Looking thru Two Windows

2010-05-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Thursday night. It has been a long but good day. I have 4 plus oz. of delicious hand spun merino wool. Purple wildcat passion in a sport weight 2 ply. Yeah. It is so beautiful. I'm getting much, much more consistent and uniform. Relaxing and inspiring. The color magic happens in the plying. It goes from varied color change with handpainted roving to the complete deal.

On an other high note, my son in law, James has set up the laptop to be its own wifi signal so the ipod will work at home on the internet. Just brilliant. I'm going to miss him staying with us. But he and our daughter won't be to far away. This is good. Love them both.

Off the yellow brick road

2010-05-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my Hubby and I went to TEXAS. Yes, don't mess with Texas. It is a large place with lots of variations in land and cultures. And did I say it was big. We put 2000 miles on the truck. That is a lot of truck time. We saw hours of highway.

They have a different (read, really really odd) road system there. Intersections are strange. Highways are layered. And stop signs are planted right in the middle of the roadways. All of these are road hazards for mid west drivers. The stop sign almost went home with us.

I enjoyed the trip and the time with Paul. Got lots of knitting done. Finished a big lace vest. The crochet edging needs help Melissa! I'm more than half way done with a just begun afghan. It is of cotton and feels great. Both of these pieces are out of the same yarn. Completely different looks.

Tomorrow I need to catch up on my dying. Blue, blue and purple and more blue. This is what I'm out of in Knitty Bits. I can hardly wait. Lovely shades of blue. My favorite color.

So much for random thoughts. I'll be dying tomorrow in the land of OZ.

Hi, I'm back

2010-04-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hi this is Deb and I'm back after 18 months of vacation. That is an 18 month vacation from blogging. I've been at home with my normal life and nothing seemed to interesting. Then a revelation bounced into my head. Most people have normal lives, at least normal to them, and my life and loves might be interesting to them. So here we go.

I'm a hand painter of yarns and knitter. Color is a passion of mine. The many shades of each color are just fascinating and amazing to me. Each person sees and identifies color differently. I'll see a beautiful turquoise and call it blue. My mother sees the same color and says green. I'll see an iridescent sun set and see pink, someone else with me sees orange. We are all different and that is a good thing.

Another passion is the Creator of Color. God did a great thing when he made color and things colorful and gave us eyes to see them with. I'm grateful for this gift and for all the other gifts that I've been given.

I've been working on several projects as of late. Keeping fairly busy. Always there is yarn to paint and laundry to do.

Alaska Trip fini 9/28/08

2008-10-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

Wall Drug, Wall SD: what can I say. You'll just have to stop in. We counted 64 billboards advertising Wall Drug from Rapid City to Wall, about 50 miles. I was so overwhelmed that I didn't take any pictures. We left Wall SD at 8:30 Thursday morning and drove our longest day by a long ways, 640 miles. Dad and I tagged teamed drove, switching every 2 hours. The beauty of this is that we got to Ames at 8:15. That is, in the parking lot of Hickory Park at 8:15 for a celebratory Saucy Southern. The waitress was a bit, well really quite a bit, surprised to be taking our picture. It was a good end to a remarkable trip.

The next morning, after getting Cinderella, from Betsy and James, that I said good by to Mom and Dad and drove for Hutchinson. I stopped in Manhattan to see Zoe, and Trevor who was visiting her from the USAF. I was home by 9:45. I knew that I had been gone a long time when I missed 2 of my turns getting off the highway and into my neighborhood. Paul was happy and grateful to see me. 8388 miles. That was the length of the trip not counting the 4 days/5 nights that we spent on the ferry. It was amazing , remarkable, awesome, stunning, fun and a good trip. I would do it again, but not next week.

Mountain sheep

2008-09-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

Mountain sheep. We went to Alaska and back and saw them in South Dakota! This trio was right beside the road by Mount Rushmore. They are furry fluffy and I want to hug one. But I'm afraid that they would not like that. I see those small horns. And I'm guessing that they are used for butting complete strangers who try to come up and hug them.

Today we saw deer, prong horn antelope, mule deer, mountain sheep, cattle, horses, sheep, ground squirrels, brown squirrels and bees.

South Dakota 9/24/08

2008-09-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

Crazy Horse Mountain. A lot of carving has been done on the mountain since 1970. If you look closely, you can see his nose and eye.

