The Grand Old Party

Started the day out with a good belly laugh when I read the Alaska Dispatch article on this weekend's Alaska Republican Party state convention.  It seems that the Ron Paul faction of the party has taken control from the Establishment (read Big Oil) types in a coup of sorts.  In anticipation of the outcome, the party stalwarts transferred all the boodle in their treasury to the local Juneau Republican Party which, I presume, is still run by the old timers.  What a hoot.

Alaska's GOP has the hots for Ron!  Old White Guys of a different sort...

Indeed, it's been a bad couple of weeks for the Republican Establishment here.  Governor Parnell's call for a special session to provide Big Oil with a massive tax cut was so poorly thought-out that he actually pulled-it from the agenda after one embarrassing hearing. 

What the change of leadership in the GOP really means is hard to tell.  The best bet is that the libertarian types who will soon be in charge will find that there's not much they can really do to affect change - that incumbent Republican office-holders will simply raise their own funds and/or benefit from independent political action committee expenditures (read Big Oil again).  

On the other hand, state law does give political parties both at the state and district level some independent authorities.  The Party's role in redistricting and filling vacant legislative seats comes immediately to mind.

In any event, it could be quite entertaining...

Meanwhile, on the national level, the Mittster is now in pirouette and pivot mode as he attempts to reposition himself for the general election.  This, too, will be quite entertaining for those of us with memories longer than a hamster.  The Empty Suit has a lot of explainin' to do to women, latinos, and other demographic groups critical to the outcome of the fall election.   And of course he still needs to keep the Baptist Mullahs, Tea Baggers and other assorted whack-jobs on the right of his own party REASONABLY content. 

With enough cash - and cash will not be a problem for Mitt - it is certainly possible that a New and Improved Mitt Romney persona can be successfully created in the public mind.  Fortunately, from my perspective anyway, Mr. Romney shows no indication that he is backing away from his previous positions on the economy.  His vision of an American dystopia - a society that resembles most Latin American countries in the 1960's where the obscenely rich get more obscenely rich and the rest of us take the hindmost - seems to remain his stated goal.

But more on this later...

In other news, I hauled Alison and Dougie to the airport the other day and they, along with Alison's mom, Thelma, are now enjoying the pleasures of Kona, Hawaii.  Just got a text from Alison and it seems that several other Juneau persons of our acquaintance (you know who you are Julia, Jane, and Terry) are also on a vacay to the Big Island.  A reunion supper of sorts is planned for this evening.  Damn I wish I could be there!

Perhaps my internet machine will somehow provide me with some pics to post from the event (hint, hint).

Later gang!

Getting Serious About the Garden(s)

Went up to auntie's and put in a little over four hours with garden clean-up today.  Raked real good and cleaned two of the flower beds.  Divided a few things and took as payment starts of our Alaskan Geranium, a Ligularia (The Rocket), an Avens, a few pieces of Japanese Iris and a ground cover with purple flowers the name of which escapes me at the moment.  Feel tired but satisfied.

Tomorrow morning I'll go get some soil and soil amendments for one of the 4 X 6 raised beds I built in my yard and will stick the acquisitions in the ground for safe-keeping.  Then I will zip back to auntie's to finish the bed clearing.  That should take care of tomorrow.

Wednesday I'm going to go to mom's and get a few starts of stuff.  She's got lots of Wild Iris that are quite spectacular when in bloom.  And maybe a few primroses if she can spare them.  Notwithstanding her very bad back mom has already spent a fair amount of time working in her yard.  She's got daffodils in bloom.

God I love getting outdoors.

In other news - well there really ain't much other news - so I will leave you with a couple more pics from this last week.

A raft of Surf Scoters at Slate Cove in Berner's Bay

Return of the Swans - Chillin' at Rotary Park

Finally, when I stopped at mom's the other day she was doing some spring cleaning - including dusting the frame of one of Aunt Emilie's oil paintings.  Auntie has some talent.  And she loved painting.  Why she refuses to take it up again is one of the many family mysteries that I do not pretend to comprehend.

This piece was painted on 8.5 X 11 typing paper for reasons unknown.  I need to take it to my friend John to have it properly framed and preserved.

Auntie's rendition of Juneau Harbor and the Northern Lights

Pile of Pinnipeds

Alison and I took the Audubon cruise to Berner's Bay this morning.  Quite fun - although a mite chilly.  A decent southeaster blew through late yesterday afternoon and evening.  The deck chairs in my yard got blown all over hell; but no damage to them or anything else that I can see.  The weather is slowly improving as the day wears-on.

Didn't see lots of exotic birds - a few Black Oystercatchers which were cool - but way out of picture range for my camera.  Also hundreds of Bonaparte Gulls which are fairly common; but I had never seen (or noticed) them in such numbers before.

As always there were Humpback Whales in the area although nobody was putting on a real show.  Also a few porpoise.  But the stars of the show were the hundred or so Stellar Sea lions hauled-out on Benjamin Island.  We're talking literally tons and tons of sea lions.

That's a lot of sea lions

It's always nice to get out on the water and the sun kinda broke out off-and-on while we were cruising back to Auke Bay.  Went right by Sentinel Island.

Lighthouse on Sentinel Island.  I'm a sucker for lighthouses.

