BOO!

Yah

and, for H'ween brekkie . . .

MY! what big yolks you have, m'dear!

And, of course, one of the yolks broke as I ran for my camera! sigh. But, it was only ONE egg that produced this double yolk. You can see the shell in the background.

HAPPURPLE HALLOWE'EN, everyone!
>..<

Favorite photo from tonight's Grands visits:

you tell me - how many do you see?

Posted by Purplemoose at 11:16 AM | Comments (4)

hey! let's have some

FUN!!

Go and sign in on my Frappr Map okay? Okay!

You can even add a small photo if you like. I made mine 150 pixels wide and that seems to be a pretty workable size from what I've seen on other maps.

Idea garnered from Ms. Bonnie. You can go and sign in on hers, too.

Okay, friends, I am off to bed. It is getting late and the goblins are all coming out tomorrow night, so I need my "byooooty" sleep. (You know, I was typing in "booty sleep" when I realized that held a whole other connotation - hehe)

more white stuff

awwwwwww, the widdle moosie is cooooolllllddddd!

heh

Clear, Cold Kenai

Did I mention Cold???

Well, actually today we had a heat wave. Temps yesterday were in the mid-teens while today they hovered in the low-mid thirties. Ahhhhh heat wave! Toss those mukluks and parkas aside - it's just like Hawaii . . . well, not exactly.

But it did feel warmer!

The nice thing about crisp, clear, cold days is that middle one - clear. All the better to get some very neat pictures, my dearies.

And, so the trusty digital and I took a bit of a drive Wednesday:

Here's Mt. Redoubt (pronounced Read-out) across Cook Inlet from us. Lots of termination dust there! Mt. Iliamna and Mt. Spurr were also quite appealing, but I couldn't get a clear shot. Sometimes the naked eye can see more than the camera's eye.

I took a drive through Old Town Kenai to get the next couple of shots:

This building is sinking lower and lower each year. It is on church property, I believe, so that would be why the City of Kenai does nothing about it.

And, here is a shot of

Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church

Click on the picture to go to a website with a lot of information on the Russian Orthodox traditions and lifestyle of those who live in Kenai.

Okay - I'm outta here. Lightning did NOT strike twice tonight - we did NOT win the money from the library fundraiser - not even one of the lesser prizes. Sigh. Guess once was enough for us, huh?

This one's for Paul

Who likes to see pictures from Alaska. (waving the moose antlers madly at Paul - hey!!) >..<

an out of focus shot taken on a rainy evening in Soldotna in September.

The store manager comes up with quotes every week to share with the passing public. This one caught my eye because we have a group of quilters who spend months each year piecing quilts for the younger clients at my agency. I will share this pic with them later, but this is for you, Paul.

Also . . .

another snowy shot of the lake

I have another really pretty shot of the same lake, but am not going to share it here. I hope to get it onto cards for Christmas this year. Sooooooo - if you are not currently on my snail mail list (or would like to be sure that I have your correct address) and would like to receive a personal/special/handydandyhomemade Christmas card from the moose, kindly send me your snail mail address. (you know the routine - take out what doesn't belong and put in what does) prplmooseATkenaiwriterDOTnet

Of course, it really doesn't matter how I put my email address on this site - the spammers (grrrrr) have figured it out and I delete several every day. May have to change this address as well as my home address. Sigh!!! When I get desperate, I will do that.

In the meantime, enjoy this photo and let me know if you want a card.

>..<

First

snowperson of the year:

Cool this morning with frost on the pumpakins - okay, on the windshields. That means that the little artist will have a drawing for me - on the hood of the car - when I leave for work this morning. ;-)

There are more first snow pics over at Lessa's place. (good thing I checked that link - she moved herself on me!)

You know, it's been a tough coupla months around Family Way (our nickname for our street - mostly because at one time both girls and their chosen lived here and at that time both girls were preggers - heh, we are soooo punny)

Roughest on Lessa and the Boy, the Girl, and the Pup.

But our family is strong and will come through this also. Lessa is strong - stronger that even she knows, I think. How do you tell your children how extremely proud you are of them - how much you love them?

Why, you say it here where everyone and their brother can read it, of course.

I have two gorgemous daughters. I love you both!!! (equally, separately, unashamedly, darn it - now quit arguing! about who is my favorite) I couldn't be prouder of you and I am so thankful for those grandbabies!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, for letting me be a part of your children's lives.

Well, that soooooooooo did not go where it started to go, did it?

Here's the thing, folks. We only have today to tell our loved ones that they are loved. Turn around from the computer - back away slowly - and then RUN out into the other room and give your mate/chosen one/kiddo/grandkiddo a squeeze and a heart-breathed "love you". Go on now - I'm leaving, too.

xoxoxoxo

'nother picture

Above taken on the 18th near Summit Lake.

And . . . yesterday . . . it started out as rain

but the drops just kept getting harder and harder and whiter and whiter. And, soon, we had about an inch of snow on the ground. And it's not even Halloween yet.

Of course, our first year in Alaska . . . the girls went trick or treating with friends in the snow - in their motorhome! Now, that is doing it in style - and comfort - and warmth. (the most important)

and that's all I have to say about that.
>..<

p.s.

did anyone else besides the moose think that THIS week was the week to change clocks? ARGH!!! At least I figured it out in enough time to be up and breakfasted early enough to make morning worship services. Sigh. It's a pain to get older. Hopefully now I will remember to set the clocks (again) for next week's change. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (somebody's gotta laugh at my antics - heh)

same place -

3 different days

That, my friends, is Termination Dust

It has moved down a bit further

a bit of a warming trend finds some of the dust receding, but it is there to stay, my friends, there to stay.