George, Tom, Theo and Lincoln:
Mount Rushmore. Begun in 1927 and completed in 1941. WW II started then for the US and the sculpture had just died. There were several changes that happened during the design phase. First, he wanted to do WASHINGTON AND LINCOLN. Then he was going to add Jefferson. But Jefferson was going to be to the left of Washington and Lincoln was going to be to the right of Washington. And there was going to be a dedication where Lincoln is now. There wasn't enough room to the left of Washington, do Jefferson so he got moved to the right of Washington and Lincoln was moved to where the dedication was going to be. This left a blank and Roosevelt was carved in the opening. You ask why Teddy? Borloug thought he was the all American president and had done positive things for the US, Panama Canal and National Parks.

The allee of states leading up to the viewing area. Dad is pretending to be a moose. (On our whole trip we only saw 1 moose. It was on the highway in Fairbanks. It looked lost and lonely.)

Animals 9/23/08

2008-09-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

Elk.

Bison. (These were very close to Old Faithful Lodge.)

More Bison. This small herd walked right beside Earthie as we sat inside. We were stopped on the road and just watched them come, surround us and leave. Totally, totally memorble. They are such big animals.

Lots of warnings about bears, but no bears sighted. Or moose for that matter.

Old Faithful 9/23.08

2008-09-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

What is a trip to Yellowstone without seeing Old Faithful?

Old Faithful Lodge is a beautiful historic building. Lovely. Inside is huge. And it is made of wood and branches and trunks. The yellow tour buses out front are just plain nostalgic and cute.

Old Faithful spouted right on time. Kind of fun to see. Also quite fascinating.

We must have all been fascinated, all 300+- of us, waiting and watching. And taking pictures. I took a few and then put the camera away and just enjoyed the sight. I think that this is really importan. To enjoy with our own eyes and mind and not try to capture what ever it is through a camera lens.

Yellowstone National Park 9/23/08

2008-09-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

It was a clear cool morning in Montana and Wyoming. Finally sunshine. We were greeted with rising steam as we drove into Yellowstone. Awesome! Geysers, mud pots and steam vents. They are all pretty amazing. I don't remember any of this from when I visited as a child.

The sound of the mud pots surprised me. Blurp blurp. And choochoochoochoo.

Highway 12 9/22/08

2008-09-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

This is a lovely drive. Highway 12 from Lewiston ID to Lolo Pass.

We are in Belgrade MT. Janet R. where does you daughter live? I think that we drove past earlier today.

In Montana there was a sign that we saw for the Testicle Festival. I'm assuming that they are bull testicles commonly called rocky mountain oysters. That is a tripple yuck from me.

Knitting at last 9/21/08

2008-09-21T06:39:00.001-07:00

You have been waiting patiently for more knitting shots. Here is what I'm working on today. I started them while we were on the MV Malaspina (aka, the ferry). They are 2 socks worked toe up, pulling yarn from a hand dyed sock blank. How is that for some real fun. Actually, using the sock blank gets rid of the hardest thing about knitting 2 socks at once, the tangled yarns. And I am enjoying the toe up process. The heel is quite different so we'll see what I think after that. See how both socks match effortlessly?

Is it worth a class? Well maybe.

I want to tell you about an interesting woman I met on the ferry. She was moving from Juneau to Santa Rosa CA. She had resigned her job at a library and was changing careers. Does this sound like anyone you know? Her change was to go to CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and become a pastry chef. Sounds great doesn't. I'm sure that things will go well for her and I wish her the best. She is also a WORLD CLASS KNITTER. She was working on a cardigan sweater done on size 2 needles with fingerling weight yarn and fair isle knitting. It was gorgeous!

HEY, I just discovered that this blog program has spell check. This is good, this is very good. Maybe there will be fewer giggles at my expense.

Final Posting 9/20/08

2008-09-21T06:06:00.004-07:00

Well I don't quite know how to say this. THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN, and it needs to be fixed. Re-entering the United States is a chore. We spent 3 1/2?!@%$# HOURS in this line waiting to get back in to the US. I don't have a problem with the Border Patrol or Security I know that they are essential. What I do have a problem with are the cars that go to the duty free store, drive thru the parking kot and then get ussered back into the line much closer to the front. I hate feeling like a chump and being peniltized for following the rules and not working the system. After that long in line, no one was very happy in our car.