A nice trip!

Good Friends

Mid-April in Juneau.  The beginning of what passes as the "dry" season here in rain country.  And thus far it has lived up to expectations.  I actually considered watering the yard this past week.  This may strike some as odd, since it's not really green yet - even my primroses have just poked their noses above ground.  But the ground is pretty dry...

I have been taking advantage of the dryness to spend lots of time in the yard.  Initial raking and general clean-up is complete.  And late last week I built three 4 X 6 raised beds.  This may not sound like much of an accomplishment but let me assure you it pushes the limits of my construction skills.  Any project that involves more than a pick and shovel is a serious challenge for yours truly.

The dry and warm (60 degree) weather also heralds the kick-off of the BBQ season.  The season commenced last night with a 90th birthday gala for Roy, patriarch of the Rickey clan.  Grillmeister Doug outdid himself with ribs that were, in my humble opinion, the best of his estimable rib career.  And my baked beans with apple rum crust were nothing to sneeze-at if I do say so myself.

 The Grillmeister

All of the Rickey Clan and the usual hangers-on (like me) were present and accounted for.  Roy seemed quite pleased and looked pretty damn good - although he is moving pretty slow.  Still, I will be quite pleased to be moving at all if by some miracle I crack 90 years of age.

Lookin' good Roy

Roy and Jack swap lies

In other news, last night the state legislature limped to the end of its regular session.  And, in keeping with recent custom, the Governor immediately called a special session commencing on Wednesday.  The Governor is determined to reduce taxes on our poor unprofitable oil firms - you know the Exxon and BP guys.

But I digress.  The good news is that special session notwithstanding my dear friends Dave and Kris Gray threw their more-or-less annual end of session beach party.  Their place on Lena Point is one of my favorite places in the whole world.  I always tell Dave that he's lucky we're not related - 'cause I would most certainly kill to get my hands on his digs.  Hah!

But I digress again.  The really cool part of the beach party was a chance to visit with my old boss, Al Adams, who I had the privilege to work for back in the 1980's when he was Chairman of the House Finance Committee.  Al's going through some tough times with medical issues but he is still his same ol' self.  I am very fond of the man.

 Al and our host Dave

Marla, Elmer and Al

Marla and I were Al's budget staff when he was Chairman.  I was in my 20's at the time.  On the one hand, we've all held up rather well, I think.  On the other hand....sigh....

Dawg Daze

Another week gone by...time flies.  It's been just lovely.  Temperatures have been in the low to mid fifties.  Pretty toasty for Juneau in early April.  I have blueberry bushes blooming in the front yard. 

Speaking of which...I am now three-quarters done in my spring yard rake.  Should nail it tomorrow.  And then I am going to build some boxes for raised beds.  My undertaking of this project would no doubt be amusing for an observer and will likely take me three times as long as it would any normal human being.  I am not handy with tools.  But fortunately this job calls for little more than a hammer which is my tool of choice - after a pick or shovel, of course.

I love having my house full.  Joan and Enrique are wonderful company.  But their four-legged pals have been the stars of the show this week.  Joan and I took the hounds to the beach on Saturday.

Nikki the Dog

Princess Maddy

A girl and her dog

Yesterday we hosted Easter supper.  Mom, auntie and cousin Sandra.  Joan and I did some serious cooking over a couple of days - about the most enjoyable cooking experience I can recall in a long while.  And the food was excellent - the elders were very impressed and left well fed.  Enrique did an outstanding job keeping the guests amused.

Mom discovers the Ipad...

Sibling rivalry never ends...

The conversation with the photo above went something like this:

Auntie:  I think it's time for me to hold the dog.

Mom:  I'm not sure the dog wants you to hold her...

In other news,  we've had a raven with a broken wing in the yard the past couple of days.  I called the raptor center today and they told me how to catch the poor bastard.  My neighbor and I attempted a raven round-up; but the guy was too spry for us.  And now he (or she) is hiding in the woods below the house.  Stay tuned...

It's De-Lovely

Spent an hour or so on the deck last night.  It was chilly but nice.  The birds were tweeting.  With my binoculars I could watch the eagles on the beach below the house.  The moon was rising.  Spring is in the air!

Cole Porter got the season right:

I feel a sudden urge to sing the kind of ditty that invokes the Spring
So, control your desire to curse while I crucify the verse
This verse I've started seems to me the 'Tin Pan-tithesis' of melody
So to spare you all the pain, I'll skip the darn thing and sing the refrain

The night is young, the skies are clear
And if you want to go walkin', dear
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely

I understand the reason why
You're sentimental, 'cause so am I
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely

You can tell at a glance what a swell night this is for romance
You can hear, dear Mother Nature murmuring low 'Let yourself go'

So please be sweet, my chickadee, and when I kiss ya, just say to me
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's delectable, it's delirious,
It's dilemma, it's de limit, it's deluxe, it's de-lovely

I wandered around the yard - with my resident hounds, of course, and I am READY for spring.  My yard has tons of potential.  And I made a video this morning to show you folks what I've got to work with:

The weather forecast for the rest of the week is quite good.  So...gonna start raking and cleaning-up and otherwise setting the stage for outdoor yard fun.  THIS IS WHY I BOUGHT THIS PLACE!

So there you have it.