NOVEMBER NOOS FROM THE FAR NORTH....IT'S GETTING COLD..er ;)

Hello from the cold north, and the auroras continue to amaze this month

Weather report:

Last week we received a little over three inches of snow.  I’ve lost track of how and when we received it, but our accumulation is five inches.  This week, our weather started getting colder as in below zero temps.  Last night we had a low of-33 degrees.  Upon waking up this morning, I am happy to report that the temperature is rising.  At present, we are sitting at-19 degrees.  I hear that we are supposed to get a strong warming chinook in today and tomorrow.  We’ll see.

We are all looking forward to Thanksgiving next week.  As is tradition but hasn’t occurred for the past couple of years, Bro Andy will join the cook crew this year; Kathryn and May will still be his right and left hand bosses.

Did I ever mention that Ryan Buerge (from Canada) and Jordan Wheeler (from Delta) are attending our high school this year?  Both students are staying with Hannah and Craig Mason.

Craig Mason with the help of Jeremy Austin and Kathryn Nerbonne Clark (secretarial duties) is working hard to find funding and to set up a better internet setup for the community and esp. for the school.  We will then be able to bypass Hughes net and best of all…… measured bandwidth usage!!!! 

Travelers:Joe Brandes has gone to Maine to visit his family for two months.

Kim Milliron flew home last night; Chris Toby flies home today or tomorrow.  Bill and Kathy arrived home on the weekend.  They had a GREAT visit but are happy to be home too.  

ROBIN REPORT:

Robin is done with his job at IGA.  Now he is spending time at the sawmill each morning doing jobs for the logger guys, mainly in the large metal enclosed building.  His mom has to oversee his work for paperwork reasons.  Gri diligently traipses out to the Mill each time he shows up for work.  I have to say, I’m impressed with Gri’s pushing Robbie to become a dependable lad....thanks for the kudos Sarah! ;) Rob enjoys the interaction with the guys. Thanks for finding jobs for him to keep busy!

Last Sunday I had the rare chance of interpreting our church message given by a speaker from the Dominican Republic, I believe he is originally from Colombia. Always good to practice one's simultaneous recall, good for the ole' noggin...

as Poirot says:...something that will agitate the little grey cells most adequately.

snowshoes trails are calling!

Community activities are keeping us busy as usual, so I will not bore you with daily routine details that are essential to keeping the beehive buzzing.

Have a great weekend!

October gone already...!!

A short note by my friendly neighbor Sarah Jepsen who has no time for her own blog, so is happy for me to include it in Moosings since we are all in the same boat…sorta….kinda…haha

From Sarah:

In the last eighteen months, I’ve gotten up to my elbows in cheese making, and I love it.  The problem is, I have too many things I love to do (and some I don’t love, bookkeeping) such as my photography and teaching and more.  The ones who have suffered from my new love are you all, my faithful readers.  I will try to improve, but, knowing me, I probably won’t improve much.  

As mentioned in the title of this email, this morning is the hunters’ breakfast.  The high school kids are cooking.  There was a mad flurry of activity in the kitchen this morning.  Soon enough there will be tall, raucous tales of shooting or almost shooting various wild game. 

School is going well although off to a rocky start.  An EMT class was held during the second week of school; most of the high school attended that.  In part of the third and fourth weeks, the high school students left at ten am till noon to help Tony and his boys with the grain and hay harvest.  Rob rode around with Chris on the tractor or with Kerri and Madge on the hay bailers…then he said it was too cold and he came home…lol

So many things have occurred since I last wrote that I don’t even know where to start. 

Seth and Kevin killed four of our six pigs recently.  We are all excited about pork meat!  We are so spoiled as opposed to the days when we had very little meat per meal.  We have ample amounts of moose and enough beef and now pork!  The young boys helped Seth clean up the barns area this summer and build a new pig barn and fence.  After we harvested all our garden vegetables, May allowed Seth to set up an electric fence in the garden where the pigs enjoyed themselves immensely.  It gave me great please to see them cavorting about the garden and running up to greet me and anyone who passed by like we were their best friend!

Kelly went to visit her Arizona relatives recently; Kevin went too for a part of her visit.  She’s home.  Cody attended the Bowen’s Mill convention and saw some friends.  When he arrived home, Chris Toby left shortly thereafter to visit his fiancé in Maine (Hope).  Jim and Bonnie are somewhere outside of Alaska visiting friends for a couple of weeks.  Kathy and Bill Casey went to WA, and later they will travel to NY to visit relatives.  Judy and Steve are flying south on Monday to visit their GA daughters.  

Robbie B has been working two days a week at IGA.  Gri takes him in and hangs around Delta while he works.  Be sure to say hello, all you Delta folks, if you see him.  

