Dec. 9th. 2013

Hi!  We've had zero or above weather all week.  For the last two days, it seemed that the thermometer was stuck at 8*, but I notice that this morning, we're at 15*, so the thermometer is not stuck.  :)    We received just a smattering of wet sleet on Friday; it was enough to pack down the remaining unblown away snow and to make the roads slick.

We had an excellent service yesterday - Paul Basalyga was here visiting - he led worship.  Sis Margaret preached on roots and the importance of the roots drinking from the right sources in order to have healthy plants and fruit - of course, she was likening the roots to us being planted in the right place as stated in Ps 1:3.  Sis Wenda shared as well.  We had our usual prayer requests for Bro George, Bro Andy, Sis Millie, Ralph Horender, Dora, Christine, some unspoken, and more.

I noticed that Tommy killed some beef cows this week so we'll have some beef meat coming up soon.  We are really enjoying the pork meat that Seth provided for us by getting and caring for the pigs till butcher time.  We are selling some of our eggs at Alaska Feed for $3.50 a dozen for cash or $4/dozen for in store trading/buying.  That's pretty cool, I think.   Tony and his boys have been madly selling hay and straw to all sorts of people.  I think Tommy sold some sides of beef to Delta Meat and Sausage too.

Pat, self and Rob managed to get in some Snowshoeing this weekend. Went for 2 miles to the Lynx trap, so named because it used to be...well...a lynx trap :)

Jo Cox and self have gotten in 2 trips down the backside of the sawmill trail, kindly opened up by Brad Cox. This leads either up the Horn Mountain or to the Alaska highway. We just take it for about  total of 45' a nice little workout. Amazing how dark it still gets so soon! By 4 pm it was getting dusk.

 A few folks are taking some time to visit family and friends during the holiday season. May and I are leaving for TX on the 28th. for a couple of weeks. Can't wait to see my girlie Annie, my sister Karenza and meet all the folks there. Hope to be able to get in a drive to Springfield MO to visit my sis. Alejandra and her family. She will be leaving for Chile in March so if I want to see her - now is the time. She will move to Chile for 2 years completing an academic Fellows position and responsibilities,  at the research university in Coyhaique. This research branch is part of the Universidad Austral of Chile. I am sure Alejandra will do admirably although she will be far from all of us for a while. Here's a link to the place.

http://patagonia.uach.cl/

The Aurora has been amazing the past few weeks. This taken by Delt photographer Sebastian Saarlos. Neat huh?

I'd love to run my mouth more, but I've goofed around too long writing other messages and now I must get going to devotions and school.  Have a great day and a great week.