Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Fungus, among us.

So Maryann and I were crusin the Chevelle out in the tundra amongst the land of 6 foot tall wildflowers and weeds, when all of a sudden, there was this humongeous magic looking mushroom.... Aren't they cool lookin'!? These little babies grow everywhere here. They get multi-colored and groovy-like. Personally I have never seen a fungal growtherium of such proportion and array. When we first saw them this summer we were all facsinated to say the least. I expect we will continue to discover the new wonders that lie abound for us as the seasons continue to change for our introductory year to nature 101 in Alaska. I found out this weekend during a severe deluge, that we about completely loose satelitte reception during severe weather. Now it used to get 'ify' in Dorrington during some of the more severe storms. But I guess because of the extreme position of the satelitte on our horizon here, it is easier to loose the signal....I guess? Anyone majoring in physics care to expell fact or opinion on that? However, the Grateful Dead channel seems to hold pretty strong, so we will survive! Man can live on the Dead alone. In other news, John came within a mere inch of wrecking his truck into a charging moose today ..... in our driveway! Seems he was rolling in today after school and noticed a moose next to the garage. He was thinking to himself how huge it looked and then realized as he came closer that it was a calve standing on the knoll next to the garage, which gave the illusion of it's immensity. Then the next thing he knew, mama moose came barreling out of the tall weeds next to the driveway and cut John off, with his fender about grazing her. Apparently he scared the crap out of her....quite litterally, as she droped some pooh on the driveway as she ran oft. Kinda crazy, huh?! Moose season is over in about another week and a half or so, so I am sure the tension in the woods will subside a bit. I heard a story the other day from a hunter who was out in the woods for 3 days on a hunt with his buddies. I guess they did poorly and walked away with nothing. So on their way back down the Seward Highway to the peninsula, they came across a car pulled off the road and these 2 folks out with some fancy smancy photography equipment shooting pics of something. As they looked a little closer they saw a rather huge very legal bull moose grazing next to the thicket. The next thing they knew another truck comes careening off the highway and this guy flies out of the cab, levels his weapon and shoots the moose dead....right in front of the photographers. I guess everyone, even the first set of down-troden hunters were astonished, and a bru-haha about broke out between the photographers who were enjoying the beauty of this beast, and the hunter who was dreaming of neverending backstrap! Anyways, we pick up my parents at the Kenai airport tommorrow night, and they finally get to see home. Still waiting for the next brave and adventurous souls to let us know when they are going to visit! Finally, alas, the Artesians do dwell here in Nikiski! There is proof of their existence!! They left an old abandoned Olympia Beer can as they lay beneath the inviting canopy of a magical mushroom.

"It's the water"!
Good night.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

oh those darned Artesians...the wee ones do sometimes hide from us LARGE PEOPLE in those loose Oly cans and if one gently picks up the can you can maybe shake a few out that could be hiding there...they will of course curse your linage for generations to come but they are forgiving and will be happy to share a brew with you if you happen to possess a straw...so...good hunting and say hello to the little folk for me...

as you may all ready know there are over a dozen DVDs available from Netflix of St. Jerome and his merry band of minstrels to entertain one or two kind folk on a winter's eve...the Artesians likes them too...
oh yes...kiss a moose for me...