Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 25-28, 2010)

After 3 days of straight rain, we woke up Thursday morning to rain that eventually turned into snow. We spent Thanksgiving day with a family from our school. It was a small gathering of ten people, most of whom we already knew. We got outside on a few occasions this weekend; hiking and walking down to the beach.

On Friday at dusk we hiking through the Kenai Wildlife Refuge. Towards the end of the hike I spotted a snowshoe hare in its full white winter coat hop off deeper into the woods. We did the same hike of Saturday, this time in the afternoon. We were hoping to see more animals than the previous day. We spotted a flock of Common Redpoll birds, but that was it. Common Redpolls have a gorgeous splash of red on their chests with some dark barrings on their sides. Apparently it is not uncommon to see them in large flocks in winter.

On Sunday we found ourselves needing a hike we had not done in awhile, so we headed out to Captain Cook State Park. The wind was very brisk and the sky was extremely clear. We had once been told that you can see Denali from Captain Cook on very clear days. Well, this was a very clear day and we're pretty sure that the mountain we were looking at way off in the distance was indeed Denali. We walked along the beach with a low tide. On the way back we took the trail up through the woods. We decided to pull off at an overlook. While there we suddenly heard a bird screech. Looking up we saw a bald eagle. It was approximately 20-30 feet above us. Because the wind was so strong and the eagle was going into the wind, it was hovering. It hovered right over our heads from about a minute before taking off. When we jumped back onto the trail, I caught a glimpes of something white perching in a tree. We crept up on the mysterious creature and found two bald eagles perched next to each other. Shortly after, they took off into the sky. We also spot a cow and calf moose a few moments later. What a great day for animal sightings!

Gorgeous...Wish You Were Here! (November 13-14, 2010)

It was a weekend of beautiful weather! We got out both days for a walk down to the beach. The waves were really crashing on Saturday morning. Both days also provided beautiful views of the volacanoes. The sun was shining until about mid-afternoon on Saturday. At that time we were out for our first cross country ski of the season! It did rain on us towards the end of our ski. It was just a couple degrees too warm for snow. Bummer. However, the ski felt great and amazingly enough, neither of us are feeling too sore from it. On Sunday the sun shone all day long. I don't remember the last time this has happened. With darkness setting in quickly, we'll take all the sunshine we can get.

A Sad Week and a Snowy Weekend (Week of Nov. 1, 2010)

It was a rough week for many at Kenai Middle School. On Tuesday, we lost one of our students to a car accident. Dad picked her up from school for an appointment at 10:30. On their way to the appointed the car hit some ice, went into the other lane, and the passenger side was T-boned. The following day was tough but the kids and teachers are mending. The kids are doing a fantastic job of supporting each other through this.

This weekend has brough lots of snow. It starting snowing Friday night and on Saturday we woke up to our lawn covered in white. It has been snowing off and on since. The trees look beautiful draped in the white fluff. Jon and I went for a walk today and saw two cow moose on opposite sides of the road. Both we're busy browsing for food. Although one looked up at us, she only glanced for a few seconds then went back to her work. On Saturday night we attended a concert at Soldotna High School performed by Pamyea. Pamyea is a Yup'ik band, singing many of their song in their native tongue. The music was very upbeat and enjoyable. The instruments consisted of a guitar, various types of drums, and a didgeridoo. This was the first native cultural event we had attended. It was fun to see this side of Alaska and I hope that we can do it more often.

Happy Halloween! (Oct. 29-31, 2010)

On Wednesday I felt my first earthquake. Jon had felt a couple before but this was the first that I had noticed. Sitting at my desk at school, talking to a parent, my desk and back wall began to shake and my windows began to rattle. It didn't last very long, just a couple of seconds, but I immediately knew what it was.
After parent-teacher conferences on Thursday and Friday we took a relaxing Saturday. We biked down to the beach and walked along the shoreline. We came across a good sized jellyfish that had washed up. On Sunday we hiked the Upper Kenai Trail to the Lower Kenai Trail. We did not see much for animals but we had a few flurries. The ground is now frozen solid. If we get a descent amount of snow soon, it will more than likely be sticking around for the winter. Halloween night was very blustery. We joined a friend at her house for supper and watching of the trick-or-treaters. While there a tree fell down on the corner of her house. It didn't appear to have done any damage but it definitely made some noise. Happy Halloween to everyone! And Happy All Saints Day tomorrow!

