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/