First Real Snow

As I'm typing this, it's snowing the first real snow. It's been very cold for about a week - in the low 20's at night and high twenties during the day. So this time the snow is actually sticking.

Last weekend, we drove "up North" - 15 miles to the northern end of the island to see the Singing Christmas Tree, a tradition presented each year by the Clover Pass Community Church. The choirs are arranged in a "tree" and present a program about the Nativity. Tables and chairs were set up cabaret style with homemade cookies and hot cider served to the guests. It was professional and beautifully performed - a great addition to our growing list of Ketchikan Christmas traditions.

Lefse Making

Here it is - the results of our lefse making. Last week before the church bazaar, we got together in the church kitchen to package the lefse for sale. Some of it was folded into quarters and sold without filling. Other lefse was spread with a mixture of butter and cinnamon sugar, rolled up like a flattened wrap and then sliced into slanted pieces to be sold in one dozen batches.

I ate a lot of the "ends" which were cut off to make the edges straight. It was very tasty - like a cinnamon roll. And when I arrived mid-morning the next day to work at the Bazaar and buy some, it was sold out! I think the town knows and comes early to secure their lefse. I did get some homemade smoked lox and another speciality - fish cakes which were small, half-dollar sized puffy salmon cakes. Also delicious.

30 Pounds of Spuds

That's what we peeled on Wednesday at Judy's house. (Just one of several potato preparation stations held in town this week...) We were in the beginning stages of lefse making for Saturday's Christmas bazaar at First Lutheran. Lefse, a Norwegian wrapping bread, is thin like a crepe and can be filled with sandwich fixings, dessert treats or whatever you like. We sat at Judy's counter and peeled, sliced, cooked and then riced the potatoes. Next, they are cooled before flour, butter, salt and sugar are added.

Yesterday, I stopped by the church to see the rolling and griddling in action. The electric lefse griddles were interesting contraptions (see above) that make the frying much easier. The best part, of course, was that I got my first taste of lefse, and it was yummy - a cross between a German pancake and a crepe.

Today, I'll be back at the church adding butter and cinnamon to some of the lefse. I hope there are more samples available for this East Coast lefse apprentice... (Hey, it sure beats suet fishing!)

Salvage Trail Hike

Another sunny day in Ketchikan! Wow! A friend and I decided to go hike near Ward Lake where we'd be able to take advantage of the sun. Some areas in Ketchikan don't get any sun even when it's shining. The angle of the sun in winter here is so different from the East, and if you're in a valley, you'll never feel the warmth. (In fact, today when I took out my bike for errands around 1:00, there was still frost on the sidewalks and streets in Bear Valley, an area that never gets sun in winter.) (And no, it's not called bear valley because of bears - I'm not sure where that name came from...) The sun seems to make a semi-circle up from the horizon but never reaches anywhere near directly overhead. I've been thinking that we tend to "lose the light" around 1:30, and I thought maybe it was behind the mountains or somewhere (East Coast Fool syndrome again...). But yesterday when I took the time to note exactly where it was, I realized it was beginning to set at that time. Consequently, it's fairly dark by 4 PM - and we still have nearly three weeks to go until the shortest day of the year.

The hike up to the muskeg above the regular trail was very steep. Definitely the steepest trail I've been on. But once we got up there, the landscape flattened out. Snow covered the ground and all of the pools of water were frozen. We were treated to a gorgeous view of the mountains. The way the shadows played off the trees was so dynamic, and it was only 11:00 in the morning!

The trip down the mountain was just as hard as the trip up. In fact, I could feel the exertion in my legs as they felt a little "shaky" - I guess I just need to keep on building up...

Tree Trimming

Sunday evening we trimmed the tree. We needed a ladder to reach the top, and there was a bit of a balancing act needed to get the upper branches adorned with lights. But then we had plenty of practice balancing on a ladder from our suet adventures... The final touch was the angel at the tippy-top. Gates tossed it up as no one could reach the very top. Finally it stayed, nestled in a branchy alcove way up high.

There's something so special about taking out the ornaments each year, thinking about how we got this one and that one and then placing them on the tree. It's one of my most favorite Christmas traditions.

