April Pictures

March Bullet Points

• Birthdays celebrated this month:
• Even though our daughter Jami’s birthday was February 27th, we gave her a surprise birthday party on March 2nd to celebrate her 40th birthday.  Yikes, our youngest is 40!
• Our youngest grandchild, Maddy, turned 11 on 3/6.  
• Son-in-law Matthew celebrated number 44 on 3/14.
• Husband Dave (Poppop) hit the big 6-5 on 3/28.    

•  On March 28, 1966, 52 years ago, my parents and I left Cleveland, TN for Alaska.
• Books I’ve read this month or in the process of reading:
• Lilac Girls, Martha Hall Kelly
• Before We Were Yours, Lisa Wingate
• The Masterpiece, Francine Rivers
• I Bought a House on Gratitude Street, J. Ellsworth Kalas (gift from Phyllis)
• 7.4 inches of snow this month.  (81.7 inches for the season)
• We purchased a new Instant Pot.  I haven’t tried it out yet, but I have one!  
• I’ve always bought Campbell’s tomato soup - but not any longer.  I’ve discovered Progresso’s “Tomato Basil” soup....rich, thick and so delicious. It’s my new favorite.  
• Went to San Diego for a couple weeks to visit cousins & friends   

• Dave and I were both sick the first 4 days of our vacation. Not a good way to start a vacation.  
• Movies we watched while in San Diego:
• All Saints (old movie we rented)
• I Can Only Imagine (showing at the theater)
• I give both movies 5 stars.
• We were introduced to HGTV and became fans of Chip & Joanna.
• Dave went sailing….one of his favorite things to do.  I’m sorry he had to sail alone, but I’m just not into sailing. Ask him about his experience with the motor on board.

• We enjoyed connecting with Stan and Phyllis Wright and meeting their son Brent. 

• Enjoyed Krispy Kreme donuts.  The hot sign was on!
• Fun places we ate at (places we don’t have in Fairbanks):
• Phil’s BBQ
• Jersey Mike’s sandwich shop
• Venice Pizza
• Red Lobster (my favorite)
• In-N-Out Burger
• The Lunch Box 
• Applebee’s
• Jack-in-the-Box.  I went through the drive-in for a bacon and egg  breakfast sandwich with hash browns. When I got back to Mary’s house I discovered I had a hamburger with bacon and french fries. I don’t know who was more disappointed - me or the person who got my breakfast sandwich.  No 5 stars for their service.  
• We went to see Cirque Du Soleil on Ice: “Crystal” at the old Sports Area. An awesome show. We all thought it was funny that we were visiting from Alaska and we went to an “ice” show.  
• We visited a Costco and I purchased two $25.00 gift cards for $38.99 for Sees candy since I planned on buying Sees candy anyway. What a deal. The day we went to Sees the store was a mad house. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity (I’m very impatient), we checked out and was on our way. The next day I found the Sees gift cards in my purse. What?? 
• We enjoyed beach time on Coronado Island and walks on Harbor Island.   

• I loved the blooming  flowers, the birds and fresh fruit picked daily from the fruit trees in Mary & Vickie’s yard. We were told the weather was a little cooler than normal but it still felt wonderful to us.      

• I attended Good Friday service with family at Friends Church. 
• After returning to Fairbanks the roads were dry - snow and ice free. I was driving like I was still in California…..10 miles over the speed limit. Whoa!
• The month ended with two inches of fresh sNOw.  
• Goodbye March, 2018.    

FLOWERS - One of my Favorite Things about Summer in Fairbanks

On Mother's Day, Dave (husband) usually buys me a hanging plant for outside our front window where I can enjoy it all summer from inside and out.  This year I've enjoyed a fuchsia that's still beautiful with lots of blooms.  Another Mother's Day gift I always love is a gift certificate to a local nursery which the kids most often give me - the perfect gift!








The irises were the first perennials to bloom. I love them not just because they're beautiful, but 1) my Dad gave me the start many years ago and, 2) they always remind me of my sister-in-law, Nancy, because they are one of her favorites.








Our lilac bush had so many blooms this year compared to last year.  The lilac fragrance is the best ever!  I love sitting outside in the swing or laying in the hammock and being able to smell the lilac.  I am disappointed though that the blooms only last about 2 weeks and I've never had any luck cutting them for inside.  However, every time I walk past the bush I inhale deeply of the fragrance.







My friend, Karen, gave me these yellow flowers that I transplanted from her flower bed last fall. To my amazement, this spring these beauties came up. They were so lovely next to the purple irises.  Thank you, Karen, for introducing me to a new perennial called Trollius.  Scott and Ashley, I enjoyed your beautiful bed of Trollius, too.








