Summer, Summer, Summer...

Sunrise 3:15 a.m.     Sunset 12:15 a.m.

We're a few days after solstice, which is wonderful and disappointing at the same time.  We're having some of the longest days of the year, but it also means they're on the way out.  Darkness will continue to creep in until we're down to 4 hours of daylight per day.  Anyway...

I've been away.  I had a little mishap with my best friend computer.  I was waiting for Brent to get home from a fishing expedition.  In my sleep-deprived state of mind I shoved it off the bed and broke the hard drive.  I packed it up, headed to Fairbanks and was pleasantly surpised to be able to pick it up a week later.  Since then we've been a tad bit busy.  You know... playing.

Brent managed to wrangle a little time for his first dipnetting, subsistence fishing, experience.  They traveled the long road to Chitna, traveled the treacherous trail, came upon a breathtaking river, fished for 10+ hours, and returned with 10 fish of the 120 possible for the 3 families there.  10.  Friends of ours were there the day before and limited out.  Pfffft.  That's a lot of work, time and energy for 10 fish.  10.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  Oh well...better luck next time.  Right??

We've been riding ATV a lot.  The trails this year are dry and easy to ride.  This is the way I most prefer to ride.  Easy.  Dry.  Though some might say that that's boring.  That's okay.  I'd rather not be waist deep in mud when eaten by a bear.  Okay, just kidding.  Maybe.

We've had a stray puppy, whom I would have loved to keep.  We called her Little Bit.  Black German Shepherd/Lab cross.  So stinkin' cute.  And smart.  When we were walking with Cash she heeled, sat, obeyed.  She was house trained and darn near perfect.  However, 3 big dogs in one tiny house.  Not gonna happen.  So we advertised, posted religiously on facebook, and finally found her people.

The past week has been rainy.  We managed to accumulate about an inch and a half of rain.  No easy feat for us.  Miraculously on Friday the clouds parted, the sun came out, and we've been enjoying a lovely weekend. 

Today temps topped out at 85 degrees and we soaked up every bit of sun we could.  We rode, we took the dogs swimming for just a very few minutes.  Got sprinkled with rain, and then the skies cleared yet again.  We came home to grill hot dogs and eat store bought potato salad, feed the dogs and enjoy more sun. 

The wildflowers are out.  Irises, fireweed, golden rod, arctic poppies, lupines, strawberries, and the smells are fantastic.  As we ride the intoxicating smell is something that I'll be certain to never forget.  It's absolutely fantastic.