Only in Alaska

I can't believe that we are nearing the end of summer! In just a few weeks our kids will be heading back to school, and we will be heading back to work. It has been such a blessing that Steve has been able to work primarily from home over the summer. We have been able to spend some great time making memories with our kiddos and each other.  I am going to do a separate post on some of our summer adventures. :)

June 4th marked our official "one year in Alaska" anniversary. I was reflecting with some friends a few days ago on how much this place can change you. There were so many things that seemed very foreign to us when we first arrived that we now take for granted. I thought it might be fun to make a list of my top "Only in Alaska" discoveries. It is a work in progress- I am sure much will be added to it over the next year.

Only in Alaska...

* is meat considered a great gift. The first day in our new house a year ago a neighbor knocked on our door and said, "here, I killed this fish for you." His housewarming gift was thoughtful, and very Alaskan. Our friends gave us some Halibut the other day and I was thrilled. As I thought about it I realized that over the past year we have been given pounds and pounds of Halibut, Salmon, Moose, Caribou, and even Beef. I don't think that prior to moving to Alaska we had ever been gifted with meat. We probably wouldn't have appreciated it the way we do now.

*is the appearance of a flower cause to be depressed. Late summer in Alaska means that the countryside is dotted with bright pinkish purplish flowers called Fireweed. This beautiful flower signals the beginning of the end of summer. The flower blooms, starting at the bottom of the stem and moving its way up to the tip by the end of the season. When the top of the flower blooms the first snow is only weeks (or days) away.

* are lawn tractors an accepted form of transportation. I have seen three or four people in the last few days alone driving down major streets on their lawn mowers. Were their cars broken? Did their four wheelers fail them? I may never know... but I have learned not to ask too many questions.

*are waders considered appropriate dress for going out. At the store, eating out, driving around town: wherever you go during the Alaskan summer you will see people of all ages dressed in chest waders and boots. I myself am guilty of this one- my friend and I went to grab a quick bite to eat after dip netting and I realized I could either wear my waders, or the long underwear I had on underneath the waders. Mine were paired with the classic ski sock under Teva sandal combo. No one in the restaurant even gave me a second glance.

*is it common for your kids to ask you if it is day or night at random times throughout the day/night.  My poor kiddos really need to wear a watch because they simply cannot tell what time of day it is by looking out the window. Many times they have asked me if it is night when it is around noon. Sometimes they will try to clarify if we are eating lunch or dinner. This problem persists year-round unfortunately, as the land of the midnight sun turns into the land of the midday moon. Melatonin supplements and sleep masks are our friends!

Both kids have gotten used to sleeping with sleep masks

*are wildlife a part of daily life. From seeing bald eagles out my bedroom window as they soar over the cliff, to having moose friends visit our front yard looking for some tasty roses, wild animals are part and parcel with living in Alaska. As long as you are respectful and cautious they can be a great bonus to living in this place.

Just a guy... walking his reindeer at the marathon

*are your parking spot options limited only by your vehicle's ability to traverse the terrain. On the sidewalk, in the yard, on the playground, on the beach- all valid parking options. No defined parking space? No problem. If your car can drive there, you can park there. This becomes especially true in the winter when the snow and ice make it impossible to see where the parking spots are supposed to be. I think some Alaskan's see this as a fun challenge- how many crazy places can you possibly park your car?

*are you guaranteed to know at least one (but most likely more) person/people anywhere you go. This includes any reality tv show about Alaska you watch. There just aren't that many people here in Alaska. Only 731,441 people live in the entire state, which is 1/3 the size of our entire nation. 56,900 of us are crowded here on the peninsula. That's 3.5 people per square mile here on the peninsula. Since many of the reality shows take place either in Anchorage or around here, it is not surprising that we often see familiar faces (and make fun of them accordingly!)

Our friend Rueben (Noah's best friend's dad) showed up on "Buying Alaska" on HGTV. Steve was the first to recognize him :)

* does 60 degree weather mean it's time to go swimming outside. Actually this picture was taken when it was 57 but we figured that was close enough. ;)

Also: only in Alaska do you swim where sea planes dock (check out the one in the background)

Other "only's" include:
* Only one issue on the ballot
* Plugs  attached to block heaters hanging out of every car
* "The fish were running" as a valid excuse for missing/being late to anything
* Bogs/Snow boots paired with dress clothes
* Roadkill as a great source of organic/free range meat
* Friendly, real people who put relationships and serving each other over personal comfort and gain. (This one might not be exclusive to Alaska, but it sure has been true of our community here!)