Bradie and Jessy have moved to Homer.  Jessy is working on the slope every couple of weeks, then back to Homer the other couple of weeks.  Bradie’s very tall boyfriend, Joseph, is attending Bible college in Homer.  Joe visited the farm for several weeks in the fall.  

Olivia Geyer has moved to Whitestone to attend college to get a degree in music.  I have a report about Olivia’s time in Hoonah this fall which I will post sometime.  :(

Pat has been gone to Valdez for the past week and is due back today from his piano tuning.  Have a great Saturday and cross your fingers that I can tidy my house in good time!

Oh here’s some pigs of the friendly pigs and of a recent cheese tasting we had.

HAPPY FRIDAY AND COMING WEEK END!

Showing off our lovely state! This is in Homer and somewhere in Wasilla, the mountain is Rainier I believe.

We’ve been having cool mornings of 18 and 20 degrees, but now a warm wind has blown in.  Morning temps are 34 and 37 degrees with the days reaching into the high 40’s.  Thankfully, this weather has melted most of the snow and ice; it has enabled Tony to work on getting in the hay and grain.  We are so thankful that out of all the farms in Delta, our farm’s grain is still standing tall and not knocked over by the wet snow.

People have asked me who shot the moose since I only gave a number - Thomas, Mark Coy, Tony, Chris, Cody, Nic V, Benj V, Jonnie, Brad, Seth, John Clark, Kevin, Ben, & Jarred.  The caribou were shot by the Williams men; the grizzly was shot by Thomas.

This week an instructor from Tok has come down to teach an EMT class.  We’ve had students from Dot Lake come, also the youngest Koehlers, and, of course, our students.  Today is the last day, and it seems that it has gone well. Rob and I both got our CPR/First aid...hopefully we won't need to use our skills anytime soon...lol

Did I ever mention that Mark Coy started his year with Esther Venables a couple of months ago.  It is one of those fun situations of Esther living at Whitestone while Mark is living here.  What the end result will be remains to be known by them and us.  At present Mark Is spending time in Headwaters helping them with the packing up and selling of that community.  Esther is pretty involved with her mom’s care.  Betty V has been sick for a few years now while continuing to live at I’sot.

May's garden is being mowed up by the voracious piggies...they're somewhere out there

September and SCHOOL START!

the Auroras have been stunning this month! Picnic under the stars anyone???

 Hatcher's Pass from our own Sebastian Saarlos...

Homer, Alaska, beautiful in front and behind

Folks,

Ok I know I'm biased but local folks have been taking the most AWESOME PHOTOS OF ALASKA'S BEAUTY in the past weeks! It's hard to know what to post. I know I haven't posted since August. No excuse...just tired like this mama bear...miss those days when my kiddos used to nap on top of me....now they're gone and don't need me...so make the most of it all you young mamas out there...

Monday morning, the first day of school, was a gorgeous sunny day that reached 60 degrees.  It was one of those days that one wants to savor and enjoy every last moment of warm sunshine.  Sometime during the night, clouds rolled in to dump snow on us.  I’ve lost count but we received over 12 cumulative inches of snow which has packed down to less.  Tony said it would all melt and go away.  I’m waiting for that.

Although we did get our veggies put away, we have not nearly finished putting away the hay and grain.  Tony and his helpers were working in the snow for awhile, but they finally had to stop due to the very wet, heavy snow.

May has done an amazing job with our garden and a bountiful produce is safely canned, frozen and eaten fresh. PTL!

Hunting went well and I think last count was 14. So meat cutting was a long ordeal but we are not complaining. 

 

Various men are doing various projects. Much building is going on, our across the road neighbors to be...Jan Ford and Judy Rich are transforming the old 2 story cabin that has had so many tenants I can't keep track...into a lovely place. Still in the beginning stages, with the help of many I think it will eventually look lovely. The building crews are also building around Delta, lovely log homes and doing what they do best. The loggers are also busy. Pat is fixing and winterizing our cabin. The roof is finally in order and now the upstairs inside is getting some needed sprucing up.

This week some of us are attending an ETT course of 40 hours which is keeping us on our toes. Thankful to all those who are filling in so that others can do this.  Always a good skill to have, especially with an aging population.

Not sure if I've mentioned that now Pat and myself and our daughter May are Robin's official guardians. One thing less to worry about. The change brings more paperwork for me especially but more peace of mind about Rob's future care. Amazing to think that Robin is 18! It's been quite the adventure, one which I would not have wanted to miss for the world! THANKS ROBBIE! LOVE YOU TO THE MOON...

