The Fullcurl of Life

A Few New Pics

2012-02-13T21:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Cedar!

2012-02-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

Our baby is one year old. We celebrated with the ubiquitous first taste of chocolate (well, actually that was at Grandpa & Grandma's house when Cedar snuck into mom's Christmas cache when we weren't looking), a few presents and balloons. Cedar is showing an interest in music so she received a couple instruments to bang on. The most popular gift was her very own box of tissue. It was three minutes of tissue pulling rapture.

The Newest Member of the Family

2012-01-28T15:22:00.001-08:00

I killed this buck in 2010. I think he compliments my ram quite nicely.

Christmas Re-cap

2012-01-28T14:55:00.000-08:00

Wow-it's been two months since my last post. I've most likely lost all three of my readers. But just in case there are some faithful followers out there, you should know that there are a bunch of new pics of our recent trip to Oregon on flickr.

Some of the highlights of the trip were:
-Harrowing the pasture with dad's new tractor
-Waging war (unsuccessfully) on the resident moles
-Trail Blazers opening night victory at the Rose Garden with Scotty
-Date nights thanks to free babysitting courtesy of Grandpa and Grandma
-Portland Zoo with Wes, Angie, Josiah and Adaya
-Autumn blowing a snotty tissue out her nose and smacking Dad with it
-remote controlled helicopters
-Peppermint Ice Cream
-$30 Christmas Trees
-Getting to watch the girls steal Grandpa & Grandma's hearts again
-Watching the girls make new friends with their cousins

We Can Lego Too.

2011-11-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

This post is mainly for my sister and her kids, just to let them know that me and Autumn can Lego too and thank them again for passing on some cool stuff.

There are several notable features to this modern barn. First, our animals are special so we don't relegate them to the ground level. No they get a pasture and corral on the second story. Also the pig trough is near the top of the barn. This way the pig has to earn his slop and stays fit and trim. Also check out the sun roof openings on the first level ceiling. This is a dairy farm as well, so the milk catchment sytem is at the top of the barn. This keeps the farmers aim in top form.

And finally, cattle rustlers will not be tolerated.

Last Light

2011-11-25T16:06:00.000-08:00

First Light

2011-11-25T16:05:00.001-08:00

Two of the People I'm Most Thankful For

2011-11-25T15:56:00.000-08:00

More pictures to check out at Flickr.

Autumn and Cedar Flickr Update

2011-11-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

Check out some of the girls latest adventures by clicking on the link to flickr.

You Never Know...

2011-11-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

...what you are going to see. It's fun having a bit of a view of the ocean. We see whales on occasion right from the couch and yesterday Amy caught this house going by. I guess that makes moving easier when you can just take the whole house with you.

Deer Season Part II

2011-11-09T10:29:00.000-08:00

Deer season in SE really winds down in mid-September when deer leave the alpine areas. They are pretty secretive and difficult to hunt until November when the breeding season starts and bucks begin to get less wary. I've been out a few times the last 10 days or so watching for the rut to kick in. We had our first snowfall last Friday which helped me identify an area with a lot of deer activity. The first tracking snow of the year is always a fun time to be in the woods. It's like reading a book if you know what to look for. I slipped back into the area at first light yesterday and lured this mature buck in with some calling. He came in fast and determined and gave me a pretty easy 10 yard shot. It was even more exciting to see how interested Autumn was in him. She liked petting dad's deer. I've got high hopes...

Caption Contest

2011-10-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

There's got to be some creative ideas out there for this picture....

Official Baby of Major League Baseball

2011-10-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

With the World Series in full swing, I've been encouraging the girls to watch. Autumn has been telling me, "I like baseball." I can't tell if she really does or likes that bed time this week has fluctuated with the 9th inning. What else...

Cedar: loves her cabbage patch doll. Wants to stand all the time now. Says "be-be" over and over. Bucks wildly when happy. Is a yeller.

Autumn: loves riding her bike. Serenades us constantly. LOVES swimming and went down the slide on her tummy yesterday. Memorizes entire books after just a couple readings.

For more pics of the two of them, visit flickr.

Autumn Quote of the Week

2011-10-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

"I haven't tried pot."

Amy and I each got selected to take part in a nationwide health survey. A surveyor came to the house and administered a computer based test to each of us. Later that evening we were discussing the various topics and questions in the tests. You gotta be careful what you say around a two year old parrot.

Flickr Update

2011-10-08T21:03:00.001-07:00

Applesauce Anyone?

2011-10-07T21:43:00.001-07:00

Stick with it to the 34 second mark.

Recent Autumn and Cedar

2011-09-18T14:30:00.000-07:00

We went on a family blueberry picking mission last Sunday. We got enough for Amy to bake a pie. Autumn was about as close to nirvana as I've ever seen her. As her eyes rolled back in her head she would just whisper to herself "mmmm, booberry pie." It was so good we had it for breakfast the next day.

Cedar is really digging the solid food thing.

A couple nice bucks from a recent hunting trip.

My parents requested more pics of Autumn and Cedar together to make it easier to pick their most current screen saver picture. Happy to oblige.

Kazam!

