Thanksgiving

This is the time of year when we stop and give thanks. Well, the idea is to stop and give thanks. If you watch any television, Thanksgiving is for making the table look as pretty as possible and getting your "game plan" plan ready for Black Friday. Each of the children have asked me "What is Black Friday Mama?" I have never been a Black Friday shopper, nor did I grow up being taught to be a Black Friday shopper much less a shopper. Three of the last four Thanksgivings Scott has been deployed to the Middle East. Once while he was gone, I thought I would give this special Friday a try. Not again and not with two children. Yes, you can get some great deals, if you go out at 3 am and yes I am sure some folks can finish their Christmas shopping. From the ads I have seen the things on sale are things I want, not really things I would give as presents. Maybe that is the idea. Come to our big sales, come buy things for yourself! Go farther into debt, its okay, its for Christmas.

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for the year, the harvest, the food we are eating. Thanksgiving is not running to Old Navy at midnight because their Frost free jackets are $15. I saw a news report that brought tears to my eyes. One food bank at a church was seeing record numbers this year. An elderly couple who had been donors for many many years called the food bank director asking if they could be receivers this year. They each lost their part time jobs and due to some unseen circumstances were finding it hard to make ends meet. Stories like this one are all over. Families who normally gave are the receivers.

I look around at all the wonderful things to be thankful for. I am thankful for my awesome children, my wonderful husband, terrific friends, my family who love me, my health, a roof over my head, being able to live in the Great State of Alaska, the list goes on. I tell the children to think of things to be thankful for. I hear things like, my PSP, my dog, mama and daddy. Then I tell them to look around and to think. Think about even with its faults, we live in a wonderful country where folks can worship freely, read our bibles, THANK GOD for all the things He has allowed us to have and not be thrown in jail for saying we don't agree with the President or for saying we Love Jesus. We can be thankful for the beautiful trees that give us oxygen and recycle our carbon dioxide. We can be thankful for the folks around us, even if we don't know them. If things are not going that well for you this year and you think there is nothing you can be thankful for, I urge you to start small, are you breathing? Are you wearing a shirt, pants? Are you in a place out of the elements? So, this year it may not be ideal, your husband is deployed and you have bronchitis or things look bleak. Look outside yourself, start small and you will see so many things to be thankful for.This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for you! My friends. You make me smile, you make me laugh, you warm my heart. I won't be going at midnight or 3am or probably at all on Black Friday to shop. We are staying as a family with Scott at home. If you can't give money, or things this year try to give yourself. Be there for someone who needs you, offer help to a single mother, recycle clothes (hand me downs), be a mentor, not just at Thanksgiving but all year long.

With a Thankful heart,
Angela
Happy Thanksgiving my friends.

People

I have been fascinated by folks who look different from me since I was a child. One of my best friends a little black girl named Wendy, lived behind us when I was 6. Being a military child, I remember having Asian friends, Indian friends, Native American friends and "brown" friends as I remember saying about Wendy. She said I looked like cotton and she was brown.

Each time we move I try to learn about the culture of the area. Being a Southerner, I didn't have much to learn about Georgia having lived there myself before we got stationed at Robins AFB. However, it is always good to "relearn" what you already know. While living in Iceland I learned of Trolls, elves and Vikings. My orthodontist in Iceland, who spoke some English told me I had a Valkyrie's soul when he looked down into my eyes. (Valkyrie is a female Viking).

I am finding I love the arctic. The arctic attracts different sorts of folks. Being as we are near a military base I figured there would be same sort of varieties that I see most places. To my surprise, there a few I wouldn't have thought would live here. One whole section of Anchorage is a Samoan neighborhood. While eating lunch after church one day, this large group of folks walked in the restaurant wearing the most beautiful clothes. The men and woman were dressed with families coordinating. You would have thought we had gone to Hawaii, a place I have yet to go. They all looked so pretty with the hibiscus flowers printed on the clothes in reds, greens and whites. I wanted to take a picture. Maybe one day I will ask if I can take a picture. They all looked so beautiful.

There is a Chinese restaurant Scott and the children like to eat. That is a cultural smorgasborg. We are generally the only white folks in the place when we go to eat. You can imagine what my bright blond children must look like. We are quite the minority. The food is good and the waitresses are nice so we go every couple of weeks. Sitting in there this past weekend, I was looking around at each group represented and I was struck by the song from my youth, Jesus loves the little children. " Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white they are precious in his sight...." There were Native Alaskan, Samoan, Asian, Black and then there was the Harris family. I smiled to myself, this is America. We look different all live a bit different but we come together over good food and are all God's children.

