Sudsy Slim Rides Again

We've been waiting for the next movie from our local Valley movie producer. We enjoyed "Moose the Movie" a couple of years ago, and this weekend was the world premier of "Sudsy Slim Rides Again" here in Wasilla. Pitched as a 'Spaghetti Northwestern', it was another great production from Tundra Comic founder Chad Carpenter. Here Landon and Grayson get a shot of themselves next to Sudsy Slim himself, right outside the theater before we went in to watch the movie.


Director Chad Carpenter and his wife, Karen, the Executive Producer of the movie, met us in the theater for the premier. They gave us a short peak into the some little-known facts about the production. His talk to us was posted via Facebook Live on their page: (https://www.facebook.com/SudsySlim/) And...Grayson won one of the movie props - a Sudsy Slim t-shirt used in the scene at the beginning of the movie shot in a fictitious gift shot (he's holding it in the pic below). Go see the movie, or get the DVD when they come out - just like Moose the Movie, you won't be disappointed, and it was filmed in one of our favorite places, Hatcher Pass (called Sratcher pass in the movie).




After the movie, Chad and his son posed for a picture outside the theater with Landon, Grayson and Sudsy.


For my birthday last year, Jolene donated to the production as a "friend of Sudsy" in order to get my name on the credits.....except she forgot to enter my name when she donated, so when the credits rolled, they used her name listed on the transaction - so here's HER name in the credits. (circled). Nice. I guess I get to wait until the next movie.


We also went to the Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats (APH) annual banquet this weekend (just Jolene and I).  We enjoyed listening to the plans for improvements around the hay flats. Well-known Alaskan wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott was the guest speaker, and he did a great job holding everyone's attention. We also cleaned up on door prizes, including hats, a free pizza, a Bass Pro Shop gifts, videos, books and this nice Shane Lamb print of caribou beneath Denali, pictured below, which has found a nice place on the mantle above our fireplace for now.




The hay flats banquet also included a delicious cake - I liked their logo on the top so I got a quick shot of it before it was cut. Most importantly, I met some good folks who live on the bluff downstream from us who built stairs on their part of the bluff about 10 years ago. He invited me over to see how they engineered it, since it will be a complicated build if we decide to do the same for access to the flats from our house. For now, me and boys traverse the bluff using a guide-rope Skip installed 7 or 8 years ago while I was on deployment, but as Jolene and I get older, we will need steps instead of just a guide-rope.

Jolene also volunteered this weekend with the ski club, and supported a local group planning to help hikers do a "6-peak" climb of the major peaks around the Valley this summer. Should be fun. Our weekend was filled with community activities - must be getting close to summer!

Below, the boys tell everyone, "Good evening", in their own silly way.

God's Gentle Giants

 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.  -Genesis 2:18-24

We usually speak of these verses in Genesis to talk about the Godly relationship between a man and a woman, a husband and a wife. But each time in my life I've read those verses, I'm also captivated by the concept of God bringing each of his living creations to Adam for him to name, and to determine what type of relationship man would have with each type of animal. Working relationship for some? Suitable to hunt and eat for some? Best to 'stay clear of' for some. Man's best friend? One thing I'm sure of, is that Adam was at least as awestruck when first meeting these creatures as I am everyday when given the chance for a close encounter along life's trails. Oh sure, some of these animals have their intense moments and violent nature at times, but for the most part we are blessed to be able to experience the gentle side of Creation....God's Gentle Giants.

When God brought the first moose to Adam, how long did it take to realize "Nope, not suitable (well maybe suitable to eat, but this won't be man's best friend)"? The moose in this picture stopped to check me out on my walk "down the trail" this evening. With Alaska being about as close to the Garden of Eden as I can come in this life, I wonder if this encounter was similar to Adam's.


This eagle landed in the tree outside our bedroom window again tonight. This is Spot, our resident female, taking a break from sitting on her eggs in the nest near the house. When God brought the Bald Eagle to Adam, I wonder if that encounter was similar to this. I don't suspect it would take Adam long to realize, "Beautiful creature, but not suitable as a helper for me".


Now, when God brought the dog to Adam for him to name, I'm guessing that was as close as any animal came to being a suitable helper. Adam probably had to think long and hard about this one. Maybe he coined the phrase "man's best friend" right there at that moment. Not perfectly suitable, clearly, but I'm awful glad God created the dog.


