summer goes zoom

I realized as I closed up the hoop house tonight that it might very well frost tonight. A clear day, a calm night, and temperatures in the 40s, for now... if not tonight, then soon. Seriously, I feel like I only just got the garden going and now it is harvest time already. Amazing. School starts in less than a week. Equally amazing. I've been obsessing about finishing the insulation, cutting firewood, and freezing things. A berry picking trip is scheduled for next weekend. It's almost unfathomable.

But, in a strange way, I'm ready. What an amazing summer. Liam has learned to read like crazy and now must be threatened with some dreadful fate to get him to put down the book and go to sleep. Théa has obtained a firm grasp on the English language, and is now prone to cracking jokes and generally messing with you whenever she can. They have both grown like weeds, are familiar with how to properly pick a pea from the vine without uprooting the entire plant, have spent plenty of time drenched in campfire smoke and sunshine, and I'm pretty sure have had a most excellent summer, all things considered.

For my part, it's been beyond extraordinary. This summer has been an indulgence in all things Alaskan. It's a taste of the luxury of living in this amazing place. Yum. Caught my first halibut, dipnetted for the first time, clammed for the first time, hiked new trails in the Kachemak Bay State Park, took my first trip to Bear Cove and China Poot, ran an outboard motor for the first time, slept on a boat for the first time, ran a chain saw for the first time, grew my first productive Alaska garden, butchered my first bird (and a bunch more, ta boot), fixed my first loose spark plug, and established a hugely enriching friendship with another single mother. I also taught myself (with the help of many) how to plumb and wire a washer and dryer, wired my entire new addition, and performed countless other acts of generosity upon my 1980's-Homer-built abode. It's been an empowering summer to say the least, filled with laughter, growth, joy, and the promise of even more great things to come. I'm grateful for it all.