The Bone Pile

We've been busy packing stuff up and getting the house ready to list. Today I pulled down all my horns and antlers and made a pile in the spare bedroom. It's a pretty respectable pile. It represents many grand adventures, lessons learned and trials overcome.

Our New Toy

Our old truck rusty (literally) finally bit the dust a couple months ago. The head gasket needs replaced. With the pending move to Craig we needed a reliable vehicle that can handle POW's 1500 miles of logging roads, transport a few dead bucks every fall and (maybe) tow a skiff. So we spent a weekend shopping around and found this truck off Craigslist. By far the nicest truck we've owned. This is the one I've wanted since 4th grade.

Craig

Sorry for the long gap between posts. Life's gotten very hectic all the sudden. The picture is a view of Craig, Alaska on Prince of Wales Island in SE. Amy and I are moving there at the end of August. I was recently offered an incredible opportunity to be Fish & Game's wildlife biologist on the island. To say I'm excited about this career move is an understatement.

There's a lot to do before then. Sell the house, cars, pack and go on two sheep hunts. We are going to be busy. I'll try to keep you posted as the events unfurl.

Another Rough Day at the Office

A couple weeks ago I spent a nice day floating the Knik River. We had a couple new employees that needed some raft training and I was the man for the job.

Twelve

Amy and I celebrated our twelve year anniversary on May 25th. Amy took me hiking up Flattop and then in the evening I took her to a nice restaurant. Our waiter, knowing it was our anniversary and getting married himself in a couple weeks asked for some advice. It kind of shocked us that we've been married long enough for folks to be soliciting some marriage tips. Unfortunately twelve years is a long marriage anymore. So on the way home we discussed what our quick answer marriage tip should be. Our answer and a a truth for our own marriage is "divorce is not an option." There was a scene in the movie Juno where the main character confronting a couple in the midst of a divorce exclaimed, "You were in love once, you're just not trying hard enough." There's a lot of truth to that. Maybe it seems too simplistic, but barring cases of abuse or infidelity it so often comes down to a couple's dogged determination to make things work. To mean the vows you promised and do whatever it takes. Amy and I have fought for our marriage and we're proud of the things we've accomplished and worked through.

Coffee Table Book Entries

“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendors was dressed like one of these." -Luke 12:27

The guys tease me, but I like to stop and take pictures of the wildflowers when I'm on the trail. Beautiful. Little fingerprints of God.

More Bears

"Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth." -1 Samuel 17:34

We've taken five black bears this season. I wonder how many moose calves and Dall sheep lambs saved that adds up to. This is a picture of Scott and the bear he arrowed last weekend from 35 yards.