MARCH 2017

Hi All,

March has come in like a lion, I sure hope the lamb show up soon enough.  We’ve woken up several mornings to -40*.  Because it’s March, the sun does come out most days.  When the sun shines, our temperature warms up to almost 0*.  Sometime after January, we finally started getting snow.  We have an accumulation of 20 inches now.  It takes a lot more snow this time of year to make another inch in accumulation since the snow packs down more this time a year.  According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, this is the coldest March in the last fifty years.  

It’s been so long since I’ve written that I don’t know where to start.  

Our convention went well.  Ministry were Joe M, David D, Richard G, John B, John C, John J, Bill G, David J, and ?.  

Recently, Peter Casey had a snowboarding accident where he broke one of his vertebrae.  He is wearing a neck brace and will be wearing it for months.  There was an interview done on them.  Here is the link: 

 http://www.ktva.com/chugiak-first-responder-thankful-community-support-accident-379/

Maddie Cox and McCall Mitchell went to Australia on a mission trip. They’ve spent time in Madagascar and Philipines amongst other places.  They will return to the United States at the end of the month.  Maddie became sick early on in their trip and has been fighting this sickness for the entire time.  She has had several rounds of various rounds of antibiotics.  She was admitted to a hospital in Manilla.  I heard she was released.  Hopefully, she’s on the road to total recovery. 

We've had additions to our family here at Dry Creek. Ellie Kenneson from Maine came earlier in the year - she is a spunky lady in her 80's. It amazes me when older folks want to come live up here in the frozen north! She is living with Jim&Bonnie M so she is very comfy there. I periodically go in and play Apple techie on her various Apple devices. Keeps me on my toes and I've learned a few tricks. 

One of the new tricks I had to put to use during convention time when I was asked to "unlock" Bro. Joe M's iPhone 7...forgotten password or some such thing. That took a bit of doing but Apple techs are usually super friendly and patient, so eventually after about 4 hrs. and a rather sleepless night, it suddenly came back to life.

But I digress, another addition to our community family is Sis. Ann Gentry. She is living with Garth&Kim M for the time being. Another brave lady.

Let's see who else's comings and goings I can remember: 

Olivia Brandes went to be with her family in Canby and other places until August; Tommy G's mom moved from MO to Fairbanks Alaska and is living with relatives. We will be seeing her sometime soon when she comes for a visit. Cody W came back from his Colombia adventures visiting friends; JonnieMac came back from his visit to be with his BFF in TN.

On the Buongiorne front:

May B is going to GA for the April Convention and to visit friends; Rob and Gri will be going down to Seward AK and visiting the SEA Life Marine center there - courtesy of REACH Academy.

My sister Karenza Hanson whom many of you know, is caring for the Cobb's down in GA. Her plan to move to Salta, Argentina is on hold for the time being but still on the burner. 

My sis Alejandra Burgess is on an extended visit to Argentina. She's connected with all the various branches from the length and breadth of the country it seems also visited my aged mum (92) Stella Leeson).. Here's a few candids of her with Marina making gourmet DULCE DE LECHE and other delicacies sold from M's shop DELICIAS HANSON.

3 of mums's kids - my sister Sandra, Marina and bro. Gavin

May Buongiorne was invited to speak at the Sustainable Agricultural Conference hosted by UAF's Coop extension, amongst other entities. She spoke about her experience during the 2 years she's been managing our community garden. Even if I say so myself...she was a hit and many hands went up for 

questions. Proud of my girl!

May and the Kubota she dreams about having for her garden!






The weather has been so nice for snowshoeing lately. With the sun up for longer it makes all the difference in the world. I've got some nice views of my trails. 

May went up our hill, about 3k ft. she took some very nice photos of our place. Even mapped it on my trail map with Rob's GPS tracker...

Pat, Beth and twins visited the UK family earlier this year.

 



Made my Arroz Amarillo with REAL Saffron, a gift from a friend!

Cranberry, Orange, Onion Chutney. It's got a pleasant bite to it. Nice as a side for meats or even a spread with cream cheese.

Enough for tonight.   Keep well and be happy - you'll live longer.  