Bocce and Caching (Oct. 22-24, 2010)

It was a busy weekend. We had a school activity night for the students on Friday evening and Jon coached two pee wee hockey games, one Saturday and one Sunday. We also attended a benefit dinner for the Kenai Community Library. The food was delicious, deep fried halibut being our favorite part. While we ate, we enjoyed some bluegrass music from a local band and conversation with another teacher from our school and a former teacher from our school. Through the conservation we heard many stories about hunting across the bay for moose and caribou. Jon is hoping to get out this summer and fall to participate in some of this true Alaskan hunting. I'm hoping to go along to take in the beauty of the tundra.

The sun peeked out on Saturday afternoon so we took advantage of this and went for a walk down to the beach. We found five jellyfish washed up on the shore, decent size. I would say about the size of a dinner plate. After our walk we took in a game of Bocce Ball. Jon won, 21 to 13. On Sunday we took in some geocaching. We went out in search of three and were able to find two.

We have a short week with the students coming up, Monday-Wednesday, then conferences on Thursday and Friday.

Cold Weather Has Set In (Oct. 16-17, 2010)

After having spent the past weekend in Minnesota enjoying warm, sunny weather for Joe and Danielle's wedding, it was hard to come into Anchorage on Monday night to temps in the 30s. Every morning on our drive to school this week we were down in the 20s and unfortunately this weekend was clouded over. After running errands on Saturday we decided Sunday was time to get away for awhile. We drove down to Homer where we walked around the Carl E. Wynne Nature Center. This was our first visit to the nature center without snow. It looks quite different. Many of the tall shrubs and smaller trees can't be seen in the winter due to all the snow. After that we headed down to Bishop's Beach and walked along Beluga Slough and the Cook Inlet. There were a few different species of birds but mainly Northwestern crows. There was a flock of them moving down the beach together searching for food. Once a crab or clam was found they would fly up into the air, drop it, and go back down to feast on the crab or clam whose shell cracked open from the fall. We watched them for quite some time as one right after another dropped their meal. Tonight Jon plays his second game with a local men's hockey league. So not only is he busy helping coach a pee wee team, but he's playing a little hockey of his own.

Friday was the last day of 1st quarter for us at Kenai Middle. It was a busy one but it went by fast. We're hoping that 2nd quarter goes fast too so that we can be home for Christmas!

Hat and Mittens Kind of Weather (Week of Sept. 27- Oct 3)

We had some beautiful sunsets early on in the week followed by some depressing weather. The clouds have been sticking around for the past 5 days with rain off and on. Not only was it a rainy weekend but a windy one too, requiring the use of hats and mittens. I would say a good majority of the leaves are now on the ground. On Friday we went to a small political gathering at the house of a woman that we teach with. While there we got to meet Alaska U.S. Senator, Lisa Murkowski. Alaska truly is a state where you can get to know those in office. It was another weekend of getting things done. As I worked on two continuing ed classes, Jon made whole wheat chips, tortillas, meatballs, and spaghetti sauce. He was a cooking machine! We are celebrating Jon's 26th birthday today and looking forward to coming home to Minnesota for Joe and Danielle's wedding in just 4 days!

Sunshine and Fall Color

At Our House
Loon on Kelly Lake
Hikers Lake
Kelly Lake

It was a beautiful weekend on the Kenai Peninsula. The sunshine got us out on a couple of hikes. On Saturday we went to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and on Sunday we hiked the Seven Lakes Trail from Kelly Lake to Hikers Lake. The colors have been very pretty, though not as beautiful as the midwest. The aspens and birches have turned a crisp gold and the wind has been taking the leaves off the trees little by little.

