harvest and migrate

Changing of the seasons here. You wouldn't know it by the weather, but the geese and cranes flying overhead in huge flocks these days make it a hard reality to ignore. I don't think I've ever lived anywhere that the seasonal shift is subtle, but Fairbanks definitely has the loudest seasonal changes of anywhere I've lived. As I enjoy yet another day biking around in shorts and a tank top, i wonder what the birds know that we don't. Generally, migration is the best predictor of an upcoming change in the weather, better than the weathermen at least.
the final score. moose: all the peas and kale. julie: tons of carrots, herbs for pestos and winter teas, and lots of green tomotoes.
looking through the scope at Creamer's field.

Peter Raven

Fairbanks hosted a World renown Conservationist this week - one of Time magazine's Heroes of the earth. He gave a rather grim and depressing, but hugely eye opening, seminar tonight. He's a dynamic speaker, and full of shocking statistics (did you know one flush of the toilet represents more fresh water than 80% of the world's population has for one week?? - get an outhouse!). You really should check out the link I added on the side here to calculate your personal footprint sometime, it's more than you think i'm sure. He finish his talk with a quote from ghandi ...

The world can provide for every man's needs, but not every man's greed.

gulkana glacier

great overnight trip out to hike around and play on the gulkana glacier this weekend...

the trail up to the glacier starts with a pretty fun, but sketchy bridge. the dogs wouldn't even consider the bridge so they started out with an epic swim through a very fast current.


classic dea photo, before her very elegant leap across the river...






doggie crampons would have been helpful here. doesn't this photo make her look like she has a little polar bear in her?

dan and skye.

pretty smiley duo considering the quality of coffee that's in ben's little orange mug there. more photos from the weekend on dea's blog.

we also tried to traverse over to college glacier, i don't think julie was too fond of my choice of routes for downclimbing..

welcome home abigail!

Abigail finally got to go home yesterday - woohoo! Can't wait to see you guys in a few weeks...

chena dome

as usual i had overly ambitious plans yesterday, wanted to hike out to chena dome (and back). but i got a late start, it was way too hot, and there were WAY too many blueberries along the way. needless to say i didn't make it even close to the summit, but i did come home with nearly 2 gallons of berries!

the trail traverses through a 2004 burn before quickly getting above tree line.

alaska in august is all about wildflowers and berries.

caz was desperate for shade, wherever she could find it.

the land of many false summits. i keep saying i would stop for lunch right up there... it was 4 pm before i finally ate!

i always think the aspen leaf miner is fascinating - the way you can trace it's path and life history through the maze on the aspen leaf. fascinating, but disturbing. this is the third or fourth year of this bug infestations, and it's just one of many infestations descimating the boreal forest out our backyard. hard to ignore climate change impacts in our neighborhood...

Meet my new niece!

Abigail Rose Gregory seems a bit determined to get out in this world and get going - she surprised everyone showing up a month and a half early! Maybe she was tired of listening to her brothers play without her, or maybe she just wanted a jump start, or maybe she just has those impatient Morse genes? Don't matter - we're excited to welcome her to the world and the family. Only 4 lbs but she's got healthy lungs and a head of hair, so I'm sure she'll be wrestling with her bros in no time. Congrats and love Kath and Shawn, Spence and Bryce - can't wait to meet her!!