today marked my 20th year in Alaska! I'm beyond my Cheechako years, for sure, but not quite a Sourdough yet, as I am pretty sure that means 15 additional years here. I thought I would take the blog opportunity to reflect on the happenings of 1989.

I was seven years old and had just relocated with my family from Dover AFB, DE to Eielson AFB, Alaska. Dad had just returned State-side from a year's tour to Korea without us. He was withdrawn and our adventure to Alaska seemed like the only thing we had going for us. There was no room on Base, so the Air Force put my family of six and our dog up in a Fairbanks hotel. That was so much fun, especially because the maid was afraid of Russie, our fat, old Brittany! Soon, my dad moved us into a nasty, run-down cabin in Moose Creek, Alaska. In May, it snowed! My brother, Jamie, and I built 6 snowman, one for each family member, and a snow-dog, of course! :)

That summer was a blast: we had very few toys, as they were all in storage. Instead, we played in the dirt, made friends with a girl down the street, and walked alongside the railroad tracks to the Moose Creek General Store for over-priced candy-bars that are way under the price of cheap candy bars today. Dad broke his nose when he rolled a 3-wheeler on top of himself on those same railroad tracks sometime that summer. Mom worked part time at the BX and struggled to keep up with cabin cleaning and home-schooling.

In September, it snowed again! It was the 20th of September, actually. I remember this because my dad had taken all of us fishing on the bank of the Tanana River. Our senile, old dog had locked point on some bushes nearby. We scolded her for taking an interest in squirrels. A closer investigation, however, revealed a shivering, malnourished black Labrador. She was pregnant, abandoned, with fishing line cutting up her feet. Though a year in Korea without us had made him somewhat emotionless toward his family, my dad could not resist our cries to help the poor dog. Dad cleaned her up, named her Lucky, and built her a cardboard box to birth her babies. Seven perfectly plump Black Lab mixes, and one Chocolate Lab mix, of the same stature emerged from Lucky's skin and bones the very next day. Though we found a great new home for Lucky, we did keep her brown pup. We named him Sasquatch and he was the most well-behaved dog I have ever known.

We learned that winter pretty much starts around then, and soon, Christmas was upon us. It's the only year in my memory where our tree wasn't topped with a golden star my parents had made before I was born. Our tree of 1989 wore construction-paper strings, and popcorn strings at the top where Russie and Sasquatch couldn't reach them. Cut-outs from magazines also hung from the branches. It was perfectly Alaskan!

I'm not exactly sure when we moved out of the cabin, but I know we spent a significant amount of our first winter there, if not all of it. We learned that the hole we'd discovered in the summer when mosquitoes swarmed into my and my sister's room would turn that room into a frozen isolation chamber in the winter months. After that, we slept in the small living room. We also learned that squirrels could make a huge mess inside of a cabin and were very vigorous at finding a way in during the hard-to-forage winter months. We learned that if you feed a moose a potato, she will ask you for another, and another, and another, and so on. Sasquatch became friends with Molly the moose, whom my mom was the first to offer a handout to. Dad fed her from his hand, but soon made an executive decision to stop the handouts and force Molly to move on. Probably a wise decision, as I am sure we couldn't afford such an expensive pet!

Still, I think the most important thing we learned was that, together, we could make a great life here. We could endure any trial. We could overcome our past conflicts. We could love each other and be a family again. Those were the life lessons we should have all held on to as the years passed. God really used Alaska to bring us together back then. And together, we were a great team.

Break Up

Alright, so my motherly duties are causing me to lack in my blog-writing duties somewhat. I apologize that many of the events on here are now a thing of this years' past, but please keep them in mind for 2010.

Alaska in the full flavor of pre-spring. Of course, we don't call it spring. Maybe it's one more act of refusal to conform, but in Alaska, it's called break-up. It's the time of year that rivers and snow begin to break-up. But what exactly does that mean to those of us who call "Seward's Icebox" our home?