I am reading an Alaskan series by author Stan Jones. If you like James Patterson you will love Stan Jones. I am into book four and Mr. Jones says there is more to come in the Nathan Active Mystery series. www.sjbooks.com The books follow an Inupiaq Alaska Trooper who was raised in Anchorage when he was adopted by white parents. However, his first assignment was in Chukchi, his birthplace and the place where his birthmother lives. I have been learning Inupiat words and phrases and about the different Native Alaskans, Inupiat, Yupik, and Aleut. Mr. Jones talks of whaling, hunting and all things Inupiat and Alaskan. (You can find these images and more on Mr. Jones' website referenced above. )





Reading these books make me want to know for sure if my great grandmother was a Cherokee. My sweet cousin whom I have just found, has been telling me the story of how our great grandfather's family came from Germany to the NC mountains. Now to find more information about my great grandmother Carrie.

Reading and learning about the differences all over the world I am finding that we are more alike than we think. Family, faith and love.

Look around my friends and see those around you who look different, they may be more like you than you think.

With love,
Angela

Lost art of letter writing

When I first began this journey I mentioned letter writing. No one writes letters any longer. Sure, everyone tweets, facebooks, emails and blogs, but does anyone actually write letters? There is a big joke about how many things I save. I am quite sentimental and tend to save things. Scott jokes that he'll be that old husband on "Hoarders: Buried Alive" saying he doesn't know how it got this bad! Okay, I am not that bad, clutter bothers me, but saving little things like letters and cards is not a bad thing.

During this last move with all the construction, I was not able to unpack the way I generally do, which is hurriedly to make the house into a usable home. The packers did a terrible job and with the waiting to move into our bedrooms, I had the time and NEED to go through each box, organize and carefully analyze our belongings. This brings me to the lost art of letter writing. Upon my box inspections I found a box full of letters. In this box I found letters from my time in Australia. Letters of "please don't go, I will miss you so much you have become my best friend" "You are the coolest American I have met, please don't go". These two folks I am still friends with today. A letter from my grandmother, whom I miss dearly. Stacks of letters and cards from Scott at various times of dating, wartime, anniversaries, birthdays you name it. Cards from my children. Letters from my sisters once I got married and moved away. I found a letter from my dad from 1985 when he was on a remote deployment to Korea. At 12, I don't think the letter probably meant as much to me as it does now, may be it did I don't remember, but the other day reading it again after all these years I can see the love he was sending, the do you remember I am your dad? I remember writing him, but as a child I don't know if the letters go to him or not. I have letters some where in another box, that I haven't found yet but remember receiving from my dad from Gulf War 1 when he was there. Letters hold memories some good some bad. Letters act as history lessons for future generations, a clip from the past.

John and Abigail Adams wrote letters to one another because they could not text, not facebook, not email each other. I recommend reading some of their writings. He was off on diplomatic "TDYs" and would ask her advice, for her help with things he was working on. Their letters are great writings for history, for love and just great reading. Ronald and Nancy Reagan are another couple that wrote to one another often. Mr. Reagan wrote of his love for her, his need for her and how wonderful she was. Each couple have a book published of their letters.

I wish I had the letters my grandmother showed me from her brothers from WWII. As a military wife letters home always hold a special place in my heart. My other grandmother told me of the letters from my grandfather in the Navy from WWII. I would love to put those all in my box of letters. Scott's grandmother told me it took weeks sometimes to get a letter home. She would wait and wait for a letter from Scott's grandfather. In our world of instant text, I remember waiting a week for a letter from Scott in the Middle East seemed like an eternity. My dear friend has hat boxes FULL of notes and letters from her husband. What testament to her boys and daughter of the love and commitment he has to her.

My friends, write a letter on paper for someone to treasure. Write your children, your mother, your spouse, your next door neighbor, your friend in Alaska. I know in 60 years this blog maybe floating in cyberspace somewhere, but there is something to be said about opening a letter and seeing the hand writing or the typed word printed on card stock or paper. A piece of you will be passed along and cherished for future generations to read.

