Swans, Cranes, Ducks and Geese

They are back! A pair of swans flew over a couple of days ago and yesterday I saw my first flock of ducks. When you live here in Alaska that is a sure sign of the coming summer, one that is never wrong. The wildlife is not fooled by the weather, they know when to arrive. I laugh because every year around this time I see in the paper that spring is holding on and we can expect a late break up. Yet every year the fowl arrive right on time and so does break up. Break up is a time of pot holes, and wellie boots, each day you wonder outside to see what has thawed out of the snow, be it grass or some bit of trash you have to pick up. Day by day and inch by inch the snow withers and soon the grass and flowers are once again growing. Soon the bugs are out and rushing to complete their hurried life cycles. Like myself who will be bustling to get my garden going, with my head net as a crown.

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

They are so easy and so good everyone will love them. I was first given them in elementary school and they are just as good today.

In a sauce pan,  melt one stick of butter and 1 cup of sugar add 1 bag of white and one bag of semi sweet chocolate chips  and 1 cup peanut butter, heat until melted well. Turn off heat add 3 or 4 cups quick oats and cover with lid and let sit for 3 min, this allows the oats to suck up some moisture. Then quickly using an ice cream scoop make cookies let cool and they will become firm.

The NENANA ICE CLASSIC

IT is that time of year again in the quaint little village of Nenana, Alaska. The Nenana Ice Classic official clock has been connected to the watch tower and now mother nature is the final judge in the last Game of its kind. Started in Alaska's Territory Days back in 1917 when the boys of the Alaska Railroad rolled into town to what was then the end of the highway and the railway. The 5 year project was to build what would then be the longest single span railroad bridge in the United States over the raging Tanana River and finally connect the interior city of Fairbanks to the much needed flow of goods provided by the Alaska Railroad.  With the rail connection the interior of Alaska was officially open for business and started to boom.
The first Ice Classic was held in a rather unofficial way in 1917, when a group of Railroad Engineers met at Mike's, a local drinking establishment. They bet on when the ice of the Tanana River would go out, heralding the arrival of summer in the small town of Nenana. From then until today the prize has grown considerably now winners receive a prize of around 300,000 dollars by guessing the day, hour and minute that the famous black and white Tripod makes its way down river, breaking the official clock cord. Tickets are on sale until April 5th and the river usually makes an exit late April to early May.
Nenana Ice Classic

God's Greatest Gift

Grand kids..they are a gift! We are having a visit from three of our ten grand kids right now and I can tell you these three little ladies are little entertainers. We wake in the morning bright and early for coffee and before you know it out pitter patters one of the little twins. Papa, Meemaw they call down the hall. I know they have been laying in their bed quietly listening for a sound from our room. Knowing that when they do they can come on down the hall for a happy good morning hug and a little song. They cozy up with us in our chairs and sleepily blink at the morning news show and wake up with us.
The cutest little brown eyes look up at us in wonder of everything we do, from making dinner to writing my blog. Little voices ask curiously, what ya doing? We play games like office and restaurant and put on little plays like Little Miss Muffet and The Old Woman in the Shoe. They are our Little Women and we encourage open thought and creativity. This summer we are building Western Town for our  sweeties. It will be complete with a sheriff's office, saloon (which serves root beer) a theatre to put on plays, a general store and a livery stable/ petting zoo. One tepees and Indian encampment one trampoline and a large wooden fort and swing set. This is Alaska so it will all be fenced in for protection of the kids and too keep them away from that old river. There has been much talk about this all winter and the little one's are almost as excited as the big folks who will be building it.
Funny what a grandparent will do for their babies isn't it? I can see them playing there already and I cant wait to join in.