Chop, chop, chop

On our Thanksgiving Day hike, we happened upon a large hemlock which had been cut down to clean up the trail after a recent storm. Robert thought the top part would make a great Christmas tree. We had intended to go up to Brown Mountain where the city had reserved an area for people to chop down their trees. But here was a tree that was already cut down - so why cut down another? I phoned the ranger station today and they said fine, so we set off after lunch just as a bit of sun filtered through the sky. (By the time we drove the 5 minutes to the trail, it had turned misty, dark and very windy...)

Gates manned the saw, and he quickly had ten feet of the top cut off. Then they carried it out to the trail where another two feet was trimmed from the top as it seemed way too tall. Down the path they went to the trail head and the steep hill leading to the parking lot. Next it was loaded to the top of the van, strapped on and we were off. Once we were home, Gates and Robert put it in the tree stand and brought it in.

It's a real Ketchikan tree as it's about eight feet tall - we'll need a ladder to trim the top. It's very spindly which is the way the trees look around here. I'm not sure why they're not more full and thick - maybe all the rain?

Stay tuned as I'll post a photo of it after it's been decked out in lights and ornaments.

East Coast Fools, part 16 - Suet Fishing

We've seen some very unusual birds here, so I decided I'd get some bird seed to attract more birds to the backyard. Walmart had a wide selection of bird feed including a suet cake and a metal suet cake holder. Thinking suet would be a nice treat instead of just seed, I added that to my cart. This weekend, with Robert teeter-tottering on the ladder, we managed to hook the suet cake holder on a plant hanger high on an outside wall.

I should mention here that throughout this bird feeder hanging activity, Robert wondered if bird seed/suet would attract bears. I replied of course not. Bears don't eat suet. But, in the back of my mind, I wondered if they did... So, a few hours after the suet cake was hung (including a gerry-rigged dustpan awning to protect it from getting wet) I Googled, "Do bears like bird suet?"

What came back was not good. Not only do bears like suet, they will break down anything in their way to get to it. I knew I had to get the suet cake down immediately. So instead of bothering Robert, I got Gates to help. We dragged out the ladder (it was dark and pouring rain by this time) and tried to reach it which we couldn't. Then we got a rake and were able to poke it off the hanger. Except that the suet cake holder plunged to the ground and slid down a narrow opening between the house and the deck.

This East Coast fool, feeling especially foolish for hanging up a bear hors d'oeuvre, knew she had to get that cake immediately, or a bear could come along and rip up the deck boards to get it. I stuck a stick down the crevice trying to catch hold of it with the end. No good. Then Gates suggested a hook. We got a bungee cord and swung that down the hole.

Some people in Alaska fish for salmon. This East Coast Fool fishes for suet.

Eventually, we nabbed our prize which was placed right where it belongs - see photos.

First snow

We had our first real snowstorm on Friday. The snowflakes were big and falling fast. It reminded me of an old upstate NY adage (according to Robert) - big snow - little snow; little snow - big snow. In other words, big flakes = not much of a snow fall. And that's what happened. It only amounted to about an inch. But it was gorgeous while it was going on which was most of the day.

Mixed Media Course and Sunny Day Hike

I had a lot of fun with the art course I took at the Rec Center. We tinted tissue paper using acrylic, coffee grounds, ink, string and many other mixtures. I've posted some photos of the tissue paper drying so you will get a sense of what we did. There is an art exhibit in the spring focusing on migratory birds, and I'd like to enter it. I hope to use some of these papers we tinted in a collage. Since I can't draw - it will have to be impressionistic. I have an idea in my head of a tree, a branch, a nest, and I guess, some birds!

This morning was very sunny, and a friend called to go hiking, so I'm just blogging while I wait for her. But as I look out the study window, the mist has started to gather above the mountain tops, so we may have lost some of our sun. I find that the sun starts to leave the sky around 2:00 or so. Not that it gets dark, but just that the sun sinks a bit. It reminds me of the way the sky looked on Cape Cod about 4:00 or so in the fall/winter.

I'm back now from the hike which was great. We went up to the Carlanna Lake trail, which they've done considerable work on. It begins with a steep ascent and then at the lake it levels off and winds through the forest. Along the way there are small docks that border the lake - perfect for looking at the breathtaking Alaska scenery. I can't help gushing - I'm just so awed by the beauty of this place.

Walk, Dance, Hike - Get a lift...

