Along the WAy Home

 Summer Camp sessions are over and the church roofing project is almost complete. We winterized the camp and prepare to leave. This gorgeous autumn trail is our final view of the camp. The morning we left the temp was 38 degrees, the sky clear and blue.

 We drove through the town of Tok, past the border guard station and into the Yukon. Along the road side this mama grizzly munched berries while her two cubs scampered out of range of the camera.

 Many miles later we made an obligatory stop at the sign post forest in Watson Lake to add a new sign that includes Nick's and Monique's names and this year's date. The sign count is now over 74,000! up from 6,000 in 1988. The mass of signs behind us is a tiny fraction of the fascinating collection.

 After Watson Lake we left the AlCan (Alaska Highway) and turned south onto the Cassiar Highway through British Columbia to Washington State.  At the southern tip of Alaska, we crossed through Stewart, BC back into Alaska at Hyer. Hyer is the southern most town in AK that can be reached by road. Famous for Fish Creek and Bear viewing, Hyder boasts a summer population of 100 (plus tourists) and a winter population of 45 (plus bears). This group of photographers are waiting on a fenced boardwalk by the river.

 We followed the rambling of a black bear and her cub as they waded the river and strolled and grazed along the bank of a small lake.

Leaving the RVs behind, we road with the Martins in their small Kia to explore the Salmon Glacier. The dark bands along the edges of the ice are the moraines or rock rubble remains as the glacier grows in winter and shrinks during the summer.

 The terrain around Hyder is rocky and drizzling with waterfalls.

 Leaving Hyder we crossed the Canadian border into Bellingham, Washington. We skirted Seattle and took a ferry to Olympic National Park where we were fascinated by the rain forest of Sitga spruce and giant ferns. The air was damp and cool.

 We made many stops along the Washington and Oregon coast. Although there was much fog and mist and the tide was out, the strange rocks and cliffs were a welcome contrast to the Gulf Coast.

Following highway 101 down the California coast we traveled through the redwood forest of huge trees. This Tree House is no longer occupied but has been featured in Ripley's Believe it or Not.

Our California destination was Fresno where my youngest son, Chris, his wife, Maggie, and baby Chris live. Our visit with their family was way too short, but soon we had to begin our travel east through Arizona, New Mexico and finally back to Texas.
Returning to Beaumont is always a shock with temps in the 90s and high humidity, but it is good to be home.
I will be blogging on details of this past six months, travels and volunteer work, as soon as we get resettled.

Palmer State Fair

 We were blessed by two nights of Northern Lights. The hours between midnight and 3 A.M. when it was cold (mid 30s) and clear are the best time to see the aurora. Unfortunately that meant setting alarm clocks, getting out of a nice warm bed into heavy coats and walking outside. The shifting glow was worth the effort. Dale took this picture with a time exposure.

 The church roofing project is complete. The old discarded trusses have been put to good use. The camp received a donation of a dozen of the trusses and lumber to constuct a new chapel next year. We're trying to make the best use of God's blessings.

On Tuesday we drove to Wasilla. The Marins drove their Kia with plans to sleep over with friends. Our gang of three and the zoo with 3 cats and Sassie, took the RV. The morning we drove out the temp was in the 30s, and the air chilly with a mist. Driving south into the Alaska Range we marveled at the new, fresh snow on the mountains. Called "termination dust", this first fall snow is the termination of summer. Notice how the snow is deposited to a elevation line on the mountain side.



Hunting season has opened for moose. Check out these armored hunting vehicles. made for moose.





 Moose are in rut and are not road savy. the Martins stopped as they saw this yearling cross from the forest to their right and into the road. The on coming truck couldn't stop in time and hit the moose. The front fender, bunper, grill and engine were damaged. The moose struggled to its feet, one leg broken, and staggered to the trees. Dale called the authorties who will determine if the animal can be saved, if not, the meat is donated to charitible organizations.
We were so blessed that the moose did not hit the Martin's small Kia.

