Tuesday, August 30, 2011

First Day of School

I forgot to post this before the Ag Fair but last week was Kaden's first day of Preschool. He was so excited to get to go that he was up early and asked me every 5 minutes if it was time to go yet. That would have been fine if he went to school at 8:00 am but he goes for 3 hours in the after noon. So I had to hear "is it school time yet mom?" till 12:30. But I can not believe my little boy can go to school yet, but I am so glad he is loving it and have a great time learning. His brother misses him when he is gone though and looks for him.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Galena Agriculture Fair

Well we had our Agriculture Fair this last weekend. It was a very busy weekend. This is a time of great anticipation for all of us. We look forward to seeing what veggies have been grown, what Jams and Jellies have been made, and any other arts and Crafts created this year. With Alaska having about 22 hours of sunlight during the summer our growing season is really good. This year seemed to be a very rainy summer so our veggies have not done as well as last year but it still is a good harvest. For the Ag Fair Keith turned in a lot of veggies and I turned in my cranberry scones, Apple muffins and My Fireweed Jelly. It was a fun day of races, walks, canoe races, car races and community fellowship.
Here I am helping Keith pick veggies for the Judging.
A giant head of Broccoli
My new Bonnet. I am preparing to go to another royal wedding, but
somehow I don't think they would let me sit on the front row and I might out shine the bride!
This is a Giant Cabbage.

Jen checking in all the veggies
Keith's Giant Zucchini.This is a Cauliflower Larry grew. It is the biggest I have ever seen!! This is sitting on my stove right next to my wooden spoon! It is Massive!! We cut it into sixths and still had plenty for dinner!
People checking out the different veggies on the table.
Jellies, Jams, syrups
The giant veggie table
Giant Cabbages
Tim weighing the Giant Cabbages
Ryan and Keith before the big Junky, Old car race. I think there is a age limit as well as the junky part. Most of these cars wait all year to get started and run in this race! To the point of at each stop the drivers don't dare turn the engine off in fear of it NOT starting again. It is a poker race. At each stop the each person in the car gets a playing card and by the end of the race whoever has the best poker hand wins the prize. Don't they look like 2 guys ready to drive a junky old jeep?
Keith and Ryan recruited Romay and Keila to ride with them.
Hope Keith doesn't fall out!Having a good time!
Following the leaders out.
It is not necessarily the fastest car wins but it is the best hand at the end of the race.
They survived!
Canoe races getting started. Kaden is riding in the canoe on the right.
Kaden had a great time
Shell and I decided to try our hand at canoeing and did great in the women's race.
Here we are getting started. Trying to figure out how to turn it around.
We had a great paddle down and around. Half way down Shell got tired of saying He Ho! =)
But It was great fun!
We made it!!
Jeremy and Shawn getting ready for the Men's race.
Not to be out done by their wives Keith and Chris decided (or were convinced by their wives) to try their hand at canoeing. Here is how their race turned out.
Pushing off from shore
On Your Marks! Get Set! GO!........................
SPLASH!!!!!!!
Wish I would have got video of the great Polar Bear plunge because it was in SLOW motion! They got hit by another boat and flipped. The sound from the audience was a huge Gasp then we all died laughing! Glad Keith had emptied his pockets of phone, Ipod, keys, and money before falling in. They were good sports about it and gave us all something to talk about.
They were actually the first of three groups to flip this boat. I guess Shell and I were just good canoe women to not flip it!=)=) And of course we will never let the guys live it down either!=) Sorry guys.... but not toooo sorry! hehehe
Having another turn canoeing.
It was so fun, energizing and relaxing all at the same time.
Here are some pictures of Isaiah our Alaska Grown Cabbage Patch baby!
It was an awesome day with the sun shining and warm weather. I love living in Galena where town is a close knit community! It was a truly wonderful day!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Are you sure we are still in Alaska??

This week Keith got to go out in the field and do some research out in the Nogahabara Sand Dunes on the Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge.(Try to say that 10 times fast!) Yeah I don't know how to say the name of the sand dunes but I was VERY AMAZED that these are here. You definitely don't expect there to be a desert in the middle of Alaska. Or at least I don't but Keith has proof and it truly is amazing. Keith and some other researchers went out to do surveys of how the dunes move, grow and all kinds of cool stuff. They have to fly to the location and land in the float plane on a lake.
Here are some pictures of the landscape getting there.
It is beautiful!
The Dunes from the air~ yeah they are pretty big!
The Plane on the lake.
Keith beside the lake
Here is their camp site.
Keith's Tent
Not sure what Karin is doing but it looks really cool!
Headed out for the dunes, Karin leading the way
Getting close
Hiking up
It was higher then the Trees!!
The Dunes
So Pretty!
Karin resting
I still can't believe that these are in Alaska!
I like this shot Keith took!
Pretty Flowers growing in the sand
A really cool Bug
Keith over looking the dunes. It amazes me the line between the trees and dunes!