This morning was almost sunny - so clear that I could see the snow on distant peaks. I decided I would walk to the Rec center where my Israeli Dance class meets on Tuesdays and Fridays. I thought it would be about a 20 - 30 minute walk. Wrong. It took closer to 40 minutes. I also had to wear clogs because my other walking shoes were damp from walking through puddles after last night's art course. (I should have put them on the hot water heater - a favorite quick drying spot). You have to carry-in your shoes to the Rec center. They don't want street shoes worn inside. I think it's because of the rainy weather and having all that moisture continually brought inside. Also, that's something that Ketchikaners do automatically here. If you go to someone's house, you always leave your shoes at the door. It keeps the mud and muck at bay.

By the time I got to dance, it was half over, and I was a little tired. A friend asked if she could give me a lift home. "No," I said. "I want the exercise." Up, up the hill I went. Then I had a brainstorm. "Why not hike the Rainbird Trail back?" It was on the way, and I had never done it. So, up, up the cliff steps I went. Actually, make that UP, UP, UP since the stairs seemed to go on and on. The trail went straight up from there on rock steps and log steps. The view was amazing. I was fortunate that I had my camera along, so I was able to take pictures.

Halfway through the hike, I met a friend from church and a friend of hers. We stood and chatted for awhile way up above the city. It was gorgeous. Then they went down the trail and I went up a little more before going down. At the other end of the trail, I went down another set of steps to the parking lot. There was my friend from church who asked if I wanted a lift home. "YES!" I cried. Thank goodness she came to my rescue. I think it's fine to walk and dance. Maybe even dance and hike. But probably not walk, dance, hike. At least not in Ketchikan.

Play Time

When was the last time you played? I can't remember the last time I felt like I was playing. But I did play last night at the mixed media art course I'm taking at the Rec center. We started off with a warm-up activity in which we were given a paper plate containing these small paper shapes: 4 tan squares, 1 red long rectangle, 1 green circle and 1 green/red semi-circle. We were asked to make a design on a mat board and then pass our design to the person next to us. Our partner then named it and told us what she liked about it. Variations of this activity went on for about ten minutes. It was such fun to design and then get feedback. After that, we played around with different colors of acrylic. Then we used gesso to cover mat board and imprint a variety of rough substances onto the boards.

The course continues tonight and for the next two nights. On Saturday, we'll work on our final project. I forgot how much fun it is to create with substances instead of just words.

Candy Update

No, we did not have 600 trick-or-treaters. I figure we had about 200. I don't have a real count as we were giving away handfuls of candy at the end because we didn't want to have hundreds of pieces left over to tempt us... My award for best costume goes to the girl who, at first glance, was a baked potato. When she got closer, I realized she was a picnic with food items attached to a tablecloth. We did not see any Sarah Palins, Obamas or McCains - but apparently they were at the high school earlier because some Kayhi seniors got dressed up.

Last week I signed up for a mixed media art course, and tonight is the first class. We're supposed to learn how to make paper and also different ideas for collages. I have lots of souvenir items from our cross country trip that I'd like to turn into something. Maybe tonight will be inspirational.

But before I go, though, I'll be glued to the television starting at about 3:30 when many of the polls close on the East Coast. This is one time when I like being 4 hours behind the rest of the country. Here in AK we may actually know who the next President is before we turn in for the night...

Happy Halloween

Do you have on your Halloween socks? That's usually as far as I go (all right, maybe I also wear my pumpkin t-shirt...) to dress up for Halloween, although I love carving the jack o' lantern, hanging up the pumpkin lights, and fixing a special Halloween dinner.

But things here in Ketchikan will be a lot different for us this year - I just read in the Daily News that our street is one of the main "candy routes." They block off our street and two others so the trick-or-treaters can be safe. Do you think about 600 pieces of candy will suffice??? (Stay tuned...) I actually opened the huge bags of candy I bought at Wal-mart and counted the pieces so I'd know how much we'd need for next year.

There are lots of ways for kids and adults to celebrate including "trunk and treat" activities in case it rains. There are enclosed parking lots where people can park and distribute candy to parading costumers. There are numerous activities at lots of downtown locations like the museum, library, discovery center, visitors' bureau and so on.

More fun things about small town living...

