Feather Beach

The beach out in front of the lodge. Some friends who came to visit found agates. I found a seagull feather sticking up out of the rocks.

Food Taxi

Fish are jumping on the Kenai and Jimmie Jacks Lodge has a full house booked through July. The white board below shows who goes where and when on any given day. My idea. Helps me a lot because even though guests are given a folder with their itinerary (and most questions answered) when they arrive I guess most don't actually read them and there is no way I'm going to remember. Heck, by the time they leave I remember their name. If they tip I'm 100% sure of it.

Million Dollar Pool

Out the north road on the Kenai Spur Hwy in the small town of Nikiski is a beautiful pool. When they built it back in the early eighties it cost a million dollars. Well worth every penny in todays dollars. Bought a punch card and went swimming in it for the first time today. No, I didn't go down the slide. One of these days I'll get a wild hair. Maybe.

Give MOOSE a Brake

Kenai Don Jose

The boss took the whole crew out for Mexican food and gave us cool new jackets. I had the chili relenos. They asked if I wanted it beef or chicken. I always thought they were just cheese and a sauce. I chose beef and it hit the spot.

The lodge is getting busier. Will have 16 guests by Tuesday. 9 arrived today. 4 for breakfast at 3:30 am leaving for halibut fishing at 4am to get to Ninilchik by 5. 2 for breakfast at 6:10 for a 7am check-in on the Kasilof and 3 for an 8am breakfast for a halibut charter leaving at 10:30 for an 11:30 check-in. Means I'm up at sunrise at 2:30am or will that be sunset?

Picture Window

The view from upstairs at Jimmie Jacks Lodge. There is a fire pit out there with neatly stacked wood with fire starter in bins in the old boat. Nice place to sit and watch the sunset. With summer solstice almost upon us I am asleep well before the sun sets. Since I'm the breakfast cook I'm up rattling pots and pans in the kitchen at 4am. Easy to do since its light out. Hard part is going to bed when the sun is shining.

Serious Fishin'

Photo taken by David Drake

One of the guides took this picture today floating a drift boat down the Kasilof river. I've taken this trip before. No motors allowed. Quiet and peaceful with lots of wildlife and King salmon!

Halibut in the Raw

One of the guests of the lodge this week is fishing all day then cooking, or not cooking his catch I should say. The above plate is halibut cheeks, freshly caught today, sliced thin with a little wasabi paste for a delectable treat. Halibut sushi at its freshest best.

No Moose is an Island

Letting off some Steam

The clouds cleared this morning for a bit and showed a clear view of Mt. Redoubt. Looks like she was spewing some steam, too. The lodge has been busy and I'm getting in the swing of things again. I am happy to have help this year and Jimmie is very organized. The clients are catching fish and having a real good time. Lots of fathers and sons, of all ages, having the time of their lives catching fish, bringing it back to the lodge and grilling it. I make them breakfast and send them off with a lunch but they are on their own for dinner. Which is nice for me as well as for them and the local restaurants. I have not had a chance to go fishing yet but I'm sure I'll be able to wet a line soon!

Salmon Skin Sushi

This is my all time favorite sushi. When I think of all the salmon skin I have thrown away and I could have just fried it to a crisp and snacked on it all day long. This is a plate of salmon skin sushi from I Luv Sushi in Anchorage. I treated myself, my niece and grand-nephew to sushi on my way down to the Kenai. Jimmie Jacks' wife Rosy makes sushi and hers was the first salmon skin sushi I tried 2 years ago. Been addicted ever since!

Kenai Moose

I've relocated to the Kenai Penninsula for the summer again. Got my old job back as Lodge Momma at Jimmie Jacks Fishing Lodge. He called me the other day so thats why I haven't blogged in a few days. Packed up and headed down to the Kenai. Got here last night and stayed with a friend and she told me about this cow moose that looked part pinto/albino like. First thing this morning, driving out the the lodge, I spotted the strange colored cow with her normal hued calves. My friend was happy to hear she was still alive and had twins with her. She hadn't seen her since early spring.

