Over the past few days...

Since I am not the most regular poster in the blogosphere, here's what's happened to me.

More encounters with critters. No large ones, though (however, a friend of mine did bag a black bear near the barn where we keep some of our building supplies). The moose seem to be content to stay away from us during the tourist season. Of course, the fires burning around Jarvis Creek might also have something to do with that, too.

Yes, this is Alaska, and fires are as much a part of our summers as the 24-hr daylight and mosquitoes. However, whereas the latter two are largely natural phenomena, that's not always the case with fires. Like the one out in Nenana...that one was started by negligence--the guy didn't make absolutely sure his burn pile was out, and now some 45,000 acres are gone and still going.

But getting back to the critters. While the screech owls are gone (no, I didn't shoot any of them), the arctic hares are hopping about. Two of them were playing tag in the parking lot over at Rika's.













About a day later, I was taking a shortcut through some woods to pick up my laundry. At the end of the trail was a missed opportunity: A grouse, not even 2 yards in front of me.

Normally, I carry my .45 through that trail. Not that evening. Good thing for that grouse, too. I would have had a little appetizer for supper this weekend.

Geez, I could have nailed it with a good-sized rock. But all that were around me were dirt clods.

But anyway, thankfully, I have over two dozen Bratwurst and two dozen beers for a cookout I'm wanting to hold sometime soon.

We're entertaining some guests from Switzerland for the next couple of weeks. I've known this family from the early '90s, and they are partially responsible for my current residence here in AK.

At any rate, since we eat most of our meals together on the farm, Jörg was standing there in the center table, sipping a cup of coffee. I thought I'd have a little fun with him, since the center table is usually picked on to lead everyone in a little song before breakfast.

I asked him if he'd be interested in singing something in German. He said, certainly, if only there were someone to help him along. So, we broke into a round of a song everyone here knows in English, but he and his group out near Zürich translated into German.

Great way to start off the day.

And now, I end the day walking through some rain to take care of my client, then I'll pop open an Amber, and call it a day.