I love roses, but I rarely have good luck wintering them over.  I put them in the garage and then forget to water them.  One year when I did remember to occasionally water them, I had roses blooming in February, but most often they die and I only get to enjoy them one season. This year Lowe's was selling rose bushes for $10.00 so I bought one thinking even if it only lasts one summer it's still worth $10.00.  The bush produced lots of beautiful pink roses which I've enjoyed all summer.  It's about done blooming now, but I'm going to TRY AGAIN and see if I can keep it alive this winter.  I call them my "Iva Jane" roses after my Aunt Iva Jane from San Diego.  She loved roses and had so many beautiful ones.  She passed away earlier this year, but I always think of her when I see roses.  Another reason to try and keep this bush alive.






In early July I had to make a trip to the ER.  When our friends, the Hulien's, heard I had been in the ER Melissa and Isaiah stopped by with an orchid plant.  I've always admired them but have never had one of my own.  It's still blooming and I'm enjoying it immensely.  When I look at its beauty I'm reminded of loving, caring friends.  I hope I can keep it alive once it quits blooming.  That reminds me....I need to mist it with water.







Pansies are one of my favorite flowers.  We've had a fairly wet summer and apparently pansies don't like lots of water because they're pitiful looking this year.  Only a couple of them are surviving.  I've missed their unique little faces this summer.










The delphiniums did great (another transplant several years ago from Karen).  I lost some to the rain and wind blowing them over, but after I remembered to tie them up they survived well.  I do like to cut a bouquet of them for the dining room table, but when they start shedding they create quite a mess.









I love impatiens too with lobelia sprinkled in with them.  They do well on our front deck because they get only the morning sun.












On the back deck I have wave petunia's and they seem to like the afternoon and evening sun, but they do need lots of water.










I can't forget geraniums.  They're another one of my favorites and I actually had good luck wintering a couple over this year.  It took them a long time to bloom, but Nancy tells me she fertilizes them early and they bloom faster.  I'll try that next summer.  I did buy one geranium this year....on sale at 75% off.  Who can pass up a sale like that?










My granddaughter, Izzy, grew these purple flowers this summer.  I don't know the name of them, but I do have some of the seeds.  I'll add them to my flower collection next summer.








I have pink lilies that are just now opening.  I don't know why they're so late blooming.  I've seen lilies blooming all through our neighborhood much earlier so maybe it's another fertilizer issue.  These do well to cut and bring inside. They don't smell good (according to my daughter, Jami),  but they are beautiful.








 

Several years in a row I only planted one or two sunflowers, but this summer I have a row of five.  It's so much fun to watch them grow.  They don't bloom until late in the season but are well worth the wait.
So far this year, my tallest sunflower is around 8-1/2 feet.  However, I don't think it will beat the 10 foot one last year.






Walking through the neighborhood (or even driving slowly) lets me enjoy my neighbor's flowers.  I want to send a note to one neighbor to thank them for the beautiful gladioli and orange poppies they grew, which I enjoyed so much!   On the way to church we always pass gorgeous red poppies.  I've been tempted to stop and ask for some seed. They would probably share one pod of seeds, don't you think?

What flowers do I want to add to the mix next summer?  Cosmos, columbine, poppies and a couple peonies.






Fireweed is a beautiful wild flower but my least favorite......only because when they finish blooming it's not long until winter.  It's a constant reminder that summer is almost over......and they are in full bloom right now.

The flowers will be gone by mid September......
but they'll be back in the spring.  

My Favorite Lines 

“In the Company of Others” by Jan Karon

(Episcopal priest Tim Kavanagh and his wife go on vacation to Ireland)

I read "In the Company of Others" by Jan Karon while on vacation and here are my favorite lines in the book......

• Where Christ is, cheerfulness will keep breaking in.
• One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.
• It’s just life - quirky and scary and lovely and immense.
• Really listening to someone is a very tender and generous gift.
• Petition God for the grace to adopt a more agreeable attitude toward the day at hand.
• There’s no such thing as bad weather — only the wrong clothes.
• Create in me a clean heart, oh, God, renew a right Spirit within me.  Clean me out, fill me up, please.
• As a curate, he’d tried using words against tears, yet something he thought wise often came out as banal.  Later, he learned to be silent, praying.
• I wouldn’t have minded bein’ poor if I hadn’t been so short of cash.
• He offered the smile he relied on when parishioners commented on his sermon and he realized they’d heard something entirely different from what he’d said.
• Since when do we know where anything might lead?
• There’s nothing so bad it couldn’t be worse.
• “Never waste a crisis,” said Albert Schweitzer.
• Thank you for hearing me yesterday; it is a great gift to be heard.  You really listened, and your prayer - I shall always remember it.  I felt I was starving unto death, and it fed me.
• One pays a price always for what is loved.
• A little fire that warms, is better than a big fire that burns.
• I remember the day he called me at the church office and said, “Preacher, I done fell off a twelve-foot ladder.”   “Good Lord,” I said, “did you hurt yourself, any bones broken?”  “No, sir,” he said, “not a dent.  I only fell off the bottom rung.”
• Wounded people use a lot of smoke and mirrors, they thrust the bitterness and rage out there like a shield.  Then it becomes their banner, and finally, their weapon.  
• There’s no quick fix.  It’s all in increments, the same way roses grow.
• There’s just no way to deal with their suffering, except through love.
• I feel your time would be the greatest gift you could give her. 
• Ask God every day to give you the wisdom and courage to be all He made you to be - for your spouse, for yourself, for Him.
• Pray for your spouse.  You’re a team - think like a team.
• When I find myself in the cellar of affliction, I always look about for the wine.
• God does not humiliate the righteous.  He may fire us in the kiln to make us vessels, crush us like grapes so we become wine - - but he never humiliates.
• Love is an endless act of forgiveness.  Over and over again.  
• Fear pulls you away from peace.
• We all need the company of others.

