Hike to Boy Scout Beach

We got to rest for about an hour, and then we got back in the car and drove out to the trail head for the Boy Scout camp. The trail to the camp (where Brooklin is attending Girl's Camp) is 1.5 miles out...so we hiked another 3 miles this evening. Brooklin was in a skit with some of the other girls. She was the "star" of the skit. She was the new girl at school and was trying to figure out where she fit in. She played the part well, and it was cute. We gave her a few hugs and then hiked back out to the car.

On the way out, we got to see two porcupines. They were kind of cute. They heard me coming (bear bells again) and were scurrying up a tree. They sat still so I could take their pictures. A little further down the trail, Darwin started pointing and waving us over. He had spotted a bear out in the water catching fish. I really didn't want to see the bear, but he was a good 100 yards and a river crossing away, so I took his picture too, but it was a little nerve-racking. Then I decided that since we were close and it was 9 pm...we should try to see another bear at Eagle Beach. We drove another 2 miles down the road and parked. Within a minute we spotted a bear jumping around in the water. He was also quite a ways away, so none of the bear pictures are very close up...but I did not want to be any closer to them! I just wanted Micah and Cori to be able to see a bear.

When we got home, we were all completely wiped out. We had ice cream for dinner (since we didn't eat lunch until 4:30 pm because of the first hike) and then we all crashed.

Fishing with the Strassers

Darwin took Micah, Cori, Aria, and Isaiah out halibut fishing today. They caught 10 halibut and 3 quillback. Aria caught the first halibut and also the biggest halibut. While they were out they got to see tons of porpoise and a pod of 12 or so killer whales came right up to the boat (within arms reach) and gave them a show! Micah, Cori, and I bagged the fish after they got back, and they ended up with about 40 lbs of halibut!

While they were out fishing Caleb, London, Teagan, and I went to the park, to Costco, and later on...out for a walk. We had fun being outside in the 80 degree weather.

If any of you were wondering where Brooklin is in these latest two posts...she is enjoying herself out at Girl's Camp. She left Monday morning at 7am, and will be out there at the Boy Scout campgrounds until sometime Saturday afternoon. Darwin hiked out last night and tonight to sleep (the program requires a priesthood holder to stay in a seperate cabin over night...incase anything goes bump in the night) and told us she is having a lot of fun. She is a little bummed that she is missing out on visiting with her cousins and aunt and uncle, but she will get to spend some time with them this weekend.

Caleb liked to make Teagan laugh but making funny noises and faces.



Teagan swingin'.
He was a little nervous about the swing, but he had fun.

I took these off of Micah's facebook...

Micah fishing.

Cori fishing.

Aria with her quillback.

Aria trying to lift up a halibut...too cute!

Most of the days catch

Visiting DIPAC with Micah's family

Micah and his family are here visiting for a week. They arrived this afternoon and after moving all the suitcases into the house, we drove down to the DIPAC (Douglas Island Pink and Chum) fish ladder. The fish ladder is 450 ft long, and is the longest in Alaska. Most of the salmon that return to the hatchery are Chums (or Dog Salmon) and Pinks (or Humpey Salmon)...although they do have a few others. Chinook (King Salmon), Silvers (Coho Salmon), and Reds (Sockeye Salmon) also have an occasional appearance. It is really amazing to see the water literally boiling and jumping with that many fish all in one spot.

Many Chum



Caleb and Aria in the cutout...Aria was too short, so Micah was hiding behind the cutout and holding her up.

Isaiah was too short, so he stuck his face in the hand hole.

London and Teagan

Teagan watching the salmon in the ladder window.

Aria decided to go rock climbing at the fish ladder.

The kids posing in front of the bear statue in front of the visitors center

London and Teagan

Inside the visitors center (London pushing Teagan, my brother Micah, and his wife Cori)

Teagan checking out a baby king crab

Aria with the baby king crab

Aria and Teagan

Teagan

ummmm...Aria....there is a big brown bear behind you!

Kids at the touch tank

Teagan loves to point...a lot

More fun things growing in our yard

It has been fun this summer discovering all the things that are planted in our yard. There have been so many beautiful flowers! W planted two blueberry bushes in the spring, and they did get a few berries on them, but they aren't ripening very quickly...the neighbor's bushes are ripe and overproducing! We may not get to eat them this year, but we should have a good crop of them next year.

We did see the strawberry plants in the backyard, but didn't know if they would grow anything edible. I went out on Sunday evening, and there were several ripe berries! I only picked six...one for each of us, and then took some pictures. I hope we can clean up the foliage around them by next year, so we can get to them better.

Saturday at the range

Today we took the kids out to the range to shoot. Everyone did a little better than the last time we were out there. Brooklin got three bulls eyes, I got two, and Darwin and Caleb both got one. In Darwin's defense, he didn't get very many turns. He was helping the kids more than I was and didn't get to shoot as many rounds as we did. We stayed out for two hours and then came home so I could work on my English paper again! It made me cry a little, but then Darwin helped me iron out my topic, and I was able to get half of it written before bedtime. Thank you Dar! The first picture doesn't show some of the bulls eyes, because we had to cover the targets with new ones periodically. The last picture is of a bullet that jammed in the .22...Darwin said hollow points will do that sometimes.