Chasing the Northern Lights

We all have things we'd absolutely love to do one day. Some people call it their "bucket list." The number one item on mine has always been to see the Aurora Borealis in person. Catching a glimpse of the lights on Mothers Day at the Hood Canal was a huge thrill but I still had hopes of being able to see them here in Alaska despite the long days of summer.

Since the Alaskan nights are dark again, we've been monitoring the website of the Geophysical Institute for the University of Alaska at Fairbanks to find out the best time to view the Aurora. They have a map with a scale that shows the likelihood of an Aurora appearance on any given night. We learned that our best chance of seeing the lights near Anchorage would be on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. After checking the weather forecast, it was confirmed that these nights would indeed be clear. All was in place and we were ready!

Sadly, Tuesday night was a dud. We had set our alarm to wake up around 3am (which is when they were most likely to be visible) but all we saw was a blurry shape in the sky that looked like a vague cloud. It was probably the Aurora, but it wasn't clear enough to discern. Since only a few weeks remain before we leave, we weren't about to give up our quest.

I was pointed to a Facebook group that sends notifications when the Aurora is visible and began monitoring it. Posts started pouring in Wednesday night, and according to the spotters, we were in for a treat right after sunset! I woke up the whole family and we headed out to the balcony to watch the show together. It was cold but we hardly noticed because the lights were glorious! They danced and faded in and out like wisps of colored smoke. I can't even begin to tell you what a wonderful thing it was to share this experience with our children. We were all thrilled! After I figured out the settings on my camera (I'm no pro) we were able to take these pictures.

The neighbors across the lake keep their lights on all night, so that's what you're seeing at the bottom.

These pictures show the lights as green, but we also saw some with pink and blue in them.

Our kids had a great time spotting the different ribbons. The show lasted for about an hour, but we stayed out longer "just in case". The locals tell me that when it's very quiet outside, you can hear them sing. They make sounds! This person actually recorded it. What do you think?

Saturday we visited the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer. It was a beautiful day and we were glad to have gone to the fair when it opened, because the traffic heading there was crazy! The Musk Ox Farm, itself, is nearby and was very easy to get to once we were past the fairgrounds. It's a real farm with other farms next to it. It has pastures and gated areas to separate the herd. We took a tour and our guide was a wealth of information. He explained the history of musk oxen and how the farm is currently working to domesticate their herd. He also told us that Jeopardy host, Alex Trebek, has been a tireless supporter of the farm and has been honored with the title "Herd Godfather." Then he took us out to the fields. 

We avoided a certain pasture because one of the bucks was growling at us (protecting his ladies...). I had no idea musk oxen could growl! They also compete with each other for top billing in the herd and butt heads. Their skulls and horns are specifically designed to withstand the force, which is pretty significant. When they feel threatened, the males will circle up around the females and babies to protect them. Not many predators chance messing with them after that.

Here's the male giving us the stink eye

We learned about how the Qiviut (Musk Ox Wool- pronounced kiv-ee-yute) is harvested by combing out the under layer, instead of shearing it off, and how the wool is 6x warmer than sheep's wool. It's also softer than cashmere and doesn't shrink in the wash. After feeling a sample, I can attest that it's the softest natural fiber I've ever felt. Plus, it's durable. One woman said that she'd had her nachaq (pronounced nahh-shock. Our guide is wearing one around his neck in the first picture.) for over thirty years. My favorite part of how they use the fiber is that they work with native people in different parts of Alaska to knit the wool into specific patterns to be sold at local shops. The artists are paid for their work and are part of a co-op to make sure they are fairly treated and compensated.

This is the combing pen

At the end of the tour, the kids had fun feeding fireweed to the babies. Apparently it's one of their favorite treats! 

The past few months have gone by in a flash. In between all the sightseeing, we've been doing every day life. My husband has been working from home mostly, and flew back to Washington a few times for meetings. We've been cleaning house, grocery shopping, vegging out, and deciding what to do next. While on one of the message boards for our local communities I saw an announcement for an open sew day at the community center. I didn't have to be told twice! Before you could say "bobsyouruncle" my project was packed and I was waving goodbye to the kids while they stayed home with dad. 