• Nenana Ice Classic Tickets are on sale. The event is a State lottery of sorts. The goal is to place the closest guess as to when a large tripod will fall through the ice on the part of the Tanana River that flows through the small town of Nenana. Winners take home thousands of dollars annually. I've never played.
  
  
• Bad road conditions. "The brakes are not your friends" phrase is commonly heard at this time of year. In fact, Mom hit a moose with her Subaru last week. She's the first of the family to do so in the nearly 20 years we've been here! She and her car were unscratched. The moose, however, broke both her hind legs and had to be shot. In Alaska, churches are called to salvage all moose road kills, including Mom's.
  



• Ice Alaska: The world ice art championships are held in Fairbanks, Alaska. The "coolest" part of this is the kid's park. Fit for all ages, giant ice slides tower above smaller playground equipment: all made of ice. If you aren't up for a trip to Alaska in March, you can visit the Fairbanks Ice Museum from May-September. Though it doesn't hold many sculptures, there is an ice slide, to give you a taste of the real deal.




• Daylight Saving Time: Alright, some of our legislators are lobbying to get rid of the tradition, but I love it! Sure, in the dead of winter it is dark all the time, and in the middle of summer, we never see the stars, but this time of year, I just like seeing the sun still up at 9pm.

• Fur Rendezvous: Another event I've never taken part in, though this one sounds GREAT! Held in downtown, Anchorage, participants are welcomed to join in a variety of winter games such as dog sledding and reindeer races.

• March Madness at Birch Hill Ski and Snowboard Area: Located on Ft. Wainwright, this is a local favorite. Events include everything from pudding eating contests to ski-n-surf. It is held the last weekend of March.

• Dog weight-pull championships: The Fairbanks events are usually held in the Bentley Mall parking lot. This is a really fun event to watch or participate in. Dogs compete to see which can pull the sled carrying the most weight. Any dog can participate!

• Mush For Kids: This event is held at what I must grit my teeth and call "Pioneer Park" (formerly known as "Alaska Land"). It is free event to support the Alaska Children's Trust. Various vendors provide free services for children such as dog sled rides, hockey, puppy petting, crafts, etc.

Though there must be countless more community events happening, I'll end my list here. What I enjoy most this time of year is the water dripping from my roof, the sun shining past 9pm, taking my own dogs on dog sled rides, wearing a light jacket and Crocs to town, and just knowing summer is weeks away!

Babies and Birthdays

As I mentioned in my first blog, I was pregnant. I am no longer. Though my beautiful new son was "due" on April 10'th, I had found out about a complication in my pregnancy called placenta previa. A C-Section was going to be scheduled for the end of March. I began complaining that I wanted an April baby and that choosing your child's birth date is not a natural thing to do. Apparently talking to your baby in-utero works because on Sunday, the 22'nd, at 2:30AM, I woke in pool of blood.

I woke John, changed, and instructed my mom to call the ER with my information: 33 weeks pregnant. Placenta Previa. Massive bleeding. Doctor's name is Bartling. We left the kids in their beds and Mom was here to stay with them.

The sparseness of cars on Alaska roads (especially at 2:30am) came in at a great advantage. John drove over 80 mph to get to Fairbanks Memorial hospital. The administrations clerks at the ER were throwing fits that I was not pre-registered. I told them I was bleeding all over thee floor and they said, "That's ok, we'll clean it up!" LOL, like I cared about the floor!

Once in Labor and Delivery, the Dr. stated the obvious: immediate C-section required. We had to wait for the anesthesiologist, which seemed like forever. Finally, just after 4am, I was taken into the OR. It was 6 minutes from the time I went in, to the time Gabriel Wayne was being walked out! I was not conscious, and I had nearly bled to death. They started a transfusion right then, and I would end up receiving a total of 6 units of blood just to get my blood count stabilized.

