He's quick

I no sooner posted "Greg's been busy" than I got a message from Lauri with this photo.


And in answer to the question "wonder what's next?" GuessWho (I think we know who you are) writes:
"Weeeellll, today he is putting the hand rubbed finish on the chairs.
Next, I will get him to clean the shop and take a break. Would like to drive to Fairbanks to watch some northern lights for a bit, as they are so much more spectacular there.
Then, he will gear up the shop for welding and build 2 small size wood stoves for the island cabins!"

Greg's been busy

In case you thought Greg just lazes around the house in the winter, think again. This guy has been very busy. I think I mentioned back when I wrote about the island cabin being built, that Greg and Lauri ended up acquiring milling equipment at their place in Kasilof. In other words, they have a kick-ass shop. Well, it gets put to extremely good use.

His most recent project is a birch table for the Hesketh Island cabin and, of course, chairs. Lauri writes:
"Greg has been keeping busy in his workshop the past 2 months. He made a picnic table and benches for the guest cabin. Then, a new door for our cabin to replace the drafty one. Now he has started on a birchwood dining set for our cabin--- this is the prototype chair. Wowee!"

He's finished the table and has cut all the pieces for the chairs. He'll have them done in no time, I'm sure, and then he'll pick another project. Hmmm, wonder what's next?

Hunting trip, Part 3

On October 1st, Lauri wrote:
"This is Greg in his camo, walking the riverside trail that we checked every day--- and no, humans did not make the trail; moose, bear and wolves did.
Another morning at camp. Then the fabled Brooks Mountain range in the distance about an hour or so away. And sunset on the range we are in, the Jack White range.
Lastly, Blueberry bushes everywhere, leaves have fallen, but berries still tasty and sweet.


The lodge of beavers on the pond where we camped. I told you that they were the big entertainment there, right???
The last area we hunted, isn't it a gorgeous pond ????
Me at the Arctic Circle campground! And hills just north of Fairbanks in autumn's glow.


I DO have more spectacular photos of our trip south, (read Mt. Denali in sunlight!!!). But will have to wait for another day, as I am weary from picking and cleaning gallons of lingon berries today , and must get ready to head to the island tomorrow to close things there.
Hope this is enjoyable for all of you.
Hugs, Lauri"

Hunting trip, Part 1

On September 28th, Lauri wrote:
"We are just home from our hunting adventure in the arctic wilderness, and I have to say it was the most fantastic trip of my life! Happily it coincided with Greg's and my 17th anniversary as well.
The country we were in was incredibly beautiful, the wildlife amazing, and the Northern lights spectacular. It was 15 hours driving to our camping spot and nearly 900 miles straight north of home. Being on your own in the wilderness with no one to call for assistance was a feeling of freedom, better than Thoreau, so close to neighbors, could have imagined. Just fantastic.

I will be sending pictures in sections. I still can only see the excitement I felt when I was there taking them, so you will all have to bear the bad ones.
Tonight is a grand mosaic autumn hillside on the way north from Fairbanks, and the mighty Yukon river--- Wow. Greg has good male genes and so most of these were taken from a speeding truck at 60mph -- only so many rest stops allowed per day! The last, is the ubiquitous Transalaskan Oil Pipeline, which is why the road was built in the late 70s.

Hope you enjoy sharing my adventure!"

Greg

Lauri's been in Alaska for about 30 years. The first time I went to see her I had just graduated from Arizona State University and my graduation gift was a plane ticket to Anchorage. Woohoo ! I spent two months up there -- hitch-hiking around, driving a forklift on the boat dock, helping Lauri build her cabin, taking loads of photographs (slide film back then, whew! that cost a small fortune). Lauri's neighbor wasn't using her cabin and said I could stay there, so I had this cute little A-frame to myself. It didn't have plumbing, but once I learned how to keep the mosquitoes off my butt, going outside was no problem.

The second time I visited it was because Lauri was getting married. I was her wedding photographer. Unfortunately I didn't experience the wedding -- you can't really enjoy or participate when you're busy recording it all for posterity.

The third time I went to Lauri's, it was because I was having a personal crisis and needed to hang out someplace far away from my home in San Diego. Lauri took good care of me and let me spend entire days driving around in her car with her wonderful dog Scupper. He's the only dog I've ever liked.

Lauri divorced that first guy and has been with Greg now 17 years. He is amazing. He is the man who knows how to do everything and does it all well. One time, when my husband and I went to Napa (where Lauri's parents lived) to see Lauri and Greg, he was working on a quilt. It was beautiful. And he builds things and makes sausage and flies a plane. He's quite special.

I need to get up there again soon. It's been a really long time since I've seen my lovely friend and her little corner of paradise.