Stuff

Alaska and the Yukon have a lot of old stuff. When one lives in a remote part of the country old stuff means having a part to fix something else when you can't get out at -40 degrees. One can see old washers, cars and other old worn out stuff in the yards in rural Alaska and the Yukon. Also where does one take old stuff when you live miles away from a town.

Old truck in Carcross, Yukon

Old stuff in store window in Carcross, Yukon

Wagon wheel and burl pole in front of old log cabin window.

The cabin has sunk down because it was built on the ground and has melted some of the permafrost.

Old digger in Pioneer Park, Fairbanks

Some old stuff was kept to show the past. Most of this old stuff shows the life of the gold miner and the stuff they used to live in the new frontier of Alaska.

Stuff at a home taken from rainy, reflective coach window

Fireweed

Fireweed is used as the Alaskan calendar. It is beautiful up-close or viewed as a pink meadow in the distance. When the blooms reach the top of the plant summer is almost over. When the white cottony seeds form, winter is about six weeks away. For some Alaskans the plant is a daily reminder that they have a short summer and they hurry to get things done. The fireweed can bring a range of emotions - happiness, dread, or industriousness.

Fireweed with blooms at the top, showing that summer is almost over.

Fireweed beside log cabin in Carcross, Yukon

Fireweed beside stream

Fireweed with no flowers in ghost town left by miners, near Whitehorse, Yukon

Fireweed that has gone to seed with white fluffy pods near Fairbanks, Alaska

Alaska

Me with a three week old Alaskan Husky.

Full grown Husky at the Jeff King Homestead

This puppy and full grown Alaska Husky belong to Jeff King, four-time Iditarod Champion. Jeff's wife, wildlife artist, Donna Gates King and one of his three daughters gave a tour of their homestead kennel. They do this tour in the summer tourist season to pay for the high cost of keeping 70 dogs. There is a special bond between dog and musher.

It was interesting to learn the inside story.

http://www.huskyhomestead.com/

Transforming Eric's room

The painting of the poppies fields has replaced the Clemson tiger paw. Eric is married and this is the new look for his room. Now this room is for him and Christina to visit. I found the quilt for one fourth of the original price at Tuesday Morning, one of my favorite places to shop. It is fun to find pillows and create an original bed ensemble. The green is from his original linen set.

The bedroom set also has some history behind it. It was purchased in about 1971 by Eric's grandmother on his father's side for us to inherit. So we have kept it for sentimental reasons.

Playing with Photoshop

I am experimenting with some of the images that I made of Audra and Amy in Photoshop. It is fun to see what one can do to with this application. Which one do you like best?

Click on Image to enlarge.

My attempt at Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau, French for "The New Art", 1890-1914, explores a new style in the visual arts and architecture that developed in Europe and North America at the end of the nineteenth century. In design, Art Nouveau was characterized by writhing plant forms, sinuous lines and "whiplash" curves. I made the hair in this painting have this freedom of curves and freedom from the natural world. Alphonse Mucha is my favorite Art Nouveau artist even though he disavowed the connection to this style. The model for this painting is my beautiful daughter-in-law, Christina.

Click on image to see larger size.

Pillow with Painting

The pillow, with a photo of my two sons and their wives, on the mantel was made by Christina's mother. It matched perfectly with the painting that was done to tie together the purple and gold.