One more time up Haystack

While Darius oversaw our moving sale yesterday, we decided it would be best for me to keep the boys out of the house. We were a little concerned that they would have a hard time watching people carry off their old toys that we were selling.

The weather was looking questionable, but lucky for us the rain held off long enough for us to enjoy a mostly dry hike up Haystack. The boys seem to really love the hike, probably as much as I do. It was definitely a hike I wanted to get in one more time before leaving Cordova.

The recent rain left a beautiful shine on all the foliage, and lots of mud! I told Zach that lots of water and dirt make mud, and he enjoyed repeating that little factoid to me throughout the rest of the hike. He also enjoyed the many potty breaks along the way and whenever he needed to go, he would say to me "I need to pee on the moss." I don't think I officially announced it, but Zach is indeed potty trained now!

 

I know for a fact that the one thing I will miss the most about this area is how incredibly gorgeous it is, and there's no better way to appreciate the beauty here than by simply getting out in it. For me it's taking a hike, and for Darius it's getting out on the water to fish. For the boys, I think it's a combination of the two. They seem the happiest splashing in whatever puddles they find, or throwing rocks into a body of water.

Shedding

We've given Alaska 3 years and we're moving on. As with most of our decisions, this was a last minute call. A couple weeks ago we decided our move would be now or next year in the spring. Thank goodness it's now because I don't think my nerves could handle another winter here. My hat goes off to the residents that have called Cordova home all their lives. I don't regret our time here, but I'll be the first to admit that I don't have the backbone needed to thrive in this part of the country.

So needless to say, the past couple of weeks have been busy as we prepare for a big move. Before we made our decision, we went back and forth with our options for the move and decided the best way to do it would be to shed as much stuff as we can, ship the stuff we want to keep, and drive/sail out of here in one vehicle.

With 3 weeks to go before the big day, we are well ahead of the game. Darius was able to sell his truck, we found a buyer for all of our furniture, and then yesterday we had a moving sale which went even better than we expected. It's a little odd to have nearly bare rooms, but it's also a huge relief to have it all gone.

On the travel side of the move, that too has gone surprisingly smooth so far. Our original plan was to take the ferry from Cordova to Valdez and from there drive out of Alaska, down through Canada, and back into the US through Montana. To Montana alone would have been around 2200 miles, and as much as we've heard how gorgeous the drive is, we still had some concerns about the length of the drive, especially considering we still had a cross-country trip to Florida to consider. Lucky for us another option became available. A vehicle slot opened on a ferry sailing from Haines Alaska to Bellingham Washington. We jumped on it and now our trip out of Alaska will take us through the Inside Passage which is something we're very excited about.

We're still deciding what our route from Washington to Florida will be, but we're excited about our options and the fact that we're not under any time constraints. I can't believe I'll be making a 2nd cross-country trip this year. I'm so excited that Darius will be with us on this trip.

Our decision to move back to Florida wasn't much of a decision. I think it's the one place that Darius and I both agree feels the most like home to us. It's where it all started for us. With everything going so smoothly since making our decision, it reassures us that we're headed to where we should be. Waiting for us with an open door are our good friends the Bacon's. To have friends that are willing to open their home to us while we look for our own, and to be on the receiving end of all our shipped stuff is such a huge blessing. It seems like we'll always be in their debt for something, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to repay their kindness.

Florida here we come!

Mushrooms

I have never cared much for eating mushrooms, but I still find them fascinating. Maybe it has something to do with early childhood memories of those wacky edible mushrooms from Willy Wonka.

On the hike today I noticed a few on the way into the lake, but coming back I started to pay closer attention and realized that there were mushrooms everywhere! I didn't realize how many different kinds there were.

Cordova actually has a Fungus Festival (no joke) which begins in a couple of days. I think today's hike may have just peaked my interest enough to find out a little bit more about some of the mushrooms I photographed today.  