Iditarod Dog Sled Race - 2015

The Iditarod dog sled races have been going on for 40 plus years, but this was the first year I really took an interest in it.  The race usually starts in Anchorage, but because of the lack of snow this winter in Anchorage the starting of the race was moved to Fairbanks.  The race route went right by a friends house, so Dave and I dressed for the zero weather and stood on the frozen river to watch the dog teams (16 to 18 dogs per team) head out for Nome.  We actually took our two granddaughters out of school for a couple hours so they could witness the annual event.  Read about the sled dog relay that inspired the Iditarod.

I clipped out pictures from the newspaper of all 78 mushers and made a chart - keeping track of each musher's location and race standing.   A couple times every day I would check the race standings at iditarod.com and update my chart.   Racers of interest to me were…..

• Benjamin Harper from Wasilla…..the youngest racer - 18 years old.  This was his first Iditarod race and he actually came in #36.  
• Jim Lanier from Chugiak - the oldest racer at 74 years old.  Unfortunately he scratched in Unalakleet.
• The winner, Dallas Seavey - 27 years old, from Willow.  This was his 3rd win and he won $70,000 in cash plus a new truck.   
• Mitch Seavey from Sterling, Dallas’ Dad, came in 2nd place.  He finished the race about 4 hours and 10 minutes behind his son.
• Aliy Zirkle and her husband, Allen Moore, from Two Rivers, were both in the race.   She came in 5th place and he came in 38th.  
• Anna from Wasilla, and Kristy Berington from Kasilof, are twins.  They stayed together for the entire race coming in at the 28th and 29th positions.  Anna crossed the finish line 4 minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Kristy.
• Lance Mackey from Fairbanks is an all time favorite champion.  He and his brother Jason from Wasilla raced together.   Lance had severe frostbite on his hands and had difficulty handling his dogs, so his brother stayed with him and helped him to complete the race.  They came in 42nd and 43rd place……Lance finished 42 seconds behind his brother.   
• Cindy Abbott, 56 years old from Irvine, CA, finished last; receiving the Red Lantern award.  I love that she kept going.  Even though everyone else had finished the race, she just didn't quit.

The race included mushers from Alaska, California, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Australia, Canada, France, Norway and Sweden.

Of the 78 starters, 66 mushers finished the race.  I admire their endurance, tenacity, perseverance, hard work, commitment, determination, passion….the will to not give up.  They encountered -60 degree temperatures, wind, frost bit toes and fingers, and many of them were secluded out on the trail with no other mushers.  These people have become more than a bib number to me.  I feel like I know them....they have become my friends.   

They are an inspiration.....

• Never give up
• Learn all you can
• Count your blessings
• Keep the faith
• Never use the excuse “I’m too old” or "I'm not smart enough"
• Find ways to encourage or help someone else along the way
• Follow through
• There's only one winner but every racer can cross the finish line
• Celebrate big and little victories
• Enjoy the journey

"Staying in Touch" Can be a Full Time Job

This week death claimed the body (not the spirit) of one of my cousins on my Dad’s side of the family.   I was so surprised and saddened to hear this news.  I hadn’t seen John for many, many years, but I have good memories of him.

• He spent time with our family often during summers when he was a kid.
• He, his brother and I sang together in church as the “Cousins Trio.”  I especially remember the song, “God Put a Rainbow in the Sky.”
• He always had a smile and time for everyone.
• He and his family moved to Mississippi and I only saw him occasionally after that.

Dave and I were in Florida this time last year visiting Dave’s Dad & family and we talked about driving over to Mississippi to see John and his family.  Unfortunately it didn’t work out.  His 76th birthday was last month and even though it’s marked on my calendar and I thought about him, I didn’t send a card. I didn’t even know he was sick and then I hear he’s gone.  