All this might have been just a little bit better if I had gotten my knitting out of the back. Well yes, 3 1/2 hours of knitting, that would have made me happier.

Here is the Space Needle on the fly as we whiz by. I'venever been to Seatle before and will have to go back sometime to see anything.

More Stanley Park 9/20/08

2008-09-21T05:44:00.001-07:00

Stanley Park has a large collection of Totem Poles in it. There are more here than we have seen anywhere else. Each pole had a marker in front of it that told of the person who carved it and the story behind it.

There were also a large group of international tourists there. Well, I guess that we were a part of the internationals. But I was thinking more of the Japanese and Germans. Earlier we had met a German couple who had flown direct to Fairbanks from Frankfort over the artic. It took them only 9 hours. They had come to Alaska the year before to drive up to and into the Artic. And had
enjoyed it so much that they had come back this year. Maybe I will drive to the Artic Ocean some time. Watch out ICE ROAD TRUCKERS.

But back to the Totems, aren't they just amazing.

The one on the far left was the only one without paint. It tells the story of Beaver and Raven and Man.

Stanley Park Vancouver 9/20/08

2008-09-21T05:29:00.001-07:00

Stanley Park is beautiful and quite close to downtown Vancouver. It seems huge and has some old growth forest in it. Lots of green so close to all the concrete and cars.

It also has an Inukshuk in it. Boy I seem to love these great big piles of rocks. They are just such a cheerful welcome and well wishing. What a concept.

Saturday was Race for the cure here. There was a good sized group of walkers. We just kept running into them.

We also saw a RED BULL truck. A little subaru truck halling around a multi-liter can of Red Bull in the back. (Sorry picts stink.) It was pretty funny when the break lights went on in the back of the can. Humor can be kind of weird when you have been on the road for 4 weeks.

Back in civilization 9/19/08

2008-09-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

Vancouver BC is a crowded city. There are people and cars everywhere. And lots of ambulances too.

The view at sunset looking out into English Bay. Look at all those big cargo ships. We think that it is a busy port.

Hey, I didn't know that trees grew on the tops of tall buildings.

We had a good Chinese dinner tonight. I think that I have a new favorite dish, Szechuan prawn and peanut. Yum and spicy. There is a large Asian population in Vancouver

Well, I am all caught up blogging. It feels great. I willl try to not get so far behind again.

Still no picts of knitting projects. But maybe a new yarn shop tomorrow.

9/19/08 Fort Langley

2008-09-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

We are back on solid ground, and off to a Canadian historical site. Completely new history to me. This fort was orginaly built as a trading fort about the same time as Bent's Fort was built on the Santa Fe Trail. It was built by Hudson Bay Company. And several years later, this is where British Columbia was proclaimed a colony.

Look at the strong man. Bales of furs weigh a lot of kilograms. Paul is standing infront of a bale press.

And now he is a Red Coat. (Don't shoot until you see the whites of his eyes.)

Canadian historical sites seem to have reinactors manning them. I think that this is good. But it does put the burden on the reinactors to be accorate with their information.

9/19/08 End of the voyage

2008-09-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

We are a cute short 3-some as we get ready to leave the ferry.

Hey, I got my hair cut in Anchorage. It is a slightly different style. The verdict is still out.

9/18/09

2008-09-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

Yep, we are still on the ferry. This is a carved seal of the state of Alaska. It is under deck by the Pursers desk.

Did I mention that there was a lot of fog and clouds? Well here is one of the many light houses along the way. Most I could not take as well as this because of all the clouds.

Paul is a pirate. ARRRRRRRG!

Ketchakian 9/17/08

2008-09-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

Look really hard in one of these windows. Yes, there is purple power in Ketchakian.
Ketchakian is a long narrow town. It is holding on to the edge of the mountain without fallling into the ocean.

There is a hand dyer of yarns in Ketchakain. I looked for hand dyed/hand painted yarns from Alaska on the trip. And I found some. Some good names there too. Pink Carrot Creations is from here.

Look for the tunnel under the mountain that the road goes through. The walking path didn't go through there. It was quite long walk into town from the state ferry dock. There were cruise ship docks right next to down town. Lots of shops. A lot of them like each other.