JANUARY 2017...ALREADY??

Yes, it's true! The Year 2017 is actually here and already into most of January. Time flies as the saying goes...but...are we having FUN?

Did I mention that Rob got a second stint with the logging and milling guys? Well, he did very well and learned some valuable skills for future work experience. Thanks to the guys at LMA for letting him be a part of it.

 Outside our Tab. It's chilly!

I've been up in the frozen lands for almost 30 years, and I must say that this New Years celeb was the quietest and most subdued. Fewer people, fewer kids, fewer fireworks and we even set them off early and did not wait for midnight. We must be getting old...lol. It was fun nevertheless, plenty to eat and everybody milled around from table to table, eating, visiting and playing table games brought out for the occasion.

Before that, we celebrated Christmas, and most of us were invited out or stayed home and relaxed. Annie, our TX college daughter, came out for 2 weeks and we enjoyed her company as we always do. I trust your holiday season/s were blessed and peaceful with family, friends, good food and fellowship.

Now our next event is our yearly church convention. Folks have been running hither and yon, in a frenzy of cleaning and uncluttering, making ourselves presentable for the guests and speakers who will arrive by the end of the month, from around the globe.

Our temperatures have been fluctuating between nice and pleasant (above zero) to sub-zero weather due to a cold front coming in from the Arctic and the Bering Sea. Snow has finally reached us in copious amounts, blanketing everything in white and making things look magical. Those of us who snowshoe and enjoy other winter activities outside are pleased, trails are puffy and ready to tread upon. A snowshoers dream!

our yearly carolers were in tune but cold....

From the Palmer front, Pat, Beth & twins spent Christmas with their UK family. It was a good visit.

Bye Ani! We'll miss you!

On the international front. Our girls, Maddie Cox and Mccall Mitchell, are still "down under" adventuring and experience amazing and new things. I can't find any recent photos, this one is when their group reached Madagascar.

And Cody Williams is in Colombia visiting friends.

When my friend Sarah updates some news, I'll add it on.

Signing out now. God bless you all!

gri

Belated Summer, Fall, Early Winter News

Belated Fall and Early Winter News,

Apologies for bunching up so many months...it has been rather crazy busy around here!

The biggest, very biggest event since last time I wrote is Craig with the help of others from Whitestone and here has managed to give us normal internet!  It is so nice not to have measured bandwidth!  To be able to look up a recipe or pay a bill or look at a secure site without taking a nap while trying to load the page.  And… we can even stream anything - movies, news, music, debates, ball games.  It is GREAT!

We had a very rainy July (nearly 7 inches of rain) but ever since then, it’s been pretty dry. In the month of October, we received 1.5 inches of snow.  Last night another .5 inches fell.  It is supposed to snow a little more in the next day or so.  So far this winter, we’ve had maybe four days of -2 and -3 weather.  Otherwise, we’ve been staying in the teens and low 20’s.

Miss Ellie, from Maine, who visited last winter will be moving here soon.  Nic and Merlin VanderHart flew to Maine to pack up Miss Ellie’s things before driving her things here.  Miss Ellie will live with Jim and Bonnie.  

Speaking of Jim and Bonnie, they have the foundation laid for their new home.  It is smack in front of their old house.  Moving, when it happens, will be easier than some moves! And Pat was able to set down his base for their new shed…Jepsen’s old cabin came down as well and this rather large shed will be in its place, at some point next spring/summer.

In August, Kevin and Kelly had a little girl named Stephanie Adilyn.  Kenny and Joan visited for two weeks when Stephanie was born.  Just recently Julie Jepsen visited for a month.

Doug Keizebrink’s daughter, 19 yrs, is visiting us for a few months, its nice to have another young person to join our ever dwindling group.

Seth and Amy left here on the 24th of October. 

Ann’s father, Al, passed away last night at 8:15 pm.  Ted (Ann’s bro) and Ann were both with him as he peacefully stopped breathing.  Richard officiated a burial service this afternoon.  

We shot about nine moose this year - Lindsey Williams was one of the slayers of moose this year! 