The group I met is a small group from a small town. Most of them make up a guild called the "IditaQuilters." They welcomed me in and it was great to be able to talk to women with similar interests. We admired each others work and exchanged information. One woman was even sweet enough to send me off with a jar of freshly made raspbarb (raspberry-rhubarb) jam.

These women told me about the area and what they do during the year. Some stay year-round. Some are seasonal. They showed me patriotic quilts they make for an organization that works with veterans. I can't remember which one exactly, so I'll ask next time I see them. They've also been working together to make quilts for the fire victims of Willow, Alaska. Many people lost everything but fortunately all the dogs were saved. Quilters from all over Alaska came together to send quilts to make the lives of the victims a little more comfortable. Quilters are a generous lot. They have made many, but still have a way to go.

Here are a few pictures of quilts they were kind enough to let me photograph.

This weekend we head to Homer and celebrate the birthday of our oldest son. I've heard Homer is amazing, so I'll be sure to take pictures and let you know next week.

Oh! A tidbit about Alaska that I've found interesting is that a lot of people and businesses use milepost markers as part of their address. For example I might be directed to find the "so-and-so hotel at milepost 87 in small town, Alaska." That's how we found the tiny town of Wiseman when we were up in the Arctic. I wonder if other states use that system in rural areas?

Happy September!

- Jen

(Newly registered Independent Consultant for Thirty-One Gifts. ;-))

Fishing and Festivals

Last Friday I updated you on our trip to Valdez. Since then, we had a friend come to town for a few days and my husband and oldest son went halibut fishing with him. They had a fantastic time and my son was so proud of his catch! Especially now that he's old enough to be considered "one of the guys." It's a major shift when that happens. After all was said and done, they brought home plenty of fish to keep us cooking for the rest of our time here.

While the guys were out sighting whales and puffins on the boat, the younger two and I went to the Anchorage Saturday Market and Festival. It's down by the train depot and the Alaska Geographic shop, where I bought some great homeschool resources. We'll be starting school officially (obviously the kids have been learning since we left, but don't tell them that. ;-)) the first week in September, and will be focusing on Alaska geography, economy, history, sociology, etc. until we leave. These books and poster will be useful tools for that. Like I said, the kids have learned a lot about Alaska already just by exploring and experiencing it. These resources are to reinforce that knowledge.

The market, itself, was huge and filled with more people than we'd seen in one place for a while. We saw a few busses there, so the cruise lines probably had a part to play in that. There were vendors galore but I was excited to meet one person in particular. Dan Seavey, one of the founders of the Iditarod, wrote a book recently and has been driving up from Seward with his lovely wife, Shirley, to sell it at the market and sign autographs. It was such a pleasure to talk to them. They really are some of the nicest, most interesting people you'd ever want to meet. I've been reading his book "The First Great Race" ever since I brought it home. It's very well written. I especially love that I've been everywhere he's talked about so far, and can picture it in my mind while reading. It's a wonderful picture of recent Alaskan history and the Iditarod. You can feel the connections he has with his family and friends on every page.

Another person we went to find at the market was Laurel Downing Bill, author of the "Aunt Phil's Trunk" Alaska state history series. Her books are approved curriculum for Alaska schools and each one is broken into short stories with pictures galore. I bought the first book so we could get a taste before leaving but something tells me I'm going to want to read the whole series on my own when all is said and done! Ms. Bill is never hard to find in a crowd. She's the one dressed in full 1900's regalia with a large brimmed hat to finish off the look. She also sells sourdough starter that began in the 1896 Gold fields. We bought some and are happy to report a successful experiment in bread making this week!

The rest of the market was full of local vendors selling everything from scrimshaw (carved ivory and bone) to t-shirts. We enjoyed listening to the singers and tasting culinary delights like mixed berry ice cream, lemonade, and reindeer sausage quesadillas.

Another place we visited this week that was a lot of fun is the Alaska State Fair. This is their 80th Anniversary and yesterday was the official start. You'd better believe we were there right as the gates opened- despite the rain!

