Have you ever wondered where Santa's Reindeer hang-out in the summer?
(After all, the North Pole IS in Alaska you know!)

Well, ONE popular place is the Park at Alaska Wildberry Products:

(Owned by a volleyball friend of our buddy, Mike.)

Feeding the Reindeer.

They were very gentle.

Slimed!

This one kept following me around...I guess he was extra hungry.
(Their antlers feel like a combination of velvet and felt.)

Slimed again! ("Thanks a lot, Blitzen!")

*Photo by Nancy*

Check out this photo I snapped while at a Golf Course in Anchorage.

(I'm pretty impressed with myself on this one...I must say!)

...and NO editing whatsoever!  The sun came out for about 20 minutes, which was when this fox decided to come up to me.  Priceless!

A Fish Tale - Part I

Let's just dive right in with the Alaska fishing stories, shall we?

This was the first time I had the experience of fishing in the ocean, even though everyone I was WITH had done it their whole lives.

We fished out of the famous Homer Spit (which is where Jewel grew up. It is also where some of the crab boats from Discovery Channel's show The Deadliest Catch sit when they are not out at sea). Funny story about that: I found out while we were there that my mother-in-law was childhood friends with "Mo-mo" (the sister of the famous Hildebrand brothers who own the crab boat The Time Bandit).

I feel as though I know another celebrity.

While married to Ben, I have heard countless stories about fishing for Halibut in the ocean bay of Homer. I've especially heard of the monsters: the not-so-uncommon 300-pound fish beasts that fight back and have to be shot before being pulled into the boat. (Not kidding!)

One problem: we forgot to bring the gun!

After arriving at the first "hole" and baiting the hook half-a-dozen times (since the king crab kept munching off the existing bait), I started to get bored. Filled with anticipation and wondering who was going to catch the first fish, I started vigorously bounching my fishing weight up and down on the ocean floor.

And, suddenly...a tug....

Then, a BIG tug....

Then, a down-right wrestling match!



"Oh, boy," I thought, "this one is a BIG one! Perhaps, a monster?" My mind started to race. "What are we going to do without a gun?"


Well, let's let the pictures tell the story:



I was excited and instantly tired, so I called for assistance (Mother-In-Law).

" Make sure you get this on camera!"

I and my MIL both became fatigued trying to wrestle this thing, so WE had to call for back-up (Ben)!

When Ben was tired of wrestling with it, he called in the big guns: "The Wookie" (Dad)!

Me: Do you see it yet?

Ben: I DO see something. It's almost here...here it comes...

It's a......

a......

(confused-sounding pause)

Me: WHAT IS IT?

Ben: It's a HUGE Sting Ray!

Everyone: A WHAT?

Oh yes, that's right. I snagged a Sting Ray.

We didn't even know they HAD those in Alaska!

Dearest Loyal Reader,

I do apologize for my absence as of late. Life has been flipped upside-down, as we have moved to THE new farm (I've talked so much about), started Kindergarten, and struggled through "life". A gas leak has made the new farmhouse unlivable (until repaired), the extreme monsoons have made the ranch roads un-drivable(until dry in the fall), and our tight (but temporary) living arrangements have seemed unbearable (at times).

The many swarms of Africanized Killer Bees have only been the icing on the cake!

SO! We've decided to "skip out of town" and take a break from it all: We're spending a couple of weeks with friends and family in Alaska.

Please excuse my extreme tardiness in informing you of my recent non-blogging-ness. I do hope you understand. I also hope you will continue in your faithfulness and regularly stop-by once again. I will be planning regular posts from the land up North (when I'm not driving a golf cart, fishing for Halibut and Silver Salmon, cruising for whales, or sea-kayaking, that is).

I hope you will forgive me for being gone these past few weeks (and months). Would it soften your heart just a little if I shared with you a piece of top-secret personal information?

Yes?
Okay, here you go...

We're having a girl!


Yours Truly,
The Farmer's Wife




PS: Fear not, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. Things are progressing, and the new farm will be lovely. Many times, living on a farm is not for the faint-of-heart.