Phase II Complete

It took about six hours of serious pick and shovel action but I have now completed Phase II of the salmon berry removal project.  We broke 80 degrees yesterday and my car just told me it was 81 degrees when I pulled into the driveway.  Bet I lost a gallon working this afternoon.  An icy cold Gatorade really hit the spot!

The thicket.

 No more thicket.

I picture a weeping white spirea and an azalea. 

A few annuals survived the record July rainfall.

And I am pleased with the hollyhock mallow...

...which is doing well in multiple locations.

Hmmmm.  A campanula?  I don't remember; but happy to have him aboard.

 

If the weather holds it will be a deadheading and weeding kind of day tomorrow.  And taking the blowtorch to the weeds in the gravel - I've got a bad-ass weed burner.  When you live in a rain forest, you get to use fire in the garden.

More Garden Pics

We did it.  Another record.  For rainfall.  Over ten inches in July.  My garden got beat up.  Damn.

Still, there are bright spots.

Some things like the rain...

And some things can be hauled under the eaves...

On wheels...

Hope thinks I'm nuts...

Happiest lobelia I've ever owned...

And impatiens love the clouds and rain...

 Very tranquil.

Was seriously into phase II of my current garden rehab project today.  Pick and shovel work on salmon berry roots.  It's an ugly job.

Could do it for about an hour and quit for the day.  Backbreaking labor and it was warm.  Still, I'm almost half way done.  So after a bottle of Gatorade went to Home Depot and got some bricks. 

Back at it tomorrow.

Another Short Break in the Weather

A totally crapulent  week...rain and wind like fall.  Ugh.

But today dawned halfway decent so I mowed through three yards. Mom's and auntie's are serviced with a good old fashioned push rotary mower and a rake.  Mine needs the gas mower treatment if I am to spend less than two hours doing it...  All yards get the gas weed wacker treatment.  I'm pooped after I'm done with the lot of 'em.

Fortunately tomorrow is also supposed to be half-way decent and reasonably warm so I can get more done at a more relaxed pace.  The worst thing about bad weather is that when the weather clears briefly you have to immediately do the required maintenance routine without getting to do any fun stuff. Tomorrow I hope to do fun stuff.

My sister is in the initial phase of creating a 2016 calendar.  She hasn't asked me for any pics yet, but I suspect she will.  So...I've been going through the family album.

Here are a couple of classics which I may or may not have posted at an earlier date.

Dad on the 'Linda M.'

One of my favorite pictures of my dad.  This would probably have been the summer of 1969 or 1970.  Dad and I hand-trolled for a couple of summers.  This was in Funter Bay.
 

 Dad on his troller (probably the double-ender 'Cameo')

This pic would have been somewhere between 1946 and 1954.  Dad owned two trollers, the 'Cameo' and the 'Fredrick F' but I can't remember which he owned first and for how many years.

Looks like he was having a decent day.

Mom and Maynard

This is mom with my best pal's (John and Bob Chapman) basset hound, Maynard.  We did not have a dog when I was young.  Maynard changed that by casting a doggie spell on mom which has lasted to this very day.

Maynard would show up at the back gate and bark.  Mom would go let him in and give him a hearty snack.  He would visit for a few minutes and then want out the front gate.  He would amble up '11th Street to 'C' Street, turn right at Doc. Polley's house, and continue about his business.  Mom and I suspect he had a regular trap line.  He was a charmer.

More Garden Stuff

We are on track to set a record - and not a good one - for July precipitation.  We were well above the average rainfall for the month by July 15th and although we did have a brief respite the past two days the rain is slated to return for the foreseeable future starting tomorrow.  Damn!

Nonetheless I remain upbeat about the garden for the season.  May was the driest on record and everything got off to such a great start that a lot of perennials have coasted through a wet June and a miserable July.  Not that there hasn't been plenty of collateral damage - a majority of the annuals planted at considerable expense and great expectations have turned to mush.  But as Grandma Newman used to say, "Such it is..."

To cheer myself up I began a reclamation project today.  I'm going to merge two existing raised beds by eliminating the salmon berry/Indian Rhubarb thicket that separates them.

Salmon Berries and Indian Rhubarb.  They gotta go. 

  Phase I complete. 

I began Phase II, the pick and shovel phase this afternoon.  Given my limited talents for anything other than manual labor,  Phase II is right up my alley.  It is also damn hard work.  The roots of the berries are a tangle and go a foot deep.  It will take me a few days to complete and I'm not inclined to work in the rain so I will be content if it's done by the end of the season.  And I'm watching Home Depot for a season ending sale on the bricks...

Still there are a few bright spots in the garden.

My Hollyhock Mallow is performing magnificently

 Dianthus and Hollyhock Mallow under a cherry tree.

   And my dahlias are going gangbusters (under the eaves).

And it is possible, just possible, that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to cook something with my very own apples.

