Monday, January 4, 2010

Out and about the day after Christmas

Just some photos of the area right after Christmas...it was cold and icy but it felt good to be out.
I have lived all over the world and wish I had taken more pictures of the area I lived in...we are trying not to make that mistake when we leave here.


Mendenhall lake


#1 daughter Jen at Skater's cabin looking towards the Mendenhall glacier..it was cold and wet


Auke Bay smooth as glass and prime for boating



Mendenhall flats looking towards the airport


Mendenhall flats looking towards Douglas Island


Downtown looking south


Downtown looking north


Gastineau Channel south


The Infamous Red Dog

Christmas 2009

We had a quiet Christmas this year, our last in Alaska. Matthew was here of course and favorite daughter Jen came down from Wasilla with her boyfriend Steve which turned out great and all and all it was a nice time. We had the grandkids over for making cookies and then a few days later for stockings and gifts. Then a few days after Christmas Grampa Andy had to have emergency surgery to remove a suddenly exploded gall bladder...3rd emergency surgery in 4 months...glad 2009 is over.


Caleb and Emily helped us decorate the tree


Emily is already a pretty good cook and likes to make cookies....she just gets bored with the decorating part!



Ham


Emily and Granny Holly just do their thing while Caleb and I relax


Caleb likes to get involved when the girls get everything ready to cut out and frost.


Emily is deprived of attention again.


Caleb contemplating his stocking


Contemplation over...



Grandpa gets new fencing pliers


Favorite daughter Jen and boyfriend Steve


Watch the hand.............


Matt gets a new coat


Boo Boo got catnip


Granny Holly and Grampa Andy survive another one!!


Boo Boo is as deprived of attention as Emily!

We talked to all the rest of the family Christmas day and it was very enjoyable and relaxing; prime rib for dinner, spiced octopus and smoked shrimp and oysters for snack....good stuff.

Emily's Birthday

We went to Emily's birthday party at a dance studio and then had her over a couple days later when the presents from her daddy arrived. Hopefully everyone from out of town is covered picture wise but here goes:

At the dance studio in the valley, it was agood idea and the kids all had fun.


Obviously they are teaching posing at a young age now days!




I believe this was from Grandma Mary in Alabama


And this was from Grampa Andy and Granny Holly


Opening birthday gifts from dad.


Hello Kitty theme this year which seemed to be a hit


More from her dad


And her dad completes the Hello Kitty theme!!



6 years old now...where did the time go. I was just looking at pictures the other night of her dad when we were stationed in Alameda back in the early 80s. Who would have thought.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Around the AK Homestead

Well so far this winter its been cold and we had a half foot of snow but it warmed up, rained, and melted it off. Now its just cold and frosty with light snow; no complaints as I at least dont have to shovel.

These are pictures taken in the last day or so and all within 3 miles of the house and as usual, if you double click on most of the pictures they go to large format:


Hay and land is very expensive



This place boards horses for hundreds a month





Dec 12th and note the lack of snow



Same place last year at roughly the same time



I wont be disappointed if we dont get heavy snow this year.



Montana Bills Old homestead; I always see a lot of deer around here on the way to work



Hardly even any snow on the roadway



I wish we could take this to our farm in Missouri, its so overbuilt it could stand up to a tornado (we were a little overzealous when we built it). I think we will take the King Crab pots just for conversation pieces.



The frost just keeps building up on everything which makes it look festive for the holidays



Three miles from the house in one direction is the glacier, three miles in the other is a boating paradise.



Not as many crowds in the winter...if I can see more than two boats on the water its a crowd.



This is a track of the elusive Felinus Arcticus



Felinus Arcticus in his natural habitat

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Halloween

Just a couple of pictures from our Halloween activities; hardly any trick or treaters this year..kinda sad.



Harvested some taters......including Yukon Gold which are the best..



Granddaughter Emily after we carved the pumpkins



Granny Holly and Stephanie



The grandparents with Emily and Caleb on Halloween



Grandpa Andy with Caleb..he is a freshman in High School this year and a straight A student....yup I feel old



Emily, she was a princess for Halloween but it was hard to tell the difference...she is a princess everyday!! (and a Ham)



Caleb was Gangsta...or something cool and hip that I probably dont understand anymore..

All and all it was a good Halloween, good anniversary for Holly and I (11 years) and a pleasant day. I also started running again now that my surgery is mostly healed. I still have some weird pangs from inside where the stitches are probably dissolving but it feels good to be running again, I just have to take it easy for a while.