The Safeway here has a great view from their deli sitting area. We watched sea planes land and take off during our lunch.

St. Michael's of Sitka 9 /16/08

2008-09-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

We got off the ferry in Sitka and spent a couple of hours there.

These are some of the icons in St Michael's Orthodox Cathederal. Sitka was a Russian town, hence the Russian Orthodox Church.

This Cathederal was rebuilt after a fire. Much of the interior was saved. It is a jewel.

2008-09-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

Here are the Intrepid 4 as we get ready for boarding the MV Malaspina. She was the ferry that took us from Haines Alaska to Bellingham WA. The ferry sailed at 9:15 pm.

Earthie went into the car deck and stayed put.

We were able to move about. We shared a 4 berth cabin with sitting room. It was a lot smaller than it sounds.
Sorry no picts of the cabin, cafiteria or obsevation decks. What was I thinking?

There was a small movie viewing room. I saw 2 movies, The Bucket List and It happen in Vegas.

Did I saw that it ws cloudy and rainy most of the time. It was still beautiful. But how much better it would have been if it had been sunny.

Still by Haines 9/15/08

2008-09-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

This is the Garden of Eden - North. Wow, what more can I say?

The stones along the side of the road are stacked up into Inukshuks. They are an Inuit (that's Eskimo, folks) creation. These piles of rocks show that some one has been here, wishes for a safe journey, and a happy welcome. And probably much more. I was fascinated that this land owner made so many of the at the edge of the road. there were perhaps 100 there. The Canadians are using the Inukshuk as a symbol for the 2010 Olympics in Vancover BC.

Paul, wishing that he could just stay here.

Bears! By Haines 9/15/08

2008-09-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

We thought that this might be all the bears that we would see. Doesn't Paul look happy.

Fortunately, this grizzly came out to eat. We are by Haines AK.

I know that these are really good pictures. This is a great new use for a sunroof. Yours truly was half out the top with her camera. One problem, breasts. I got stock. But I think it was worth it. How many times do you have a chance to take pictures like these and to be this close to a grizzly bear?. I have more. Just ask me.

We saw a mother with 2 cubs later in the evening but the picts were stinky. But it was great.

More River Picts

2008-09-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

Well folks, this is a fish wheel. The current moves the wheel and then it scoops up the fish and funnels them down into storage for harvesting. Quite ingenious.

Mom is looking at the fog and clouds. We have had mostly rain and clouds during the trip.

Yes I've been knititng but I have no new pictures.

More Open Spaces

2008-09-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

Some more incrediable beautiful and open spaces.

Fall in Alaska is colorful. Have you seen enough highway yet? Well I have seen a lot of it and it seem like it will go on forever.

The Chilkat River. Fast and strong. We saw Bald Eagles sitting ina tree on the other side. Just majestic. On an different note, Did you know that there is a Canadian citcom called, "Little Mosque on the Prairie?" I which that I was going to be around to see it. Sounds like fun.

Kluane National Park and Preserve

2008-09-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

Looking into the Kluane National Park and Reserve. It is massive. It is connected with others in Canada and the US to form the largest continuous protected park and preserve area in the world. It's been designated as a World Heritage Site. This is absolutely incredible. There are, well most of it is un-pathed, unwalked and unclimbed. It boggles the mind.

On the Road to Haines

2008-09-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Alaska pipeline is held still by a suspension bridge across a large river. Really folks everything is on a grand scale in Alaska. It is just incredible!

Alaskan Highway sign. It occured to me that I hadn't take any pictures of normal signage for the highway. this is in Haines Junction, not to be confused with Haines, which is on the coast.
Paul loves mountains. He is loving this.

North Pole Alaska

2008-09-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

Everything seems to come up Santa in North Pole Alaska. There is St. Nicholas Street, the McDonald's has a striped sign pole and the light poles in the city look like candy canes. It was fun and a bit goofy.

Fairbanks 2 or 3

2008-09-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

The end of the Alaskan Highway. We made it! We will be driving a bit more on it as we go down to Haines.
My folks in front of the cute cabins that we stayed in.

Fairbanks

2008-09-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

The very small animals on the far hill are muskoxen. The are at the LARS (large animal research station) for the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. I've seen some of their fleace and yarn. To pricy for me right now. But very soft and light.

