A Walk Through The Garden

After a month of sunshine, the rain has finally come back (much to the disappointment of everyone). The garden however, is very happy with the change in the weather...

 Rain drops collect on the flowers and leaves, causing the patches of color to sparkle even more against the lush green of Juneau's temperate rainforest. 

Not only are Melissa's flowers and Paul's vegetables doing well, the wildflowers are blooming all over our yard. Buttercups, forget-me-knots, and the white dogwood flowers brighten the patches of yard that Melissa hasn't yet been able to plant garden of her own.

To capture this beauty, Quinn and I made a video tour through Melissa and Paul's lovely gardens. We hope you enjoy a close-up look at the pretty flowers and the large leafy greens they've been working so hard to grow. 

Our crosses from Easter are still firmly planted in the crook of an old stump.
But since summer has come, dogwood flowers have grown up around them,
making the sight an even prettier and happy reminder of Jesus's love for us.

Boardwalk To The Cliffs

What do you do when you get off early from practicing and you can actually see the sun?

Why you go on a hike of course!

But not just any hike, oh no!

You want to go somewhere were you will be greeted with lovely views.

And that's just what Quinn and I did!

The trail itself was a boardwalk, hidden from the road. I hadn't even known about the trail (which I don't believe has a name) until a friend showed it to me.

All along the path we were greeted with pretty views of the ocean through the trees, but we were headed to something much better!

Small patches of snow were nestled in among the blueberry bushes that were showing off their bright pink buds and the three leafed dogwood plant that was just starting to sprout in the moss.

It even started snowing a bit while we hiked! Not enough to make us turn around and head for home, though...we're true Alaskans. 

When we finally reached our destination, the view was amazing! The sunset shown bright right in front of us, while off to the west, large rain clouds poured on the mountain tops. 

Three seals played in the water below the steep, rocky cliffs. It was hard to get a good photo of them, but you can see one of them here in these photos.

We put a short video together to capture the cliffs and view we saw from them so that we could share the experience with you.

We hope you enjoy it:

'In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. 

The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.'

Psalm 95:4-5

A Boy And His Boat

One Sunday afternoon, Quinn and I were returning from church and spending time with my family when we saw how pretty it had gotten outside! 

The sun was out, the birds were singing, and it was even warm enough to open the sun roof in the car as we drove. We decided that something needed to be done down on the flats, as they were bathed in sunlight and the high tide was beautiful. 

Quinn suggested swimming, but it was a bit too cold for that (sorry Quinn). And after thinking a bit more I got the idea: we would get a little boat and paddle around in the sea!

But first we had to get the little boat down to the flats where the ocean was waiting for us!

We borrowed Melissa's garden cart (which Quinn tells me he borrowed quite a lot as a child for rides down the steep driveway) and set to work taking the boat down the road.

Of course Cedar came along with us (she was lucky, she had just gotten back from a walk with Paul and Melissa), but she was no help - and neither was I really - when we got to the tree line and the teeny-tiny trail our cart and boat needed to get through.

Quinn did a marvelous job getting the boat down the trail. And soon we were looking at the ocean!

Don't worry, we're not using THIS boat. 

Quinn put his little boat in the water and I carefully (with some screaming and flailing about) got in... 

It wasn't long before we had set sail, caring only about soaking up the sunshine!

Soon Cedar had jumped in and paddled after us. She probably would have been very happy to jump in the boat, but we wouldn't let her (we didn't want to get as wet as she was...). 

We took pity on poor Cedar though and stopped at an island (which isn't an island at low tide) and tied the boat up. Cedar was happy to have somewhere to walk around.

Quinn was happy to have a dry place to stretch out in the sun.

As we sat on the island I told Quinn that we should name it! Quinn replied that he and his friends had named it when they were children: One Tree Island. I looked over. "But Quinn, there's two trees." He laughed, "Well there must not have been when we were little!"

Sadly, the wind picked up and chilled us, so off we went back home again!

We had so much fun paddling around that we promised to do it again very soon. I would like to get an old fashioned wooden row boat, but Quinn fears it would be too heavy to bring down to the flats! 

Can you spy the strange creature in the water? Any guesses what it is?                                                                        It's the Loch Ness Cedar!

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."

Job 12:7-10

Puttering in the Garden & Quinn's Slip-N-Slide

It was a beautiful early spring day. The family was gathered out on the porch, all of us wishing we didn't have to go in and practice (as our lunch break had just ended). 

I frantically searched my mind for a reason we could maybe skip practicing(just for today). 

After all, it was such a sunny afternoon, and the weather was supposed to turn to rain the next day! That was it..."What if we spent this sunny afternoon in the garden?" I asked.                                                                                                                         It worked! Melissa jumped at the chance to putter in her beloved garden! 

Soon we were all working together in the bright sunshine, listening happily to the chorus of birds over our heads (and often suffering scolding from the stellar jays, who were impatient to start digging in our newly turned over garden beds).

Melissa told me later that she's usually the one preparing the garden every spring, all by herself!
I'm sure the job went a lot faster with all of us pitching in. 

Paul had just erected the garden framework the previous day. It doesn't ever get quite warm enough during the summer for the vegetable garden to thrive, so making the garden into a greenhouse does wonders! 

Here's Quinn spraying off the huge sheet!
It covered up the whole yard! 

Paul had gotten a big sheet of plastic to put over the garden, but it was covered in dirt and sand. Quinn and I were given the task to wash it off the night before, which we did. But little did I know that Quinn was hatching a plan...(you'll find out about that more later!).

Melissa and Paul had not yet had a chance to get into the gardens and do any work, so it was nice to dig and get things ready for planting! 

The usual time Melissa starts planting is the first week of May, but because of the mild winter we've had, planting will be getting done early! Quinn and Abigail may still be sad about the lack of skiing, but Melissa and I are excited about the flowers that are starting to grow!

Like I said before though, Quinn was busying himself with something else. Paul had him help cut the giant sheet of plastic that was to go over the top of the garden to keep it warm, this was his chance...

Any ideas of what he was up to?

He was constructing a slip-n-slide! Yes, he had taken a sheet of the extra plastic and had covered it in dish soap and (very cold, cold) water from the garden hose. The temperature outside? 45 degrees. 

Abigail wasn't totally convinced this was the best idea. Neither was I really. But we both went inside and got our bathing suits on. After all, we're Alaskans. And we don't shirk away from the cold.

Doesn't Abigail just look thrilled? Yes, she is wearing a blanket. 

Quinn tried to do some jumps on the trampoline to warm up: 

I guess he was a bit cold too...

Maybe jumping jacks will warm them up?

Even mom helped out! Though she wouldn't agree to go down the slip-n-slide with us. 

Finally, Quinn could hold it back no longer, 

he dove!

Abigail soon followed after him!

And even though it looked super cold, I did it as well (and am very glad I did!):

Overall, a very happy day filled with sunshine, gardening, and very cold water! We've all promised that this slip-n-slide will be making another appearance later down the road this summer! We simply can't wait for warmer weather (anything over 45 degrees will be great!).