New blog

Hi all,

I may be blogging in the upcoming year from another blog, More Happenings. In order for our family life to be more private, this blog is private - available only to the list of email addresses I specify. If I know you, I will happily add your name to the allowed list, so please let me know if you would like to do that. Since I have never used that setting on blogger before, I do not know whether you have to have a gmail address, or whether I can add even your non-gmail address. And looks like there are some limitations. So who knows whether it will be happening. Perhaps, perhaps not.

-Dana

There are eight baby arctic ground squirrels in the picture below, from last month.

That time of the year...

Yummy berries, beautiful colors!

While cutting grass next to our house,

There was a Hop Hop that caught my attention. Not much open water right here, though we've seen a frog twice before. Must be a wood frog. Living in the woods.

Welcome sign

A nest of sticks in the woods, and a sign to make sure everyone knows who is welcome: not dogs and not cats, but definitely butterflies and birds.

Summer folk fest

Saturday we enjoyed the summer folk feat at former Alaskaland now Pioneer Park. The small slough cutting across the grassy field was a huge attraction. The music was great, too.

(I didn't realize my settings were wrong - this should have posted two weeks ago.)

ONAC day 1

The Open is this weekend (open = unlimited number of dogs, as compared to the limited last weekend, where maximum number of dogs is 8). We went to watch the first day. We just barely made it see the last three teams take off. A half hour later, the first teams crossed the start/finish line after doing the 20 mile trip. (~20 mph)

Red light - no problem. Going the wrong way on a one way street - no problem.

Weather was beautiful for the spectators, and since many of the dogs on the teams are short-haired, it was likely no problem for the dogs either.

That's Sonja and Emilie on the last picture in the light purple jackets.

Beginning of NaPali coast trail

From Anini Beach we moved our tent to Hanalei for the weekend. And took the opportunity to drive the road to its western end at the Kee Beach, where the trail for the NaPali Coast starts. A lot of warning signs in the beginning of the trail (though a lot more at the beach!). Our kids did great.


Emilie showing off a bit up the trail - the Kee beach, where the trail starts, is underneath us. We took it slow and steady. The trail was a little bit muddy - enough to get us some obvious marks on the legs, but it was not too slippery.


At the 1/2 mile mark, well above the ocean, we got the promised glimpse of the NaPali coast. The kids managed to get there all by themselves. A few obligatory pictures...




And then we headed back down.