Large cabbage at LARS. Those are petunias next to it. The cabbage is atleast 18" across.

Alaska Museum @ Fairbanks

2008-09-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

These are a strange collection of picts.
It looks like I'd should take better care of my mocosins from the 1971 trip. These look a lot like them.

This is a hanging from large to small of elk antlers. It is so strange that I now Know the difference between elk and caribo antlers.
This the gravity defying last out house in Alaska piece. Go figure.

My knitting is going well almost done with a pair of socks.

Mt McKinnley

2008-09-15T16:02:00.000-07:00

This is an even better picture of "the High One" that is what Denali means and what the Athabaskans call Mt McKinnley.

To Denali pt 2

2008-09-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

This is the start of the train. It is possible to take a passenger train to Denali National park.

The Inukshuk here is welcoming us to the cabins that we stayed at before we wnt to Denali.

Denali is a wonderful place. Unfortunatly, my camera ran out of battery and I didn't get many pictures. It was cloudy the day that we were there. And you clouldn't see the mountain. We did see a golden eagle and some doll sheep from a long distance. Still no bears or moose.

On the way to Denali pt 2

2008-09-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

I think that this is the Tanana River. What ever its name it is a large braided river that is glacier fed.

We saw an Alaska Rail Road Train complete with caboose. Note the change in vegitation and the change in fall color.

We are still looking for a bear and a moose. Dad is playing the bear.

Drive from Anchorage North to Denali

2008-09-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Wasilla, home of Sarah Palin and also of Mike Sharrow. It is a lovely town and a good place to have a picnic lunch.

Typical road in this section around Anchorage. Note that the trees are still green. Also look really close just to the left of the taller tree. That is Mt. McKinnley.

This is very close to the vehicle that we drove in 1971 when we first drove the Alaskan Highway. I should say that Dad drove, I was 15 at the time. Many many changes, and that is good.

More Houses pt 2

2008-09-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

These are the jaw bones of a whale.

The home that they were in front of.
A totom pole from the tribes of south east Alaska

2008-09-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

More houses.

This house style was built on the far eastern Aleutian Islands. There the winds can get up to 200 miles per hour. The enterance is through the hole in the roof that also lets out the smoke. Ingenious.

Anchorage - museum

2008-09-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful native peoples cultural center in Anchorage. Very interesting. Paul made it in on the airplane from Seatle.

We all dance for joy! Seriously, the dancers performed many dances from their various tribes.

The center had recreated houses from native peoples all over Alaska. They are very differnt from each other. Alaska is a truly big place with a wide variety of climates and building materials. I wonder what I would come up with if my only wood was drift wood on the beach. And it got to 70 below zero in the winter? I bet it wouldn't even come close to as effective a house as we saw.

Glacier on the way to Anchorage

2008-09-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

This glacier was absolutly incredible. Here it is from a distance.

Here it is a little closer. The edges look like they are ruffled. We ate lunch at this distance from the glacier. It was a bit cooler.

In to Alaska

2008-09-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Chicken, Alaska. We made it! The Top of the World Highway and the Taylor Highway, neither of them are in very good shape. Winding road and gravel and the side of the road rops off into air. A bit scary. Chicken is Chicken because the namers of the town couldn't spell Ptarmegin. (I think that I just did.)

Tok, Alaska is a cross roads. We stayed at the Burnt Paw Cabins. Very nice. We missed up the oppertunity to buy a sled dog puppy to take home. But there were 3 cute ones for sale.

I did our second loads of laundry. And I met an anthropologist who is working on the Denali pipeline.

Doesn,t Earthie look like she belongs here. On to Anchorage and to pick up Paul.

Dawson City pt 3

2008-09-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

This is the main street in Dawson City. Pretty sleepy now.

Some folks go to great lengths to protect their car from gravel. I think that it is just silly. Fortunatly the packing wrap matches the car or it would really look silly too.

We crossed the Yukon River by ferry. I didn't take long. The river is about as wide as 3 football fields at this point. It was Sonday morning and not much activity on the river.

Literary entry

2008-09-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

These are the cabins of Robert Service, poet of the Yukon, and of Jack London, author of Call of the Wild. They both lived in Dawson City during it's hayday. There were 30,000 people that lived here then. It was a boom town. Most of the miners that came up to find their fortune ended up working for others who had already laid claim to the best spots.

