Thirty Fifth Stop: God's Will

Sometimes it is the little things in life that get answered that make you a stronger believer.  For those of you who do not believe in God, this blog will be one you will probably skip over...but that is ok.  My believes and my faith are not meant to make anyone else happy, but me.

     This next week I will be traveling to Fresno to watch my best friend marry the love of his life.  This was also the probable/possible weekend for my Solstice girl to graduate from Guide Dogs for the Blind.  I was going to have to miss my girl's graduation to make sure I was there for my friends.  I have been praying on this...hoping for her to not give up because she is going to make an amazing guide dog, but to wait so I could be there.  With her will and all the help from God above, she has waited and will not be graduating on the 18th.     

     Some may say that it just what happens... or it was luck... and that it is, too, but I could not have done it without all the stars/ powers aligning, and God's will to make it happen. 

Thirty Fourth Stop: PFD

     When I first heard of "PFD", I thought of Personal Flotation Device, I was quickly corrected and told that it stands for Permanent Fund Dividend.  The dividend comes from Alaska oil royalties.  This money is set aside into a special fund, which topped $50 billion this summer.  This year was the 33rd dividend issued since the program began in 1982.  That check came out to $1,000.  The largest payout people have received thus far was in 2008 for  $2,069, but in 1984 they received the smallest monetary amount to date totaling $331.29. 

     An Alaskan that has received every dividend will have collected a total of $37,027.41.  Over its lifespan, the fund has paid out an estimated $22 billion.  The amount is based on a five-year average of Permanent Fund investments.  People who have lived in Alaska for more than one calendar year and plan to stay in the state are eligible to receive the PFD check.  The oldest recipient of the dividend this year is 109 years old and the youngest individuals are 26 infants born on Dec. 31, 2013.  (That date being the deadline to be eligible for the PFD.) 

 

The basic eligibility requirements are: 

     To qualify for a 2014 Permanent Fund Dividend you must be able to answer yes to all of the following statements. 

      I was a resident of Alaska during all of calendar year 2013; 

     On the date I apply for the 2014 Permanent Fund.                         

     Dividend, I have the intent to remain an Alaska resident indefinitely; 

            I have not claimed residency in any other state or country or obtained a benefit as a result of a claim of residency in another state or country at any time since December 31, 2012.     

          I was not sentenced as a result of a felony conviction during 2013;  Incarcerated at any time during 2013 as the result of a felony conviction;Incarcerated at any time during 2013 as the result of a misdemeanor conviction in Alaska if convicted of a prior felony or two or more prior misdemeanors since January 1, 1997. 

         If absent from Alaska for more than 180 days, I was absent on an allowable absence; I was physically present in Alaska for at least 72 consecutive hours at some time during 2012 or 2013.

Information was gathered from The Alaska Department of Revenue Permanent Fund Dividend Division. 

Thirty Third Stop: Joy Flying

     This weekend I made another trip back to Homer.  I am so blessed that I have the opportunity for a mini get-away.  Had some very interesting adventures this trip that took my breath away.

     I had the opportunity this Saturday to tag along with my amazing friend, TC, as he flew out Dad, two sons, and their chocolate lab (yes,I fell in love).  We went out to this beautiful open area, known as Bradley Lake, that was full of trees changing colors from green to gold, the lake so peaceful it looked like glass, and the fresh air that filled my lungs and reminded me that it truly cannot get better than this.

     Once the hunters were on the move, we took off and I was proven wrong... it did get better.  We did some joy flying over the Harding Ice Field that is 19,000 acres in size.  It was so overwhelming.  As we were flying over,  it looked like a perfect ice rink ~ till we got closer.  Then you could see the thick, uneven texture and imperfections of the glacier.

     As we continued through the mountains, we followed a river through the mountains.  Going from ice to this beautiful river flowing steadily surrounded by changing brush.  Even saw a few goats running around.  Think that they would be fun to add to my zoo.

     Coming back around to the mountain, we ended up at the base of the Grewingk Glacier.  You can see this glacier from Homer, but to be "up close and personal" is unbelievable!  How perfect it looks as it twists around the mountain.  Looks so strong and yet fragile.  It is truly breath taking to be so close to something that this California girl could only imagine from pictures and stories.

Bradley Lake from the air and on the ground:

Following the River around the mountain

Flying over 19,000 acres of glaciers in Harding Ice Field:

Grewingk Glacier. From a distance and up close: 

Seat belts were a must for this stop. BIG thank you again to Mr. TC for taking me on this adventure. This is on for the books. Best flight I have ever had. 

Thirty Third Stop: Dots

     This blog is short and sweet really.  Just wanted to acknowledge again how important it is to take time to get creative.  I never would have taken the time back in my previous years to sit her and doodle with different kinds of art projects. ..Just for fun.  

     Last night, I turned on my jams, brought out some fun colors, and gathered the few rocks I have collected (for whatever reason they caught my eye).  Not really having a plan and far from being really artistic, I just started with the dots.  Idea came from my kiddo's class after they saw some pretty awesome painting on rocks.  

     After painting last night for a

few hours, I am happy to report that they came out alright.  Not too bad.  The orange, pink, and yellow one is my favorite and cannot wait to explore more with this idea.   I like the other two, but it is a forced picture and not a free to imagine whatever your mind brings you to.  I will keep you posted with further art projects I come up with.  Love and welcome the feedback on these 3 guys.  