Once a year in August, the whole state comes together to enjoy each others' company at the fair. There's a feeling of comradery and excitement as people pass and smile at each other. Volunteers come out in droves to help, from the very young to the very old. People work all year on beautiful creations for the contests. Groups practice their dances and songs. Children nurture animals to maturity to be judged and viewed by the masses. Everyone, from people in traditional Alaskan dress to people with dyed hair and piercings, mingle with familiarity. It's really a unique experience.

I've taken a ton of pictures to give you an idea of what we saw. This is just a small sampling. There are some amazingly talented people here.

We were able to touch several kinds of fiber, from musk ox to moose.

 This is the commemorative quilt they'll be raffling off at the end of the fair. I wish you could see the details in the blocks. You'll just have to check them out here. They were designed by local artist, Ruth Hulbert and the quilt was made by local quilter, Kathy Rockey.

I can now appreciate the hours of work and skill that went into each of these beaded flowers!

 I may have to try this project with the kids. What a pretty result! It's a leaf and dried flower collage!

Look at the close up of this drawing. It's AHH-MAZING!

At the fair, people are exposed to things they don't ordinarily have the opportunity to experience. We were treated to demonstrations in Yup'ik dance, woodworking, cooking, and goat milking. We were also able to make and take home beeswax candles, which was a lot of fun.

Because Alaska is so far removed from the "Lower 48," the professional fair vendors you generally see everywhere can't make their way up here easily. This means the fair is manned by Alaskans. The booths boast "Alaskan Made" and "Alaska Grown" everywhere you look. I love the pride they take in those labels. You can buy everything from Mukluks (Alaskan fur boots) and birch baskets to cosmetics and key chains. We were able to get an autograph from "Tundra" cartoonist, Chad Carpenter, himself, because he lives nearby. A lot of the food vendors are made up of local organizations that make their dishes from scratch, from produce grown nearby or locally harvested meat. I'm giddy just thinking about it! It's authentic. It's genuine. It's generous- A lot like the people here.

In the 4H area, the Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks provided all kinds of great information about Alaska-relevant topics, all for free! We made sure to pick up a poster and some booklets to help us in our studies.

The kids and I had fun in the barn with the different animals. You can get close and touch just about all of them!

 Yep! That's a reindeer!

 Every year they bring in hatching eggs for observation. There's a brooder with chicks in it nearby and a pen with chickens that have chicks trailing after them. Needless to say, I was captivated.

The theme is "Bee Happy," which is why you see so many bee related pictures. This is a giant topiary. By the time I took this, the sun had come out.

 I can't resist the cheesy activities! They're too fun!

After the fair, we visited "The Noisy Goose" in Palmer. It's right across from the fairgrounds and is an institution in Palmer with a hunting theme and down home cooking. Cruise lines used to bring tourists there while traveling through, but have since built their own establishments, bypassing some of the local businesses. It's a shame, really. I could go on for days about what I think of this. Instead I'll just encourage you to make an effort to visit local establishments whenever you are. 

When asked what I will miss most about Alaska, I consider the scenery, the vastness, the arts, but ultimately my answer is this. It's the people. In all our travels to date, every person we've met has been welcoming, genuinely interested in talking to us and giving ideas to help us learn about the "real Alaska". They've been generous, and most importantly, they have a real desire to be involved in their communities and to help their neighbors. They love this land and understand the relationship they have with it. It's a beautiful thing.

Alaska, itself, seems to be in a hurry to get back to the cooler months these days. We've been experiencing Seattle-like weather (rain and gray) since the middle of July. A few weeks ago the trees started turning various shades of red, gold, and orange. This past week we saw a report in Anchorage of "termination dust"- a term I had to look up. It's the first dusting of snow in high altitudes signaling the impending end of summer. I have mixed emotions about this. On one hand, we are able to be here to experience this along with everyone else, which is cool. On the other hand, it makes me wonder what the roads will be like when we leave in a few weeks, which is iffy. I guess we'll see what happens when the time comes!

- Jen