Seth and Kevin killed all the pigs before Seth’s departure.  Now Tommy is into killing some of the cows.  We have no lack.  

Our garden yielded plenty of fresh food, we put up plenty.  May did a superb job on the garden as usual, and hopes to build a hi tunnel again for next garden season.

In September, Wendy Scott Gibby with her three daughters came to visit for two weeks.  Wendy is Cathy Purdy’s niece. 

OUTREACH AND RANDOM TRAVELS:

In August, Amanda Nerbonne went over to Indonesia for a couple of weeks with Karl Kady’s group (it’s the same group that Olivia Geyer went with a few years back).  On her way home, Amanda stopped by Japan to spend a week with her uncle and his family. Now our very own Maddie and also McCall Mitchell are in Australia on a mission trip.  Soon they are launching from there to somewhere else for a more intensive mission time.  

Rob is working at the mill for another stint at learning the ropes. He enjoys the guys and learns some life skills...THANKS, LMA GUYS!

Past summer was a busy one, as usual, twins came to visit with their parents plus their Nana from the UK. They were here for planting which was quite an event. 

Here are some random pictures. Enjoy!

MAY/JUNE

Chugiak Range

Morning!  I’m almost certain we’ve been having record highs for the month of May.  The highs have been in the 70’s, and yesterday I’m sure we reached 80 degrees with a promise of today being even hotter.  We’ll see.  The nightly lows have reached to 30 degrees but is usually closer to 32 and 34 degrees.  So far, we’ve recieved 2/10ths of an inch of rain for the month - everything seems very dry.  Forestry has a burn ban on for the entire state of AK.  If we want to burn in anything other than the boilers or our barrel stoves, we have to call Forestry for permission.  Unless there is rain, there will be no permission granted.  

Tomorrow is our high school graduation at 2 pm.  We have four graduates - Maddie Cox, Kerri Geyer, Amanda Nerbonne, and Nicolas VanderHart.  Maddie is saving money for a mission trip to Australia in late fall; Amanda is saving for a short mission trip to Indonesia in early fall; Kerri is moving away to work to collect money to begin college, and Nic is waiting for next year to begin college.  I’ve taught these kids off mainly with HS Spanish, and I have enjoyed them thoroughly. I will miss them.  

Last email I mentioned that Brad had a mass in his shoulder extending into his neck and arm.  After some appointments, surgery was scheduled for a few weeks ago.  The benign three-pound tumor was removed from his shoulder and other places; a tentacle had grown into his chest cavity!  Dr. Wade was able to get all the tumor but he might’ve gotten a major nerve and blood vessel that runs along the shoulder blade shelf as well.  Time will tell.  Brad has had the staples removed and is recovering well.  He didn’t realize it, but he’d been in a lot of pain previous to the surgery.  That pain is subsiding with only healing pain remaining.  

This past week, Ben went into Fairbanks for a routine well physical checkup.  Due to some things and fasting for various tests, he was very weak.  He went to the ER and while talking to the desk there,  he fell.  The fall caused a concussion and bleeding in two places between his skull and lining.  After MRI’s and CT’s, he was said to be okay  and has been released to Melissa’s care.  He is VERY weak and dizzy and tired.  

And Pat Sr. had another episode where he ended up in the FMH ER. May, bless her, drove her dad in since Gri had to stay with Rob and it's easier not to disrupt Rob's routine. Dr. Kohler spent some time with Pat and gave her medical advice, now time will tell, as I type May and Pat are in Fairbanks at FMH.

I don't want to say : falling like flies : oops I said it...seriously what's going on one wonders?

Gri and Rob are planning a week-long Valdez trip with the REACH Academy homeschooling branch of the Alaska Gateway School District. Hope all goes as plans, crossed fingers. The last one was missed because of a medical emergency on Gri's part, at the last minute, but life happens.

UPDATE ON THE VALDEZ TRIP: All the kids and adults that attended had a good time. Alaska was at her scenic best!
Rob had his first ocean kayak experience and he did well.

VALDEZ HARBOR

 CROSSING THE SOUND

VALDEZ MUSEUM