another dog pal in Alaska

Isn't she a sweetie?

potluck: a rounded meal

More often than not it seems that one brings a food similar to another for our potlucks. However, this week was different. I made a salad with red lettuce, chopped almonds, raw cashews, craisins, white kidney beans and chow mein noodles with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Brooke brought peanut butter and banana on cinnamon raisin bread that she toasted on the George Foreman Grill, panini style. She also brought little clementines for the fruit food group. Before we knew it, we had a whole meal!



Look at that clementine hiding off to the right!



Meet little turt. I couldn't resist him and his two cute siblings packaged up with him at the grocery store this week. Although I think it's a hideous use for an Easter egg, it makes me smile. Plus, they all spin really well on the table.

construction

Occasionally, the lot across the street behind me has a construction vehicle that moves around some rocks and digs at the earth. On one such day, it tore down a little shed/house and as it did so, I took photos. More such photographic evidence:



My view of the harbor keeps getting better and better!

spring? (I think)

The past couple of days have been in the 40s and we have had some brilliant sunshine. Yesterday I went hiking with Brooke and her sister Melissa. We went out the road to Nemo Point...or at least we tried. A little bit past the first outlook was more snow and soon Brooke's little white car could no longer handle driving in it. We started driving in reverse down the mountain and while we did well at first, we ended up in a small ditch. Melissa and I got out and helped Brooke get the car out. After much revving, smoke and back and forth movement, she got out. Melissa and I walked on either side of the car and helped Brooke back down the mountain. By that time, two ATVs and a truck had driven up behind us and then pulled over once they saw we were driving down. Towards the end, Melissa and I jogged with Brooke's car until we were able to park at the first outlook. We sat at a picnic table, looking out at the water, snow capped mountains and islands surrounding us. Oreo got a special treat--apples--and became so brave she climbed on top of the table by the end of our meal. Our next stop was Pats Creek, which is a beautiful trail I have looked forward to returning for a long while. After finishing there, we headed over to Rainbow Falls, running into a few of our friends and then headed up to overlook the falls. It was a good amount of hiking for the day, and so we headed back home. The sun and views were gorgeous and I was glad to be on this island.

Today after church, I had lunch with a couple who live on a boat. They travel around Southeast Alaska and do missions work. It was pretty neat to hear about their journey and travels over a meal. Following the lunch, we headed to another local restaurant as part of a fundraiser for Haiti. I drank tea and talked with the pastor and the two from the boat. What a nice weekend. Sometimes in the midst of busyness at work, it is easy to forget to let go and have fun. I am glad I was able to do that this weekend.

my new officemate

One of the things about living in Wrangell is that you tend to go a bit crazy with shopping when you leave Wrangell. For instance, on her recent trip to Anchorage, Liz bought me a new office companion in addition to the usual vegan food stuffs. Meet Edward Cullen in Barbie form. He even has hair you can brush and skin you can glitter. OK, maybe not the last part, but yes, you can brush his hair. For now, it is good for chuckles at the office. Thanks for outing my Twilight preference, Liz. Thanks a lot.

which is it? winter or spring?

So far, it seems that the weather is battling itself. It will rain all day and when I wake up the next morning, there is snow on the ground. After the morning, the snow will melt and it will be raining again and then once the evening begins, it is raining and snowing at the same time. Currently it is raining out there, the wind howling occasionally.

I am listening to a podcast of one of my favorite bands from home. I will arrive the night they are performing and so will miss it entirely. It reminds me of the many things I miss while living over here in Alaska. It has gotten easier to live without these things that I miss, but I still look forward to going home in a couple weeks. I'll spend time with family, friends, shop, eat and who knows what else. While looking forward to going home, I also remember the ice storms that sometimes occur as winter transitions into spring and wonder if home will remind me of Wrangell while I am there.

winter cometh

Winter has finally hit Wrangell. I hear, though, that we will have weather like this for a week and then it will be spring. We will see soon enough which prediction is correct...