Rob is learning some work skills in our local IGA. I drive him into Delta twice a week. He enjoys working with his buddy Steven who is also an individual with DS. They like to be together and Steven is showing him the ropes. Rob and myself are quite busy with school and also driving into town (100 miles round trip) twice a week for his trainee job at our local IGA. He is learning new skills and I hope he might be able to get part time employment later on. Perhaps in the summer when it is nicer to drive in.

Rob took part in the Hunter's Ed and got his card! He actually is a good shot...

Thanks Andy Trotter and Joe Brandes for helping him.

Rob is taking some weightlifting and strength training with Drew G, he is having a good time with this. We do it on the same day he goes into Delta for his job trainee...thanks Drew!

I was able to attend my second Ladies retreat at the Wilderness Log Cabin in Tok. A nice time with sweet ladies, uplifting and surrounded by a breathtaking part of Alaska!

http://www.logcabinwildernesslodge.com/

MAINLY FARM NOOS - PAST 2 WEEKS JULY/AUG.

Good morning. Some belated news from the home front. From the past 2 weeks while I was gone. Thanks Sarah! Below is a joint effort since I (Gri) missed so much of what was has been going on.

 Last week, we had two 82 degree days this week before the clouds rolled in and dropped .35” of rain on us.  The last two nights we’ve had lows of 36° and 38°.  A little brisk, I’d say.  We are getting some of our hay in finally, but there is trouble with the balers.  Hopefully that is soon fixed. 

We still have a grizzly running around at night.  It found our compost buckets once, found the grain shed once, unhappily found my burn barrel (but there was nothing fun in it) once, got shot at with buck shot once by some boys, but he keeps prowling around.  I guess grizzly season opens on the 10^th.  If Fish & Game haven’t done anything about him by then, I’m sure someone will shoot him soon thereafter. 

  

We’ve been working in our garden most nights harvesting greens or raspberries and sometimes May has us weed.  We have a been blessed with bountiful vegetables.  We are blessed – plenty of raspberries, cabbage, greens, broccoli, and more.  We just need more hay! Thanks to our Maymay…bless her…and thanks to all the crew of canning/freezing ladies. Now we have so many goodies put up for the winter months. BTW Tomatoes are doing awesome, thanks Wendy, Jo (and her crew), Rus.

After the bear got into the grain the other night, we didn’t see any sign of him for a few days. Many of us thought he’d gotten bloated and trundled off to wait it off or die.  But, no.  Last night, he returned to overturn barrels by the tab and to get into the grain in a big way.  He mauled several bags and hauled one bag into the woods beyond the barns. 

Hannah Mason came home last night; Andy and Sarah Jane will be home next week.  Andy is feeling better each day.  Once home, the Trotters will stay here for a couple of weeks before returning to Seattle for a procedure on his ongoing treatment on his liver. 

We had a treat yesterday – Nancy and Paul Baltrum plus two of their grands (Cole Williamson & Jayden Timm) came for supper and a few hours.  It was sooooo good to see their faces. Nancy was our in residence midwife for many years, she delivered most of our babies on the farm. When she saw May  whom she delivered 25 years ago in our cabin - she looked at Paul and said: “Paul, we must be getting old!”… Anyway it was nice to see them, they have over a dozen grandkids from 4 of their 7 kids. 

Last week, Lee and Claire Wilkerson came out to visit for a little bit.  Hannah and Lewis and Carson came with them.  Hannah helped Amaris and Maddie make a stellar meal of empanadas and salsa and other yummy things. They came out again on Sunday for our service and Lee had a good word. It is always nice for Pat and myself to catch up with them, Pat goes way back with Lee to his times as a single guy up in the dorm above the Tab here at Dry Creek, I go back to my days in Spain with them both of course, so it’s nice to sit and chat about old times…both Pat and myself had Lee&Claire as music instructors when we were at the Shepherd School of Music. They have their own music business, check their site out!

http://www.musicali.biz/

A group from Dry Creek participated at the Delta Fair! The loggers put together a cabin kit as a float on one of their logging semis. The irony is that Rob and I have been going all by our lonesomes for a few years now - and I miss the only time the whole farm goes out! Oh well…I was still recuperating from my trip down to TX and MO (Barnabas Camp)…so I should not complain.

Thanks to Sarah et all good pictures are located here:

 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153035484401569.1073741890.674561568&type=1&l=669227661b 

Sunday Jon and Carol Dufendach came out to share bringing brother Albert with them. Albert is a 90 year old gentleman (in every sense of the word) who had us smiling and laughing with his funny quips and sayings. For the past decades God has given him a healing anointing so he has spent his time traveling the world sharing his gift of miracles and signs with everybody.  Many here got prayed for. My frozen shoulder that I’ve been dealing with for a number of years - was healed - no pain. Others had their legs lengthened - amazing to actually see this happen before ones eyes. We had an excellent service with them.   