YAY Phillies

Yippee - the Phillies won! I'm not a true baseball fan - or sports fan for that matter - but when the hometown team finally wins after 25 years without a win, you have to celebrate. The game was televised here at 4:30, so I was able to watch while I started dinner. The looks on their faces - of pure surprise, in a way, that they had really won - was touching. So, congrats, Phillies, and may you win again and again. Just like another hometown team, which was even more years without a win...

Yesterday I had a big adventure. Robert recently bought and installed a Heinzmann hub motor on my bike. The hills here are so straight-up that it's impossible to pedal up. He's been a long-standing fan (for about the last 15 years) of electric hub motors for bikes. The one he got replaces the front wheel and is powered by a rechargeable battery that slips into a bike pantiere attached to the rack on the back. There's a small tab near the shifter on the handle bars which powers it. The motor and the new front wheel add additional weight, so initially it's a little tricky to get used to it.

I needed some things from the grocery less than a mile away at the bottom of the hill. I thought about walking with the "granny cart" for exercise, but then the lure of motoring back up the hill drew me to the garage to see if Robert had taken it to work. He's been alternating between his regular bike and my bike which can be changed to accommodate his height.

There it was - just waiting for me to climb on. So I did and away I went. The hills are straight down, so I needed to brake hard to get on the main road. After I shopped, I loaded the items in the metal basket on the back and then put the rest in the backpack I had worn. Of course, I bought too much and couldn't even zipper the backpack - so the bag of pretzels peeked out. It wasn't raining, so I was fine.

I took off, still pedalling on my own. But when I got to the mammoth hill to go back up, I flicked the control and WWWHHHHRRR the motor purred. I was still pedaling, to help it along, but the motor was doing 95% of the work to get me up the hill. If anyone had been watching, I would have seemed like super woman pedaling serenely up the hill without so much as a pant, pant.

Today it's sunny and gorgeous - the mountain peaks were covered with snow and the mist was flowing around the middle - a sight I hadn't seen before. Then, within a matter of minutes, the mountains were fogged in. Now it's all burned off and I plan to take out the bike before lunch, go downtown in the opposite direction and pick up the bike path that heads south.

More later...

Stormy Week

This week we've had two major storms, both with wind gusts higher than 40 mph. The total accumulation was about 2-3 inches each day. I think this is what the parents of my friend, Stormy, meant when they named her Stormy after she was born in October...

The first storm was on Tuesday, the same night that Gary Puckett (without his Union Gap of 70's fame...) and Juice Newton were performing at Kayhi (local name for the high school at the bottom of our street). Robert and I went down to see them in the middle of the storm. The wind and rain were both whipping so hard that at times it felt like we'd be mowed down. We both had on raincoats, boots, and rain pants, so we were nice and warm and dry when we arrived. (I had tucked several plastic grocery bags in my coat to stow the wet gear during the concert.) The performance was great. Ol' Gary may be 65, but he can still belt them out!

Ironically, I really like this weather. I feel justified in staying home and working without the temptation to go out. Although, the other day, it began to clear, so I jumped up from my computer, put on my raincoat (just in case - I'm learning...) and took off down the steep hill that our house is on and an even steeper hill into town at the very bottom of the hill. There's a store there - Rain Forest Crafts which has yarn and fabric among other crafty type things, and I'd been wanting to check it out. But the time I was finished with my purchase - maybe 15 minutes, another deluge had began.

I had no rain pants or boots on, but in the spirit of the Last Frontier, I continued to the Safeway across the street, picked up a couple of items for dinner and then set off back up the hill. By the time I got home I was SOAKED. My jeans were dripping and my shoes were sopped. The top third of me was fine - I'd been covered with a raincoat and a hood. Lesson learned - never venture anywhere without rain pants and boots even if it looks like a picture-perfect sunny day.

Cutting Class

Yep. I did it. I cut class.

I was supposed to go to dance class - in fact I was on my way - when I drove to the crest of the hill and saw the sun. It was off in the distance, at the other end of the island, toward Herring Cove. I had my camera with me, so I knew the tap, tap, tap of dance would have to wait for next week. I had to capture the light.

Off I went, and I was not disappointed. I've posted a sampling of the photos I took. I am entranced by the shades of blue, grey, and white in the sky. I love the way the light reflects off the water - it is just magnificent. I've been taking photos in the hopes of entering several in a photo contest sponsored by the North Pacific Research Board for photos taken within US Alaskan waters.

