A Real Alaskan Housewife

About three years ago, my awesome big brother encouraged me to start listening to podcasts.  The first one I binged on was Night Vale and slowly built my podcast library to include more than 200.  My listening tastes lean heavily towards comedy and true crime.  I have also discovered that I don't really like the podcasts that utilize the conversational style.  I prefer narration or story telling style. Like Mike Rowe .  Ah....Mike Rowe. His voice is so, delicious and dreamy. I have intentionally fallen asleep listening to him telling me a story. The whole sleeping thing is for another time. I have no idea how I stumbled upon Small Town Murder .  I gotta say...Small Town Murder...is flippin' awesome.   The two hosts  Jimmie Whisman and James Pietragallo are comedians.  They are soooo not politically correct.  Jimmie and James have no problem poking fun at the criminals, small towns, police and more.  After the first couple episodes I realized this podcast is my secret guilt

O sleep! O gentle sleep! Nature's soft nurse, how have I frighted thee, That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down And steep my senses in forgetfulness? Why rather, sleep, liest thou in smoky cribs, Upon uneasy pallets stretching thee, And hush'd with buzzing night-flies to thy slumber, Than in the perfum'd chambers of the great, Under the canopies of costly state, And lull'd with sound of sweetest melody? ( citation ) Sleep...that elusive task of which I have a hard time accomplishing.  I have no problem falling asleep. I can easily sleep on a plane, train, automobile.  I have slept in lobbies, on chairs, in movies, at church and in classrooms. No, my challenge is not falling asleep.  My challenge is staying asleep.  Diving into the deep end of the slumber pool.  I tend to wade at the shallow end. Even stepping out of the water several times a night.   I have had two sleep studies done.  Both had the same results.  Quick to fall asleep with waking approximate

My life finally paused enough to grab a few pictures of the plants growing about my yard.  There has been some wonderful sunny days and wet rainy days.  As a result, tons of plants and flowers are growing all over the place.  Warning...this post will be picture heavy and some pictures may be a repeat.  No filters. The Spirea hedge growing next to our drive way has lovely white flowers.  The hedge has filled out quite nicely.  I definitely didn't over prune and maybe should have clipped more.  I am thinking of digging some of the roots that are meandering in the wrong direction and handing them out.  Looks like some root propagation research is in my future.   The back garden has a mix of Alaska roses, morning glory, Columbine, ferns, potatoes.  This rose bush is doing battle with the morning glory.  Both want the same space.  At the moment, I'd say the roses are doing pretty good.   One of the many columbine.  This one looks to have double flowers and i

One of my favorite seasons has begun.  Spring is always a reminder that from the deep darkness of winter comes life.  Underneath the dry dead grass, are roots waiting to spring forth (see what I did there?!?! Spring!!!) and grow tall in the sunshine and rain.  In the garden beds that look like boxes of dirt and dry leaves are bulbs awakening.  After a long season of white, gray, brown, coldness, wetness and bulky clothes...I know why The Creator made so many colors for the rest of the year.   Today, the sun rose at about 4:30 am, and as I sit here at 8 pm, there is still daylight out.  According to  timeanddate.com  the sun will set at 11:30.  Plenty of time to go for a run, play in the garden or just lay on the hammock.  As long as you don't mind the bugs. Yeah.....bug dope is wonderful. The house we moved in to has had a lack of outside care for the last fiveish years.  Part of our deal is to perform yard work and some house repair.  Totally fine with me.  I love puttering in

When I started this blog, many moons ago, I had BIG PLANS. I was going to turn this opportunity into a money making machine!  I planned to write about my life in Alaska. To perhaps educate the rest of the world about the wonders and natural beauty of my world.  To show how we are the same.  I may live in the frozen wastelands next to Hawaii (Scout's honor, that's how maps show it!) but I still butter my bread on the same side as everyone else.  Most of all, I was gonna be rolling in the dough.  I was going to become a household name.  The next Martha Stewart.  Have my own line of cookware at WalMart. Yeah.....that went really went far. I have spent a bit of time recently thinking about things. Life. Where I am in the world, spiritually that is.  I know where I am physically.  Lots of challenges have occurred in my corner of the world.  I read somewhere about blogging.  Stick to one subject.  Write about what you know.  Be the expert in your subject.  Build it and they wi

My dad is gone. He's been gone for 13 years now. I do miss him. The hurt has lessened over the years, but there are times where that heartache is still there. When I see something I think "My dad would love this" or when the kids do something silly, I think "oh I've got to tell my dad." I miss him. I miss hearing his voice. "As fine as frog hair" in answer to your question of "how ya doing today?" I miss his smile and chuckle. I miss his advice. I miss having him around. Happy Father's Day to my dad. I love you.