On a side note, please consider donating blood to your local blood bank. Thank you, Jen, for donating and saving people's lives. It might not get your name in the newspaper like saving someone from a car accident or something, and you might not get an award for inventing a great piece of life-saving equipment, but giving blood is just as heroic. Somewhere in Fairbanks, Alaska are 6 donors who maybe received a glass of orange juice for their contributions, but they are my heroes. Without their donations and God's mercy, my newborn son would not have his mother today.

Anyway, as I received my care, Gabriel was getting his. He was a tough little fighter! He received lubricating medicines for his pre-mature lungs and was breathing heavily on his own. When his breathing continued to labor, his Dr. opted to put him on a ventilator. Gabriel kicked and swatted at the Dr. so much he had to be sedated. Dr. Foote said we were going to have a discipline problem with this one. I think he was right: a day or two after it was inserted, Gabe removed the breathing tube himself! He seemed to be able to breathe without the heavy laboring, so they left it out and placed a feeding tube through his nose. a day or two after that, he pulled that out!

At that point, it was decided he could suck minute amounts of breast milk through a rubber nipple. He did it, but the "nutrient IV" was still providing his basic needs. The IVs soon began to swell, and an increase of milk volume was made. Gabe sucked it down. By yesterday, at one week old, Gabriel was off the IVs and medicines. He was only hooked to a monitor. A nurse last night put another feeding tube in. She said he only ate half his food, but I have not had any trouble getting him to eat and neither have any other nurses. He eats over a 1/4 of a cup of milk every 3 hours and loves it. Though he dropped from 5 pounds, 12 ounces to 5 pounds, 2 ounces, he has now gained back almost 2 ounces. He has also grown one inch: from 18 inches, to 20. His only step left toward release is maintaining his own body temperature in an open room. Really, that means adding more body fat to keep him warm.

God is amazing. He had this planned and controlled since he first formed Gabriel. As the Psalmist said, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." I truly believe my bout of pneumonia and month-long illness was to keep me from walking and having this happen sooner than it did. Gabriel would not have been ready a day sooner. God made him a large baby too. I know His hand is in all things. I miss my little guy more than anything in the world. The love I have for him truly is, as they say, like wearing my heart on my sleeve. Leaving him in the NICU was very hard, but knowing he is doing so well, makes it much easier. I think he may be home within a week or two.

The Sun Returns

Yes, it's true: about 8 1/2 hours now and it is so nice! Just seeing the brightness shining through the windows makes one think more posatively.

The temperature has been great as well. Saturday, it was 20 degrees. John took the kids skiing. At 3 and 4 years old, I didn't expect them to stay out too long. Five hours later, John was dragging Paris into the lodge and leaving Judah to follow after "one more time." They were awesome and I was jealous to be confined to a chair by the window to watch. Still, knowing I had taught both of them this sport was pretty gratifying. Paris did insist that "Daddy teached her," and I suppose that's ok since she is a little girl and I understand how little girls idolize their Daddies whether they deserve it or not. LOL

When we finally left the ski lodge, Paris was asleep before we left the parking lot. We managed to keep Judah talking for the 20 minute drive home in order to prevent him from a late nap. At exactly 9 pm, they were both in bed for the night. Within 5 minutes, they were both asleep. They slept. And they slept. And they slept some more. We opted out of Sunday-School just so they could finish resting. It was a quarter 'til 10 when I woke them up. Nearly 13 hours of sleep and they were still well worn!

Today, I will send them in the backyard to go sledding for a while. This time of year really is great!

