This has been the summer to remember. Our daily temperatures have been 70's and 80's since the end of May, and that is unheard of here. Last year we never really got a summer, but we are making up for it now. My biggest worry is that all the visitors will think this is normal and will all want to move up here and the next thing you know......California. Pretty soon we'll have even more people from outside telling us how to live and what resources we should use and how we should treat our animals.
It would seem to the logical mind that having bears in downtown Anchorage is not a good idea as they tend to kill and eat things smaller than they are...like children. Those who know better than we however, preach the live and let live philosophy. They are willing to sacrifice injury or death to an innocent jogger on a bike trail than try to control the bear population. I deserve the bears; I live on the border of Chugach State Park. But those who live in a neighborhood should be able to expect the protection of their governmental authorities.OK, enough politicizing. We have been ever busy. Beverly's brother and his children, all of our children and grandchildren (except Jonathon who is still on his mission) and two of our Sons-In-Law who had to work joined us on a mega-expedition to Homer and then across Katchemak Bay to Right Beach where we camped for 4 nights. The weather cooperated and we had a wonderful time.
Everyone got along and we got in a little sea kayaking, hiking, campfiring, cooking, eating, and resting. We set up a large camp consisting of a Yurt (already there), a screen tent and canopy, a Costco carport, and 5 tents. All 24 of us (8 six and under) kept each other company and just played together. We got water from a spring and brought the food with us. 
General Beverly who planned and executed the whole endeavor like a military operation planned for every eventuality.
Except that this was the day and time of the lowest tide of the year. The tide changes 23 feet in a day, and we had to haul all our gear down this ramp, and back up again when we returned.On the way to Homer, Jennifer and Tyson's family and Mon's family left a day early to try clamming at Ninilchik.
Unfortunately, after clamming, Tyson's truck got stuck in the sand. After a nailbiting experience for everyone, the tow truck showed up and pulled them out. Sadly, the tow truck wasn't so lucky.
Several of us decided to hike to a glacier and it was amazing. The raw energy of that incredible piece of ice moving down through a valley since ages ago has carved the rock and moved the earth like you wouldn't think possible. 
We ventured out onto the glacier a ways weaving around crevasses and dodging a stream on the ice that looks like it could have been a water slide out of a 
water park....except that it was 32 degrees and ended in a vertical waterfall that would have proved fatal for most adventurers.
We ventured out onto the glacier a ways weaving around crevasses and dodging a stream on the ice that looks like it could have been a water slide out of a 
water park....except that it was 32 degrees and ended in a vertical waterfall that would have proved fatal for most adventurers.We have worked hard getting the garden into production and it finally is. We are eating our own lettuce and spinach and radishes and broccoli and whatever else looks like it should be eaten. The strawberries are starting to ripen and the carrots and cauliflower are growing. Squash has been a disappointment. It just likes hotter weather. Next year we hope to have a greenhouse to grow the hard-to-raise stuff in.
Fourth of July we stayed home and I built a barrel train for the grandkids. My brother-in-law, Kent Larson, built one for his grandkids in Safford, AZ and I was so jealous that I spent two days getting it together, but the kids seem to like it. Now we just have to deal with taking them for a ride every time we see any of them.
This past weekend, Beverly and I put aside all our guilt feelings of selfishness and went out to the cabin Thursday night. We hadn't been there since January and it was overgrown a bit. The bear had clawed through one corner again so I had to do a little repair work, but generally we stayed completely unoccupied for two days and got home about 11:30 PM Saturday...just in time to prepare for Sunday.
The Lord continues to bless us and we pray that he will continue to do so as we serve Him.