Dawson City pt 1

2008-09-15T14:53:00.001-07:00

Here we are in 1898 more or less in Dawson City, Yukon. The gold rush is on and Diamond Tooth Gerties is all the rage. Yes Janet, it is a casino. No I didn't play. Maybe next time.

Gertie gave quite a show. I think that the 10:30 and 12:00 shows might have been baudier as the night wore on.

There were even can-can girls. Offenbach lives! They also tap danced on chairs now that was impressive. Actually it was stairs, my fingers lie. Most of the audience was retirement age and older. One of the hotels in town had 176 rooms. They were closing the next week for the season. It get quite lonely in Dawson City in the winter. I bet the miners felt thiosi way too.

Before Dawson City, pt2

2008-09-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

There were 159 steps down and then 159 steps back up. It was on a trail down to the Yukon River. I don't know how far the trail was because I ran out of time and endurance. But coming back up was a good arobic activity. I'm getting precious little of these riding in a truck all day. By the way Earthie (the truck) is doing great.
Look at the beautiful bridge over the Yukon. This is not the original river crossing. It would have been either a floating bridge or aferry crossing.

Yukon - Before Dawson City

2008-09-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

This is the beautiful drive up the Yukon. I could wane and wax about the Yuko. It is a place of cold and of gold and of beauty. But writers like Robert Service and Jack London have done it much better than I ever could. The Alaska highway is in pretty good shape. It is now over 60 years old. When we drove it in 1971, it was newer, ruffer and had many more twists and turns. My father is reminding us that it was built as a military road and even if the terrain was such that it could have een streight, they didn't build it that way so it wouldn't be straffed(sp?) by airplains.

There are fast Canadian trucks entering the roadway. But I didn't see any of them even though their signs were everywhere. This is a little bit like moose. Saw a lot of signs, but so far no moose.

This area on the Yukon River is called the 5 Fingers. There are 4 huge collumbs of rock in the river, splitting the water into 5 fingers. It was a real challenge to get a ship past them, or so the signs say.

2008-09-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

Mom is by the long bridge.

Whitehorse is a goldrush town. They have tried to maintain some of the flavor of the times. However most of the city is very modern. It is the capital of the Yukon.

I'm still looking for my first yarn shop. There is one in Whitehorse, Folknits, I hope that I can get there.

For the runners, there is a relay race tomorrow from Skagway to Whitehorse. Don't know much about it but it seems to have brought people into town.

9/5/08 Watson Lake to Whitehorse

2008-09-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

This is the department store in Watson Lake. I didn't get to go inside because they weren't open when we were ready to leave.

Today is Dad's 79th birthday. Happy Birthday Dad!

This is a long beautiful bridge over a equally beautiful river. The land is just incredible.

I was promised that I would see bear. This maybe as close as I get. It would be ok with me.

9/4/08 cont. again

2008-09-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Pictures can not do justice to this signpost forest. It is Watson Lake, Yukon. When the highway was built, someone started putting up how many miles it was from there to back home, wherever home was. It has just taken on a life of its own. They said that there were more than 6000 signs. I think that that is far to low a number! IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

9/04/08 cont.

2008-09-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

This little building was the post office, it had public bathrooms including showers and 2 picknick tables out front. It was next to a lodge and resturant that were equalily as rustic.

The resturant did make wonderful cinnamon rolls. Watch out Yoder.

There was a herd of wood bison by the side of the highway. It looked likre it was the big guy in the middle's herd. He was super huge when hestood up. There were a bout 50 bison in the herd.

This was one of the lovely unspoiled rivers that we passed.

9/04/08 Ft Nelson to Watson Lake

2008-09-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

Ft. Nelson to Watson Lake

This was a museum on the far side of Ft Nelson. Lots of hotel rooms in Ft Nelson, most of them full due to a economic synposium. There is a large deposit of oil around Ft. Nelson that is just starting to be developed.

Dad and this Alaskan were both comfortable! It was about 50 degrees Farenheit.

There were carabo along the side and in the middle of the road today. This one saw me coming and trotted away.

9/02/08 cont. again

2008-09-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Dad is holding up a finished sock and it's started mate. Wow we have blazing needles.

Seriously, this is a great sock pattern. It is from the summer issue of knitty.com. It looks complicated but is really very easy. Maybe I shouldn't tell this. But I love this pattern.