 Quite a few apples in my tree...

I have absolutely no idea what kind of apples I have - but last year I had a few get reasonably ripe and I took a few bites.  They were amazingly sweet.  So...if we could get just a few more nice days...

In other news, Hidy's mom and sister left on Wednesday.  I think they enjoyed themselves the crappy weather notwithstanding.

It was Hidy's birthday yesterday.  Pursuant to her request, Eric made spaghetti and I made creme brulee.  Auntie joined us and a good time was had by all.

Life is good! 

A Short Break in the Weather

It stopped raining yesterday afternoon and was actually quite nice by supper time.  We took advantage and Eric grilled steaks and shrimp.  Very tasty.

I feel bad for my company.  They had shitty weather almost all week.  Although I trust they did have a nice visit - Patty got to see her two youngest daughters for the first time in awhile.

Chef Eric at the grill.

The Hulbert ladies.

No bigger supporter of outdoor grilling than Hope!

Haly and Patty leave early tomorrow.  It's supposed to cloud up and drizzle so I will switch gears to elder food.  I'll bake three loaves of bread and make a soup yet to be determined.  Last week I made clam chowder which is welcomed by all hands.  The week before it was cream of spinach which found favor on one front but not another. Mom loves chicken noodle but auntie doesn't.  We'll see...

I got lots done today.  Mowed auntie's yard and re-mowed and weed whacked my yard after I was rudely interrupted by a deluge a few days ago.  We exceeded the monthly average rainfall by the 15th.  Sigh...

Mount Roberts Tram

I have company for a week...my house guest Hidy's mom and sister are here for a week.  Unfortunately Patty and Haly have seen nothing but rain so far...including a misty ascent of Mt. Roberts for supper last evening.  Still, I think everyone had a good time - I know I certainly enjoyed myself.

 The top of the tram is 1800 feet. Just below the fog last evening.

 Plenty of moisture in the air...  Could barely see out to the airport.

 From left to right Haly Hulbert, Hidy Hulbert and Eric Pokorny.

And add momma Patty to the mix on this one.

The tram now costs $33 for a round-trip.  YIKES!  Fortunately Hidy was able to secure passes for four. 

I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of supper - I think I have only dined there once before many years ago and it was basically cafeteria food.  I was very suspicious last night but it is much improved.  The chef was hired away from the Sitka Westmark Hotel and knows how to run a real kitchen.

For appetizers we had fried calamari, fried halibut bits, crab nachos, and pelmeni  (Russian dumplings).  The pelmeni were the best, by far, although the dipping sauce was incongruously spicy.  Very tasty though.  The appetizer plates are quite large - so if you want to try any of their made in house desserts I would suggest going lighter than you might be otherwise inclined for the opening salvo.

I had seafood fettuccine for my main course with salmon, halibut, scallops and shrimp.  It was quite good.  I would not put the food at the top of the Juneau food pyramid by any means; but I would definitely give it a passing grade.  In fact, I think it might be worth buying a season tram pass next year. Supper at the tram would be great after a hike from the lodge to the top of the mountain. And since I turn 60 this year I think it would be perfectly fair to cut out the first 1800 feet of the climb - which is pretty boring anyway!

I plan to go dine there again before the season is over.

In other news I must at least mention our Governor's decision yesterday to expand Medicaid under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Hip!  Hip! Hooray!  

Medicaid expansion was truly a no brainer for anyone interested in the health and welfare of the state's population but apparently an unspeakable profanity for the Republican majority in our state legislature.  Mitt Romney's 47% mentality is alive and well in the hallowed halls of the Capitol.  But what else can you expect when the Speaker of the House and the Senate President are LITERALLY on the payroll of the oil companies?  A pathetic lot...  

Just Like the Good Ol' Days

A very pleasant cocktail hour last evening.  My old boss, Jay Livey, has been in town for a few days so we did what we often did after work on Friday - head to the Prospector for a little libation. 

Jay and Viv are living in the Seattle area and enjoying retirement.  Serious grandchild action.  I hope I can get down and visit this fall - maybe when my cousin Sandra returns to Juneau for a week or two in October

 Jay is happily retired.  Chris is back at the department working on Medicaid expansion.

Coincidentally it was Karl Ashenbrenner's 40th high school reunion weekend.  Karl and Jerry Cousins made the Prospector the first stop on what I expect was an extended pub crawl with their classmates.

From left to right Jerry Smetzer, Jon Sherwood, Vivian Montoya and Jay Livey.

Jon now holds Jay's old position as Deputy Commissioner overseeing Medicaid with the Department of Health and Social Services.  He is a great guy  - he saved my bacon with the legislature when I was the department's legislative liaison many more times than I care to remember.  IF Alaska is able to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act I cannot imagine two more knowledgeable and capable people than Jon and Chris to make it happen.  

Go!  Fight!  Win!