In addition to getting outside this weekend, we got a lot done around the house as well. For our first time ever, we canned our own pickles. Thank you to Grandma Horbacz for the delicious recipe. Now we can enjoy your pickles up in Alaska and not just when we come home to Minnesota.

Anchorage to Kenai (September 17-18, 2010)

Friday after school we went up to Anchorage so that Jon could take his Middle School Science Praxis test early Saturday morning. We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage for $42 using our NEA membership. If you are a teacher, you really need to starting using your NEA card…great deals! After Jon’s test on Saturday morning we decided to take our time back to Kenai. We stopped in at Sack’s Restaurant in Anchorage for a late brunch (you are right Donna, it was delicious), where we both had a Reindeer Sausage Sandwich.

Our second stop was just south of Anchorage at a place called Potters Marsh, a fresh and saltwater marsh. It’s considered both because when the tide is exceptionally high on new moon and full moons, some of the salt water from the Cook Inlet mixes in with the fresh water coming into the marsh from three different rivers. There were various ducks, a couple bald eagles, and even some red salmon, which are at the tail end of their run. We were actually surprised to still see them. Although we didn’t see any, trumpeter swans are very common at Potters Marsh. In fact, 80% of the trumpeter swan population summer in Alaska.

After Potters Marsh we made an unplanned stopped to take in three Dall sheep laying up on one of the cliffs along the roadside. Then we stopped in at Bird Creek to see the bore tide. Unfortunately, we did not see it. We were there 5 days before the new moon. The closer you are to the new or full moon the better. Supposedly the bore tide in Turnagain Arm, where we were at, can reach up to 10 feet when it comes in. It is suppose to be one of the largest in the world. However, while there we did spot a pod of beluga whales! From our observations we figure there were at least 50. We’d be looking at one group that would appear to have 12 or so whales and another group would come into view. We were able to see their long, white backs emerge above the water for a few seconds before going back under.

As we continued to drive south we stopped in at the town of Girdwood, a small town with the big downhill skiing hill for the area. Many skiers from the peninsula drive up to Girdwood frequently in the winter months. Sometimes even into July skiing is possible. After Girdwood we headed towards Portage where we hike to Byron Glacier. It was a smaller glacier, which we were able to walk on. We were in search of ice worms but were unsuccessful due to the bright sun. Ice worms tend to burrow deep into the ice when the sun is out. They can best be seen on cloudy days or at night. However, we stopped in at the visitor center where they had collected a few for visitors to look at. They are a skinny black worm about 2.5 centimeters long. They live off of red algae found on glaciers and pollen that blows onto glaciers. Interesting little creatures.

Berries and Mountain Biking (Sept. 11-12, 2010)

After a hectic week of school plus our Thursday evening school open house followed by a Friday evening student activity night the weekend was much needed. However, I'm not sure where it went. The weather was gorgeous minus the thick fog that set in at 6:30 on Saturday night and didn't lift until 10:30 Sunday morning. We went to the Tsalteshi Trails and mountain biked. This is the first time we've done somewhat real mountain biking since arriving in Alaska. What a thrill to coast those hills! While out there we also pulled off a couple times to pick lingon berries and crowberries. We plan on making a pie out of the crowberries and are yet deciding what to do with the lingon berries (low bush cranberries). Other than that, Jon has been busy studying for his Middle School Science Praxis Test and coaching pee wee hockey and I have started two online classes through Hamline University. Life is keeping us busy and we savor those moments when we can take a deep breath. The leaves are beginning to change, making us miss fall in Minnesota. Yellow aspen and birch leaves just don't do much for you once you've been spoiled with the beauty of the maple leaves.