They seem to be a hit. I brought the rocks to show the teacher this afternoon and the kids went bananas. They offered to buy them and wanted my autograph. That is an overwhelming feeling.

     Hope everyone is taking the time to acknowledge some of the colors that surround us in this life.  Happy day!

Thirty Second Stop: Kayaking Attempt #2

   Today I had the opportunity to get in a kayak again and find a new adventure.  We did not get to go to a beach and bbq this time, but went from one end of the bay to the other while surfing the swells that kept rolling in with 6 to 8 foot waves.  It was like a roller coaster that never truly ended.

    We were able to find a little area that was not as rough where we sat in the middle of the bay eating our dinner.  Who gets to do that?!  It was once agin so beautiful.  The sky was bluer than blue with cotton balls for clouds.  The sun was bright to the point of blinding as if bounced off the water.  The wind was cool, but refreshing to match the fresh smell of the sea water that we could hear start to roar as it approached the beach before crashing and stirring up all the rocks as the waves retreated.  One after another.   

      After we finished eating, we were able to sneak in through the side, where the river runs out, to the lagoon.  The river was moving rather quickly, but the water was so calm.  It was glass-like till we kayaked through it leaving a ripple of where we been.  Destination unknown.  We went through the lagoon, up the river just a tad, and then made a circle around the lagoon before we headed in.    

Happy to report that I did NOT get wet.  I was a little nervous with the start because the waves were coming in one after another, but for whatever reason I was able to make it through without taking on any waves or getting drenched.  My dismount was not seamless, but I did not fall in, nor did the kayak get tipped.    

 All around I would call that a great success!

Thirty First Stop: Why Do People Become Teachers?

  Why do people become teachers?  Is it because they get paid the big bucks to deal with kiddos all day, or because they only work Monday through Friday with weekends and summers off, or because they are provided with so many materials and supplies for the kiddos and the room to have successful year?  None of those reasons are the right one, because they all are not true.  

     Teachers get to work early and leave late almost everyday, and spend hours preparing lesson plans that promote learning for the class and the individual students.  On top of that, they are meeting standards, following IEPs and still find time to have their own life outside of the school if possible. 

     Teachers do what they do day in and day out for those precious moments of understanding and enjoyment.  Those moments that happen may be few and far between or may happen everyday ...those make everything worth it.  

     I did not go to school to be a teacher.I do not know how to make a proper lesson, but I put the time in yesterday preparing an activity. I could not even tell you all the standards that are expected for each grade level, but I had that moment of understanding and enjoyment today.  It almost brought tears to my eyes.  After a month or so of struggle today we had success.  We had enjoyment.  We had smiles.  We learned! ....That is priceless. 

Thirtieth Blog Stop: Clumsy Mule

     On the sixteenth blog spot, I mentioned how sourdough is a major part of culture and traditions. I was lucky enough to get a sourdough starter from Ms. Renee. With each started there is always a story on how it came to be. This weekend I finally had the opportunity to make my first loaf of bread, using Ms.Renee's starter. I asked her is she wouldn't mind sharing her families story on how their sourdough came to be. Hope you all enjoy the story, as much as I loved my bread!

Clumsy Mule Sourdough

     This sourdough was given to my mother, Marian Huston, as a wedding present by Miss Lola Tilly, professor of Home Economics in Alaska School of Mines (now the University of Alaska Fairbanks), Miss Tilly had got the sourdough from an old miner, and she told Mom it was around 100 years old (this was in 1963). The original culture was that shared among miners coming over the Chilkoot Trail from Skagway during the Gold Rush. 

   Sourdough starter was a valuable part of the gold seekers' provisions and was protected during the transport. Miners carried the stater in a leather drawstring pouch was worn around their neck under their clothing or stowed in leather saddlebags next to the mule's body to protect the culture from freezing. Miss Tilly's miner source told the story that during the trip over the trail, their were many challenging stretches. Once, his mule slipped and fell over. The mule was unhurt, but the sourdough pouch that was in miner's saddlebag fell and was squished all over the side of the mule. The miner, unwilling to accept the loss of such a valuable item, scraped the starter off the mule, put it back into the bag, and continued up the trail.

     Today,this sourdough starter has no trace of the "mule" in it, but it retains the original yeast culture from those old Sourdough days. Store your sourdough in a glass or pottery containers, never metal. Use the stater every week, storing in the refrigerator between uses. When making sourdough recipes, add extra water and white flour (ad yeast if recipes call for it), mix, and take out the extra by volume to reserve for the next round of starter be fore you add oils, eggs, or other ingredients for whatever you are making. This was you can continue the life of the starter. To make the sourdough more flavorful, leave out on the counter in the glass bowl for a day or two before use. To mitigate some of the sour flavor in the recipes, add a bit of baking soda as the last ingredient before cooking. Never add soda to the starter. If you can't use the starter for an extended period of time consider drying it for storage. 

     The University of Alaska's Cooperative Extension Service Publication No. 61 provides more information, recipes, and general history of the classic Alaskan staple. 

BIG Thank you to Ms. Renee for taking the time to share her story. 

My first attempt at sourdough. It was so delicious!!!