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Unfortunately, I am still quite "under-the weather." I really have no idea what that truly means, or where it originated, but I am applying it to my current state none the less. I currently have pneumonia and a misplaced rib, on top of a pregnancy complication known as "Placenta Previa." The pneumonia is the worse of it, and since one generally catches pneumonia from bad weather, I have decided the aforementioned proverbial phrase is entirely appropriate for my condition.
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During this time of much sitting, my last post has been bothering me. Though it is a very small town, North Pole is so much more than the last post. There are so many more memories and things to say about why I am happy to have grown up here, and even happier to raise my children here. I suppose I may just have to compile a book about it one day. :)
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In the meantime, to Jennifer, I'd like to say that I am not arguing that North Pole is better than any other home-town. I am sure there is charm and deep memories in most peoples' home-towns. Perhaps that is what I am digging at: a reflection from my heart of why North Pole was great for me, and a challenge to others to reflect on their places of origin as well. We all come from somewhere. Though that Somewhere will never be the same as it was when we were there, it will always be "perfect" in our hearts.
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For Shane: The Great Alaska Pizza Company took over all of the area Little Ceaser's when the national chain downsized. The only topping unique to the Alaska-based company is reindeer sausage. The pizzeria itself is fantastic competition to the more well known, Pizza Hut, offering such deals as an every-day Large, one-topping pizza for $7.99 and a once-a-month "customer appreciation" day where Large , one-toppings are $4.99 each. Still, the place is nothing real special, in my opinon anyway. It is not specialty pizza or something anyone considers a local favorite.
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And, for my "anonymous husband:" Elkhart, Texas has its charm as well. It's just that no one explained to anyone there that life is ever-changing, so the people there all seem to be "stuck" in the same reality that they have been for years!

Zip Code 99705

North Pole, Alaska

Candy-Cane street lamps decorate the roads in the city itself. On some buildings, Christmas lights are present year-round. The world famous Santa Claus House still stands on St. Nicholas Drive, and is now a home to four of "Santa's" reindeer. Though the store has posted the animals' traditional names, I prefer to call them things I find more suitable than Dancer and Prancer, etc.. My names for them are: "Breakfast," "Maple," "Sage," and "Italian." Of course they all share the same last name: Sausage.

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North Pole has very little to offer in the entertainment world, but it is the home to five franchise restaurants: Subway, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and Wendy's. In addition, there is The Great Alaska Pizza Company, a fairly new diner, Harley's, two Chinese places, FireWok and Pagoda, The Thai Cuisine, a bar/diner, The Elf's Den, Dallman's Family Restaurant, and a country cafe' that I honestly don't remember the name of. Oh, yes, we have more than our share of eateries!

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We do have our own radio station located here! 100.3 KJNP is a Christian station which also hosts a TV channel. The station is made of rustic, old log buildings. Their broadcast does come in clear, however, owning the largest antenna in the area, and possibly all of Alaska. In fact, if you still have a phone with a cord, you can often hear the radio through that phone!

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The central location of North Pole is the grocery store which now displays the store label of Safeway. Since I have lived here, the same store has also been called Super Value and Carrs, and I must note, that it is perfectly acceptable to use any of its names interchangeably. Any true Local will not notice if you do not call it by its current title. The store and its adjoining strip-mall is owned by the Gavora family of Fairbanks. They own several locations in the more popular town as well. The mall itself has changed very little except for the lack of stores it is home to. Sentry Hardware is the only store that has been a constant since I have lived here. Everything else, from movie rentals to pet stores, have come and gone. I think the Gavora family is hoping to change that turn-over with their recent addition of North Pole's first Hotel, which is just being finished just outside of the mall's entrance.

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There are three gas stations here; all of which are over-priced and typical of small-town charm. (ie: semi-warm hot dogs at $3.00 each and the restrooms are no place to rest!) I used to work at one of them, Sourdough Fuel. Petro Star owns that one as well as a credit card only pump station under the notable name of Texaco. The third used to be our 7-11, and again, it is perfectly acceptable to refer to it as such.

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The United States Postal Service has a wonderful, little branch in North Pole. Giant Candy Canes in front of the building, and a sign stating its address make the location a very popular photo-op for our many tourists. Though the clerks at the Post Office are the friendliest, I know them each by name, and they have seen me grow up, it is a horrible place to need in November and December. No one can resist sending a Christmas package from North Pole, after all.

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My family moved just outside the small town of North Pole in 1990. Nineteen years later, with the absence of just under a year, I am still living in Alaska's Christmas town. It has been through its course of changes; new buildings up, old ones torn down, growth of population, roads re-routed, etc. But nothing has changed of its personality.