One thing that struck me today was how much different the images are in the fall - despite the fact that the colors here are much less vibrant than what I'm used to on the East Coast. Still, there is an "autumnal" feel to the photos as the grass has turned golden.

Rainy Sunday

The weather outside my window is true SE Alaska from what I've been told. The wind is whipping the branches, and it's pouring. The temperature this morning was in the forties. Believe it or not, I like it. We have the wood stove going, and it's very cozy inside. I love the cooler weather, and the rain makes me feel like I have an excuse to goof off - work on the Sunday crossword puzzle, finish the so-so book I'm reading or crochet some more of the baby blanket I'm working on.

Last week, I was excited to finish the first draft of a picture book manuscript. Last year was such a lost year with selling the house and moving, that I didn't accomplish much writing-wise. So, to actually finish a manuscript was a big deal. Now I'm on about draft #50 and hope to have it wrapped up by next week.

Last night was the Monthly Grind. It's a town talent show held at the Saxman Tribal House south of town which contains a stunning carved "screen" which is sort of like a wall of totems. This screen also serves as a backdrop for the stage. The rest of the large room is rustic with benches along the walls and a stepped down, pit area in the center where folding chairs are set up. Last night's line-up featured a preview of Pirates of Penzance, the First City Player's performance for November, tap dancing and several musical acts. It also happened to be Alaska Day which commemorates Alaska Statehood. (It's interesting how I'm indirectly learning all these facts about Alaska... I couldn't tell you when PA became a state!) Some skits and songs celebrated the regions of Alaska.

One of the best parts about the Grind is the dessert table. There's a contest for best desserts and if you bring one, you get your money back for one ticket. Attendees bring an amazing array of goodies. I tasted some yummy cookies, cakes and even an apple torte. Amazingly, there's enough for everyone to have samples.

Silvis Lake Hike

I should have been doing my 1,000 words a day for the women's novel I'm working on (a goal I've only met a couple of times - but I still try...), but when I saw that sunshine, I knew I had to get outside. I called a new friend who lives by the water in bear country. She had suggested a hike to Silvis Lake earlier in the week, and today seemed liked a great day to do it.

From her house at the other end of the island, she scooped up her Jack Russell, and we drove down an unpaved road for about ten minutes, parking near the hydro electric plant. The trail was a gravel road that was mostly straight up! Directly straight up - so that talking, initially (for me, anyway...) was hard. My friend is in great shape and seemed fine to talk.

She pointed out all kinds of interesting botanical information like what a muskeg is and where the wild huckleberries and blueberries are. I had a small container filled with water which I emptied. We loaded it with huckleberries so I could take some home. The trees I thought were birches were actually mature alders. They're the ones which turn yellow.

I was reminded of how much I liked the change of seasons in NJ and MA because of the differences in the wetlands. It's similar here in AK. The foliage display is minimal because of the number of conifers. But the rest of the landscape - shrubs, muskeg (sort of like a cranberry bog/marsh, but not as firm), berry bushes, moss, and lichen - turns shades of red and gold which are very pretty.

The Silvis trail meanders past the pipeline through which the water runs to the hydro plant. There are holding ponds which can be dammed up, depending on the amount of water. But one of the best sights was the snow on the mountains. It's new snow because it wasn't there last weekend, and this week is the first time the temperature has dropped into the thirties at night in town.

The hike up took about an hour. We were rewarded at the end with a spectacular view of lower Silvis Lake as well as upper Silvis Lake in the distance. Apparently, you can hike way up there, over the mountains and eventually get into town. Maybe next summer as once it snow up there, it's not as safe to hike.

When Robert came home from work, there was a nice surprise - a sherry glass full of fresh wild huckleberries.

Sunny Day Photos

I had planned on writing today, but when I saw that the early morning mist had burned off and the sun was out, I packed a quick picnic lunch (sandwich, carrots, apple and some of that yummy sweet/salty Kettle corn they have here) and hit the road. I drove south of town along Tongass Road and parked at the Rotary Beach parking lot. From there, I walked along the bike path that runs for more than 5 miles along the shore. It was gorgeous. The cliffs I photographed were right along the left hand side of the highway.