Labor Day Weekend

The first half of our weekend was very wet, with rain all day Saturday and Sunday morning. But come Sunday afternoon the sun was shining. We took advantage of the beautiful weather by hiking a portion of the Tsalteshi Trails where we hope to be skiing in about 2 months. The trails were full of snowshoe hares grazing and taking in the warmth of the afternoon. On the last leg of the trail, a eagle glided a short distance away making what seemed like a territorial sound at us before flying away. Didn't seem too happy about our presences. Sunday evening's weather got us outside again, this time biking around and exploring our new neighborhood. We spotted a moose off a ways in the woods and were greeted by two friendly Golden Retrievers!

Monday morning was shining brightly, allowing Mount Redoubt, Mount Spur, and Mount Illiamna to show off their brilliancies. We biked down to the beach and walked to the mouth of the Kenai River where we watched a harbor seal swim back out to sea. In the afternoon we revisited the Tsalteshi Trails, this time hiking a different portion. There were many gray jays and plenty of berries. We have been researching some of the local berries and came across high bush cranberries, lingonberries, crowberries, and raspberry on our hike. We plan to come back later this week to do some picking.

More Pictures from Halibut Cove

Halibut Cove (August 27-29, 2010)

Friday after school we headed down to Homer where we stepped abroad the Danny J, a wooden boat that took us on a 45 minute ride across Kachemak Bay to the very small town of Halibut Cove. Halibut Cove has a population of about 125 and is home to many fishermen and artists. They are well known for two art galleries, all work by local artists, and the Saltry Restaurant. We had been told on a number of occasions that the Saltry Restaurant is very much worth the trip and indeed it was. We were fortunate to try local seafood from the area, crab stuffed rock fish and seafood cannelloni with shrimp and scallops. I can easily say that the crab stuffed rock fish was the best meal I had ever had in my life. First, if you’ve never tried rock fish you need to, it is a delicious white, buttery fish. Inside the rock fish of course was the crab stuffing. The fish sat on top of a mashed sweet potato and Golden Nugget potato blend. On top of everything was a thick cream sauce. With food like this, eating could easily become a hobby.

On our trip over to Halibut Cove, a tufted puffin was swimming about 6 feet from our boat. We also saw a sea otter bobbing up and down through the water. Halibut Cove itself was a very quaint town, the majority of it sitting on two islands connected by an isthmus. After supper we were able to walked the island boardwalk and take in the two galleries. We also did some short hiking at the top most point of the island, walking on dirt paths and past horse pastures. It had a very Anne of Green Gables feeling to it…the lush grass, dirt paths, and salty ocean water. After spending just a few hours at Halibut Cove, our boat departed back to Homer. Although it was cloudy, we did get to see a bit of the sunset as well as a playful sea otter about 10 feet from our boat.

On Saturday and Sunday we biked down to the beach, which is about a mile from our home and walked the shoreline. We saw a new species of bird. I think they were some type of plover migrating through. They were travelling in small flocks, quickly running along the shoreline, digging with their beaks in the mud. They reminded me a lot of the way a killdeer moves. We also saw a large hawk with a bright reddish-orange underside. Although our Saturday walk was windy and overcast, Sunday was beautiful. The skies were clear in the morning, giving way to a beautiful view of Mount Spur, Mount Redoubt, and Mount Illiamna.

More Pictures from the Past Two Weeks

Thursday, August 26, 2010 and the past two weeks

Wow, school is here already. It’s hard to believe. We started teaching students this past Tuesday after dropping our company off at the airport the week before. Although it’s been a busy last two weeks getting ready for school, we have had the opportunity to take in some amazing wildlife. We have seen multiple caribou on the way to work. Our route takes us across the Kenai River Flat, which is very tundra looking. There is a herd of caribou that hang out in these parts. Just this morning on our way to school we saw at least four caribou off in the distance making their way through the morning fog. We have also been fortunate to see flocks of sandhill cranes and bald eagles in these parts.

Our residential mama moose and her two calves are still showing up at the house. Two nights ago we saw one of the calves run to mom and begin feeding right in front of our place. It was incredible.

Back in Alaska cont.

Back in Alaska continued