2011-09-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Autumn got her first real 2-wheeler last week. We had been planning to get her a bike for Christmas this year but when this bike came available locally we couldn't resist. It's a Kazam balance bike. The idea is kids roll around on it using their feet to propel themselves and as they learn to balance they begin putting their feet up on a small platform and coasting around. It's the new training wheels. Supposedly they graduate from this right to a pedal bike. Autumn is having a great time and we already see tons of progress. She may wear an oval track around the couch though as I think the sunny day in the pics is the last we are going to see for a long time.

Linguistic Challenge Answer

2011-09-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

A Linguistic Challenge

2011-09-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

I know what she's saying but I know how to speak "Autumn." Anyone out there want to give it a guess?

I Was Attacked By A Bear

2011-09-13T20:38:00.001-07:00

Well, at least my message was. Sally, does this qualify as ironic? That's my garbage can, proudly displaying a "Keep Alaska's Bears Wild, Handle Your Garbage Responsibly" bumper sticker. The night before trash pick-up, early evening but dark and the garage door was left open for just a few minutes. I don't know if I should be amused or ashamed.

Ridicu-list #1 Trigger Assist

2011-09-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Cabelas catalog is full of widgets and doo-dads aimed at hunters. It's a testament to the power of marketing that some of these things actually sell. So mining from the wealth of "must-haves" from "The World's Foremost Outfitter" I will attempt to bring you regular installments of the Ridicu-list.

From Cabelas: "Even, consistent trigger pull is critical to good marksmanship. Enjoy trigger-pull reductions of 50% or more, greatly improving accuracy. Made of durable, corrosion-resistant aluminum, this is an affordable alternative to expensive gunsmith trigger jobs. Easily removed for use on multiple firearms."

Yes folks, it's a trigger that pulls the trigger. Kind of like the lever that pulls the lever that flushes the toilet. So when that trophy buck is in your scope, don't trust your finger to pull the trigger on your rifle, you need to pull the trigger that pulls the trigger instead. I wonder if you can mount two on your gun so you could have a trigger that pulls the trigger that pulls the trigger! Forty-four customers gave it 4.6 stars so it must be a pretty sweet trigger. Hey! Pull my finger, er, I mean trigger.

Next on the Ridicu-list: "The butt-out"

Autumn and Cedar Update

2011-09-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, I'll get back to the hunting posts soon, but wanted to get a few recent pics of Autumn and Cedar out. Cedar is growing fast, even these pics seem "old" to me and Amy. She is pretty much mobile. She's not really crawling but still manages to get where she wants with a modified army crawl/arm pull. Her signature move is called "the Superman"where she arches on her belly. I didn't know backs could bend like that. She's working on solid foods. We ditched feeding her with a spoon and just put stuff on her tray and let her have at it, she's happier with that arrangement. She has four top teeth and two bottom ones. She does not sleep through the night yet and neither do we. Autumn is becoming a great big sister. She gives Cedar lots of kisses and squeezes. She's also becoming quite the little helper. She helps with housework such as loading the dishwasher, sweeping, laundry, and being a "gopher." She even helps me grind venison. She can go down the slide at the pool all by herself. She loves to sing and astounds me sometimes with the songs she knows such as the raindrops and kittens song from Sound of Music. She's great at cutting paper with scissors, not so great yet at picking up all the little shards. She can talk a streak and Amy and I can actually understand 1/2 of it. Fun times.

Sheep Hunt Bonus Post

2011-08-23T23:44:00.001-07:00

This is what several hours and many miles under a 100+ pound pack will do to you.

You couldn't ask for a better sheep hunting partner than Scott, but this guy is my favorite to hunt with.

This sheep hunting really gets into your blood, to the core of your DNA, and you leave the mountains a changed man.

Lagniappe (Lan-yap) Caribou

2011-08-23T23:24:00.000-07:00

Means something extra, an unexpected gift or benefit. Like when you buy a dozen doughnuts and later find out the baker threw in a few extra for free. Well, Scott and I were so efficient on our sheep hunt that we had a few extra days left to fill before I headed home. So we grabbed our buddy Joel and took off for the Nelchina country to help him fill his subsistence caribou tag. It was an unexpected treat to get to spend some quality time in the field and around the campfire with good friend Joel and super cool to help him provide for his family. Like Scott, Joel's another man to ride the river with. It was supposed to be an easy hunt, road hunting and ATV involved. But we soon discovered that we suck at road hunting. When we finally just laced up our boots and strapped on our backpacks like we normally do, we did just fine. We had a great time chasing caribou for miles across the tundra and finally got Joel connected with this fat, tasty cow. And a caribou split between three guys makes a mighty pleasant pack out.

Sheep Country Beauty

2011-08-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

A few more pictures of some of the amazing things we were privileged to see during the sheep hunt.

Mission Impossible 2011

2011-08-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

The Kenai Mountains have been my nemesis. Low numbers of sheep, high hunter pressure, and lots of poaching have left this range chronically devoid of legal rams. No other mountain range has been so reluctant to give up a ram to me. There are many better places to go, but in order to fulfill a goal of taking a ram from all seven of Alaska's mountain ranges, I needed to get one from the Kenai's. Not only did I want one, but my partner Scott is also on the mountain ranges quest. So in a unit that historically sees zero harvest some years, we were attempting mission impossible: double up on a walk-in, do-it-yourself hunt. This year would be my fourth attempt in this location and second year in a row. Scott and I have been keeping tabs on the same group of rams for three years now and hoped desperately that this year there would finally be a legal one and hopefully two. A July scouting trip by Scott revealed three legal rams, but would they still be there? Would we have to compete with other hunters? Would the weather allow us to hunt this year (last year we spent an inordinate amount of time tent bound by heavy fog and rains)? So it was with a lot of anxiety that we headed for the mountains.