I've seen plenty of pictures taken by people at a beach or pool, with just their feet in the picture, to hint at their version of paradise. I guess this is my version, taking a short breather on my walk with Dino through our "Garden of Eden".


"Break-Up" is upon us. The time of year when the ices breaks up on the rivers and creeks (and in our yards). When the ice 'goes out', meaning breaks up and floats downstream, we watch for ice-jam induced flooding. But this year, like last, has been a nice gradual (and early) warming, and the rivers seem to be breaking up more calmly. Other parts of the world are enjoying the season of Spring, but here in Alaska it is "break up" season.


Grayson was an auctioneer at his school performance of "Yo, Leonardo!", and sported his favorite bow-tie.


Auctioning off a work of art to start the performance. Do I hear $20,000?


Dino and Heidi, they seem to be getting along pretty well. I can only imagine that the first cat likely paid no attention to Adam at all when first brought to him, unless he had catnip in his pocket.


Squirrel!!


I suspect Dino is trying to convince himself in this picture that "If my eyes are closed, the moose can't see me".

Reflections Lake

Perfect day for a 'warm' walk around Reflections Lake. Still snow on the ground, but the temps hit a balmy 50 degrees. The wetlands trail is usually under water on our visits to this lake, so with the ground still frozen we decided to walk out to the confluence of the Knik and Matanuska Rivers. Lots of large uprooted trees deposited here from erosion on the Matanuska River upstream, which makes for some fun climbing for the boys. The views of Pioneer Peak and Twin Peaks from here are epic.


Family picture on the Hay Flats.


Looking across frozen Reflections Lake at Pioneer Peak and Twin Peaks. The mountains look like paintings this time of year.


Pic above is Grayson standing next to the same tree he posed against four years ago. Older picture posted below for comparison.


The tree has undergone some changes, someone peeled off more bark. And Grayson has grown quite a bit since then as well, but at least today he didn't have to withstand the onslaught of mosquitoes biting his forehead like he was doing four years ago in this picture.


The Rest-uary (the recently built viewing tower across the lake).


Taking a break.


I guess we live in the 'crash zone'. Not sure if that's good or bad, but it makes for some great scenery.

Spring is Coming

Spring seems to have finally arrived, with 50 degree temps forecast for all of next week. The eagles are rebuilding an older nest, closer to our house. This is the nest that is just below the bluff from us, and is visible from the house. It was vacant last season, but we're glad to see that Spot and mate have decided to occupy it this season.


We almost lost Dino this week. Last Sunday afternoon he began to get sick. He was throwing up constantly through the night, and by Monday morning he could barely move and wasn't responsive. The vet thought it was an obstruction, but tests showed it was a severe case of pancreatitis. Later that day his liver started to fail, but after being admitted and spending a day on IV antibiotics and other meds, he would eventually be released and come back home later in the week. He didn't start eating again until today - nearly a week without food, but the IVs kept him hydrated enough to begin to heal. Turns out that the cause of the pancreatitis was a cup of bacon grease I had let him snack on last weekend which caused his pancreas to inflame and start to digest itself (as well as his liver which is adjacent to the pancreas). Now he's back home, starting to eat again, and starting to return to his old self....and moving around well enough to go on short walks.


Spot was watching over the hay flats Friday evening in the tree outside our bedroom.


One of the juveniles from a past breeding season is hanging around as well. Some believe that juvenile eagles can return in subsequent years to help their parents raise the next brood. Others say that the breeding pair will drive off all other eagles, even their own offspring from previous years. But our local pair don't seem interested in driving this juvenile off, so maybe it will stay to help raise this year's brood. It takes 4-5 years before a young bald eagle grows into their white head and tail, and is ready to mate. This one is probably 2 or 3 years old based on how much white has started to show on its head, though it could be younger.


Today our pair returned to the tree outside our bedroom as they took a break from collecting sticks for the nest. Spot is the one perched lower - it is the larger of the pair, so is likely the female. The smaller one perched higher is the new mate Spot paired with last year. Spot's original mate disappeared two years ago, and this new younger mate's first year with Spot was last year, and it returned again this year.


Heidi readies herself to pounce on a squirrel at the base of three (she was unsuccessful).


Another sign of Spring, the chairs are back on the bluff's edge.


Heidi, checking on Dino to make sure he is doing ok.


Easter Day selfie (two moose are visible in the trees above Landon's head).

Moose strolling by - munching as they go.

We've been seeing horse hoof prints on the road's shoulder lately, and here one of the cameras showed us where the prints are coming from.