With love my friends,
Angela

First Snow 2010

After many teasing weather reports of snow in the forecast, a trace sprinkle of snow that didn't stick in September, NOW we have snow... real snow that stuck to the ground and not just the mountains. I know I know, 3 inches in NOTHING up here, but to a Southern girl it was wonderful. It started as a rain, then gradually became a steady snow. The children ran outside to play in the snow/rain mix and I had to hold dinner because they were just too cute to say no to. There is something about a snow fall that makes the world quiet and peaceful. All of the planes were in for the night, the airstrip was quiet as the snow fell. (This is my back yard)

Seeing the children's sweet little faces full of excitement made my night. I have to say I was as silly as they were running outside as soon as it started to accumulate. I keep hearing "talk to me when the snow is still on the ground in May and you are crying for the sun." For those of you who know me, I don't see that happening. At least not exactly like that. The sun and I aren't friends and I don't do heat/humidity. I always say, I can add a blanket, socks, a hair dyer to cold feet to warm yourself, but you can only get so naked and you are still hot and sweaty. I can see possibly getting tired of the snow boots, gloves and hats and gear required just so they can go outside at school and to play at home, but I can't see getting tired of this. I LOVE the smell of the cold air. I love the gentle way snow falls like a blanket. I love to watch my Georgia Peach and Georgia Bulldog sled down the hill with glee in their eyes! Jacob has been so afraid the snow was going to go away. They have been playing and sledding every chance they get.
Jacob was sliding down the hill before the snow started getting deep. Then sledding once it got to a few inches deep. We have this great hill from the airstrip down to the house.. awesome for sledding until I hit the house with my head... well, I was able to stop before I hit hard.



I have to say, I love the invention of snow pants. I was able to sled, play and fall down and STILL have dry jeans! Wish we had those the hand full times we got snow growing up. Jacob and Ashleigh have a new job. The driveway is slightly steep...

My Georgia Peach and Georgia Bulldog are having fun in the snow and that makes a mama's heart happy. For this Southern belle, watching the snow fall on the mountains like a white blanket couldn't be more beautiful.

With love and warm cozies,
Angela

Answered Prayers

I got to spend this past Saturday doing something that I have wanted to do for years. More on that in a minute. I went to college for three years studying Acting techniques, voices, speech, public speaking, stage craft, lighting etc towards a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance. Countless plays, classes and studying and yet I switched my major and minor! I finished college with a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management. I always figured I would go back to it or use the knowledge in business for meetings or meeting new people. I watch movies, dissect them to my poor husband's dismay. I re-cast plays and movies in my head, long in heart to be "there" when I am here. I think I did the right thing. I tell young people you do the best with what the Lord gives you with the information that you have. God has given me talents in areas that I don't understand. I sing. I act. Not common talents. Not talents that are useful like crochet or sewing or building things. Believe me I have tried to crochet and made the most beautiful circle that was supposed to be a square!

Now back to what I did on Saturday. It wasn't earth shattering, nor did I cure a disease. However, I had a great time, met some wonderful people and used part of my degree! I auditioned back a couple of months ago for a movie being shot here in Anchorage. Thinking I wouldn't get a call I put it in the back of my head and got on with things. I got a call last week to be in a few scenes with Dermot Mulroney and Vinessa Shaw! The movie is "Everybody Loves Whales" set in 1988 when Greenpeace worked with President's Reagan's office, Russia and the Air National Guard of Alaska to free 3 California gray whales trapped in the Arctic ocean. I got the meet the real Bonnie Carroll the Reagan administrator who was the PUSH behind getting this done. It was her wedding we were recreating. She had the wedding pictures and all. I was picked to sit at the table next to the bridal table with her. The director wanted to get Bonnie's table in the shot with the "fake" couple from the movie. Bonnie has a non profit organization now that supports military families that lose their military member. www.taps.org Meeting Bonnie was a treat. She is so sweet and knowing the movie was partly about her story made "pretending" so much easier.

As an extra you are the bottom of the food chain, lowest on the ladder rung, but we had so much fun just being there. We rehearsed and rehearsed and filmed and the director would yell cut, then we would do it all over again, but just a bit different. The director had me walk in front of the camera by the table where they were cutting the cake like in a real wedding. He told me great walking, like your speed! Funny thing, I usually am not very graceful. I have a tendency to fall down or trip especially if I am thinking about walking. Glad I made him happy.....

11 hours of rehearsing and filming a fake wedding in 5 inch heels dressed with 80s hair. I had a great time watching the cameras, the lighting, the angles, just all of it come together. I have prayed for years, Lord if it be your will. So I wasn't a lead and probably never will be, but He heard me and in His time. I was able to meet some nice people, get a few contacts of folks in this area, possibly make some new friends.