We began with a two hour drive south out of Anchorage on August 7th. On the trail it soon started to rain. Oh no, was this going to be a repeat of last year? We carried on and made the big climb past treeline before dark. August 8 greeted us with scattered clouds, but fairly good hiking weather for the approximately 10 mile hike we had ahead of us. Every time we stopped for a rest though we were glassing our back trail, anxious of other hunters. When we reached the pass the rams were right where they were in July. We made a beeline for some cover in the form of a small rock gully and spent the rest of the day glassing them,trying to stay out of sight, and trying to stay warm in the spitting snow (we considered crawling into sleeping bags but feared the rams would see us "Giant Blue Slugs! Run for your lives!!). There were 13 rams and three appeared full-curl. We were in great position. Legal rams found, no other hunters, but still a day before the season opens. By evening the fog and clouds enveloped us, which actually was perfect because it gave us cover to move to a good camping sight out of sight of all the sheep. We dove into our tent just as a full-on storm struck. August 9, the rain continued and visibility was near zero. Tent bound again! August 10th, opening day, 4am: drat! Still socked in with fog, but at 8am it started to break, the hunt was on! And amazingly, miraculously, no other hunters had shown up. We had the valley and the rams all to ourselves for the time being. With just a little searching we found the rams on the side of a mountain that was a jumble of gullies and rock slides. Our stalk had us climb to the top and begin edging our way over the rim trying to locate the rams below. We peeked over several places before we found them. The biggest full-curl lay bedded at 250 yards. Several other rams fed far below, including the second largest full-curl. We decided we better at least get one, so I lined up the shot and sent a bullet through the big guys shoulders. At the sound, the other rams began working their way to escape cover. The problem with that for them was that meant they were working up the mountain closer to us. The other big full-curl topped a small plateau at 280 yards and Scott shot his Kenai ram. We'd done it. Doubled up in the Kenai Mountains. It was now evening. We finished butchering by the light of headlamps and set off for camp at 12:30 in the morning. Scott and I can't seem to do a sheep hunt together without one good hike in the dark. It was treacherous and steep, but God directed our path in the dark through the crags. With moon and stars shining overhead and heavy loads on our backs it was glorious. We finally crawled into sleeping bags at 3:30 am. Tired, but content. The weigh of anxiety lifted off our shoulders, replaced by an overflowing sense of accomplishment.

Normally we are so far in on our hunt, that it takes several days to pack our rams home. This location was only a days hike to the truck so instead of busting for home we spent the next day hanging out in the pass. It was perhaps my favorite day in the sheep mountains, ever. The best since who flung the chunk. With two rams down, there was no more worry about finding rams, eluding other hunters or staying hidden from sheep. It was a perfect bluebird day spent reading, napping, journaling, taking pictures, frying sheep meat (thanks to the cache of wood left 42 years ago!) and walking with Jesus. That evening on "the glassing nob" God gave us a spectacular send-off as the moon rose over the mountain peaks and animals of every kind were spotted on the surrounding hills. We were the proverbial kids in a candy store. It was a perfect day and a perfect way to put my nemesis behind me. Hope you enjoy the pictures (in chronological order).

Sheep Hunt 2011

2011-08-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned. I've been trying to post pics but a slow internet connection is keeping me from it.

King Salmon!

2011-08-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

My neighbor invited me to spend a day with him and a couple friends on his boat. We had an incredible day. Sunshine, whales, eagles, and fish, lots of fish, including this chinook. And this wasn't even the biggest one of the day.

Flickr Update: Cedar 6 Months Old

2011-08-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest batch of pics of our two pretty girls.

Last Training Hike

2011-08-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

There’s no better was to train for hiking in the mountains with a heavy pack…than hiking in the mountains with a heavy pack. So with less than a week until I jet for Anchorage and sheep hunting 2011, I headed for the deer hills with the hopes of hiking back heavily laden. The forecast looked better for Sunday than Saturday so instead of leaving after work on Friday I waited until Saturday afternoon. It was clear in the valley bottom when I started, but clouds covered the peaks. A three hour hike put me at the edge of the alpine and in the fog…again. AHHHH, so frustrating. Was it going to be a repeat of last weekend? When a middlin’ 2x3 practically gave himself up to me right there at camp I was sorely tempted, but the forecast for the next day kept me in check. I went to bed and hoped for the best in the morning. A midnight check, revealed stars overhead. Okay, now I’m getting excited. At four am I was up and had clear visibility, but fog and clouds were socked in to the valley bottom and headed my way. By 4:30 I was enveloped again. NOOOO. I was feeling pretty bottled up. Second weekend in a row up high with no visibility. What even made it more frustrating was to be able to see blue sky above me and several of the surrounding peaks. Crud I thought, I picked the wrong mountain. I slowly worked my way in the fog to the peak to at least put myself in position and finally about 8:30 the clouds burned away and a sweet flat-topped alpine ridge spread out below me dotted with deer. Finally, this is what I climbed up here for. With the spotting scope I picked out the biggest buck I could find, a modest 3x4 and planned my approach. I had about 900 yards to cover to get in shooting position, if he stayed put. I had to work my way past several deer. I think they can sense a threat and these seemed to know they weren’t my target. I just presented myself to them and walked past. None spooked bad. They just watched me walk by or slowly walked off. Some at under 20 yards distance. As I neared the bucks last known location, I couldn’t find him. There were several other deer still in the area so I figured he wasn’t far off. By now I was out of cover. So I moved slow, rifle at the ready thinking every little roll or depression of terrain could be hiding him. Every step could have me right on top of him. Now deer were standing watching from several directions. It was like having an audience watch my stalk. Then 200 yards ahead, orange, brown hides in the scrub brush. Binoculars confirm one is him. I slip out of my pack and get prone, one little juniper bush my only hint of cover. At 175 yards he turns broadside and the 30.06 broke the spell over the alpine.