Why didn’t I just catch a flight from Orlando to Cleveland, MS…..even for just one day???

Even though I sent a birthday greeting by FB through his wife, why didn’t I send a birthday card or, better yet, call him?  

I think death automatically makes us look at the “what ifs” and “why didn’t I’s.”   That’s not a bad thing, but way too quickly we can move right back in the rut of our normal life and schedule and “staying in touch” can soon becomes a distant memory.

While this is still so fresh on my mind, I want to remind myself to express love to my family (and friends) while they’re still alive.  

• Remember birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions
• Use e-mails, texts and messaging to those who have it
• Send cards/letters/notes by mail - especially to older one who don’t use electronics
• Always express gratitude
• Be present and available
• Pray for them
• Give more smiles, hugs and “I love you’s.”
• Instead of just hitting “like” on FB, make more comments
• Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move
• Be generous with time & resources
• Small gifts or expressions of love…and cookies….can make a big difference
• Share pictures with family & friends who don’t live close
• Make more phone calls

Even though I wish i could have told John goodbye, I can still hear his laughter and southern drawl.  That makes me smile!   

My Mom's Seafood Casserole

We concluded our small group Bible study of “All In” by Matt Batterson, which I highly recommend, with dinner at our house.  Our weather is getting cooler so my Mom’s Seafood Casserole sounded like a good menu idea.  

My Mom’s been gone 6 years and 9 months, but I felt especially close to her as I was in the kitchen making her recipe, which was one of my favorites (next to her potato salad).  As I was chopping and adding ingredients, I thought back to Mom’s gift of hospitality.  She loved to have people over to share a meal.  It didn’t have to be fancy.  According to some old Virginia friends, she served the “best bologna sandwiches” ever.  Maybe that’s why I still love a good ole bologna and tomato sandwich.  I never remember anyone coming to our house without Mom offering them a drink or something to eat.  It didn’t matter to her if the house was in perfect order, she just loved people and loved having them in her home.  So much of her entertaining involved food. 

Mom died of ALS and toward the end she had a feeding tube in which I would feed her a formula three times a day.  All those meals she had cooked in her lifetime and at the end she couldn’t even eat.  At her last Thanksgiving meal I wanted her to get real food so we tried mashed potatoes and gravy but it was too thick to go through the syringe into her feeding tube.  We finally got the right consistency but only after we shot food through the syringe on the floor and ceiling.  Yes, the ceiling.   It was a mess to clean up (thanks to my son-in-law for cleaning it off the ceiling) but it wound up being a memorable evening of laughter and love.  She was surrounded by her family and I know that brought her much happiness.

When the temperature dipped below freezing at night (here in Fairbanks, AK) it was time to do something about the tomatoes & green pepper plants in the green house.  Unfortunately, it was about 9 pm before I remembered that freezing temps were predicted for that evening.  I was already dressed for bed, so I went out to the greenhouse in my pajamas and robe and carried a flashlight.  All the tomatoes were still green so I picked them with one hand while holding the flashlight in the other.  The green peppers were still fairly small and I didn’t want to pick them just yet so I took the whole potted plant inside. (It was amazing to see their growth in just a couple weeks being in the warmth of indoors.)  So when the recipe called for a green pepper, I picked a couple small ones off my plants sitting by the front window.  It doesn’t get any fresher than that.

Mom’s recipe calls for shrimp and crab, but I enjoy adding salmon as well.  When I need fresh salmon I usually call my son-in-law to see if he can spare some, or my neighbor who usually has a freezer full.  However, this time I purchased it at Fred Meyer ($9.99/lb).   The shrimp was $9.99/lb too, so this is definitely not a cheap dish to make unless you can get the salmon for free.  It does serve 8 to10  people though, so that winds up being fairly reasonable for each serving.

While the casserole baked I made a green salad.....romaine lettuce, baby spinach leaves, carrots and mushrooms.  I had purchased tomatoes, but I thought I’d check the green tomatoes I had brought inside a couple weeks earlier.   When I unwrapped the newspaper from around them I found the most beautiful ripe tomatoes.   I added fresh tomatoes to the salad only after I ate my fill.  If only I had some bologna I could have had a sandwich.   One of my new salad favorites is adding pomegranate seeds.  It gives a perfect touch of sweetness.   Also the pomegranate seeds along with the fresh ripe red tomatoes on a bed of dark green lettuce made for a beautiful, colorful salad.   

It was a beautiful evening of fellowship.  Good friends and good food are indeed a great combination.   I can definitely understand why it was one of my Mom’s favorite things.   

After our guests went home and the dishes were done, we closed the refrigerator door on leftover Seafood Casserole and carrot cake, which we would enjoy again another day.