SALMONSTOCK 2013!

The Ocean Stage

I just looked back and realized I never posted about SALMONSTOCK 2012! 
So, what's Salmonstock?  Salmonstock IS:   a celebration of fish, music, and the people who depend harmoniously upon them. It’s also about the power we have in protecting our resources and our livelihoods. More than just three days of celebrating what we have, it is an event that offers every attendee the tools needed to help preserve it.
We invite anyone who loves Alaska, our salmon, and great music, to spend the weekend with us, to show the world why we are so passionate about our salmon and what we can do to ensure another millennia of great fishing.

This 3 day music fest is put on at the fairgrounds in Ninilchik, Alaska, on the Kenai Penninsula.  Last year we had a fabulous time camping on the beach at Deep Creek and attending the festival.  We met some great friends there, the Ruizes and last weekend marked our one year friendiversary!  Aw, so romantic!  We had all been excitedly awaiting this trip all summer!  We decided to convoy down to Ninilchik together, they in their RV and we in our truck.  We were joined the next day by more friends as well as Suzanne(Willa's Teacher).  I had told her months earlier that if she was well enough to boogy with me at Salmonstock , I would buy her ticket!  And well enough she was!  It was a regular class reunion, being that all of our kids go to the same school!  A rockin' class trip for sure!

The kids spent time sequestered in our tent making Ms. Drinen cards

Another Winterberry family who had headed down the night before us, alerted us to fact that Deep Creek camping was partly closed off due to erosion and the rest already filled up with campers.  We were really disappointed-camping on the beach is a HUGE part of this trip for us.....the beach combing, fishing the surf for halibut, hanging out with the water and volcanoes in view....the rolling waves lulling us to sleep after a long night of music.  So, as we drove down I texted back and forth with our friend, playing musical campgrounds for awhile-they so graciously reserved a couple sites for us where they where staying.  But being the stubborn types, we thought we'd give Deep Creek a quick check in-maybe have lunch on the beach-see what the deal was.  We pulled in and it was just about EMPTY!  Hoppin' fuckin' jeebus, hooray!!! We had our pick of the beach front property!  We quickly snatched up 3 spots and set up our compound.  SWEET.  Room for everyone!  8 adults, 4 kiddos, one teen(babysitter extraordinaire!), and 3 dogs at the busiest time.

Home, sweet home.

We spent our days recovering sleeping in, playing, enjoying each other's company and usually around 2ish we'd all head over to the fairgrounds for the music.  It was FABULOUS to have, T, the Ruizes babysitter there to take the kids back to camp at night so that we could all stay for the late shows!  No tag teaming!  No lying in a tent, hearing the music and wishing you could be there too!  Whoo-hoo!

My man, my bestest friend,  Doin' life with him is a fantastic journey!!

Since Miles has a radio show on the station that was sponsoring the event, he got to get up on stage and introduce some bands.  He was SO excited but scared as hell-he'd never done anything like that.  He got a backstage pass-I was denied :(,  but they managed to smuggle me in the next 2 days betwixt the barrier and garbage barrels!   He did a great job out there and was so stoked to meet the bands!  Me , too!  He had interviewed a couple of them on his show so it was cool for him to meet them face to face.

Miles on stage with DeadPhish Orchestra!  REALLY swell guys!

The kids had a great time playing on the bouncy house slide, getting their faces painted, hoola-hooping, dancing, running around and indulging in yummy treats.  This festival has such a happy vibe and is so family friendly.

Since I took a trillion photos, I'll split this into 2 posts.  This post's pics will be all about the beach. 

Peaceful beach and QUIET volcano!

Hmmm....A random tree branch embedded in the sand?  Now WHAT can we do with THIS?!??!

Treasures the beach gave us!!!!

That's an eagle feather.  If Willa was busted in possession of it, we could be fined $100,000!!!!

Makin' hoops to dance with!

Sigh.....

Making marshmallow taffy.  Parents LOVE this.

A little rain?  Feh.  No big whoop.



Putting on a musical

I think Willa spent more time in the air then on the ground on this trip!

Fishing the surf

 

I'm not much for small dogs, but Jack Russell's are awesome!

Like her Mama, sometimes she needs a little alone time to recharge her battery..........

Just plain COOL

WHERE are you, friggin halibut?!?!

 

Admit it, man!  That dog is the shit!

Snuggles

 

Gangs all here!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was a SCORCHER!