Mixed Tape & Haystack

Recognize the handwriting? Bea, maybe you? I'd guess that this tape is probably close to 15 years old, and it's been in AK now for probably over 10. Little history...

When my parents first moved to Alaska I was inbetween jobs in NJ and decided why not check out Cordova and see how it fits. It didn't. I lasted a couple of months before I headed back East but left a lot of my stuff behind.

This tape was one of several mixed tapes my lovely friend Brandi made for me when I was in high school. I actually love that I still have them. We have a cassette player in the car, and I listened to this tape with her favorite songs on it from way back when on my drive out the road today. Do you remember any of the songs you put on it Bea?

My drive took me to the Haystack Trailhead, and I spent a few hours leisurely hiking and taking pictures. I love this trail. I love that there are stairs and planks. I love the massive amounts of moss carpeting the ground and trees. I love the overlook. I love how quiet it is. I love that I had the trail all to myself today.

 

I couldn't help but think of my mixed-tape friend during my outing and how much she would have appreciated the things I saw today too. Hopefully we'll get a chance to get you up here for a visit Brandi.

"Can't Run, Never Will"

Cordova is celebrating their annual Ice Worm Festival this week. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, which is the highlight for this year's celebration. The railway was impressively built from Cordova to Kennicott from 1907-1911 with the purpose to transport copper. Critics said the railway couldn't be built, and the nickname "Can't Run and Never Will" was adopted by the railway. The railway was in use until 1938 and it, along with the bridges and land around the tracks, was then turned over to the US government by the Kennecott Corporation to be used as a highway route. After the earthquake in 1964 damaged the Million Dollar Bridge, road construction was blocked beyond the bridge.

I'm amazed that 100 years ago the task at completing a nearly 200 mile route was accomplished, especially considering the elements and the landscape. The people constructing it were faced with glaciers, canyons, rivers, hurricane-force winds and those pesky mosquitoes we love so much here. Soon after the completion of the Million Dollar Bridge, the 2 glaciers nearby quickly started to advance towards the bridge. At one point a northern lobe of Childs Glacier began advancing about 8 feet a day and ultimately came within nearly 1400 feet of the bridge.

I enjoyed doing a little research and learning more about the history behind the railway. I guess the boys' love of trains has rubbed off on me a little. I entered the cake bake contest again this year, and used some of the history I learned as inspiration for decorating a cake.

Darius was kind enough to drop off the cake at the library for me before heading to work since our car is on strike. We had beautiful weather all day, so the boys and I took a walk up to the library for a taste of cake after judging. My little snails took a little too much time on the way, and unfortunately we missed out on all the cake. I was a little disappointed, not for missing cake, but for missing out on seeing all the other decorated cakes. I collected what was left on my tray and my awards for Most Theme Oriented Cake and Overall Best of Show! The fondant ice worm worked well as bait for getting the boys home again.

Hello Sun

A few days ago the boys and I arrived home after spending nearly all of January in Utah with family. It was huge to be able to get out for a break, and we wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for my awesome family. I don't have enough kind words to express my sincere thanks to all of them, especially Carrie & Bobby, my parents, and the entire Strate family for putting us up in their homes.

Fortunately Darius was able to spend part of the time with us, and then he was great to let us stay the extra couple of weeks, while he came home to go back to work. As hard as it was for him to have us gone for that long, he knew how important it was for us to get out, to be around family and friends, and to have the chance to soak in actual sunlight and get outside to play. I don't think my eyes ever fully adjusted to the sunlight on the sunny days we had.

I'm in awe of people who have lived in Cordova all their lives and can manage the winters here. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a total wuss compared to any of them. My hat is off to them for maintaining their sanity, which I find I have so little of during these dark months.

Christmas Eve in Cordova

 

Shop 'til You Drop

Ever see that game show before? It was silly, but I think I strangely found it entertaining. After yesterday's shopping trip in Anchorage, I'm thinking Darius and I may have been good contestants.