 The Palmer State Fair is old fashined fun beginning with a lumberjack show. These  two woodsmen are in a log rolling contest. Both ended up in the shallow pond.

I don't care for the rides or for all the fattening, high priced food. I found my attention drawn to native dancers and drummers. The elderly lady is the MC for the drummers and dancers who entertained us with their unusual style of hand dancing. Their feet hardly move while their arms tell  stories. She is wearing a kuspuk and fur mukluks.

 What fun watching kids show their hogs while the attendants try to keep the hogs from fighting. Too much action for more pictures.

 The Alaska fai is known for its huge vegetables grown during the long daylight hours of summer. The champion pumpkin (the lighter one) weighed 931 pounds, a disappointment. Last year's entry topped 1,700 pounds but was disqualified when the judges found a small mouse hole on the underside. Story is that some where in the Lower 48 (not Alaska) a farmer made small holes in his pumpkin and filled it with rocks to make it weigh more. Now all with tiny holes are eliminated. Fair is fair.

 Here is an example of FAIR HAIR. Thie little firls pink "do" should last for the week-end. Not for me!

 I enjoyed the equestrian performances. Roman rider had been working with young girls at a local riding ranch. The peformers were all young people, not professionals. After a long tiring day of looking at quilts, crafts, art, photography, rabbits, and the rides (at a distance) I wallled the entire midway and sniffed at the food vender's booths before I retired to the RV to wait for Monique and Nick.

The following morning we drove back to Delta. The weather had warmed up, but fall is in the air.
We will be heading "outside" this following week after the camp is winterized.

end of summer activities

 Some of my pictures were loaded out of sequence again. Oh, well. On August 21, Delta Junction was  honored to be a stop over for a fleet of vintage, 1942, military vehicles that were reinacting the 70th anniversary of the building of the Alaskan Highway (AlCan) duing WW II. Drivers from across the Lower 48 (the "Outside" to Alaskans) met in Dawson Creek, Yukon Territory,on Aug. 4th to begin following the route of 1942. 70 vehicles traveled in small unit caravans.

I was born in 1942 (no longer a secret), and made my first RV road trip to Alaska up the AlCan to celebrate my 60th birthday in 2002. This yea, the AlCan and I celebrate our 70th birthday.

 Jumping from history to present, we've been working on the outside and inside of the church in Delta. Nicholas and Monique are shown trying to pull up the old carpet that was super-glued to the sub-floor. While the trusses were being installed, we had rain that soaked through the unfinished roof and soaked the carpet.

 One of my jobs has been to paint the window and door trim, after the outside of the logs were spray painted.

 Compare this picture of the exterior of the chuch with the completed roof to earlier pictures. We are now working on the interior.

Here is one of the pictures out of sequence. The sign on the jeep states that this truck was the first vehicle to drive the completed  AlCan from Dawson Creek to Whitehorse. Behind the vehicle you can see a small part of the lines of jeeps, trucks, personel carriers, ambulances, etc. that visited us. Delta Junction is the location of the joining of the newly completed Alaskan Highway and the Richardson Highway.

Last fall the fire marshal informed the camp that it had until this fall to install a vent hood over our two stoves. Dale priced a commercial hood at over $2,000. Friends of the camp offered to donate it if one could be found. Not satisfied with this expense, Dale engineered a hood from two residential hoods at the cost of around $400. Savings for our benefactors and better use of God's resources. He is being helped to install the hood.

 This picture was to lead into this blog. Fireweed is "going to cotton. The seed pods of the fireweed split open to release dandylion like fuzz. When fireweed "goes to cotton" it is a harbinger of winter- 6 weeks remaining of summer, now autumni Already we have had several  mornings of temps in the 30s.

The interior of the church is exposed logs that had to be sanded before they could be resealed. Here Lynne and I use sanders on the logs. Note the dust on the camera lense and the two colors of the logs.

