Commitment! Actions speak louder than words!!
What a view!!
When a person commits to something, it is an agreement to giving their all to that thing. It is not just a word, commitment is
This group made some huge finds in Cheney Lake!!
an action.
I have made the commmitment to get another degree and this time it will be in Environmental Studies. This means I will do whatever it takes to make this happen for me. I am hoping I will be done in two years, not three. I am not only saying this, but I have put action to it. How?
This summer I have been working on my junior praticum and it involves completing various environmental projects
in which I have become involved in community projects not only in Anchorage, but also down in Homer, AK.
Of course I had to go to Homer because I love the place and the people there. I feel like I am at home in Homer.
I met so many people that live there that are sustainable and environmentally frinedly folks. My next trip down I was invited back by so many people I am not sure if I will have time to visit everyone!!
My first stop was to go to KBBI radio station and help them start a garden on the other side of the building they occupied. This was a god send because through her, I got hooked up in the city with many other folks that grew organic gardens. One name came up often as I spoke to people and now I am privvy to the sustainable Homer email list.
The day ended with a visit to one of the Marimba bands practices. I was thinking I would only stay half an hour. I stayed the entire pracitce.. it was so amazing and beautiful to hear one of the five marimba bands in H omer pracitce. I was quite surprised when someone mentioned margaritas and the next thing i know, we are heading to Don Jose’s restaurant!!
I also cleaned out a greenhouse for the Land Trust there. I was so happy to meet so many wonderful people. After cleaning the greenhouse, I was invited to the Dawg to hear Sailor stories. It was a great time and I felt so much at
home with all those story tellers!! Good thing I was staying on the spit, it was not a long way home and I could not get pulled over for drunk driving!!
What a mess
I met and worked with folks from the Islands and Oceans Center in which I was invited back to go to Peterson Bay and do a clam survey later this summer.
In my commitment, I am trying to learn about the benefits of eating organic foods and cooking with more natural products. Since my commitment has grown stronger, I have also chosen which market I will do most of my shopping at. This market is also where I have found my most wonderful friend that supports me in my endeavors. Another God-Send!! I am so lucky!!
Now that is commitment, he helps me, I help him. He asks me how I am, I ask him how he is and so on. We help each other, its not a ” all about me” type of deal. Its a win win siuation for both of us. I am very happy with this man!!
I also commmited to making the environment a better place. Here is how: I ride my bike all around town so I can leave a smaller carbon footprint or I walk!! What a great way to get some good exercise!!
I ride the bus if necessary. My car sits in the driveway alot . Its used to run multiple errands and on long rides with others.
I buy items that are in recyclable containers. Such as laundry powder. ( Yes, I went back to powder) Plastic bottles have a harder time being recycled here in Anchorage and so therefore I have gone to paper boxes. I buy drinks in metal cans so they can easily be recyled and I use a stainless steel water bottle. I air dry my clothes. Saves me money and my clothes last longer. I clean with natural products like baking soda and vinegar. Costs a whole lot less than the man made chemicals and is better for me and the earth!!
I buy local. Local buying supports Alaska’s economy. Everyone wins when consumers buy local. I do it buy supporting local shops such as Speedway Cycles instead of REI and I buy veggies at the farmer’s market when I can or from a local CSA. When in Homer, I know enough folks that give away fresh veggies so I can have a wonderful supply when down there.
I cook large meals. I recently made a wonderful batch of turkey chili and was pleaseantly pleased with my outcome. I made enough to freeze for when I go camping the next time. Sharing this food with other campers is a great way to introduce non believers to turkey/tofu food!!
My commitment goes beyond what I do at my house. I am currently seeking out wild alaska plants that are edible. Many people cannot believe that marigolds are good for sore skin. Jalapaenos are good for congestion. Yes, food is medicine if it is used for the right reasons. But the food shoudl be pesticide free.
To me, life needs a purpose, without a purpose life is meaningless. All that constant drinking and partying gets old and is pointless. Not many people will remember you in the next week.
However, the environment will be around a long time and if each of us do our part to protect it, it will last a long time and I want my commitment to show for something. Partying all the time does nothing but perhaps a liver transplant. What do your actions say about you?
June 6, 2009 
I came to Alaska eight years ago even though I had been told “the odds are good but the goods are odd”.
I did not realize this meant the human population!! I have had some strange human encounters while living up here and have not had one bad incident with animals. In fact, I have been very close to moose and have not been attacked. I have come close to bears and have not been attacked. But, getting close to humans is a different story. Perhaps it’s those that I choose to make friends with. Perhaps.
Sun set shows the cols as it reflects off a building in January.
I was told when I first came up here that people that move to Alaska move here to get away in an attempt to run away from something. The only thing I wanted to run away from was this town I grew up in and saw no future in it for me. I needed direction, a change, more mountain air. So my choice to either move to Kalispell, Mt or to Alaska was won over once I had visited Alaska.
So, now that I have been up here for eight years, I feel like I have finally met some wonderful people that I can call friends. Funny for me though, it seems my friends and those that I can count on are all older than me. I don’t know why, but even growing up I got along better with my brothers that were over fifteen years older than me.
For some reason, I have been attracted to Homer, AK since my initial visit. A few weeks ago, I went to do some work for my practicum and found that the people in Homer are extremely inviting and fun to hang around with. I am now planning another week’s visit to this wonderful town. This time though will mark a wonderful trip across Katchamak Bay to Tutka bay. A small, remote island where one can live off the land for months at a time before the heavy snow falls. My next trip to Homer will include traveling across the bay to Peterson Bay to do clam surveying. Ive also been invited back to just enjoy people and t heir hospitality. How can I resist!!!