I think one of the biggest negatives to living in Cordova is the price of groceries. Prices are usually about double to what you would pay for groceries anywhere else. I know it's because of the cost involved in bringing everything in to an isolated area, but it doesn't make it any easier to stomach the prices.

It's not unusual for many residents of Cordova to make trips into Anchorage every so often to stock up on groceries to save money. We're some of the lucky ones who enjoy flight benefits which makes this a less expensive task. When traveling within the state of Alaska, residents may check up to 3 bags a piece at no charge on AA. In order to maximize our shopping trip, all 4 of us made the trip there so that we could check 12 pieces going home.

By the time Darius picked up the boys and I yesterday it was already mid afternoon. Darius had already finished picking up lumber for my dad, so we were left with the rest of the day to get our stuff bought. Long story short, we were shopping until about 12:30 and up until 3:00 AM packing all our purchases in the totes we borrowed. We filled 9 totes, 2 duffel bags, and 1 freezer bag.

Half way through packing I honestly didn't think it would all fit. We also had to take weight into consideration when packing. There was a lot of shuffling around of stuff, but lucky for me I learned packing skills from a master packer, my mother! Darius was a good help too. He's my human scale. He loads bags every day, so he's a good guess at weight.

You can tell by all the stickers on the totes that they have a few shopping trips under their lids!

We arrived back home late this afternoon, and just finished unpacking and putting everything away. I'm glad to be done! It's an exhausting process, but at least we won't have to stomach steep grocery prices for awhile.

Holiday Weekend

It's probably just me, but holidays in Cordova don't feel the same as they do in the other places I have lived. In some ways it makes me kind of sad, but I try to shrug off the negative feelings as best I can and find ways to get involved in a few of the local traditions.

Cordova's Independence Day celebrations took place yesterday. Unfortunately the weather was cloudy and wet, so we didn't get out to see as many events as we did last year. I made pies again for the pie social which wasn't much of a social this year. At least I opted to save one pie for us (banana cream) which we all enjoyed after the beer battered halibut Darius made us for dinner.

Today was a quiet day. Joy and I took the boys for a walk around town and then out Orca Road. I enjoyed taking random pictures along the way, and adult talk with Joy after the boys fell asleep. We ended up cutting our walk short due to looming rain, which we still got caught in anyway.

This afternoon I tried to create a picnic-like barbeque. We tried a yummy Rachael Ray burger recipe with sides of macaroni salad, baked beans, chips, and strawberry lemonade. We cheated just a bit and "roasted" marshmallows for smores in the oven under the broiler. They were sticky and delicious, but missing that slightly smokey element that you can only get from a campfire.

Big or small celebration, I'm still very grateful there's a reason behind it all. I'm blessed to live in a beautiful part of a beautiful country. I'm also very grateful that there are men and women in this country who willingly serve it and us.

Gross!

When I first started this blog I kept telling myself I had to post an entry about the disgusting black slugs that infest Cordova. I think it's finally time!

These slimy things are everywhere around the yard and in town on a wet day. This morning I opened a book Darius checked out from the library, and on the inside flap there was a brochure put together by the Cordova Junior High's Community Problem Solving Team about the slugs.

Here are some of the goodies I picked out of the brochure about the uber-disgusting Black European Slug: They can eat 30-40 times their own weight and their diet includes vegetation, poop and other dead slugs. They have more than 27,000 teeth on their tongues, their blood is green, and they leave a nasty trail of slime behind them. Their mucous on their bodies is said to be "highly distasteful" to other animals, so their predators are few.

The main topic of the brochure was to inform the community of proper collection and disposal methods. Since these slugs are hermaphrodites, any slug can fertilize eggs, even those of dead slugs. Killing a slug and leaving it will only attract other slugs who will breed and then feast on their dead buddies. Taking that into consideration, it doesn't do any good to just kill them. You actually have to collect them and then burn them. Lovely!