Spiders!

2011-07-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor bless his heart, knocks on the door occasionally with offerings from the sea. Dungeness crab usually, but recently he delivered a bowl of shrimp. What a treat! Autumn seeing all the legs and antennae declared "Spiders!" and just had to hold them. "I want to eat the tails" she told us. Me too sweetie.

Karta River

2011-07-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

A sunny day can be so glorious here. What a magnificent place to live and be able to work and play.

Berry Picking Fail

2011-07-26T22:04:00.001-07:00

It's been a good week of subsistence for wood, fish and deer, but my favorite salmon berry picking spot got decimated when the logging road got some brush clearing maintenance. Here's a picture of the spoils. Cue sad music here.

Putting Up Fish

2011-07-26T21:57:00.000-07:00

Isaac called me Friday mid-day. He had a hot tip that reds were available at a small creek on the north end of the island. So we took a chance and quickly loaded gear for the 2.5 hour drive. When we got there we didn't find tons of fish, but enough to make the drive worth it. We've had quite the week of subsistence, Isaac and I. Three loads of firewood, thirteen sockeye salmon and two bucks.

Hunting Season 2011 Begins

2011-07-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

Isaac and I headed up the mountain Saturday afternoon in anticipation of opening day Sunday morning. Skies were overcast but visibility was good when we started. After about an hour of hiking the clouds began descending and we ended up pitching the tent in a light rain. We camped about 300 feet in elevation below the summit. We had hoped to get some good glassing in Saturday evening and get a bead on where the bucks would be in the morning but as we hiked the fog got thicker and thicker and we realized we better get back to camp because there was no chance for glassing and we didn’t want to spook deer out of the area. The rain came down hard off and on all night and we woke to thick pea fog enshrouding everything. Not what we had hoped for, but we were here and both needed venison in the freezer. We knew there would be no shopping for the biggest buck and spot and stalk was out of the question. We lowered our expectations and began a slow walk, rifles at the ready because we knew action was likely to be close and fast. We bumped a couple spikes five minutes out of camp, but our expectations weren’t that low. We went on high alert knowing up here in the alpine if you see one buck there are likely more. A couple minutes later Isaac spotted a shooter but couldn’t get on him. It wasn’t spooked so we continued creeping it’s last direction. Ahead in the fog we made out a ghost buck with a rack of unknown dimensions but much larger than a spike. Distance was about 100 yards. Isaac had first shot and dropped him. At the report, multiple bucks erupted from the surrounding bushes, but it was too foggy to make out who was who or even think about another shot. Not even 5:00 am and one buck down. While Isaac boned out his buck I climbed a nearby knob and tried to glass. Occasionally I could see a faint deer in the distance but the fog really had us foiled. I helped Isaac finish up. We stashed the meat and continued creeping through the summit bowl. Another spike. We worked around him to not spook him, then 50 yards ahead a deer shape in the clouds. Binoculars showed some type of basket over his head. Nothing huge but definitely edible, so I fired one round off hand. The buck bolted downhill and we watched four legs go up in the air. Ya, two bucks down by 7:30.

Not quite the hunt we were hoping for. If it had been clear I’m sure we could have taken larger bucks, but under the conditions we felt good to get two in the freezer. Meat is back on the menu! Got some kinks in the gear worked out prior to sheep season and still have more tags and plenty of time left for big bucks. And note the countdown...sheep season is nearly here.

Flickr Update

2011-07-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

I've uploaded a whole new batch of pics to flickr, including our recent first family camping trip which was a big hit. Check it out. And if you are getting bored of family pics, be encouraged because deer hunting season is a week away. Hopefully there will be some big bucks up here soon.

1 Picture = 1K Words

2011-06-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

She's Back

2011-06-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

Amy just recently published a new post to her blog. Check it out at "Isle Aside." Here's hoping she posts a little more frequently.

She's also turned to the dark side and joined up with Mark Zuckerberg and "friends" on Facebook. Check it out if you're into that.

A Few Scenics

2011-06-26T13:33:00.001-07:00

Here are a few random shots from the island and surrounding areas from this spring.

Someday I want to photo-document all the wildflowers I see in a year. We really have some very beautiful flowers here.

You can't go wrong with a baby deer for your subject.

One of those magical days when the fog and sunlight battle for superiority. This shot was taken moments before the sun burst through.

A beach on the south end of Gravina Island near Ketchikan.

From the beach in the previous photo I hiked up to this overlook at about 1000' elevation.