I love my Dad too.

90/2/08 cont.

2008-09-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Well it is gravity defying knitting going on in British Columbia. This is a t-backed sweater modified from a fitted knits pattern. Stephanie was just joking when she wrote that it could be done with 2 skeins. I'm knitting it with Greeland by Cascade. It is nice stuff.

Mile "0"

2008-09-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

Dad is starting the drive from Dawson Creek up the Alaskan Highway. It is September 2nd. Hope that we all hold up well. Many many miles before we are done.

I read another good Canadian Name. It was the Rambling Calahans and the Wool Chaps.
I love Canadian names. They make me smile.

Dawson Creek 3

2008-09-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

This is an old hotel and pub. We stuck our noses in to see what they might have but didn't see any food. I loved the building. I finished 1 sock today and have started in on it's mate.goes well, but no picture.

Off to Fort Nelson BC tomorrow.

Dawson Creek 2

2008-09-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

This is the other must have picture of the start of the Alaskan Highway.
Perhaps this is Donald McDonald pointing the way to Alaska. I saw another name that I liked today, it is a musical group, the Roaming Calahans and the Wooley Chaps. Aren't Canadian names great.

Dawson Creek BC

2008-09-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

We spent the day in Dawson Creek collecting ourselves and seeing the sites. This was a must have picture. There were a lot of cars driving through. We met a couple from Toronto who are going up the Alaskan Hwy too. Their route is a bit different than ours, but maybe we will see them again.

1925 townsite

2008-09-02T21:28:00.001-07:00

This is the smaller Orthodox Church.

This is the train station in the townsite. I was interested to learn that the clerk and his family lived in the train station. This must have been common because I saw another one today.

This builder claims that he will build anything.

2008-09-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

This is the lovely Orthodox in the townsite.

Below is the school teacher in the one room school. Dad said that it was very simular to the one that he went to as a boy in Jasper Co Iowa.

The inside of the smaller Orthodox church in the townsite.

2008-09-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

This is our guide to the 1925 settlement.

2008-09-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

These are pics from the 1917 farmstead. The inside of the house was 2 adobe boxes with the sides making an interior hall. The roof was over it all. Most unusual looking to me.

The farmer slopped the hogs with truely slop. It was tossed into the hog's area into the dirt. The hogs didn't seem to mind.

Look, free range chickens. Speaking of chickens, a town name that caught my fancy yesterday was Chickakoo. Say it 3 times, Chickakoo, Chickakoo, Chickakoo. Now don't you feel better.

This was a good looking rooster.

1897

2008-09-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

This is the 1897 settlement sight. Remember we are inAlberta and the winters are cold, very cold. The picture of the inside is much brighter than it actually was because of my flash.

2008-09-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

We stopped at the Ukranian Settlement east of Edminton Sunday afternoon. It is a living history part with 3 different times represented. Many buildings had portrayers there for the people and the time.

Brandon

2008-08-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

Bigger than life

2008-08-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hello & Good bye

2008-08-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Beth

2008-08-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

Jerry ready for a day of hard work on the North Country Trail.

2008-08-30T18:50:00.000-07:00

Dad & a neighbor's dog.

2008-08-30T18:42:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful sunrise on Stony Lake.

2008-08-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

Good bye Deb

2008-08-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Paul saying good bye to Deb as she starts out for Ames and then to Alaska. Earthie is packed, has new tires and brakes and is reved up and ready to go.

2008-08-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad wave to all with Paul Bunyn.

2008-08-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

Hi

The trip has begun. Tuesday was a 400 mile day. Mom and Dad and I say Paul Bunin on the way up. And his girlfriend Lessette. I am writing from outside of Hackinsack MN, on Stoney Lake. The drive into the Trout's is the nicest gravel we may experience all trip. Jerry graded it before we came. Smooth! Beth and Jerry have a beautiful place on the lake. Very relaxing.

We went into town today and shopped at Country Side food co-op & at Mark's Market, stopped at B&J's church and the Share & Care store. Also went to Piecework Quilt Shop. Lovely fabrics.

Dad and Les, Jerry's brother, went out into the lake with Jerry and took water temps and depths. He sends this in for water quality reporting.

I started knitting on a pair of socks this morning. We will see how long they take.