 We took off late one afternoon to pick blueberries. The season is ending, but we were able to collect 17 cups of berries in an hour. Our berry patch is a well  kept secret. True Alaskans don't tell where they pick.
No snakes to watch out for, just bears.

Back in the camp kitchen we turned those berries into jam and vinagarette.
Weekly youth camps are over. The kids back in school. We've hosted two picnics and will soon start to winterize, that means putting all the equipment away, storing food and supplies for winter and draining the water lines. A lot more work is involved than it sounds.
We will also be completing work on the interior of the church, and hope to see the  services resume in the sanctuary before we head out.

A little vacation time

After the high school camp was over, we cleaned the kitchen, dining hall, bathhouses and cabins. A well deserved break beckoned us to travel to Homer located on the tip of the Kenai Peninsula.
At rest stop we met this gentleman from Seattle. He had boarded the ferry in Bellingham and got off in Seward where he caught a ride to Anchorage. He was biking to Tok, then on the AlCan to Dawson Creek.  And I think I'm brave!



Homer is a tiny tourist and artist town located below this bluff. From the ridge you can see a large bay, then  a barrior strip and then the Homer Spit jutting into Kachemak Bay. Near the end of the spit is a tiny, quaint shopping and fish processing area that lines the narrow two lane road. The tide from Cook Inlet (on the right) may rise more than 20 feet, washing the pebble beach with drift wood, kelp and dinner for the birds. The Kenai Mountains are in the distance




This view across Cook Inlet shows the mountain range with glaciers shrowded with mist and clouds.



 Along the harbor, we discovered this customized RV. It does run on the highway, but while parked it is decked out with flower boxes.

 This specialty Recreational Vehicle is truly astounding. Built in Germany and transported to Anchorage for state-wide tours, campers sleep in tiny cubicles behind those little windows. I'd like to go inside to see how they squeeze in. On the outside, tent like awnings attached to the side and rear provide space for camp cooking and seating. The front of the rig (to the left) is glassed in like a regular tour bus.

 We parked our rigs facing the pebble strewn beach. Two magnificent bald headed eagles left their fishing in the shallows and perched close enough for pictures. These birds are numerous on the Homer Spit.

 Another custom conversion camper was parked on the beaach. This one is on a school bus body. Not only does it have an upstairs over the cab, but there is a second floor or loft in the rear over a railed porch. Wish I could see inside.
We had one day of sunshire in Homer. Rain on the trip down and rain on the return trip to Wasilla.
On Sunday we visited Big Lake Baptist Church. DeeDee Jonrow, the sled dog musher, was our Sunday School teacher. DeeDee is a 10 year breast cancer survivor, and has run the Iditerod 30 times, coming in 2nd twice. This past march she placed tenth. Not bad for some one her age.  She's such an inspiration.

After Church we drove to Talkeetna for lunch with long time friends, Micky and Anna, and their extended family. On the return we stopped at the Talkeetna Lodge to search for Mt McKinley. (Better known as Denali) The overcast sky began to lighten as the cloud cover moved off. We waited with others and their cameras until THE mountain was "out". The top of the 20,000 ft. (plus) mountain can only be seen about 30% of the time due to its own weather system that produces a cloud cover.

Tomorrow we will be back at Camp Baldwin to prepare for weekend activities, working at the church, and then winterizing the camp. Sunset is now about 10:30 P.M and sunrise at 5:30. During the night it is now dark enough to see the moon and stars (if it doesn't rain).

camps

 Upps, blogger didin't up load several pictures. since my last blog, we have hosted 4-5th grade camp, junior high camp and are now completing high school camp. The missing pitures are of Bible study, solo time, and tie-dying T-shirts.


Fairbanks and Delta Junction have experienced the coldest winter and coldest summer on record. last winter the temp. dropped to 60 below and our summer average has been 55 degrees. That doesn't stop the children from enjoying an improvised water slide. The air temp. of 60 was quickly met by water temp of about  45 degrees!