God is good all the time!

With love my friends. Sorry no pictures. We weren't allowed to take our cameras or phones. January 2012 we'll see if my hair or elbow made it to the big screen!
Angela

Snow on the Mountains

Seems just like yesterday I was saying it was fall. Actually it was only a mere few weeks ago. The leaves have all but blow away, the termination dust a top the mountains has turned to full on snow on the mountains. Last week we had flurries on ground level, that didn't stick mind you. Fall is my favorite time of year. A time to reflect on the year, a time to gather in the harvest, to stock up for winter, to be thankful for all the blessings that the Lord has given us. In the South, fall isn't quite there yet. We generally do not have fall weather until November if then some years. However, here in Alaska, I thought it may last a bit longer, enjoy the changing leaves, the brisk temperatures, the smell of the changing season coming. Nope, fall was quick. As soon as the leaves started to change within a blink of the eye they all blew away. I am told snow is coming and coming quick. When it comes to stick, it doesn't leave until May. I am as excited as the children waiting for that first snow fall, to use our new snow blower, to crunch and play in my new snow boots! My list gets longer as I think, we need more gloves, socks, snow pants oh my I don't have all we need yet. But in due time, it will all come together. God's plan. It hasn't snowed yet.

Roy and I were off to go hiking with some ladies today at Flat Top Mountain in Anchorage, but the plans were canceled. Still wanting to get out in the cool air while we can, I donned Roy's coat, stopped at the Sleepy Dog Coffee Co. and off we went to Peters Creek park near our house. I thought for sure it would be a great little hike since it is at the base of a small mountain that has snow all over the top. Well, it wasn't bad it was beautiful and Roy had fun sniffing, smelling all the fallen leaves. Unfortunately, it wasn't a hike it was a nice brisk walk! There is a wonderful picnic area, Peters Creek itself under the bridge and a "frolf" course (frisby golf). There was an interesting part of the trail. I thought gee this will be great, this trail will take me to the snowy part of this mountain. Up up up we climb a nice steady incline nothing steep or rocky, with the rain and trees it almost seemed like something out of a B rated horror movie... as the trail lead me straight to a HOUSE and stopped right there. Common sense came back to me and we walked back down the hill. I could see the headlines, woman and dog missing.. I am sure a nice family lives in that house, but with the rain, the trees and eeriness of the situation it was just strange.

I am making kabocha squash soup so I must go attend to it now. I hope the children eat it. I am also making home made rolls. If anything I know they will eat those.

With love my friends,
Angela

North Pole

My boys went on a little trip last week. Jacob and Scott took the Nomad up to North Pole, AK. The locals tell me this is where Santa lives. Here in Chugiak we are at 62 degrees North latitude. The arctic circle is 66 north. The boys were about 100 miles from the arctic circle. That is pretty close to the top of the world! The trip up there looked beautiful. They took Richardson Highway up there and Parks Highway back. Almost a 750 mile circle. The Chugach Mountains lined the way up there, with views of the Mantanuska Glacier and the Alaska Pipeline. Denali lined the way back home.
There aren't any words to add to the beauty of the mountains. My words would only take away from the grandness.

Enjoy my friends.

Mantanuska Glacier.



Alaska Pipeline



Santa-completely carved by a chainsaw.







Moose eating the tree and grass




Denali and Mt. McKinley are the same mountain. It can be confusing because folks call it both names.






















I enjoyed looking at the pictures they took. I hope you enjoyed it too. I can't wait for us to take the trip all together. Jacob loved being on the back of his daddy's bike. Ashleigh wants me to get one so she can be on the back. Maybe one day my friends. The was a Ural for sale- maybe.....

With love,
Angela

Fall

The leaves are turning beautiful colours. The temps are dropping. Winter is on its way. Since the trees are of different varieties here than I am used to the reds and purples on the leaves are missing. However, the yellows and greens are lovely. The evergreens peek through like dark swords in the bright yellow waves. I tried taking some pictures of Bear Mountain but the fog was hanging again.

The children's school is located at the base of Hiland mountain. The dark greens and light yellows are spattered all over the mountain. We are waiting for the snow to dust the top. As soon as the top of the mountain is dusted then we get snow.

This morning I had frost on my windshield. Waiting for snow!!!

