That was summer...

Two months to catch up on...

Days and weeks have been full. We're starting to feel this is home. Making some good friends, getting involved in the community, and loving learning more about the area. Fall is officially here... and it feels great to have some shorter days and cozy evenings. The colours are changing in the high country, and we've had our first stormy weather.

Here is a whirlwind glipse of the last weeks..

Lee came to visit the weekend before Dustin returned from Bristol Bay. Super visit! A real holiday. Lots of ambling and enjoying the flowers.
Lee-- Peter and I were here this morning... 2 months later... in pouring rain and wind. Fireweed red and windswept, sky dark...
Dustin came back from fishing, and we had our first family paddle. On the Alaganik. Peter did great, enjoying dragging a stick in the water... and having beach picnics


Neighbours, Paul and Stephen, came round to help cut down the large spruce in front of our house. It was doing some serious erosion, and blocking alot of light...

Peter enjoying the new view

Peter turned One!

We had a lovely birthday party with Grandma and Grandpa Bob, Vera, Brian, and Peter's buddy Calvin. Another big month for Peter... first steps, 4.5 teeth, and first cake..

After birthday cake, we joined Peter for one of his favourite activities.... gull watching!

Sharon and Bob were here for a very special week. The weather was super-wet, but we had a wonderful visit. Peter misses you both. Thank you for making the long trip, and for dealing with the weather!

Green feet!

The sun did come out..

Sharon helped tackle painting the back passage and utility room.

Here's Peter enjoying the first bath. We did beach grass and fireweed leaf-prints in the corner.

Stormy clouds for our picnic at Sheridan Glacier

Peter and Calvin picking cranberries... they have a height advantage over us

Blueberry season has been poor, but we've made up for it with the cranberries.

Also been enjoying learning about mushrooms. There is such a local wealth of knowledge of both edible fungi, and fungi to dye yarn with. And, mushroom hunting is soo fun- exploring a new habitat, incredible moss landscapes. A real magical fairy land (even in the rain!). Lots to learn, but I think we have two edibles dialed. Figure that's anough for the first year.

We had a special visitor to the lagoon one afternoon... a 3-4ft long octopus!

Exploring the delta with Vera and Calvin

This is our newest favourite place. Great access to higher country, and the trail head is only 5 mins bike ride from home, so a quick and easy outing. Peter and I have had some sunny afternoons playing in the pools and enjoying the last of summer.

More learning... smoking strips in the smoke house. We've done two batches now, and hope to do more silvers later this fall.

The weather changes soo fast here. I like the contrasts.

We had an incredible sunny day, the kind of day where colours seem to vibrate, and you could hear dragonflies and birds with sharp clarity. The three of us kayaked in the lagoon, the lagoon kids were swinging from a hanging buoy into the water, and I swam in the mouth of the lagoon. Swimming towards the mountains, watching the gulls flying above. It really was magical, the kind of free alive feeling that is soo wondrous, when you can truly let go of all other thoughts, and feel where you are.

The next day--Cordova reality hit! Heavy heavy wind and rain! Here's the view from the loft when the tide was in and creek high.

The backpack with rain cover is prooving essential gear for getting out... thank you!