Most of the days have been chilly with rain or drizzle. That doesn't stop water fights, with buckets of water that are tossed at campers and counselors. This week has felt like a Texas heat  wave. The afternoon temp. has reached 70.



Over the week end, with no campers in session and our shopping completed, Lynne, Monique and I gathered our buckets and knives to collect the magenta flowers of the fireweed. Returning to camp, we stripped the blossoms from the stems, cleaned them and froze the blossoms in four cup measures. To our amazement, we had enough for 13 batches of fireweed jelly.

Another evening, Lynne, Dale and I took off after dinner dishes to our favorite blueberry patch. the berries were ripening and we had beat the bears to the patch. the three of us collected 5 pounds of berries. Enough for 2 patches of jam.

  

We don't seem to be able to get out of the kitchen!

A sample of the tie-dying. 

Sunrise now is 4:40, and Sunset is 11:00 P.M. The remaining night is still twilight. Last night the campers were still going strong at 4:oo A.M.

camps and cooking

 I've been so busy in the kitchen, acting as nurse and conducting crafts classes that I've hardly had  time to sleep, much less write this blog. We had a kindergarten-to second grade mini camp that was a blast with all the little guys and gals running around playing games. This was one of our few sunny warm days. High about 70.  Cooking for them was a challenge because we wanted to make sure they got food they liked, like hot dogs and mac and cheese.

 The older children's favorite game is to find the counselors who have dressed in camo and faace paint. They hide in the woods, often under piles of old leaves or in thickets of wild roses. The kids try to find them. All this takes place after dinner, about 8 pm while it is still day light.  The official sunset now is 11:49 pm and sun rise is at 3:36 am. However during those 3 1/2 hours it is still twilight.

 My title is chief desert maker. On the fourth of July, I baked a hugh sheet cake (it took three cake mixes). These older girls, counselors -in-training) helped by adding the decorations. I'm up by 6:30 and in the kitchen soon after. We begin lunch as soon as breakfast is cleaned up. If we're lucky we may get a short break after lunch clean up, then I have crafts classes and back to the kitchen for dinner. Usually I'm through by 8 pm. One week while I was acting nurse, I had to give meds. at 11:00 PM.  I'm so glad Lynne has returned from her short visit to their daughter's

 Late in the evening after dinner and games, the campers meet together for campfire, songs and skits. During the day they participate in Bible study, missions study, and singings as well as games.

 

 A very popular game is water balloon toss. A favorite counselor, in this case our camp program director, is chosen to stand in a wire cage while kids throw water balloons at the wire in front of him. Lots of fun when the air temp. is in the 50s and the water temp. is in the low 40s.

 The campers share chores. these three little gals worked to gether to clean out the bottom of the shower.

 I do not often get to attend Bible study. I'm pleased to have taken this picture of a small boy praying.

On the last morning of camp, we have lots of sleepy campers!
We are now in the middle of the 5-6th grade camp. it has been raining steadily and is quite cold. 50s today.
We are praying for sun shine, but the cold wet weather doesn't dampen the kids spirits.

Painting and roofing

 Dressed for cool weather, we tackled painting the outside of the cabins, and the trim. Later the chapel was painted and trimmed.

 The weather warmed up before we were finished. Morning temps have been in the mid 50s with afternoon highs in the 70s. I deal weather for outside work.

We don't believe in all work and no play!

 The interior and exterior of the dining hall received  new coats of paint, and window and door trim. Dale installed four ceiling fans rescued from the church roofing project. 
Ceiling fans? Yes, it gets hot here too. Last Saturday the high was 89 degrees.

 The church has received a partial new roof. We are no longer needed for hauling debris from the deconstruction.

From the sactuary, pulpit area you can see the old trusses and sky where the new trusses are being replaced.
Alaska weather is similar to Texas weather, you never know what to expect. This morning the temp was 50 degrees with rain. And the temp hasn't risen all day. The roofing project is at a stand still, however all our painting has been completed.
Last night seven summer missionaries, college students, arrived to prepare for the children who arrive tomorrow. We are ready!