Not according to plan, as usual, I fly out to the woods on Thursday, the 23rd. We had quite a drought this summer up in the Yukon Flats and there isn’t enough water in our river to freight a load with the boat this year. That means all of our gang. Two adults, two tots and 7 big dogs are headed to Fort Yukon on Thursday morning and hoping to get us and the rest of our gear shuttled out from there. The majority of our supplies were flown out yesterday, Monday, everything was is plastic totes and we are trying not to imagine curious grizzlies getting into our stuff before we get there.
The month has gone by in a flash. Feels like just yesterday Tyler was leaving to guide a moose hunt. It was a carzy busy couple of weeks without him. The last few weeks in town are hectic enough when Tylers around to help. The two toddlers really helped mommy out!!! I had lots to do. I finished up the garden harvest. Finished a few last sewing projects for one last paycheck. Ran last errands in town. Tried to let my kids have some kid fun as much as possible. I stacked wood near the house for when we get back in March. I picked up some extra stuff from the pharmacy for our first aid kit. I saved seeds for next years garden. I fed 7 dogs twice a day. I moved our chickens into our neighbors coop for the winter. I tried to have a few last meaningful phone conversations with close friends and family. I did mom stuff like cooking and cleaning and laundry…..I’m exhausted and looking forward to some time to unwind in the woods and focus on the super cute kids I am so fortunate to have.
This photo is at Wrights Air Service. The kids are sitting in a gear bin and we are waiting for a forklift to pick it up and weigh it for the airplane. Yes, Blaze is sitting on a box of diapers. I’m not handwashing those babies! However, this is the only box of diapers I’m bringing so we better step up on the potty training! I think he is excited to be done with them but I have been waiting this last month out till we get to the woods where we can really focus on it and get it done! Sydney was super motivated when she potty trained. She was in big girl panties except at night at 20 months! Sydneys sitting on a giant duffel bag that holds our dried garden veggies for winter.
This is my purple hand after packing away 60 lbs of kraut. There is purple cabbage and kale in the mix. Some I put into smaller jars for the freezer for when we get back to town and some I put in a smaller 4 gallon bucket for bringing with for the winter. The day that I was busy jarring kraut Blaze in Sydney were playing in the woods and Blaze took the opportunity to sample a mushroom that I couldn’t identify. I ended up asking many people what they thought it was and contacting poison control. Nothing came of it and he was fine, Thankfully!
The tempting mushrooms!
The rest of the root crops were dug up, with help from Blaze who absolutely loves picking things. Hi constantly holds up his finds for me exclaiming, big gun!!!
Some carrots we will bring with us and the others are shown here being packed in birch sawdust to put in a friends root cellar till we get back in the spring.
Anudder Big Gun!
Sydneys for into taking care of the dogs than digging veggies this year. The entire time Tyler was gone guiding I put Sydney in charge of measuring and soaking dog food. She just loves the dogs and here she is ignoring the beets to groom Anja dog with my veggie scrubber. I roast and then dry beets.
We dried this biggun in the dehydrator for cabbbage stews this winter.
Tylers hunters ordered these hats that I finished just hours before their flight left to take them home to Iowa. They needed something to bring back for the ladies and I got some good knitting in a hurry practice in.
And alas kids must be kids. I was lucky and they had an early trick or treating event. Sydney and Blaze got to do a little trick or treating for the first time. They had a good time. Out on the trapline I hide candy and say that the candy witch came and we have a hunt on Halloween day.
We had a banner tomato year. I’m not sure if its due to all of the warm sunny weather in July or the fact that I fed them lots of banana peel tea and buried banana peel at each of their roots when I planted them. tomato plants love potassium. I used this I always plant a variety called Stupice because it does very good in our climate. We are literally considered zone 1 here in the lower Goldstream valley. We ate lots of tomato’s and I dried plenty for the trapline. Grandpa Dan in Nebraska also dried tomato’s for us back in Nebraska and sent them up. This particular tomato came off the best plant in the greenhouse this hear and I used it for next years seed supply. 
I was taking my hanging flower baskets down for the winter and Sydney used a vining plant off of one of my baskets for a scarf all day one day. She is so goofy and hilarious. Kids are just great for lightening up the mood….and then testing you the next minute, haha.
I hope everyone one has a safe and happy winter season. Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, Solstice, Christmas, Birthdays, New Year and Valentines day and I will report on the other side! Please wish our family safe travels.
Recent Comments