Sunday, May 29, 2011

Alaska

Wow! I have not been on here for a LONG time!

Being back in Alaska is a little weird for me.  I used to live in Southeast Alaska, which has its own kind of beauty. It is a rainforest and is so many islands and inlets.

Being here in Homer is different. It is on the mainland, so you can drive long distances. But it is also located right on Katchemak Bay, which leads right out into the ocean. My brother, a commercial fisherman, is getting ready to go out around June 1. He will be out for about 10 weeks. He and a master net-mender have been working all week to get his nets done before they go. They have only a little of the last one left to go. My nephew, Peter, came home from PLU on Friday and he has been helping too. He has been going out on the boat with his dad since he was 9. 

Martha, my brother's wife, is so gracious. She has been making big meals to feed all the guys who have been working on the boat and the nets. Many days there are 8 of us for meals. We have had the BEST salmon, king crab, and other fish. There are clams thawing now, so hopefully we will have them soon. I guess Martha made nettle pesto the other night (I was exhausted and went to bed before supper) that was not only tasty, but gorgeous - the nettles are bright green when they are cooked. 

The Farmer's Market was open yesterday for the first time this year. It was AWESOME! They had the most wonderful plants, jelllies, jams, fresh herbs, carvings. It was fun. They had a marimba band playing. Donations went directly to help people in Zimbabwe. It was great. Tourists are already here, from other countries as well as the US.

Wildlife is fun to see. The eagles soar around the house every day. There is a tree on the way to downtown that has a huge eagle's nest in it. Yesterday there was a male eagle standing guard in the top of the tree next to it. So maybe mama is nesting now. Yesterday morning my brother and I saw 2 yearling moose alongside the house while we were eating breakfast. Then Martha got up and said that she had just heard some sandhill cranes flying over. We didn't see them because we were too involved with the moose... Then on the way to downtown we saw a couple more moose out alongside the highway. They don't really have deer here, but they sure have a lot of other animals! 

It is going to be a bit difficult to come home. And yet, it will be very good to get back to the beauty of the midwest. I pray for the safety of all those who are currently being flooded out in SD - it is amazing to see the pictures. It will be good to not feel as helpless about what is going on.