WINTER IN DRY CREEK ALASKA. 2017-2018

FAMILY & FRIENDS IN THE US, ARGENTINA, SPAIN, UK, CHINA and wherever else you may be.

Contributions from my trusty neighbor and others...enjoy

Last I wrote we were in the middle of hunting season. We shot five moose - Cody, Tommy, Thomas, Seth, and Benjamin with Benjamin winning the largest moose rack prize for our area. Later in the month, Whitestone gave us two more moose so we will have more than ample meat for our next year. The hunters had breakfast in October to tell their stories and talk hunting.

School started at the end of September - it had a rocky start with some of the kids having appointments in town after the busy fall season and with some of the kids on a road trip. This year’s graduates will be Chloe Mason and Michael Squires. Michael will be going into the Army to start his military careers as a Ranger. I know we will all miss him, especially Robin since they've been BB since they were quite young.

At the beginning of our winter season, some of the kids took a week-long EMT/ETT class.

Nicholas VanderHart moved to Fbks this fall to begin class at the University. He lives on campus. The few times he has come home to visit, he has been very pleased to see everyone. I heard Benjamin will attend the University next fall.

About a month ago, in the middle of the night, Bill and Kathy Casey’s house burned down completely. Valiant efforts to save the house were made, and when that looked like it wasn’t possible, the valiancy was turned on getting as much out of the house as possible. A lot was saved, but a lot was not saved. They were able to fix up Seth and Ammy’s home to their taste and reside there till they can figure out any next steps. Seth and Ammy moved to Whitestone at the beginning of November. We will miss them. We begrudgingly hand them over to Whitestone to enjoy.

We had a small Thanksgiving gathering this year as many of us young grandparents went to where our children were having dinner whether it be Delta, Fairbanks, or Homer. Jeni and May did an excellent job corralling the youth to put out a wonderful meal.

Sis Margaret had successful surgeries on her left eye and now can see as well as any youthful person with that eye!

Bro Andy is still doing well with his treatment plan which still includes regular trips to Fairbanks and to Delta.

Bro Rus and Sis Millie are doing the same as usual which means they are doing very well. Each day one of five women perform two hours of therapy with Sis Millie.

Bro Buddy and Dorothy Cobb both passed away quite close to each other. What a loss to our church family worldwide, I have such fond memories of driving them to the airport when I lived in Spain. Those times were good to just chat uninterrupted with the FM, and I always made the most of that.
We all have cherished memories of these two sweet people.

My sister Karenza Hanson who was caring for the Cobbs is now free to continue with her plans of moving to Salta, Argentina to be a part of what God is doing there with the small church of saints. We wish her well and thank her for her continued service and much-needed ministry in caring for our aged loved ones.

with Bro Dan pre convention

PatL and his dog Odin 

Christmas, New Years and Convention time have come and gone, and that marks the end of significant events for the Dry Creek community. Now its just sliding along until we hit Spring break-up, graduation and summer planting.

So many things, so much to do. So MUCH to be thankful for!

We've had many comings and goings. For us The Buongiornes this means we had both PatLou and Annie come to visit, PL came earlier in December and then hit the road with a friend on their way to commercial crabbing in Bellingham WA. We've heard they are keeping busy and bringing in the Dungeness crab by the boatload. Annie came for UNT's spring break and stayed for 3 weeks. It was nice having her here with us for Christmas as well as the New Years celebration in the community, where we all stay up until midnight, eating, dancing and playing games and then go out into the snow and shoot fireworks bringing in the New Year with a BANG!

Presently we have a young lady from Colombia visiting and staying until the summer.

The newest piece of news is that Dry Creek Community at THE LAND will be hosting the DCYC III (Dry Creek Youth Camp III). Young folks are super hyped about all this. Planning is mainly in their hands this time since so many other big projects are in the works (new heating system, upgrading buildings, etc.) that the guys who usually do the organizing are not as available as they usually are. We have an excellent group of young adults who are very capable, and I'm proud of the way they're stepping up to the plate. Awesome! This will be such a good camp, I just feel it in my bones...lol

This has been an unusually snowy winter, and I am enjoying hitting the slopes whenever I can. I finally bit the bullet and purchased a pair of very nice ATLAS Tactical snowshoes. The whole bottom is serrated, so I've been able to climb some of the lower hills that surround us and cross frozen patches of glare ice to reach the trails. Rob came out one of the times because he said he was going to protect me from the wolves and lynx...funny boy.

Well, I can't think of any more news that would be of interest. I will post some photos and attach them to this blog for your enjoyment.

I hope you are all having a GREAT start to 2018!!! It's February already...yikes!

 May made some ice candles for convention...so pretty

                                                                      Me and my BB

                       

                                                                          Ani and her Grams Floan

HUNTING SEASON IN FULL SWING!

Continuing with September hunting season news...

Tommy and Cody have each shot a moose on the third day of hunting season.  Today, Seth and Ammy took five horses to Fish Lake to bring out Tommy’s moose.  Amaris has never gone on such a lengthy trip by horse; she was pleased to be home again tonight!