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The Mayor, Mr. Doug Isaacson, (once my youth-group leader, by the way) is often seen walking down the sidewalk and will always smile and wave to anyone and everyone driving by. He is a wonderful mayor, I will note. He has implemented several things for the community including a Christmas Ice Park that has been fantastic the last two years!

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Going into "The Super Carrs Way" (grocery store), you are nearly guaranteed to run into more than a couple familiar faces, in addition to "knowing" all the cashiers. In fact, at the onset of this pregnancy, I noted to my visiting friend that I might be pregnant and she insisted we purchase a home pregnancy test. I refused to buy such an item in North Pole! She bought one. I told that wasn't much better: instead of whispers of the possibility that I may pregnant, North Pole would now be contemplating the state of my single friend visiting from Arizona! Ah well, even today, as I discussed pregnancy issues with one my favorite cashiers, three others and several customers listened in and added their input. Some may find these situations "nosey" or annoying, but it is just the small-town way.

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These same people will be the ones to help raise money when your loved one has cancer. They will help put a porch on your house when the snow caves it in. They will stop to ensure his safety when your child's chain comes off his bike. They will "rescue" your lost dog and most likely keep it in their own home instead of turning it in to the Animal Shelter. North Pole-ians are people with great heart for their community. I'm so happy that my kids are growing up here as I did. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, and this is one great, charming village. :)

"Raven"Like A Lunatic

Hello to you too, Mr. Raven in the backyard. I'm not sure why he is looming around the branches of our super-tall Spruce trees. Maybe he is scoping out the after-Christmas gingerbread houses and rotten apples I just threw out. Around town, we refer to these birds as "dumpster chickens" because of their filthy way of life in the city. They are most commonly found at McDonald's, Burger King, or any other place that frequently dumps food remnants into a dumpster. Sometimes we call them "soul chickens" or "Spirit Birds" as well. That is because the Native Alaskans believe that at some point after death, the human soul enters a raven and can then guide and be with the tribe forever. What they then say happens when a raven dies, I'm not sure! It is that belief that has earned the raven a place on the State's protected species list as well. In any case, ravens in the city are fat, grossly dirty birds.

On the flip side, ravens are amazing creatures in the wild. They have mimicking capabilities. I have heard them "bark" at my dog, Tigerlily while we walked our trapline. Sometimes they whistle. Mostly tthough, their sound is just a throaty "caw" similar to a crow or a deep clucking. The most amazing time to hear them is when they have found a fresh animal kill. I don't quite understand what, other than God, directs them to kill sites, but they seem to appear as soon as an animal is killed. After they find the site, they just seem to multiply in the sky. From six to a dozen black birds, soaring high above the blood on the ground; circling and calling loudly. Calling: yes, calling to stir the other forest inhabitants. "Aww-Aww-'Freshly killed moose below,'" they say, hoping to reach the ears of a wolf pack or a hungry bear. They repeat this ritual for hours at times, scarcely ever swooping down to peck at the meat. Ravens prefer to have someone else do the dirty work. If they can call in a hungry carnivore to rip the hide and make a mess of the carcass, they will gladly wait. Then, and only then, does the ravens' feast begin.

It is a shame to see the raven in such a negative light around the cities. Instead of scavenging after bears and wolves, they scavenge after humans. They are pecking at the remnants of OUR meals, and living a very poor life due to that. I once asked a lady from the Alaska Bird Observatory about the lifespan of the raven. Though I don't remember her exact answer, I wasn't surprised to hear that city birds die much sooner than those in the wild. Not because they have a rougher life, but because they have high cholesterol, heart disease, and other nasty illnesses caused by their custom of eating our table scraps.

Well, consider yourself a little more educated on the most common bird in Alaska. And if you come to visit this Great Land, and you share a french-fry or hamburger with a raven, just remember, somewhere beyond the city lights, there are moose who dread the sound of the raven's cry. It means death to them, but life to a wolf and to the ravens there, who know nothing of our human filth.