I'll admit we take eagles for granted at times here, but they really are a very impressive bird, especially up close.

A view of one of the bigger mountains on the island.

A Few of My Research Volunteers

2011-06-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

These volunteers signed up a couple weeks ago.

Twenty-Seven and Four Months

2011-06-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Re-Stocking The Freezer

2011-06-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

I was graciously invited by a friend to spend a day last week looking for a good king salmon fishing spot. We found one. Six kings were brought to net including this nice 25 pounder. We had fresh king for dinner that night. The next night our very generous neighbor supplied us with fresh caught dungeness crab. The season of harvest is here. Soon the berries will be ripe and of course hunting season is just around the corner.

New Wheels

2011-06-19T17:09:00.001-07:00

Good-Bye Toyota Tercel. We'll miss your 30+MPG, but we won't miss riding with our knees against your dashboard. You served us well for two years, but you gotta admit we always knew it wasn't going to be a long-term relationship. We wish you well in your new endeavors.

Garage Sale Culture

2011-06-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

Our small town LOVES garage sales. It's so hard to get stuff here that folks jump at the chance to see what someone else may have acquired from down south that they didn't know they needed. Plus it's as much of a social gathering as a sale. In Anchorage when we had garage sales it was just about getting rid of stuff. You expected to barter and if you made a few bucks it was gravy. Here folks pay asking price without even a question and although we did want to get rid of stuff there was potential for genuine profit. We took four pick-up loads of items we've purged over the last couple years to a multi-family, multi-lodge garage sale. We didn't sell half our stuff but still came home with an extra six Franklins. I think we are going to have to have another sale to try to move the rest of the pile.

Helpful Tips

2011-06-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

Parenting Tip #7149: Broccoli goes down much easier when dipped in ketchup.

Household Maintenance Tip #1484: A useful tool for clearing those stubborn shower drains is an arrow with a broadhead.

Flickr Update

2011-06-05T13:32:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the delay, but I've been pretty busy with the field season at work. There's more pics of the girls at flickr.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Mother's Day, here's a couple new pics for Grandma.

And since we're on the subject of awesome moms, here's a picture of the message Autumn left for Amy in the driveway. I may bring home the paycheck each week but Amy has the real job in the family.

Happy Easter!

2011-05-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

Only a week late. That's not too bad. I've posted some new pics of the kids at flikr.

Our New Best Friend

2011-04-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

"BEFORE"

"DURING" Note helpful plumbing partner armed with screwdriver.

"AFTER"

After months of helpful suggestions I finally acquiesced and delivered a brand new Whirlpool Quiet Partner III home. The old dishwasher still worked, but was 20+ years old and just not getting the job done like it used to. A wash cycle took nearly four hours, and a conversation or watching TV while she was running, forget it. And we can also say she wasn't adding much charm to the kitchen with her good looks. I spent a rainy afternoon yesterday teaching myself how to install a dishwasher, and after a couple minor oops and a couple more trips to the hardware store the QPIII is running like a champ.

For Sale: One gently used Whirlpool dishwasher. Runs great. Black. Has all plumbing, ready to install. Free, you haul.

Flickr Update Autumn and Cedar

2011-04-17T10:40:00.001-07:00

I've updated the flickr site with more pics of the girls. Recent trips to the beach and a hot tub party are some of the highlights. Cedar is really starting to get more active. She's reaching for us and holding on to her dolls. Autumn is getting to be more and more a big girl every day. Potty training is the current big event for her. She gets more gummy bears and M&M's every day.

Conversations With Autumn

2011-04-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

Me: Autumn, are you ever going to date boys that drive vans?
Autumn: NO!!!
Me: What if a boy wants to kiss you?
Autumn: NO WAY!!! Yucky.

"Damma an Dampa"

2011-03-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit last week. They lavished as much love on the girls as they could muster in such a short visit. I'm sure they enjoyed seeing me and Amy, but I think we were in their peripheral vision compared with Autumn and Cedar. Check out many more photos from their trip on flickr.

Dear Cedar...

2011-03-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

I was appalled when mom showed me this bunny suit she purchased just for you. I told your mom I thought it was hideous. Paws, floppy ears, even a tail. Kid torture. I told her, maybe, big maybe, just for Halloween. But she forgot and just had to show Grandma. It was as much of a monstrosity as I imagined it would be. You hated it too. So I was just writing to apologize. I tried to save you, but couldn't this time.

Love, Dad.

Nice Buck!

2011-03-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

Recently I was watching a hunting show on the Outdoors Channel. A big white-tailed deer flashed across the screen. Autumn ran into the room pointing and yelling, "Nice buck! nice buck!" A while later the show was showing a dall sheep hunt. There was a group of 7-8 rams on the screen. Autumn walked in, looked them over, specifically pointed to the biggest mature ram in the group and declared, "Nice buck!" I had to put a ratchet strap around my chest to keep it from swelling too much with pride.

Where is she learning this stuff?

At The Airport With Tom

2011-03-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

My dad is the first to admit, if you sit down next to him, you're fair game. So recently at the airport he and mom had a long layover and were siting in the food court killing time. A gentleman sits down next to dad. He's attired in full western wear: hat, boots, big belt buckle. Dad looks him up and down and says "I see you've got the hat and boots. Ever been on a horse?

