At last the sunsets have returned, the skies have cleared and leaves are changing from green to gold.  Fall has arrived in Alaska and with it new adventures daily.

For those of you who have been following I know I say each change of the season that it is my favorite. Well at the time it is!  I love the ever changing seasons  each unique and with its own merits.  I always eagerly anticipate spring with its lengthening days and end to the darkness.  The break up and end to the ice replaced by new growth springing forth from the bare ground along with the new animal babies arriving. Summer brings endless days with little darkness, salmon fishing, gardening and the midnight sun. Fall,  oh the feel of fall!  Crisp morning air, twinkling stars at night and the site of the milky way in the sky.  Fall is a time when we catch up on all those little things that were pushed aside during the summer.  Although the days are still quite long the sun does set and makes for breathtaking moments.  Yes I do love the changing seasons and before long I will be talking of snow falling and frigid temps but for now I will enjoy the season I am in and all its beauty.

It has been a crazy summer, what started out as a dry season ended with more rain than I care to have. We are recovering from 10 plus inches in the last week and a half and praying that it dries up so we can get around better for hunting season.

Hunting season!!!!!!  I get so excited about hunting season. It truly isn’t about “getting the big one” for me and quite frankly I would be happy if we could harvest cow moose.  Hunting season for me is about providing for the family. No matter which of us is blessed with a harvest we all reap its bounty.  I must be strange in the eyes of some as I actually like butchering meat.  As I am doing so whether it be moose, turkey, chicken or a hog I day dream.  Oh before you get a sick thought in your head let me clarify that.  What I daydream about is all the meat will provide for my family.  Yes, here we go again I’m gonna talk about food.  Be prepared as I’m about to go off target again and ramble.  (By now this should be no surprise).  Food-for me its not just nourishment for the body its also memories, happiness and nourishment for the soul.  No matter if its a steak I am grilling or a pot of stew, every dish is about providing my family something they will remember long after I am gone.  I hope someday my children look across the table at their children and grandchildren and tell them that they learned to cook this or that from me and a fond memory is shared.  Its all about the love.  If you put enough love in it regardless of what it is it will build a memory.

Well I should probably share what the summer has been like. It has had many highs and lows.  Alright, lots of lows. Dear hubby was fishing commercially this summer and it was a terrible season.  So many depend on the salmon for their livelihood and this year it just didn’t happen.  I felt bad for him as each time he came home exhausted with a very dim report you could see the frustration in his eyes.  To add to that frustration each time he was gone something else broke down. Between myself, Papa Fred and Caleb we were able to get most things up and running again but the repair costs far exceeded the income we had.  Thank heavens we are blessed with bartering skills! Alright lets talk about the high points of summer!  Our greenhouses provided a bounty and still are.  Lots of fresh salads, pickles, squash and much more still to come.  I am currently processing a bounty of produce acquired from a friend who has many large greenhouses, grows everything organically and I was able to do this through bartering.  What a great place we live in where others like to trade back and forth each getting what they need for their families.  We may not be rich or have much money but we eat very well and will continue to do so with the bounty we are putting back for winter. All of this is achieved by the family each doing their part. Dear hubby, Caleb and Cami spend many hours getting firewood, water and doing animal pen repairs and construction, Cati is my right hand little woman who is always helping with the processing of the foods we can, butcher, dehydrate and smoke.  Even Missy the wonder dog does her share of work by cleaning up the floor when we drop something! One note-If your picking blueberries don’t take Missy or she will eat all the berries when your not looking!

This summer has brought lots of new friendships too.  You have probably seen our videos by now and if you haven’t you can find them here Youtube Off Grid Alaska. These videos are produced by a local company called Stagvid Media. Daniel, Robby and Nathan are three awesome young men who we have paired with to bring you a series of videos that will eventually include many how to’s and videos of what living off grid is really like.

Well all I am far from being caught up but wanted to share what has been happening here on Two Moose Farm.  We are all healthy, happy and Blessed.  I pray each of you are finding your place where peace reigns.

It’s been awhile since I posted anything and I apologize for my delay. Breakup here has kept us all busy with catching up and trying to keep ourselves dry and of course the critters. 

I’m happy to say the exterior of the greenhouse is complete and I will begin working on the interior today. 

    
 Dear hubby is off fishing for halibut, not for pleasure (cough cough) but to provide for the family. I do hope he stays safe, has a great season and enjoys himself. It really is hard work but something he enjoys so what a great opportunity.

As the days get longer it is becoming harder and harder to get my kids to focus on school work and get through what is left of the school year. The squirrels have shown up literally and I keep hearing things like “are those the kind we can hunt” and “ma, do you think those would taste good in stew”?  Then of course they all need new arrows and it goes back to “if we just had some arrows we could be hunting”. Always something and always distractions. I am thankful my kids have a desire to be outdoors though and they want to provide for themselves. On the upside they also have lessened the whining to go fishing. Soon though when the season is in full swing we will have to round up our gear and send some of those beautiful salmon to the smokehouse.

The owls, Eagles and Hawks continue to plague us. We’ve lost many of our birds to them and one owl found out literally what a foot in the butt feels like-not that I was using my head at all but when I hear something odd and step out in my crocs to see an owl about to make my duck his dinner then things just happen. Guess he really wanted duck as he returned in the early morning hours and feasted anyways. Poor Quackers never had a chance and Cheese is lost without her mate.

The trail is once again a muddy mess and nearly impassable-nearly. Of course life must go on and without dear hubby home to help I venture out with my brave face to do what has to be done. Yes getting stuck isn’t a pleasure but I remind myself how lucky I am to get to play in the mud daily-some folks only get to do it on weekends. I do have a plan though! Of course funding the plan is a different story. Wood chips where we split our wood build up quickly and make solid ground. If I can acquire a wood chipper then those boggy areas that suck me in and bury the wheeler won’t be a problem anymore. A green solution to a problem is the bonus. I’m praying I can find one sufficiently large enough to handle the slash piles left behind by loggers years ago and make a bunch of ugly piles into a beautiful trail.

The little piggies are getting big and have such cute little personalities. They will soon go to new homes and the cycle will begin again.  

    
   
Well folks that’s all there is for now so I will leave you with prayers of peace. God Bless