Enjoying this cool fall. With love my friends.
Angela

House Progress

Many of you have asked how the house is coming along.... well, we may get to live in all of it by next year, hahah! We were told NO Later than the end of August which has been pushed to the end of September so we will see... I have started calling the men who work on the house "my boys." They are there all day, everyday, including Saturdays now. You would think they would be finished by now right??? Notice the date stamp... 8/21 and 9/2... not much done in between... but they are there making lots of noise. Not the same house we thought we were renting. Going to be pretty anyway, but the original house was a brown cedar sided house. This stone sided is pretty too. Grateful for the upgrades, just ready for them to be done now. Ready to use the garages, to unpack to decorate the bedroom, heck to set up a bed!!! Here's the update and here are "my boys". Maybe I should stop making coffee and muffins.. think that would help??

With love,
Angela

Major Harris

When we got married Scott was a Senior Airman. Our mothers begged him to wear his blues at our wedding. He really wanted to wear a tux, but I am glad he wore his blues now. Looking back over the years it shows his hard work and distance covered. I am so proud of Scott for sticking to it and living his dreams. So many folks talk about living their dreams but he really is doing it. I recall stories his mother tells of their family vacations at Myrtle Beach, Scott watching the planes, telling her, I am going to be in the Air Force. He is doing it! In 18 years in the military, he has had 5 careers both enlisted and officer ( sorry honey if I miscounted). He has cross trained when folks have told him it wasn't possible. He has succeeded after being told it couldn't happen. He was even selected for officer training when folks told him you won't get selected your first time. Despite obstacles and negative people that tried to get in his way, Scott is your go to guy, the one you want on your team.

Congratulations Major Scott "Fuzzy" Harris.
We love you and have had fun along this journey with you. Here's to many more years living your dreams.



With love,
Angela

God created the Universe

On my walk with Roy with past week, I was struck by the beauty of the mountains, the fog, the flowers. Nature was all around. The walk started as a misty, rainy walk/run. I thought about not going, but Roy needed it and so did I. I had Gardar on iPod and the mountain on my left. I figured we would just go until one of us couldn't go. We live at the base of Bear Mountain so we have a beautiful view of the mountain from the house. Like I said it was misty and rainy when we started, the fog was on the mountain so I couldn't see the middle but I could see the top. I have always told the children, when there is a break in the clouds and you see sun gleaming through, where you see the sun beam, God is blessing someone. Someone at the top of the mountain was being blessed that morning, but the middle and down below on the ground at my level was a bit eerie. The fog hung so strange. I could smell the fresh rain on the trees and grass, and on me. As we rounded curves and climbed what looked like small hills, which I assure you were not, I am glad I had Gardar on my iPod. At one point Roy sat and wouldn't keep walking. He did not have the benefit of the iPod. I am struck by God's awesomeness in the small things, the flowers, the fog on the mountain, the dog who would not walk, the breath control of a great singer. I had to remember not to close my eyes and enjoy the music while walking. I didn't want to fall down, but when Gardar was hitting those high notes on "Lontano" it was inspiring to make it up those hills.

I don't understand when folks like Mr. Hawking say God did not create the universe. Everyday whether it be in the smile of my children, the poppies growing along the road on my walk, the greatness of the mountain in front of my house or the intricate systems that run our bodies to make them work, I see God at work. I may not be able to do quantum physics or aerospace theory math, but I know God created the universe and all the small and mighty things in it. I hope for you each of my friends that a sunbeam is upon you today.

with love and blessings my friends,
Angela-
for those who don't know what singer I was talking about.... Gardar Thor Cortes is the best singer in the world. www.cortes.is check him out and you will agree.

Alaska State Fair

Its a whole other country! I have been told the maps you see aren't to scale and Alaska is bigger than you think. I am here to tell you the maps are NOT to scale. Texas will fit inside of Alaska with a bit of Alaska to spare around the edges!! There are tshirts all over the fair... "Say hello to my little friend" "Isn't Texas cute" "Pissing off Texas since 1959", Alaska with a Texas on the inside of it. Here are a few interesting facts:
~Alaska is 2.4 times the size of Texas (424.9 X the size of Rhode Island)
~Alaska is larger than Texas, Calif. & Mont. COMBINED!
~If you put a scale map of Alaska over a map of the U.S., Alaska would stretch from Disneyland, all the way to Disney World.