Turns out the man was from Arizona, grew up on a ranch and was very familiar with horses. He and dad engaged in a long discussion of many horse related topics. If it had been me at the airport, most likely all I would have learned about him was that he liked to wear western clothes.

All in a Days Work

2011-03-11T22:50:00.001-08:00

In order to catch the bear you must think like the bear.

Happy Birthday Autumn

2011-03-11T22:42:00.000-08:00

Autumn turned two just a few days ago. Wow.

For more birthday fun be sure to visit flickr.

Flickr Update

2011-03-11T22:01:00.001-08:00

For a few more pics check out Flickr.

Steve in the Kitchen: Mickey Mouse Pancakes

2011-03-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

For my second installment of Steve in the Kitchen I present my world famous Mickey Mouse Pancakes.

Step 1: Make your mouse shaped batter and add blueberries or chocolate chips (one is beter, the other better for you. You decide).

Step 2: The flip. You gotta be aggressive here folks. Flip it like you mean it.

Step 3: The finished cake. Ain't she (I mean he) a beaut.

In the end, it doesn't matter if they don't turn out perfectly, as long as the customers are satisfied.

Bonus: For you master chefs out there you can expand the blueberry pancakes to blueberry eggs. Like I said, as long as the customers are happy...

Snow Days

2011-03-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

Autumn helped me build this snowman last week. You can tell it is a boy snowman because he has antlers. It's also good to see that Frosty supports Rip City.

Conversations with Autumn

2011-03-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

I think from time to time I'll try to post an interesting conversation between myself and a two year old. Here's my first entry:

Me: Autumn, what would you like to have for lunch?
Autumn: Ice Cream!

No, that's not a picture of ice cream. Those are green eggs (we were out of green ham that day).

Flickr Update

2011-03-02T11:51:00.000-08:00

There are some more recent shots of the girls posted to flickr.
Be sure to bookmark this and previous flickr links if you want because somehow in all my tech savvy I have unintentionally created yet another flickr account. This is number four. Sigh.

Urp

2011-02-15T20:16:00.000-08:00

"You said I had to wear a bib, but not HOW I wear it."

Family tradition...each new kid gets a throw-up picture posted to the blog.

You can find more recent pics of the girls at flickr.

"Uh-Oh"

2011-02-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

What distresses a two-year old.

Recent Cedar

2011-02-07T14:22:00.001-08:00

"Let's Go See Maggie"

2011-02-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Whenever Autumn and I are out and about and it is time to go back, it's never going back to see Mom or Grandma or Papa or Baby Cedar. It's always, "Let's go see Maggie."

I've got a few more recent pics of Autumn on Flickr.

Eden

2011-02-03T00:12:00.001-08:00

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delight. - Psalm 36:6-8

Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody. -Isaiah 51:3

Eden of course is the Garden of God. Paradise. Eden means delight and pleasure. It symbolizes unbroken relationship between God and man. And the more I researched these names, the more intertwined I found the themes of trees, rivers, and Eden. They can scarcely be separated.

Cedar Caelyn-Eden:
Tree of Life, River of Life, Loved Forever, our pleasure and our delight.

Caelyn

2011-02-02T23:42:00.001-08:00

Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. On each side of the river grew a Tree of life... -Revelation 22:1 (under the heading: Eden Restored)

He who believes in Me as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow springs and rivers of living water. John 7:38

The name Amy means Beloved, Caelyn is similar...Loved Forever. Caelyn also incorporates Amy's middle name, Lyn which means beautiful and cascading waters.

Throughout scripture water is a symbol of the Spirit of God. Jesus compared the presence of God's spirit in those who believe in Him as living waters. All life needs water. For me, time spent near cascading waters has been associated with time in the presence of God and hearing his voice in special ways. For Amy, a reminder of His abundant grace.

Cedar

2011-02-02T23:15:00.001-08:00

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. -Psalm 92:12

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. -Psalm 1:3

Cedars are mentioned prominently in scripture and described as symbols of high stature, strength, beauty, endurance, long-life, grandeur, majesty, dignity, and nobility. The cedar is described as the Tree of God and as a symbol of the coming Messiah and His kingdom. Today, cedars are renowned for their versatility in many applications for many of these same qualities and also for its sweet aroma, extreme durability, acoustics and consistent grain with few imperfections. The genus Thuja, to which many species of cedar belong, are collectively known by the common name Arborvitae from the Latin for “Tree of life.”

Introducing: Cedar Caelyn-Eden

2011-02-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

Born this morning at 5:47am. 7 lbs 3 oz, 19 3/4" tall. A full head of hair and blue eyes. She's a spitting image of her sister. It's like we had identical twins two years apart. Amy did awesome. What a privilege to see a mother bring new life forward. Mom and baby are healthy and doing well. Big Sister Autumn is thrilled and we're all in love with our new little girl. I've got a few more pics I'll post up to the flickr account. More to come...

The 4th Trimester

2011-02-01T15:51:00.000-08:00

Here's Amy, January 31. Officially overdue...but not for long.