I got some pretty shots up the road aways - the above were taken in Cooper Landing at a rest area. We always stop there to stretch even though it is only about an hour from home - just makes good sense to walk around a bit, relieve ourselves, and then proceed. We have a couple of places that we do that. Just breaks up the road monotony. (#2 daughter likes to say that between us we know every bathroom stop between here and Anchorage - heh)

Here is one more shot for today:

It's getting to be THAT time of the year - guess I should go get those studs put on the car. Sigh.

End of an era

Hubby and I met when we were 15. As a junior in high school, he entered a vocational program to learn the printing industry at 16. Two years later after graduation he began working for various printing companies back in Ohio.

Then we moved to Alaska when we were 28.

For the first 9 months we were caretakers at a fish plant, wintering over and watching out for the boats on the property. To help make ends meet from a pretty meager salary, hubby moonlighted for a couple of different printers in the area.

Then in 1981 he bought his job - that is, he purchased the print shop he was working in at the time. In 1984 we purchased a building and moved the equipment from the rented space.

We never made much money, but the business served to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table, private school education for the girls, braces, glasses, medical and dental for all of us.

Today we passed on the legacy by signing over the papers and the business and equipment to another (younger) couple. We've retained the building for the meantime, but the business is no longer ours. They will be moving the equipment out beginning this weekend.

It's been a good long run - but we've (yes, we - I have spent some time running the various presses myself) come to the point that it is time - time to move on - time to get out of the business we grew up in, and raised our girls in - it's time. He entered the printing program 39 years ago last month.

And, now we can move on to other things and look forward to the years ahead of us.

Heads up! We're coming through.

>..<

Remember?

this picture from a few days ago?

Above was taken on the 29th.

Now see the same location on the 7th of October:

What a difference a week makes, huh?

Oh, hey - I understand I have a local reader (other than my family) - so I'm waggling the old antlers to her and shouting out a "hi".
>..<

Studying to be . . .

. . . a plumber

heh
photo borrowed from Lessa

Presenter Presented

Several months ago I was asked to design a presentation highlighting the various components of the agency for which I work. After its approval I sent letters to the many "animal clubs" in the area (Lions, Eagles, etc.) and asked if I might have time on their agenda to make the presentation.

It has been slow going, but we are making progress. So far I have shown the slides before the Kenai and Soldotna Lions clubs, and the Kenai and Soldotna Rotary clubs. Next week I will speak at a meeting of the Eagles Aerie in Kenai.

With this being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it is important to get out the information that there is a problem of domestic violence in our area. We are trying to work ourselves out of our jobs. It would be wonderful to see no more battered women, no more traumatized children, no more need for centers such as ours. (one can always dream)

And, so, I make the presentations, field questions, and try to encourage people to look for ways they can volunteer their time and talents to making this happen.

This week I was even interviewed by two different radio stations.

Phew!

Have a great weekend everyone.

p.s. Mama Moosie wagging her antlers at daughter Lessa for her comment on the last post! ;-)
>..<

Rocks in my head

Well, in my ears, I guess. No, you have them, too. We all do, apparently. (otoconia - ear rocks) We just don't know about them until one or more break loose and begin to cause some problems.

I have been experiencing dizziness for the past 10 days or so. Only happens when I am rising from the prone position, or if I am lying down when I move my head from one side to the other.

Let's face it - we spend at least a third of our time in that position - I am a dizzy moose! (and blonde at that - heh!)

So, when I saw my doctor yesterday for the periodical blood pressure med re-check and bloodwork evaluation I told him of the dizziness. He has diagnosed it at Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Go ahead, say THAT three times quickly (THAT, THAT, THAT - ta-dah! heh)

I guess it is a pretty normal occurence and the doc gave me some exercises to do to alleviate the sensation. Actually what he said is that by MAKING my body feel the dizziness, the problem will lessen and go away because I will get used to it. So, it's worth a try, I guess.

In other news, I have GOOD cholesterol. That is, my good numbers are GOOD and my bad numbers are also GOOD. He was even more excited when he realized that I am not taking cholesterol meds. ;-) It's all in the genetic makeup and my diet patterns. How cool it THAT? He told me he would love to have my numbers, but I was selfish and told him he couldn't share them.

My weight, which had begun to creep upwards due to inactivity and too much comfort eating has started to go back down. Four pounds in the past two weeks. I am thankful for that. I still have about 4 pounds to lose to get back to where I was before the auto accident. But, Lord willing, it will come off and take a lot of its buddies with it.

the leaves are leaving quickly

Storytelling

of ravens

According to this site a group of ravens is called a "Storytelling of Ravens".

Now, how very appropriate is that???

Both Coyote and Raven are driven by greed: Raven's for food, Coyote's for more carnal pleasures. A Tlingit storyteller says that "Raven never got full because he had eaten the black spots off his own toes. He learned about this after having inquired everywhere for some way of bringing such a state about. Then he wandered through all the world in search of things to eat."

Raven plays a big part in Tlingit lore. And, from the photo above you can see the truth of this statement.

btw - a group of crows is often called "a murder of crows", which is all I could think of as I drove by the park and saw these busybodies looking for tasty morsels. ;-)

Have a delightful weekend, everyone. And, oh, btw - go on over and see Faith's news and welcome her back to the land of blogging.