I have neglected to mention that Judy Rich from Texas has moved to our farm.  Judy is presently living with Jim and Bonnie Mason.  Judy is a great addition to our community. 

Sarah says: < Gri and Robin were gone for two weeks to attend a camp in the states.  It ended up that Gri was rooming with a second cousin of mine – how cool is that?  This second cousin’s grandma in law gives each of her grandchildren one of my calendars each Christmas.  And, it appears that Robbie had quite the time at camp.  He came back with a more mature look (or was that because of his few days’ growth on his face?).  Also, his mom has posted a lot of fun pictures on facebook of him. >

Pics of Rob's camp here

We sure enjoyed Ani’s month long visit here at home.  She has gone back to Texas where she is living with Karenza, her aunt, next to Mary and Tim Tessi. Starting a new semester at the Panola college end of August. Some pics of our time together, this past New Year and some of our time in June/July before we left for TX here

 Our youth camp DCYC 2015 -  was a most excellent time.  Pictures here

We could not have done so excellently if it had not been for all the participation from the neighboring farms and communities.  It was really amazing.  Everything seems to go so well and is so flavorful when everyone contributes like that. 

My brother Gavin Leeson flew over from Canada (where he was stationed for work) and spent the youth camp and a few days more with the Buongiornes. It was a real treat to see him having a good time with the young folks and participating in our farm activities. It had been at least 2 decades since I’d seen him. His oldest Nicole is 21 so when I saw him - she was 10 days old -, that was back in ’94.

Pictures of our time with Gav here

From Sarah: < Rich and I went to Montana right after camp to attend Christine’s memorial.  It was an excellent time with Richard’s family!  I posted memorial pics on Jeff’s fb and family pics on my facebook.

 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152971615816569.1073741888.674561568&type=1&l=eb55ccbd12 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152971658856569.1073741889.674561568&type=1&l=27f3b24039

https://www.facebook.com/christine.moore.3705/media_set?set=a.10151271710150310.508841.545905309&type=3

>

 GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME…AND ALL THE TIME…. 

Have a great weekend. 

your friendly bloggers from The Land, Dry Creek Alaska

JUNE/JULY 2015

This is the famous cupola at the House of Seasons in Jefferson TX. The glass panes are imported european and placed in such a manner that the sun rays catch each ones and give the impression of the 4 seasons...quite lovely! Not many guests are allowed to go up the flights of steps since the creaking and motions of the old house is detrimental to this piece of artwork (dating to Civil War era)...we were fortunate that our host allowed us to have a private viewing....


June/July,

Family and Friends,

June news a bit belated. Ani came to stay at Dry Creek for a WHOLE MONTH! That was a real treat. June was also our second hosting of DRY CREEK YOUTH CAMP 2015! 70+ kids, young adults swelled our numbers considerably. A great time was had by all. Ani ended up helping out in the kitchen with Hannah Mason and her crew of trusty culinary experts.

At the same time my  brother Gavin Leeson flew from Calgary where we has working for an industrial health and safety company based there. Gav was able to take part in our crazy life here in Dry Creek plus the youth camp. I had not seen him for about 20 years, since his oldest Nicole is now that age and she was just a newborn when I visited Argentina in '94...wow...time flies!

Then in July, Ani, Rob and myself flew to DFW and took the Texas Eagle Amtrak to Marshall...very hot week, but such an enjoyable time with Tim & Mary Tesi.

Another highlight is that Sandra Burgess my sis who lives in MO came to visit for a few days. We visited Ani's Panola College campus...thanks for coming San, meant a lot!

One of the highlights was that Ani and myself were treated to a FREE night at the very honorable old mansion from Jefferson's Golden Days
called "The House Of Four Season". A venerable place which has hosted quite a few american personalities such as presidents and other dignitaries.

Secret Victorian garden hidden on the property, Ani is fortunate to have a job tending it during her time off from school

this oak is ancient

Last but not least, after Jefferson  - Rob and I travelled to TableRock lake in Shell Knob, MO for the annual BARNABAS ON THE LAKE camp! A good time, he made friends and got involved with activities...he was ready for his routine and farm life in Alaska, though!

Rob and his camp buddy Charly take a turn on the tube!

with his friend Emma, closing ceremonies

Rob and his Dallas girls...lol

We are thankful to all who made this memorable trip possible, folks at the TCC, and DDP team: Amanda, Christina and our gracious hosts Mary and Tim Tesi and Ani and my sister Karenza Hanson for the loan of her comfy bed and lovely trailer home - thanks! Also, thanks to my sister San for driving down to see us and spending some needed sister time - "que se repita!"

Have a blessed rest of the week!