P90X

2011-01-27T17:01:00.000-08:00

You've no doubt seen it on a late night infomercial, on Dr. Phil or Oprah Winfrey. Heck, it's even being hawked on QVC. P90X or Power 90 Extreme. Touted as an extreme home fitness program that will transform you physically in 90 days. Well, I admit the infomercial looked intriguing. I'm into fitness, I try to go to the gym on a regular basis, but I've never done any kind of program. I just run or randomly lift weights. I'm usually in decent shape. Good enough to hike around in the mountains and pack sheep home. I wondered, how good of shape could I really get into if I had some guidance? I also sometimes get an itch to really test my self-discipline. So I determined to give Tony Horton a shot to see what he could do with me. I started in October and committed myself to the program, including the diet plan they outline for you. I missed one work-out the entire 3 months (Thanksgiving) and allowed myself 2 cheat days on the diet (Thanksgiving and Christmas). Here are the results:

Before:
172.5 lbs, 19.5% body fat, 34 inch waist, resting HR 58 BPM
After:
158.5 lbs, 10% body fat, 29.5 inch waist, resting HR 50BPM

So I lost 14 lbs total , but if you calculate the body fat I actually lost 17.5 lbs of fat and gained 3.5 lbs of muscle.

Fit Test Results:
Before: 9 Pull-ups, 17” vertical leap, 43 push-ups, +0" toe touch, 2:39 wall squat, 25 curls (20lbs), 39 in and outs.
After: 23 pull-ups, 20” vertical, 101 push-ups, +6" toe touch, 4:05 wall squat, 53 curls (20lbs), 82 in and outs.

I’d say the program works. But maybe more importantly than the "outside" improvements was what a mid-program health fair revealed. My "insides" are doing good too. My blood pressure is as low as I can recall it ever being. A blood test revealed low cholesterol and a number of other parameters right where they should be. I know it sounds cliche, but my energy levels are high and overall I just feel good.

I think Mr. Horton and I will be spending more time together in the future. There are after all, more sheep to be packed out of the mountains.

39 Weeks

2011-01-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

Oh, by the way if you haven't heard, Amy is expecting...any moment now. We're in Fairbanks waiting it out at Grandpa & Grandma's house. Anxiously waiting to meet our new little girl.

Recent Autumn

2011-01-19T13:37:00.000-08:00

Here are the last few pictures of Autumn as an only child.

She got her first real haircut yesterday. Now her hair is out of her face and she looks even more like a big girl.

Here she is "stuck in snow" at -20 degrees in Fairbanks.

Successfully sleeping every night in her "big girl bed" now.

Stylin' in the bead handband.

More pictures have been loaded to flickr. I don't know why they are rotated wrong. They are fine everywhere else. I guess you'll have to tilt your head.

T-Rex

2011-01-03T10:11:00.001-08:00

What is it about kids and dinosaurs? It's like they are genetically hard-wired to have a dinosaur phase. Doesn't 22 months seem a little young though? Autumn is fascinated by them right now. Her favorite is Tyranasaurus Rex, or "t-ex" as she calls them. Maybe we have a budding paleantologist on our hands.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

Here's the most recent family photo 12-24-10.

I think this photo needs to be submitted to Webster. They can put it right next to the definition for "beautiful."

More Christmas fun at Flickr.

Autumn 21 Months

2010-12-15T21:57:00.001-08:00

A few more pictures on flickr.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2010-12-02T21:37:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving weekend we loaded up and headed for the hills in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Larry, Amy's step-dad spent part of the weekend with us so we had too much personnel to fit in the truck. So we took the Tercel, a Christmas tree haulin' machine if there ever was one. After much wandering around in the wet muskeg, we found just the right tree. Then after much lashing of ropes I realized I couldn't open the doors. Luckily everyone else was already inside. I slid in the window, Dukes of Hazard style. Upon our safe arrival at home (yep, those were some good knots), we all exited Dukes of Hazard style. A good red-neck start to the holiday season.

My New Hunting Partner

2010-12-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

We didn't get a deer this time, but it wasn't for lack of enthusiasm.

Deer Rut 2010

2010-11-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple months since I've been hunting. The deer hunting around here really slows down around mid-September and then kicks back into gear in November when the bucks thoughts turn to love and they get a little less cautious. It's been a busy month for me with work so I just finally made it back into the woods this week. Monday and Tuesday's hunts brought no luck and little deer sign. The wind was howling this morning at 4 am but I headed out anyway and I'm glad I did. It's always been a goal to take a mature buck by sneaking up on one in the timber. Nearly all my success has been on hunts where I see the animal from a long ways away and make a good stalk. The deer always seem to have the upper hand when I'm just blindly sneaking around. Not this guy. I was doing my best ninja work when I spotted him in his bed at 30 yards totally unaware of my presence.

People ask me why bucks on POW have orange antlers. Here's why. This rub was made in the vicinity of this hunt. Perhaps the buck I killed made this one.

Girl with a Gun

2010-11-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Autumn's first shooting lesson. She really liked it and is looking forward to a hunting trip with Dad real soon.

Autumn's interest in deer make me pretty proud. She can also correctly identify caribou, sheep, moose, elk, bears and wolves (and I must say she is getting to be an expert wolf howler).

For Halloween Autumn was a bumblebee. Actually she liked the costume so much she was a bumblebee on Halloween and for several days leading up to it.

Autumn and I had a great time carving a pumpkin together.

I've got few more pictures up on flickr.

The Faces of Autumn

2010-10-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

Autumn has discovered her facial muscles and has been regaling us with some pretty hilarious faces.

Autumn 19 Months

2010-10-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

More at Flickr.