A "Scorcher" here in Alaska counts as the high 80's-and we're talking heat from solar radiation, not necessarily the true temperature which was probably, like, 73.  But for an Alaskan to RUN in those temps when we're used to training in overcast summers in the low 60's....holy SHIT was that a brutal 6.5 mile run Miles and I did.  Doesn't help that I've only run twice in the last month and a half since spraining my ankle....
We ran from the house to the bridge and back...with my obligatory yet very welcome dip in the 40-ish degree waters of the glacier fed South Fork river.  Despite a shower at home, we never really cooled off.  We cleared objects away from the house to prep for the staining/painting that's planned, Miles weed wacked, we got our gear ready for the Salmonstock road trip this Thursday, and at 0'beer:30 we had a beer -me, bikini top clad-on the deck where the temps rose to 95 against the house, sweat dripping down my legs, so we headed back inside like a couple of total pussies.  I can't wait until we expand the deck out from the house where it would have been 10 degrees cooler, as well as have room for our table and umbrella.  Assuming, of course, that we'll have more summers like this one!


Hot, hazy, tuff 6.5 mile run on the South Fork trail with my hunny.  Posing kickin' it in the river for about 3 seconds before body starts to not function right!

Whew! Almost 71 degrees in the shade and 95.5 sitting on the deck

No dormancy here.

35 days so far this summer where our temperatures have reached over 70+ degrees!  Looking back at the last 3 dismal summers, that number never exceeded 9.  We are definitely taking MUCH pleasure in it!  I think this has been the fullest summer I've experienced since living in Alaska.  I've realized a part of me has reawakened with the warmth...there is such a lightness of being juxtaposed with strength of body...and a sense of FREEDOM that has accompanied the warm wind blowing through my car windows as we roll down the highway, and in the comforting breeze I feel as I walk past a wide open window.  Wide open....that's how I feel.  That heart center huge and glowing like our sun. This summer has allowed us to shed our bulky hoodies, fleece socks and sweats for light tanks, bikini tops(Miles, too, lol!!!), shorts and bare feet.  Free to strip nakey with my hunny in the living room with no kids around!  It's been freeing and magnificent.   But a bit of a disturbing shock to realize just how laden down I've felt with these past few cold and dampened years.  And as wonderful as it has been...there is an insidious apprehension-especially in light of all the unusual weather in other parts of the country-that this is just.not.right.  I don't like that.  It makes me want to buy property in Colorado, start hunting and learning how to can, buy guns and solar panels, go off the grid and wait for the shit to hit the fan....

I'm constantly trying to outrun that dark little cloud as I delight in the sun.  Just trying to Be Here Now.  Because I have MISSED it so....

Our friends had a housewarming party yesterday.  Sangria, sundresses, salmon on the barbie and sun.  It was wonderful!

MERDA! Questo solo in! AVIANO!!!!!

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Got a call from Dylan tonight!  She's already found out where she is stationed after tech school!  ITALY!!!!  Aviano AFB!  HOLY SHIT!!!!!  She mentioned last week when I was SO BUMMED that I couldn't make it to her graduation from Basic(there was a last minute possibility for me to go and it fell through) that she didn't want us to come to her tech school graduation like we had originally planned, but wanted us to come and visit her where ever she was going to be stationed.  It would be more fun and a respite from duty for her.  So ITALY it is!!!!  Aviano!  Nestled in the gorgeous pre-alps!!!!  Holy SHIT, I say!!!!!  Here we come!!!!!

Art lesson

My first formal private art lesson consisted of a charcoal pencil, a white coffee mug, an encouraging old lady, and a few of her entertaining biblical tails.  We all like stories, right?!
I did my best to help Willa with her first true sketching instruction.  Kind of an oxymoron because I can't draw true-to-life for shit.  But she digs my work.  Despite some bursts of frustration on her part, I think we enjoyed sitting together and sketching our mugs.  I had to stop her at one point when she was ready to throw her pencil across the room to explain that, "One of the true joys in creating art....is the CREATING!  The process from blank white page, to those first sketchy lines, to an actual identifiable object, to a finished product.  If you can't savor, enjoy, and learn from the journey, why bother?  The end result is that much sweeter when you appreciate the work along the way."  I think it sunk in.  She seemed more at peace and accepting of her difficulties "getting it right".  And she was quite happy with her finished mug after going back and continuing to improve it throughout the afternoon.  She may get easily frustrated...or even scared depending on the situation...but this kid STICKS with what she's set out to accomplish.

Today's story: La Traviata.....from my father's collection....in the background.