Kenny and James Jepsen have come to visit Kevin and Kelly and Stephanie (and the rest of us Jepsens) but also to go out on the Jepsen hunting crew.  It has been nice to have them around.

Jonnie and Kayleigh arrived and will go out on a hunting crew later this week.  They are staying at Judy and Steve’s house for their short stay since the Squires Sr’s are still in the states.

May is busy buttoning up the garden - she filled a 100-pound bag full of our own home grown onions.  We have a wee bit of beets to harvest and all the potatoes and carrots.  The greenhouse is nearly shut down.  Our beautiful flowers are past their prime and will be put away soon.

May's hunting crew left this morning for Fish Lake, hope they get us some moose!

Meat cutting nights are on the menu for a while...

to be continued....

Rob has been helping with the pigs. Pretty funny to watch him interact with these critters!

I have been remiss in posting...no excuses, only life gets in the way..

 I have been on the road/plane since May, so I will just make this blog post into a photo documentary of sorts.


Texas, for Annie's Panola College graduation ceremony.

End of May had me on a REACH Academy school trip to the south of Alaska, Seward, with Rob and some other students. We took the Alaska Railway system and it was an adventure and amazing scenery to enjoy!

Mid-June, was a visit to Palmer Alaska, to see the twins and their awesome parents.








Then a week with the Tanana Chiefs Conference folks in Fairbanks. A week of Athabaskan Heritage Events.

July is almost gone and we've had events here at our farming community in Dry Creek as well. Independence Day had the community out in full regalia, as usual, good food, good company.

May's garden project, log cabin building, our new shed project. Winterizing cabins - yikes getting ready for winter already! Finishing firewood distribution (mainly Pat).

As the world turns - Dry Creek is never still, or boring.

thanks to Mike B who helped with the shed

Mays garden looking lush

Some quick highlights:

The Williams family, plus some much-needed helpers (Michael, Emily, Kelly and May) helped with the tethering and haying.  Square bales and round bales will be used for our animals during the winter.

We had a profitable summer - our garden and greenhouse has done very well thanks to May (garden) and Wendy (greenhouse) and their helpers.  BTW, the cheeses are doing well too!  Our first crews of hunters went out August 31, and we have not heard of any moose news yet.  This morning we had our first fall frost.  The temperature stayed at 31 for quite some time.  We have yet to put up the root crops and cabbages so we are in the clear.

Jairo Cruz, from the East Coast, is here for a few weeks.  He came in 2016 and stayed for several months. Joe Brandes and Josiah from Maine are living at Mark Coy's cabin and have been for several months.  

This spring Kathryn and John Clark moved to Hoonah Farm.  We miss them greatly.  When they moved, Kevin and Kelly and their little one, Stephanie, moved into the hay bale house on the other end of the community (other end from my end of the farm).  Upon their move, Ellie Kennison, from Maine, moved into Kevin and Kelly’s previous house (location being where the Riche’s home was built), used to be Rachel Trotter's and before that Jason Tate's.  

Trotters have put a garage onto the house that Stacey and Kenny built so they can easily keep their car warmed for ongoing doctor’s appointments.  Bro Andy is doing very well at this time.  He has continual upkeep treatments, but he has a schedule that he seems to handle well.  

Last month we had a short exodus of our youth who all went various ways but all ended up in Tennessee at Kayleigh Popplewell and Jonnie Squire’s wedding.  Kayleigh and Jonnie, although coming here for hunting season, will relocate to TN.  

Concerning the youth that went away, Amanda Nerbonne went to Haiti with a ministry crew.  They all ended up getting very sick with a stomach bug right before re-entry to the states.  Lindsey Williams attended the South Florida convention and visited family and friends in GA.  I guess Chloe Mason went straight to TN.  Michael Squires, Joe Brandes, Nic VanderHart, and Benj VanderHart all went to GA then bussed to TN.  They weren’t fond of that bus trip so they caught rides with Mitchells back to GA.  Judy and Steve also went off to GA, TN, and then back to GA where they still are.

Speaking of Nic, he applied to and is now attending the University of Fairbanks for the next couple of years.  I heard he is home this weekend, but I have not laid eyes upon him.  

Rose Dunning has had some family members visiting this past week.  They were very interested in farm life and joined into all the things we were doing.  A cousin and two sons and a niece Angela Schear, whose parents Pat and I met when at the Shepherd's School of Music in BC...eons ago it seems. May took us up to "Squeakies" last Saturday and it was a good climb. 

Jim and Bonnie are getting places in their cabin building venture.  The loggers put up the walls on their cabin and the Masons have stained the logs.  The roof is on too.  Jim and Bonnie are gone for a reunion in Maine at the moment.

  

Some of the photography students were able to go up on a chopper ride with a visitor who came to Dry Creek. This one is from Nic VH.

Things at the Land “where the milk and honey flows” are well.

Have a great fall everyone!