D5

2010-10-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

We have a freezer full of one pound packages of meat labeled D1, D2, etc. Meet D5.

Autumn's New Look - Pigtails!

2010-09-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

Now that was a surprise to come home to the first time.

The blueberries and huckleberries are in season and I've been picking them every chance I get. It takes four cups to make a blueberry pie (well, for Amy to make one). We let Autumn have a bit of the pie and to say she enjoyed herself is a bit of an understatement. She lllllooovvveeesss blueberries. Or as she calls them "boobies."

Autumn looking fab in her jammies and scarf, all ready to go measure something.

For more, check out the newest pics on Flickr.

Buck Head Soup

2010-09-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

It's what's for dinner...

Autumn 18 Months

2010-09-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Autumn just turned 18 months. Here are some of the highlights:

Autumn can be a huge help in the kitchen when Mom is baking.

Autumn rocking the '80s leg warmers and real faux pearl necklace.

She's into crayola, but so far more into eating them than coloring.

Xtratufs go with anything, even jammies.

For more pics check out the link to flickr.

2010 Bucks #3 & 4

2010-08-26T21:57:00.000-07:00

Headed up a local mountain Friday evening to try to ease the pain of coming home from the sheep mountains empty handed (more about that later). I spotted this great buck about 500 vertical feet below me. From above he was easy to spot amongst the scattered meadows, but once I dropped in on him the trees swallowed up any hopes of keeping tabs on him. Luckily I had picked out a couple good land marks and was able to ease right in on him. One shot from 75 yards and I had my best buck ever.

Well I never quite made it to the top of the mountain so the next morning when I woke up I decided to hike on up and have a look-see. I had all day to pack my buck off the mountain. I had no intention of shooting another deer but took my rifle "just in case." I saw a bunch of deer, mostly does and a few forkies that I passed on. I just wanted to peek into one more basin before heading back to camp and packing up for the hike home. At the bottom of the basin was this awesome buck. I debated a long time whether or not to take him. I already had a lot of work in store for me, but after much consideration I decided I had the energy and stamina to shuttle both bucks off the mountain. Basically, he was too good to pass up. Another shot, this time from 125 yards and I had a double and my two best bucks to date.

I don't usually take my cell phone hunting with me but I was sure glad to have it this time. I was in one of those rare coverage spots. While butchering the second buck, my phone buzzed that I had a text from my buddy Isaac. So I gave him a call. When I told him how I'd fared he said the magic words, "You want help packing?" Yahoo! I knew I could and would have got those two bucks off the mountain by myself if I'd had to but I was sure glad for the help. I got both bucks shuttled to tree line where I met Isaac. He carried one bag of meat while I carried the other, the two heads and all my camping gear - still upwards of 100 pounds - down the last 1500 feet of elevation to the truck. Isaac saved me from having to climb all the way back up the mountain and all the way back down again. What a great friend.

Autumn 17 Months

2010-08-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

First Road Rash

2010-08-24T21:13:00.001-07:00

Ouch! But since she's related to me I'm sure there's a lot more where that came from.

Spaghetti Girl

2010-08-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

Wants some fun? Give your 18 month old a bowl of spaghetti and a fork and sit back and watch the hilarity.

Deer Hunt #2

2010-08-02T21:55:00.000-07:00

Good Parental Advice

2010-07-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

"Is gettin' a gun out fast important, Pa?"
"Sometimes, boy. But more important is hittin' what you're aiming at."

-William Johnstone in "Creed of the Mountain Man"

Autumn Update

2010-07-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

Lot's of Autumn-ness going on here. Deer season is in full swing, opening day of sheep season is 13 days away, and our little girl keeps getting sweeter every day. I heard some grandmas were having withdrawls so I got some more pics up on flickr.

I never would have guessed 10 years ago that I would someday be the proud owner of a cheap plastic kiddie pool. It was worth the too much money. Autumn loves it. We just about had to force her to quit playing even as she shivered as the evening cooled.

Haz-mat Autumn. If you wait for nice weather in SE you'll never get to use your awesome full body rain slicker.

We spent a Sunny Sunday at the beach last week. Fun.

Deer Hunting 2010 Trip #1

2010-07-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

One Year Later, A Real Haircut

2010-07-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2010 I like to call this hair "Stayin' Alive"

July 16, 2010 I call this hair "Black Hawk Down"

Stay Hydrated

2010-07-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

I can tell the Grandmas are getting restless for some new pics. Check them out at flickr.

I Have a Cool Job #9 "More Deer"

2010-07-13T21:22:00.001-07:00

Part of the fawn mortality study is capturing and collaring a number of does as well. We capture does by "hunting" them. Literally, I even wear my camo sometimes. With a dart gun we quietly slip into a likely spot. One person is usually the caller and the other the shooter. Does come to a call very eagerly in early spring. We have to call them in to within about 15 yards to get an accurate shot with the dart. The darts are equipped with telemetry equipment so we can track down the deer once the drugs have taken effect. The doe is fitted with a radio collar, ear tags and a transmitter is implanted vaginally. This allows us to know when she has given birth. How do we know she will give birth? Because we also check out the fawns in utero with a portable ultrasound machine. Is that slick or what?

I Have a Cool Job #8 "Me and Bears cont."

2010-07-08T20:51:00.001-07:00