After dinner Gates had a soccer game at Fawn Mountain - an elementary school which is located at the top of a very, very high hill. The soccer field is located above the school - it's so high that you can't even see it from below. You just see tall firs stretching into the sky. There is a great new track up there, too, that's fun to walk around while we're watching Gates play.

As we were driving towards the school, I caught sight of waves crashing against rocks on the beach. We had never driven along Tongass at high tide, so this was new to me. I knew I had to try to capture it. After we parked, down, down, down the hill I walked and then up, up, up I hiked when I was done. By the time I took these photos, the sun was gone and replaced with a twilight mist.

The final pictures I took - I couldn't resist - were of Old Glory and the Alaska state flag flying above the school.

Last day for Cruise Ships

Today is the last day that the cruise ships will be stopping in Ketchikan until next year. In their honor, I went down to the dock and took a photo of Celebrity Cruise Line's Millennium. Today was sunny, too, which made the scene even more dramatic.

The morning started off rainy, foggy and misty. As the day progressed, it stopped raining and cleared up. By the time I headed down to the docks, the sun was out and there were clouds high up hanging in front of Deer Mountain (that's the mountain pictured at the top of the blog). I tried to capture the amazing scene - sun, clouds, firs, wisps, snow - but I was too far away and at the wrong angle. I'll try again next time... You'll see lots of cloud photos here because I am so amazed by the dynamic views and how quickly the sky can change from one weather system to another.

Finally - a bear!

Yes, it's true. We finally sighted our first bear in Ketchikan. (We suspect there may be one coming down through the back woods, across our deck, along the side yard to the neighbor's trash can across the street the night before trash day, but we haven't caught him yet.)

Last night after dinner at the galley, we drove down to Herring Cove, about 8 miles south of town. It was low tide - a must for bear sightings, as they come down to the water to fish. It certainly was low tide, as parts of the river bed were visible. Quite a few fishermen in waders stood on exposed sandbars trying their luck. The area was dotted with sea gulls who were also fishing for salmon. Their raucous squawking filled the air. And then, in the distance, Gates spotted the moving ball of black fur. It seemed to be more than a football field away, so it was hard to discern - but it was indeed a bear. Unfortunately, I had forgotten my camera, so I'll have to return when low tide is in the daytime so I can photograph it.

So, even though it was a bear, I don't feel like it truly counts because I didn't get a picture of it and it was so far away. Stay tuned!

PS - I just added this photo - I didn't take it, Lisa Thompson did for an online newspaper called SitNews which stands for Stories in the News. It is a great source of information about Alaska as well as Ketchikan. When I saw this photo, I had to add it to the blog since it was taken right where we were!

Ketchikan Staircases

I've gotten the idea to photograph the staircases of Ketchikan. Many of them are very unusual as well as being very high. Some people have homes with front doors 50 - 100 steps up. (Think about that in terms of building muscles!) Because Ketchikan is built into a towering cliff, some of the streets are actually staircases. Hiking a trail often involves climbing steps. In fact, many trails have wooden steps as part of the trail. The reward, of course, is the view at the end of trail.

The Rainbird Trail is about a mile from our house. I took a walk this afternoon to the steps that lead to it. I climbed to the top and then started photographing the view and the steps. I remember the first time I climbed those steps - I was really out of breath. Today, it was much easily - I guess I'm getting in shape!

Enjoy these steps you don't have to climb, and periodically, I'll update the collection.

Another Sunny Day

Hello everyone!
I'm starting a new, blog about my first year in Ketchikan. There is so much going on here and it is such a different place that I want to record as much of it as I can.

Today is the second sunny day in a couple of days. I've learned that you really have to take your sunny days when you get them. For example, yesterday, it was beautiful and then all of a sudden the sky opened up and it rained torrents. With the sun still shining! I've been on a hunt for signs of fall. I'll post some of the photos I've taken so far. There are very few non-fir trees here, so it's going to be quite a hunt. The mountains are so amazing in their beauty that if they were filled with some nice oaks, maples and elms, it would be spectacular. Since they're not, I have to be content with some of the isolated trees which are turning colors.

This week is the last week for the cruise ships. For the past month, the ships have been making their last "call" on Ketchikan. I think I will miss seeing all the people milling around downtown with their cameras and maps. It will be interesting to see what the town is like without the visitors.