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...