The geese are on their way!
Happy April! Where did March go? I feel like the month went by in the blink of an eye. But with each passing day, we’re one day closer to summer, and for that we can’t wait! There have been reports that the geese are leaving Delta Junction and on their way to Creamers Field. It’s a little earlier in the year than usual, but that’s OK with us! Some folks claim to have heard them flying overhead already. They should be at Creamers by this weekend or early next week. YAY!
Also, Denali Park has announced that they could open the park to mile 30 tomorrow morning. That gets another YAY! I can’t wait to drive to Teklanika. Maybe we’ll have better luck with wildlife next time.
SUMMER TRAVELS
Steve and I booked our ferry trip and B&B for Kodiak in July. It’s exciting to plan for a visit to a new place. We’re going to leave our camper parked in Homer, at our friends’ home. We’re thankful that they’re allowing us to do this, so we don’t have to worry about it while we’re away. We haven’t yet decided if we’re going to take a bear viewing trip while we’re there. While I would love to see Kodiak bears in the wild, I need to do some more research as to the options available.
On our July trip, we’ll also be spending a few days in the Palmer area so that we can drive the Hatcher Pass loop. I hope the dirt portion is open in mid July. From what I’ve read online, the road is usually open around July 4th. We’ve driven up to Hatcher Pass several times, but never the entire loop. Also, if possible, I’d love to visit nearby Eklutna, and see the spirit houses.
We’re also going to be spending a couple nights in the Denali Park area and we’ll take the shuttle bus into the park. I’m not sure yet if we’re going to go all the way to Wonder Lake, or we’ll just take it to Eielson Visitor Center. Both are awesome trips, but going all the way to Wonder Lake is an all-day affair.
We also have trips planned for June and August, but they will primarily based on fishing and the salmon runs. Steve has to re-stock our freezer. I think we’re going to Seward in June and Steve plans on going out on a halibut charter with the military resort. I suppose I’ll do a wildlife cruise while he’s fishing. This time I’m not going to book the cruise in advance. I’ll see what the weather is like first, and then just walk up to the counter. I’m sure they can make room for one person.
Summer can’t get here fast enough. It’s a beautiful time of year in Alaska!
IT’S BREAK UP!
While there’s always a chance for snow in April (and May), we’re definitely in ‘break-up’ season. During the day the temperature has been near 50F, and the sound of water dripping as the snow melts can be heard everywhere. Puddles are forming all over town, the roads are clear of snow, and catkins are forming on the willows. We still have several inches of snow around our house, but there are also patches where the grass is showing through.
Overnight, the temperature drops into the 20s, re-freezing the shallow puddles and putting an icy crust across the top of the deeper ones. The snow, even where it is deep, is slushy now and doesn’t support the weight of even the dog. Her walk through the yard is laborious, as each leg sinks in the snow to her hip.
The other day, Steve shoveled off the back deck and pulled the cover off the big BBQ grill. Our friends Celeste and Randy gifted us with this BBQ when they moved to Moses Lake, WA two summers ago. It’s great for large gatherings and we plan to host some BBQs this summer.
Well, as you know, there is a resident squirrel in our yard. He steals nuts, seeds, and bits of fruit that I throw out on the deck for the birds (or him). I’d wake up to find everything gone, knowing he’s carried the treasures to his hidden cache. I assumed his cache was under the trees in our yard, as the squirrel path is well-defined. Apparently, Mr. Squirrel has found a better place to store his bounty:
He’s quite organized with his neat piles. What we’d like to know is how he squeezed his body under the lid of the BBQ? The largest gap is only about 1/2 inch. I did read that squirrels can get into tight places, but it’s still amazing! We’re going to toss his stored food into the woods and leave the lid up on the grill so it’s not as appealing to him anymore.