I'll be changing my header soon now that I'm no longer in Palmer. I'm looking forward to a fun summer of fishing, taking pictures and cooking on the Kenai.

Qiviut Hand Knits

Beautiful and warm hand knit scarves, hats and headbands for sale at the Musk Ox farm in Palmer. Very plush and very expensive. I tried the headband on and loved how it looked and felt. Out of my price range at $125 though. I could afford the $7.00 for the tour to get up close and personal with the musk ox but it was raining and nobody on the ride wanted to go so I opted for shooting a pic through the fence. You can kind of see them lying down.

May Day Tree

Bloomed on the first of June in Palmer. Now that I know what they are I've seen them all over town. Flowery and frangrant the tree is also known as the bird cherry tree.

With the rain the last couple of days the valley is bursting with green and color.

Knik River Road

At the end of Knik River road is the Knik River Lodge. Their restaurant is a yurt with a view.

On the way we passed by this. I thought the van was on fire at first then thought maybe the van was a smokehouse. I really have no idea what it is.

Stopped and asked this guy if he was catching any Dolly Varden and watched him fish for a bit. They were only taking his bait...not his hook.

The Knik River Road is off the Old Glenn Highway. Coming from Anchorage its a right just before the bridge over the River Knik.

Feigning Flowers

They look real from a distance, don't they? I needed dirt to plant the tomatoes in and since I live in farm country I didn't think I would have to buy dirt from Walmart. I looked under farming/gardening on Craigslist and found Organic Dirt for a dollar a 5 gallon bucket. And right up the road! I got the directions over the phone from a funny old man and couldn't wait to meet him.

He and his wife lived on five acres with a "For Sale/Owner Financed" sign at the end of their long drive way. The wife came out and showed us where the pile of dirt was. My friend walked down to the gate with her while I drove my van. My friend told me while we were filling the buckets that the place had sold. The buyers had told them to quit remodeling the place as they had their own plans for it. She had also told her that if we wanted some rhubarb to help ourself. When we went to cut some rhubarb the old man came out. I asked him about the fake flowers and he told me this story:

For years they spent a thousand dollars every year to flower up the place. His wifes father had lived with them until his late 90s. One year he was complaining to him about the money, the work, the weather to her dad and he said "Why don't you just buy fake flowers". So he did. Now it only costs him $200 a year for instant gratification and a lot less work and worry.

The dirt pile was 7-year old horse manure. The tomatoe plants are thriving in it! Now that I found a good close dirt supplier I'm thinking of expanding and also growing cucumbers & peppers in the hot house with the tomatoes.

HOT DOG

75 in the shade in Palmer today. What a beautiful Memorial Day weekend all over Alaska.

Let summer begin!

Tunnel Of Love

Not really the Tunnel of Love but a strategic tunnel that goes under the Glenn Hwy in Palmer at the end of Auklet Ave. Saves a lot of time if you are walking or riding a bike as the pedestrian crossing light on Arctic is the longest wait in Alaska.

Pictured on the right are the leftovers of our BBQ today. Teriaki Chicken and an awesome Thai Salmon, grilled asparagus, potatoe salad and the all-American hot dog. Beautiful weekend in the valley and they are calling for 77 degrees in Palmer for Memorial Day.

God Bless our Troops!

Lawn Art

Garden chair made of willow.

Old trike displayed in a perennial garden at Bushes Greenhouse. I took lots of pictures there yesterday. Every where I looked was a photo op.

Flower Power

Went to Bushes Greenhouse today out the Butte in Palmer. It was absolutely stunning. Picked up cherry tomato plants, slicer tomatos, 2 kinds of basil and other herbs. Could have spent hundreds of dollars if I would have had it. Oh, I couldn't believe it. They had Livingstone Daisies so I got some of those. (My favorite flower) They call them Icy Plants here. I don't know the name of the flower pictured but it sure was pretty.