Notes from here and there

1) How?


Cute?


Is Booger?


She looks like a caribou calf!

2) I've just realized that the document holder that I was given with my new hire documentation in 2014 contains a convenient sleeve for a 5-1/4" floppy!


3) Goose eggs are huge!


4) Look! Spring leaves!


A dead one from last year is still clinging on!


5) Starbuckeroo is soooooffft:


6)


Since the snow is gone, pulling our pulk around is no longer an option. But Autumn is strong again and still wants to hike with us, so I got this portable stretcher for her. She has not gone lame in nearly six months, since her heart meds have stabilized, so I think we can just pack this around for emergency deployment. The first review reads:
"I bought this for my work in the veterinary hospital, it is much easier to carry immobile dogs then the pipe and canvas stretcher we had. This soft stretcher is easier to maneuver around corners and thru doorways... it is a bit long for dogs, but we just fold under the last set of handles to match up with the other set and it's perfect! I highly recommend this type of stretcher for any vet hospital!!" :)

Two Very Important Things

1) Look! Behbehbison!


2) Guacamole and tomato-beef chow mein:


Damn it feels good to be a Californian. :)

Happy erf day!

Just some photos to share

Autumn's sweet face:


Booger sez, "Actually, I'd prefer that you not change the couch cover at this particular moment, if you don't mind.":


Starbuckeroo, on her beloved couch:


"Hooold my paaaaaaw."


Dihydrogen monoxide!

Seasonal markers

1) Swapped out winter tires for summer. Our driveway is still muddy, so I drove to a neighborhood park, which has a fancy-pants packed gravel pad parking lot. True to form, everyone who saw me stopped to offer help. I really do think Fairbanks has the nicest people! And I realize what a gem I found in DL, who loads my muddy tires into my hatchback, along with firewood to block the other tires while jacking the car, and pointedly tells me to bring my cell phone. But lets me drive off and do my own thing while he stays home and takes care of other springtime shenanigans. :)

2) Killed my first mosquitoes. :(

3) Willow catkins are everywhere!

4) People are sneezing everywhere (I guess it's common to be allergic to birch pollen.)

5) Dowgs are shedding.

6) Mud is everywhere.

In other news, meese in the tundra!

And in other other news, A bill ensuring the well-being of pets is factored into domestic violence orders and divorces has passed the Legislature. Yay!

Edited to add: behbehreindeer!

A day-old reindeer at the Reindeer Research Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Photo courtesy of Jessica Matthews, Ester.

Two creatures inspiring me today

1) This octopus, who climbed out of his tank in his aquarium and squeezed himself down a drain hole to the ocean. "Later, suckers. Peace out," I imagine he said.

2) This tough and evidently delightful 72-year-old lady, who survived ten days lost in Arizona with her dog. She had emergency food in her car, but no water, so she left for water and got lost. At one point she killed a turtle with her pocket knife, and cooked and ate it in its own shell. She also had the capability to make a fire. Among the many awesome details of this story and this wonderful lady, my favorite is that she plans to use the ordeal for artwork. "I could definitely paint for the next 20 years all the incredibly beautiful canyons, trees, rivers and rocks that I saw... It’s like being in Sedona, Ariz., only multilayered, over and over again. Those incredibly wonderful geological scenes all around me."

Notes from here and there

1) Wedding photos are in! There are *only* 96 of them, which is totally manageable for a wedding, but even that is too much for me to cope with, so here are my favorites at a quick glance:



My godmother:








Here we are with our photographer:


He is a local guy, from the Big Island. I found him via mass email to the University of Hawai'i art department. He's a photography student, but already a quite enchanting photographer of nature and scenery. He said he had quit doing weddings since he got tired of the associated drama and short tempers, but I guess my email posting made clear that DL and I would give him neither. :) Anyway, when he showed up he apologized for being barefoot. His slippers had flown off while riding his bike. As he told me that story, I knew without a doubt that we had chosen the perfect photographer for us. :) He also gamely darted all over the rocks to get some nice photos:




DL was in leather-soled dress shoes. Making me the rare bride to have the most comfy shoes present. :)

It was a lovely day, and a surprise to our friends and families, but not much. :)

2) The little old ladies (LOLs) snoozing pretty:




And I will love her and hug her and squeeze her and call her Starbuckeroo!


3) FIND! Since the snow is gone, pulling our pulk around is no longer an option. But Autumn is strong again and still wants to hike with us... what to do? I went to Prospector over the weekend, thinking about maybe a bike trailer.

DL then pointed out that Autumn has hardly gone lame in six months! We probably didn't need to tow a trailer around everywhere. Why not look for a collapsible stretcher? I couldn't find any in town to buy locally, but the first hit on google was this! The first review reads:
"I bought this for my work in the veterinary hospital, it is much easier to carry immobile dogs then the pipe and canvas stretcher we had. This soft stretcher is easier to maneuver around corners and thru doorways... it is a bit long for dogs, but we just fold under the last set of handles to match up with the other set and it's perfect! I highly recommend this type of stretcher for any vet hospital!!"

How perfect is that? So I ordered one. I will report back what it's like when it arrives!

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!

BEHBEHREINDEER!

BEHBEHBEHBEHBEHsdkflpaj sepf nnsdflkdmafnnnnnngggggggg....



BEHBEHREINDEER!!!

The rituals of spring

Hanging out on the porch is occasionally preferable to the couch


The roof is trying to murder us (but don't worry; we can easily whack those down with a broom!):


And last weekend was Chinese Easter again! I completely forgot to take photos, but I did indeed secure my half-priced ham, and a fine time was had by all. :)

Downsides:
1) I killed my first mosquito last Friday. It was in Delta Junction, but still. :(

2) Pulling my pulk around is no longer feasible. I'm thinking about summer options for Autumn that involve wheels. We won't quit summer hiking, but we won't go without her.