So it is not surprising that the vegetables grow so large here. I have seen the shows on how large they grow but you don't really think about how large until you see them. The locals tell me its the sunlight, 19 hours a day, the mineral rich soil and the wet summers that make the vegetables so wonderfully big. This cabbage as you can see won a prize for being so big. This one was over 80lbs! That's alot of corn beef and cabbage soup. Our next door neighbor tried to grow cabbages for the fair but the moose ate them when they were young. So I am told there are moose that wander in our neighborhood.... still yet to see these things. This pumpkin was 920lbs!!! That is alot of pumpkin pie.

Can you imagine the Jack o Lantern you could make with this pumpkin?? These squash are like the ones at the end of the summer we would just have tossing games with because they wouldn't taste very good and would not be good for much else but tossing. However, I am told these taste fine and are meant to be this big.... don't know about that. Our neighbor, the same one who was growing the cabbages, has a Kawasaki dealership in town. The shop had a display of motorcycles and snow machines at the fair. I had not seen a snow machine until we came up here. Sure I had read Sarah Palin's book and read her references to her own and Todd racing them, but not actually seen one up close. Well, thanks to Jerri's display I may like snow machines. They seem like a lot of fun, a water ski on snow.

Jacob's one want at the fair was to find the footlong corn dog. We were on a quest. It took he and Scott both to eat this corn dog. I think it was over a foot. Ashleigh and I ate volcano fries. I know, no mother of the year awards for that dinner, but we were at the fair.
I did find this one interesting fair food... I had never seen this one and the thought of it turned my stomach a bit. We were too scared to try it. Chocolate covered bacon... yes my dear friends you read that correctly. And it was even on a stick!!!! I found out this morning, the nice Canadian lady I have made friends with did try it this weekend and said it was good. She said think sweet and salty like a choco dipped pretzel. Still, no thank you. I am not a bacon fan, and why would you want to ruin chocolate with bacon. Sorry friends, ewwwww.


Well, my friends, we had a great time. Georgia's state fair my have a bigger AG section, NO ONE's veggies can be that big. The Mantanuska Mountain right beside us, the cool breeze an awesome family day was had by all.

With Love,
Angela

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Moving in

My friends it has been awhile and I am sorry. I have been up to my ears in boxes! The moving in process is going a bit slower than I expected. The owner of the home we are leasing is adding a second garage to the house. That in itself is not a problem (Scott is VERY excited about that), but he is also adding a master bedroom over the garage, a balcony, a new roof, a porch, and new siding. Whew.... The banging, the noise... ugh.. the boxes the boxes! I have managed to get most of the house looking like our home with a few boxes and things that "don't belong" in each room. Once the garage and storage room are ready then we can move some things. Once the master is ready then I can set up our room and the children's rooms.

The children have started school and are loving it. I am trying to find my place in the school also. Each of the children are making friends, "getting into the flow" of things. Funny thing, the moms in the hall that have been talking to me are the International moms. You all know I don't know a stranger and usually talk to whom ever will talk to me, but I have found it interesting the only moms that have been talking to me have been the Canadian and the Finn. Both very nice and I look forward to getting to know them. :0)

My sweet boy went on a fishing trip sans parents!!! He went on the Kenai Jr. Classic fishing trip. I was a bit crazy for that day waiting for him to get home, but as you can see from the picture he did a great job. All by himself he caught a 10lb. silver salmon. It tasted delicious. I am not much for salmon, but this was awesome, fresh and tasty. We cut it into steaks, marinated it over night then grilled it. YUMMO! I still have 4 steaks in the freezer, mmmm maybe dinner this weekend.

I have learned that in our yard we have rose hips, mooseberries and rubarb. I have picked the rose hips and made tea. It was very good. I read the Native Americans in this area put the rose hips in stews for extra vitamin C. Just drinking tea made from hips is more vitamin C than a couple of oranges! NO scurvy here, hahaha. Ashleigh and I had fun picking and making the tea that night. The mooseberries are VERY sour. I understand why they make jellies and jams instead of eating them. More to come on the berries. I am planning more berry picking expeditions outside of my yard. I have been told there are blue berries up Arctic Blvd up the mountain so hopefully this weekend we can go picking.

The Alaska State Fair is this weekend so pictures to come on that. I can't wait to see the HUGE cabbages and pumpkins.

We are enjoying the sun, I know I know... Angela enjoying sun but after a 31 day record of consecutive rain it is nice to see the sun.

More later my friends.
With love,
Angela