UPDATE:

Tommy and Cody have each shot a moose on the third day of hunting season.  Today, Seth and Ammy took five horses to Fish Lake to bring out Tommy’s moose.

Kenny and James Jepsen have come to visit Kevin and Kelly and Stephanie (and the rest of us Jepsen's) but also to go out on the Jepsen hunting crew.  It has been nice to have them around.

Jonnie and Kayleigh arrived on Sunday and will go out on a hunting crew later this week.  They are staying at Judy and Steve’s house for their short stay since the Squires Sr’s are still in the states.

May is busy buttoning up the garden - she filled a 100-pound bag full of our own home-grown onions.  We have a wee bit of beets to harvest and all the potatoes and carrots.  The greenhouse is nearly shut down.  Our beautiful flowers are past their prime and will be put away soon.

Moose season is in full swing! Rob, Micah, Michael, and Tommy will be going out for a night-over mid-September to 3030 (the hill behind our farm). WTG! First time for Micah and Robbie of course, should be fun.

NO RAIN PLEASE! MAKES IT SO MUCH HARDER TO TRACK, HUNT AND GET THE MEAT BACK TO CAMP!

HAPPY HUNTING EVERYONE!

March continued...

Wow! I can't believe how prolific I'm being. This one is purely Dry Creeking communications, courtesy of my fellow writer and contributor Sarah J.

Enjoy!

Most of this month, we’ve had -40 to -15 each morning.  This week, we’ve had -5.  Each day, slowly but surely, the temp goes up a few degrees from 0 to 15 at midday.  We are all waiting for the lamb of March to show up!

This week, some of the guys started breaking trail to the Fish Lake cabin so we can haul supplies up for hunting season.  Jarred and Joe broke to Stone House one day.  Today Joe and maybe Nicholas went all the way to the cabin.

Last weekend, we had Sis Virginia Buerge out for Sunday service and some praise time.  I really enjoyed that. She used many musical nuances which were probably lost on the non-musically inclined, but it was, nevertheless, a down-to-earth and very practical word. Mainly on how to apply God's promises and of being thankful and joyful, in our day-to-day living. At least that's what I got out of it. If you really, really want to hear it, a copy of the recording is kept at the LWM office. Just ask.

This weekend, we are having an indoor picnic hosted by Hannah Mason and her crew.  Eagles’ Ridge and the Delta House church group have been invited to join us.  

A couple of weeks ago, Ann Gentry moved to our community. She lives with Garth and Kim.  Olivia Brandes who previously lived with Garth and Kim has gone to I’sot for a couple of months and then plans to spend some time on the East Coast with her family.

Andy is doing well at this time, holding his own, continuing in chemotherapy.  

Some of the loggers are logging in the Salcha for a few weeks and staying with Jason Tate while there.  They come in quite late at the end of the day. Bless them for their continued service to this community. Nobody is a spring chicken anymore...ahem...so I know it can be grueling.

Rose Dunning has gone on a two-week trip - one week with her sister in Tennessee and one week in Georgia to see Beverly Hardman and other friends.  

Ellie Kennison from Maine moved here this fall.  She lives with Bonnie and Jim.  Right now, Ellie is in Texas visiting one of her daughters for a couple of weeks.  

Ann finished school in early winter.  She now works three days a week at the physical therapist place in Delta.  

Bill Casey has been home sick with a bad cold bug for over a week.  He is just now beginning to feel better.

Last week, Toby Williams, Cody, and Chris were working on a dozer.  While under the dozer, something happened to cause the dozer to move.  Cody and Chris were able to jump out from under the dozer faster than Toby.  Cody got a cut on his heel, and it has now been determined that he has a hairline fracture - and Chris was mostly unharmed.  Toby was dragged by the dozer and then the blade went down on his foot breaking the bone between his foot and ankle in two places.  He’s been in a lot of pain with this break.  Hopefully, he will start feeling better soon.  

Ok, well sorry for just posting about our ailments - well mostly - we are just holding out for NICER WEATHER.

Still trying to snowshoe whenever weather permits.

Also trying to finish up school projects and getting ready for Open House in April. The Yukon school district has made it possible for Rob to take a course on Alaska, so we're hoping to present a layout on that, maps, posters but mainly YouTube videos, clips and power point presentation. We work on these projects together, visual input is his favorite medium for inputting info. He's enjoying watching and learning. 

YKSD has also made another online resource available for him - Life Skills in English. This course covers - life skills - such as using dictionaries, the library, the internet for finding information, filling out forms (job-related), using the telephone correctly, etc. Things that will relate to him as he matures and becomes more independent. I was going to say "free thinker" but...he's already proven to us that he is indeed a "free thinker"... ha!

On the community front of prepping: greenhouses are starting up I see WW going about her business around there, May is also planning ahead and setting up her blueprints for her garden. Some construction has been started up again, I see folks sweeping off the snow and trying to get to what was in mid-construction before winter and snow set in.

All for now. Have a great rest of the week and weekend.

                                     Twins on the igloo daddy built, and Odin, the bird dog

RedPolls have been coming in flocks to my feeder.