A couple of weeks ago Zach picked one up and gave it a good squeeze. Not a good idea. The slime it left on his hands was like some sort of industrial strength rubber cement. I was literally scrubbing at his hands with soap, water, and a washcloth and the goo would not come off. I'm not a very squeamish individual, but I was thoroughly disgusted!

Hey, there's got to be a few drawbacks to living in a beautiful place, eh?

Hen House

Last weekend was Cordova's annual Dressed To Kill party at the Reluctant Fisherman. This was the first year I attended. It's a unique party in that it's just for the ladies...at least for the first half of the night. Every year there's a different theme, this year's was Tropical Tryst. The only reason I ended up going was because Joy invited me to go with her, otherwise the event probably would have passed without me ever knowing. It was good for me to crawl out from under my rock and get out for a little bit of adult lady time. It was fun to see so many women out together in one place, dancing and having a great time. It's refreshing to see women step outside of their typical "day" skin and just let their hair down and have fun. I'm glad I ended up going...thanks Joy for getting me out of the house!

CDV to SEA to OAK to KOA

We left Cordova on Sunday afternoon and after overnight stays in Seattle and Oakland we finally made it to Hawaii today. My parents have been anxiously awaiting this trip and I feel bad that I was almost dreading it. For me it's hard to get really pumped for a trip, Hawaii or not, when I know what the process of getting there involves. It wasn't until we were making our descent into Kona that I was able to breathe easy and allow myself to get excited. I'm still in awe of how wonderful Ben and Zach were on every single leg of the trip. They were the best little troopers and they made me a proud mama.

We had enough time in Oakland for a side trip into San Francisco. Mom and Dad were very kind to watch the boys while Darius, Joy, and I took BART into SF. It was a much shorter trip than what we thought it was going to be. We're all looking forward to heading back when we have more time to explore. This trip's purpose was primarily for Chinese food so that Darius could satisfy his craving for Mongolian Beef. We ended up at Chef Hung's Restaurant on Clay Street in Chinatown, and it was mighty tasty!

Our flight from Oakland to Kona left early the next morning and typically it's a pretty long flight, but we had some crazy luck on our side and because of the accommodating winds, weather, or whatever it was the flight was only a little over 4 hours long. By mid-afternoon we were thrilled to be able to take the boys to the little beach outside our hotel and watch them experience it for the first time.

They had such a good time, and it was such a well-deserved treat for them after a long couple of days of travel. We all thoroughly enjoyed watching them play.

I'm looking forward to it again tomorrow...even if Zach throws more sand in my face!

Iceworm Fireworks

After it snowed hard here all day, the weather finally cleared and it was a beautiful night for fireworks. Cordova went all out for the big 50 Iceworm Celebration. It was quite a show! I wasn't sure what to expect, but my parents tell me that it's the best they've seen since living here.

My camera has a setting for fireworks, but the shots came out kind of strange...

Best of Show

Cordova's 50th Annual Iceworm Festival started this week and there's a little something going on for everyone. I found my something in the form of the Iceworm Cake Bake. I had a great idea for a cake and I knew if I could pull it off that I stood a good chance to win the contest.

You could say I have a slight weak spot for doughnuts. I seldom eat them because I can never stop at just one. Anyway, that's what gave me the idea for a cake. I wanted to form a worm out of mini doughnuts and dress it up to resemble the Iceworm Festival's mascot using fondant. I have never made or worked with fondant before, but I love how it looks on cakes. I found a well-rated fondant recipe on a favorite website of mine (Allrecipes) and decided to give it a try. It came out pretty good for my first attempt. It's kind of like stiff play dough and it's a lot of fun to work with. I'm definitely hooked on the stuff now!

The cake turned out pretty close to what I had imagined and I entered it today in the Cake Bake. I'll be honest, I was hoping for a cool prize but I was still happy to come home with blue ribbons for the Most Theme Oriented Cake, Most Icewormie Cake and a white ribbon for Overall Best of Show.

I don't take a lot of personal time for hobbies, so this was a fun break from the norm for me. Plus it was nice to be able to participate in the festivities.