Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

ADVENTURES IN TIE-DYE

Several months ago, I introduced my friend Kerry to my friend Deanna. I’ve known Kerry for several years, as she found this blog a long time ago. We emailed each other from time to time over the years and finally met in real life earlier this year.  I met Deanna and family on Nordale Road on April 6th, the second night of the most spectacular aurora display I’d ever seen.

Both Kerry and Deanna have two daughters and they are all close in age. I was happy to read that they all went to Chena Lakes together to enjoy the sunshine and a swim. The girls got along wonderfully, and it looks like Kerry and Deanna enjoy each others company too. I’m so glad I brought them together. You can never have too many friends.

This past weekend, Kerry invited me to join her and Deanna and girls, for an afternoon of tie-dying clothes and a delicious BBQ. When I told her I had tentative plans to help my friend Lori paint her cabin, she invited Lori over to have some food with us too. That was so sweet of her! (Lori accepted the invitation.)

Kerry thought of everything. She had plenty of new tees to go around - to include adult sizes for the *big kids*. She had several dye kits, and plenty of rubber bands too. I couldn’t wait to get started.

I haven’t tie-dyed anything since Vacation Bible School in the late 60s/early 70s. Back in those days, there were buckets of RIT dye and you had to dip each part of your rubber-banded t-shirt into the colors. The dye wasn’t as vibrant then.

Nowadays, the dye is in bottles (much like hair dye bottles), and you snip off the tip to squirt the dye directly on your shirt. This allows more precise placement of many different colors in one area. You can also use the dye (and a steady hand) to draw designs on the shirts, such as landscapes, monograms, and stripes, etc.  But we opted to do it the traditional way, and wrapped rubber bands around different areas to keep the dye from penetrating.

We really had a blast! I felt like a big kid again myself, and couldn’t wait to see the results. It’s not instant gratification though. You have to put the dyed shirt (very wet with dye and water) into a ziploc bag for at least 12 hours to let the dye set. Then you rinse it off with a hose outside (unless you don’t mind dyeing your washtub or washing machine). When the water runs clear, you can throw it in the washer with a tiny bit of detergent.

This is also a very messy project. If you decide to do it with kids, make sure they’re wearing clothes that can be ruined, and rubber or plastic gloves. The dye is permanent and has a life expectancy on skin almost as long as a Sharpie marker does! And even though the directions suggest you can do the project indoors on a table covered with plastic, I’d recommend you do it outdoors, over grass or plastic sheeting, because it will probably stain concrete.

Despite the potential for mess, everyone did a good job of keeping the dye on the project without getting too much on ourselves.  I’d love to do it again. Maybe socks, or a scarf! A scarf would be neat. I wonder if you can tie-dye fleece? I could make a matching hat and scarf.

Here’s my very groovy shirt from the front and the back:

DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING

Last night I danced at the Tanana Valley Fair with three other students and my dance teacher, Souzana.  We did the same routine we did for recital, but it was so much more nerve-wracking.  First, there were only 5 of us and not the entire group. Second, it was still daylight and I could SEE the audience. I felt so stiff and uncoordinated but at least I didn’t miss a step. I had a really good time, but I’m glad it’s over. Performing in public is not a favorite thing of mine. Dancing on stage is totally outside my comfort zone. And I do it because of that.

“If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone,
then you are forced to expand your consciousness.”
~ Les Brown ~

I discovered that dancing is enjoyable, even if you don’t do it very well. I discovered that you don’t have to be a beauty queen, or built like a swimsuit model, or under the age of 30, to enjoy dance. Instead of being self-conscious about the way my body has changed with age, I rejoice in the fact that I can still walk, run, bend… move.  I am thankful that I can hear the music; that I can feel the beat within; that I can see the beautiful colors of the costumes.

Classes start again in a couple of weeks. I’m already signed up. If you’re local and want to learn to dance, check out Souzana’s website at http://www.souzanadance.com/ or the Fairbanks Belly Dance Website at http://www.fairbanksbellydance.com/ where you can get information about all of the local dance instructors. It’s a great way to get out of the house in the winter, and it’s good exercise too.

BACK TO VALDEZ

We’re going back to Valdez next week. Steve is hoping to bring home some salmon, as the freezer still has room in it. He’s also taking a salmon shark fishing trip with some guys he works with. I might take a glacier/wildlife cruise that same day. I’m going to wait and see what the weather is going to be like and hope that there’s an open spot for one person on the boat. I don’t think it will be a problem.

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It feels like autumn after the sun goes down. With temps in the low 50s overnight, I wake to a chilly house. On the other hand, sleeping with the bedroom window open at night is a real treat. I love snuggling under the covers, and sleep so well. Much better than the hot and humid my friends and family are experiencing in other parts of the country.

Some of the leaves on the low bush cranberries are turning crimson already. My friend Lori said the fireweed in her yard has already got *fluff* on it.  And this morning, for the first time in months, I actually turned on the space heater to take the chill out of the air.

I stayed up late last night and went out on the deck around 1am. Skies were dark. Almost as dark as they’ll be in winter, but not quite. It didn’t last long though. The sun is still coming up fairly early - civil twilight is a little after 4am, and I see a brightening in the east even earlier than that.

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I received a wedding invitation for my nephew David’s wedding in October. David is my brother Mike’s (and deceased SIL Lisa’s) youngest son.  His brother Michael was just married a couple of weeks ago. I wish Lisa were alive to see her boys marry. I know she is with them in spirit.

It was nice to find the invitation in my mailbox, even though my family knows it’s not feasible for me to attend these special events, due to the cost of travel from AK to the ‘outside’.  I love getting the invitations though, so I can see the colors and design, and feel like I’m sharing somewhat in the special event.  So many times I’ve felt a bit “out of sight, out of mind” when it comes to family events. I know I’m the one who chose to live 3500 miles away (as the crow flies), but I’m still part of the family.  The wedding invitation made me smile. Hard to believe my nephews are old enough to be married…

Until next time…