I also know that a lot of men who are not afraid of hard workand work out of and in Homer. Last year a guy that wanted to go out on his boat and had let his deckhand off fo r the day offered to take me and my frined out. Sadly enough, we had already had plans to do some clamdigging.
Fire
Although these trips include work, it shows that the town is still open to operating on the barter system. Larger cities deem in only money and no trust in a person’s word. I firmly believe in the barter system and believe in being rewarded for those who earnestly seek rewards for hard work. It seems like I am finnally getting paid for all of the time I spent giving to people in the last twenty years.
I keep saying I want to move to Homer, this has proven to me that Homer could indeed be the place for me to live. I have old fashioned values and Homer loves those kind of people who are willing to give in receipt for something other than money. I have found the people there appreciative of anyone willing to help and lend a hand. That is something hard to find today.
Anchorage has taught me that many single people are single because of how they choose to live and act towards those they get close to.
Although Homer has a lot of bars, there are other things to do besides go to the bars. Fortunatley for me, I have met crafters and bakers that are always wanting to get to gether for one reason or another. Bars, going to them constantly, are a waste of time and money. I did that after high school and have grown out of the need to make an ass of myself.
I did not come to Alaska in order to run away from something, I came to experince life in a whole new way!! And that I have been!!
One thing that I will say, the odds are good, but the goods are odd.
As you can see, I am still single!! ( but loving it)!!
January 15, 2009 
- Hoar Frost aligns the trees all season long this winter.
2009 began literally with a bang this year. As the party I was at saw the city’s fireworks go off at 8 PM AKT and then our party began.
Acclamate to the Cold!!
December 23, 2008
Filed under Uncategorized
Tags: Alaska, Cold, cycling, Moose, Solstice, Winter, Winter Alaska Moose Snow Cold
First big snowfall of the season made for great cross country skiing.
It was an interesting ride home.
Welcome to Alaska!! More like, Welcome Winter!!
As Alaska embarks upon the 20th of December, we also embark upon Solstice. The time of year we love to celebrate, not because it’s Christmas, but because its the shortest day of the year which means we begin to gain light again.
Sure, its only a few seconds a day that we gain at first, but then those seconds turn to minutes and by May we are gaining almost five minutes of daylight a day.
We have much to be happy for! The light makes for longer ski days without having to use a headlamp to make sure you are going down the right trail and not into a tree. Or, a headlamp works the same way as in for biking in the snow. But some of us do not let that get us down. Its wisdom to use a headlamp and studded tires in the snow on a bike just as it is wise to use the right kind of wax on our skis for the right snow conditions.
Snow conditions.. rapidly changing snow can make a person snowblind and we are not careful, can get lost in the snow. Its always a good idea to be prepared for whatever conditions one may encounter. Usually if one looks to the clouds they can tell if the weather is going to turn. But, that takes some time to learn but usuall anone knows that a massive storm is heading their way if a mass of clouds is in the area. It just takes time to watch which direction they are going, how fast they are moving and, if they are moisture ridden or not. Common sense will tell a person to get out of the area if they are not prepared for what lies ahead.
However, biking in the winter is a wonderful way to experince the backcountry if one has either studded or fat tires. It has been recommended to me to let some air out of my regular tires in order to ride on the snow without having the expense of a new set of tires. My defense to this was ” what if I slip around and fall?”. Then I recalled last year how I slid on the ice with my studded tires and was bruised and had a few cuts. Guess that theory just got shot down.
The part of cycling in the winter that makes life bearable is the amazing beauty that one can encounter and get up close and personal to. Its nothing like being in a car and looking though the front window in order to get a great view. Feeling the cold, crisp air and letting it rip through your face thats uncovered is like a cold shower that wakes one senses up and allows all the feelings of nature become real to you. Sometimes, the part that really gets your adrenaline going is when unexpectedly, you have a moose encounter!!
Moose are usually very big, unless they are newborn, but that is unlikely in the winter time. Moose will usually ignore the person they are close to unless something startles them or appears to be a threat. The best thing is to stay at least fift feet away from the animal.
I have several times, been up close and personal with a moose. Not by accident, however, sometimes, it just cant be avoided like when I was walking on the sidewalk of a busy street. The moose was on the same side of the sidewalk as me, I had no choice but to step close to it. The moose was eating and, if he did notice me, did not even flinch. He was too interested in eating. This is a good thing, when a moose is eating, they are usually not interested in anything else.
The other day I came out of my work office and was surprised to see two moose galavanting across the yard. One was a baby, perhaps the same one born on the lawn earlier that summer. The mother saw me, I grabbed my camera to take photos, the mother watched to see how close I was getting, since I did not venture anyy further or even towards the baby, she left me alone and they ventured off into the woods together.
One day I was walking at a normal pace on a trail when I saw a young moose laying in the woods. All of a sudden the moose jumped up and trotted quite fast towards me. I looked that moose right in the eye and thought I was going to get trampled. He stopped just inches away from me, let me further down the trail before he crossed the trail I was on and took off to wherever. I was shaken up, thought I was going to have some serious injuries that day. It was crazy!!
Moose are a beautiful aspect of Alaska, but one must err on the side of caution with these amazing animals. They are wonderful and amazing to look at. however, they can and will stomp a person to death if they feel there is any fear. Luckily, these events are far and few between in this land of Alaska. It does help when we can see where we are going. And having more natural light helps out a whole lot.
Now that Solstice has passed, we are not only celebrating Christmas and New Years but also the return of light. So you see, this time of year gives people in the Northern Hemisphere a lot to be happy about.
Take time to celbrate those little things in life!
