Moving in the Bunnies

It was VERY cold on Saturday, Dec 5. Another super busy day inside and outside. 

Steve fixed the back stairs with a railing so navigation would be easier. 

Jonathan worked on the larger of the rabbit cages that came with the rabbits. The pair had been living together, during the colder days were in the garage with a heat lamp, and lived in spendy cages that were more fluff than stuff. Jon wasn't sure if the female (renamed Maude) was pregnant, but he really didn't want to have kits in the winter. So, he needed to reinforce the cage and make it into two rooms. Maude loves to chew on things and the cage was fair game. 

I took pictures outside and then had a spot of help with Holly. 

This is the larger cage before renovations. A soft hammer blow could harm this expensive purchase on Amazon. The cage parts on each end were reinforced and he added better latches. The cage they were picked up in, Jon's completely unimpressed with. He may use it for something later. He will also need to make a couple more regular cages to move the rabbits to and then this one will be rebuilt completely and used. 

This is Maude. Her previous owners called her Zsa Zsa.  

Here is Maude with Bucky, who was called Jimmy Bunny 007. They moved from the unheated addition to their outdoor cage and seem to be quite content not being pampered indoor outdoor bunnies! 

 

Season Changes

Sunsets cropped to hide man. I love how this tree has sort of a heart shape. 

One of the sadder and more necessary changes on the street. The big locust by Aunt Karen's old home is gone. Took a long time to get it taken down and cleaned up, but it looks a lot nicer. 

Rain was one of the early parts in the month of November. A lot of rain and cold and frost. I took in my geraniums and a couple of the nasturtiums I'd picked started to grow in the water!! We'll see if they continue. Fun fun fun!! 

On Janet's birthday, Nov 8, it snowed here in Athena!!! It didn't last long, but it was so pretty!!! 

Wind took the rest of the leaves off the trees after the snow melted. 

Steve decided to grab the chance to put up lights in nicer weather. The whole house and yard is a big job and starting in mid November was a good idea! 

One of the most stunning days in November started with an absolute brilliant sunrise. The house was lit up inside!!! The day later degenerated, but wow!!! What a world this is! 

The very last day

The lake was stunning my last morning on the Pipeline Road. Calm and not a speck of rain on the surface. 

I had purchased flowers to leave at the house in a crystal vase. I thought the new owners would like them. However, since the sale didn't close til the middle of Nov, I'm not sure what kind of condition the flowers were in when the new owners took possession!! 

This was a bittersweet thing to toss. A million years ago, when I was in HS, I was part of a Youth Conservation Corps team in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. I used this back pack. It is completely outdated, but it was a part of my life for a very long summer. It held many memories, but it needed to be put aside. Kind of like the house out north. The house has always been a place of comfort, but it is just a smidge of my Alaskan root system. That part wasn't as hard to pull or remove as one might think. The rest of my roots, though..Those are still stuck hard. 

one of my absolute very favorite Alaskan songs by The Redhead Express: 

When I was cleaning mom's vehicle again, I found this. I'm not entirely sure how long it had been in the car, but it is clean now!!! 

This angel was one of the oddest things ever. It was in Audrey's guest room and it was so pretty. I didn't really notice it at first. Then, I turned off the light and saw a glowing almost mustache shape. Startled, I turned the light on again and found this angel. It was what glowing in the dark! I giggled quite a while before finally falling to sleep watching the sky and listening to the surf outside. 

What a blessed place North Kenai has been in my life. I'm so thankful I was able to spend so long back in the place where my roots are. Not just a summer, but entire seasons in a full circle more than once. The Peninsula will always be in my heart, my soul, and in the rocks all around me. I'm so glad I brought so many back to Oregon! I'm so thankful my family adjusted to my travels and to flying back and forth, themselves. It truly is a great place to visit and belong. 

 

To Remember

The ashes I sent to Minnesota have already been placed. Here in Alaska, Mum's ashes have been scattered for the last month. The first time was when we put some in the lake here at the house. There aren't any photos of that.This Sunday we went and took her to Homer and the last of dad's to Anchor Point. 

 When we moved to Alaska, it was to Homer. The picture below is from 1971 and the first photo of mom on the Homer Spit. Mom always wanted to return to Homer, we finally went back on September 22.

 I didn't have any pictures of mom's last visit to Homer. It was in 2015 and we were with JaLeen and Janet. This picture is from 2014, when mom and I stopped on the Anchor Point beach. 

 Here are mom and Obi on what was one of her last visits to Arness Dock in the late summer of 2018.

Before we took mom's ashes to Homer, Lee wanted to sing to her. He and Eric were playing at Jamfest in Soldotna. 

 One of the things I wanted to do was put dad in the Anchor Point cemetery with Grams. We finally found the cemetery, we never did find Grams. 

We did find one of my best friends who died a few months earlier, so we knew we were in the right time plot. 

So, that is about where Lee scattered dad. 

The tide was still fairly low on the spit. I was glad, It made for a mucky walk, but the patterns left by the ash were pretty. (they are the lighter white spots on the dark sandy mud) 

 I also scattered some down by Land's End. Another one of mom's favorite places on the Spit. It was a lovely day, full of laughter, tasty food, and memories.

 On Tuesday, Tamera went with me to Arness Dock to scatter ashes there. This is where Mom fished with NIkki and where Dad used to work. 

 The waves were a bit difficult to avoid, but Tamera made scattering ashes look so pretty!

 Mine was a bit less graceful, but mom is now a part of the  upper and lower inlet and these ashes I'd mixed up with some volcanic ash I found on the counter. Not sure which volcano, I do have another baby food jar with a bit more of mom and a different volcano. Not sure where those will go, yet.

Mom is now at rest. At least in body. Mother Teresa was one of her favorite people to quote. I felt this thought was apt as I look back and ahead:

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

Pipeline Road Update 6

So much has been going on this last week, it is crazy! I've spoken with a few of the workers and learned some new things. I think they know me as that crazy lady with the camera!!!! Peak is the company who is doing the majority of the work on the pipeline. Others are helping with testing, environmental safety, and so much more. I'm not entirely knowledgeable about what is going on, I've been careful about getting too close, but it sure is a great deal of fun to watch! 

The work on the far side of Lamplight has moved closer to our area! 

 These next two photos are very cool. The 'line' you see in the first photo and the one in the last are finally connected. The pipe went under the entire road! I can't show you how far this is with just my camera, but it is quite a ways. I learned this is the 4th line under the soil in this area. It boggles the mind how much is underneath!

 The last few days work has been done to bury the pipe. Long trenches have been dug out and the workers are moving right along.

 The final welding is being done under tarps, people are inspecting, and the pipe is being placed carefully in its final bed.

A welding truck from Peak. Everything a welder needs, right at hand!

Changes all around us. Some things are being covered, others are emerging! Welcome little fiddleheads to a new world on the Pipeline Road.