in thanks for...

a vase of poppies
the Bible study girls
running by the sea
sunshine
an amazing poetry potluck
the generosity of friends
Elise's symphony rehearsal
a soft place to rest at the end of the day
gold and red paints

I ran my very first race (not counting middle school track) this week, at the Tuesday Night Race Series sponsored by Anchorage Parks and Rec. I did the 6.2 km "farm" version, not the "lightning" one, and finished 32nd out of 150 women in the category -- wahoo! Since it's supposed to snow on Monday, next Tuesday's race might look a little more like this...

Look what I got! It's pretty, has electronics, smells good, is easy to play, has a very sweet sound. Since Sky Gathering just booked two more gigs-- we're the 'house band' for First Fridays at Snow City and have been asked to play for the Bioneers conference-- guess I'd better learn how to play the thing.

Oh! One of my very favorite environmental e-mags, Grist ("a beacon in the smog"), just did a feature on Leith Sharp, director of Harvard's Green Campus Initiative. Ms. Sharp is the coolest person, really. I met her and heard her speak twice this past year and learned a ton. My incredibly brilliant and fabulous friend Claire works with her at HGCI, and I am a bit jealous. Click HERE to read her interview and great advice for 'greening' campuses and other organizations.

Yesterday, we drove to Hatcher's Pass (north of infamous Wasilla) and did some hiking up by the old Independence Gold Mine. It was COLD, and snowy, and gorgeous. My favorite moments were picking blueberries and watching a red fox walk by, all grace and unconcern, just 5 feet away. It was nice to get to know some new friends a little better, and to be up in the mountains and out of Anchorage for the day.

roommate Natalie and a frisbee of blueberries

the red fox

Andrew, Johnny, me and Sarah (and snow!!)

Oh, sigh. Elise, Scott and I (Sky Gathering-- what do you think?) played tonight at the Taproot. It was good. We were pretty good, and it was nice to play with those folks, to see other good people, to hear some good music.

It was sad though. Being in Anchorage, particularly on that end of town with those people, is not the same without Blake. I miss him every day, here. And it got a little unbearable recently until I realized that I am trying hard to make a good place for myself here, to grow in a good way, but at the same time not letting myself talk or think much about Blake. Which is ridiculous and impossible. I want to remember him as much as I can, to be thankful (so thankful), to remind myself and anybody else who will listen what a fine human being he was.

So here's a small Blake story: Last summer when he and I were hiking in Kennecott, backpacking to a camping spot by the glacier, it was getting dusk-ish (pretty late!) and I was scared of bears. There were lots and lots of bushes on either side of the trail and we couldn't see much around us, and we were supposedly in big time bear country. So Blake spent just about the entire time (hours) singing and talking to the bears to let them know our whereabouts-- "Heeeeey, bear. Hey, bear! Don't you come this way, bear. Uh-uh." etc., and he made me do bearspray trial runs, and kept Cayuse close. I think we were also talking about music theory. We finally got to an o.k. spot to camp, but spent another half hour or so, in great Blake-like fashion, gathering branches and moving rocks to make the ground level and soft enough to put the tent on. (He was never hurried, took time to make things right, was prepared, took care of us.)We woke up the next morning with an incredible view of the glacier, ate breakfast and sat in the sun and read out loud about soybeans. On the way back we crossed over a creek, and Blake quietly asked me to stop, because he knew that Cayuse was probably thirsty but wouldn't stop to drink unless we did, too.

in thanks for...

another rainy Alaska day
surviving a party with all lawyers and judges...
political links on facebook (like this one)
Sky Gathering
guitar shopping!
plans for Indiana Jones at the Bear Tooth Theaterpub
friends who talk and think about Buddhism
flowers

Isn't Eve the cutest thing ever? She's delightful. This pic is from early August in Somerville; we were volunteering for our community garden's booth at ArtBeat and it was a HOT day... (Am trying to remember it well, soak it in, before I head outside for a rainy, chilly run this morning...) Thanks, Aileen, for the great memory!

Just had dinner with some of my favorite Anchorage ladies. Maddy, LJ and Elise came over and Natalie and I cooked fried rice with AK veggies. And for dessert? Brownies with ice cream and AK raspberry syrup... (It's all about the food, these days.) On her way over, Elise snagged these flowers out of somebody's yard :o). Aren't they gorgeous? Poppies, Eggs 'n Butter, Tansy, and I don't know what else.

Alaska grown! Purple cauliflower, broccoli and new carrots. YUM.

Yesterday, Natalie, Jeremy and I hiked up Crow Pass, just out of Girdwood (about an hour south of Anchorage). On the way there I was telling them that this is the time of year when the belugas "run", or migrate along the Turnagain Arm. A few minutes later, we were pulled over on the side of the road, standing by the water in awe of a pod of about 30 of them!! So cool. The pic below is of Crystal Lake, which is at the almost-summit of the trail. There were actually some other folks there having a croquet tournament in the snow :o). We hiked on a bit more and saw a glacier and rainbow up close, and then dealt with lots of cold cold rain and intense wind (Oh, Alaska...). It was a glorious morning, all told. (Later, we went raspberry picking and I hosted the beautiful Bible study girls for study and crepes, then had a band rehearsal. Good day.)

Here's my new living room, and the vacation-like view. Hope you'll visit soon and often!

Mom just sent this great picture of Moses, climbing up the morning glory trellis. And that's Cindy watching. What funny cats!