Are you a law abiding citizen?

Social and economic demographics of a population play a role in civil obedience. Political unrest can also be a factor. Laws are only as good as those whom the law sets out to govern. If there is no respect for laws then said laws are treated as meaningless. If you believe in a law, respect the law, and have faith in its ability to make your life better, then you will be a follower of said law.

Are you a law abiding citizen?

High Five Friday for My Own Words

It's not that I am weak
I am afraid.

It's not that I can't
I am filled with self doubt.

It's not that I am unwilling
I am weak-hearted.

These things you ask of me take all that
I am to prove to myself that I am wrong.

I am not weak
I am strong.

I am not unable
I am empowered.

I am not unwilling
I have a lions heart.

Ask of me what you wish and I will prove myself worthy.

*****

Windblown Man by Fred Bigjim

Where are you,
Windblown Man?
     "I'm over here,"

Why are you across the river,
Windblown Man?
Come over here and be with me.
     "No."

Why?
I want to help you
Deal with yourself.
     "I feel the river
      Should separate us
      Because you want
      To change me."

No.
I want to save you.
Without me,
You will no longer be.
     "I will always be,
      As long as the wind blows.
      For I was here
      When the wind started.

     "That is why I am called
      Windblown Man."

*****
From the book Sinrock by Fred Bigjim

Satellite T.V. by Fred Bigjim

Who let you into my home,
My village,
My culture.

How dare you
Intrude into my solitude
With your insipid dialogue,
Mundane plots,
Tasteless shows,
Inane programs.

You project your message of change
To a circular disk
At the village's edge.

You are the advance guard,
The scouts,
The forward thrust of colonization
Through Masterpiece Theater
And remote control.

You are changing my culture
With your program schedule.
Yesterday, I went seal hunting.
Today, I watch Kojak.

All that will be left
Will be a little box
With a small screen
With small people.

*****
From the book Sinrock by Fred Bigjim

Progress by Fred Bigjim

How sad.

How blue.
I miss you.

You were my life.
I loved you more than my wife.
Now you're gone.

Progress
Took you away from me.
My Culture.


*****
From the book Sinrock by Fred Bigjim

Getting Ready for Winter

Crisp and cool fall air fills our lungs.

Eying the tree that has grown to large to be on the edge of the river bank.  Time to make some winter fire wood.

Ready...

... set... timber!

Nicely done Drew!

 

 My husband is always looking toward the sky!  I love that about him!

Wonder where that tree thinks it is going... what tree?  That tree!

Well it is too late now, we might as well give it a helping hand along it's way. I did hear that Dutch Harbor could use some more driftwood

 ~ we aim to please.

Have you ever seen a giant standing by a river?  Now you have!

Fall is a wonderful time of year and might even be my favorite if it was not so short in Alaska. I hope your fall has been a peaceful one with an Indian October Summer to come!

Follow the Sun

Which way is the wind blowing? What does your heart say?

Follow the Sun by Xavier Rudd

***

High Five Friday for Talented Moms

High five Friday for my Mom who has more talent than she has ever given herself credit for. These are just rough drafts and first tries.

Talent! Talent! Talent!

Time to create, time to spend the winter away from the dark & cold, and time to enjoy a winter Outside!

As in Outside of Alaska!

....

Exploring Fall ~ Part Two

Drew and I spent some more time in the woods around the cabin exploring the fungi that have fruited.  We however were suppose to be working.  So what did we do when we heard Brett coming out of the cabin?  We hid!  Or pretended to hide as everyone could hear us giggling like school kids all the way down the hill.

Me and the oldest son Drew!

Oh fall how I enjoy your fresh crisp woodsy air!

Fall to Winter

We were greeted today by winter. "Hello" says winter. "Go away" say I. But the sky does not listen and the snow keeps drifting down. The ground is still too warm for the snow to stick around too long says the weather man. “Good news” say I. “See you again soon” says winter. 

Word of the Day ~ Toot Sweet

toot sweet

PRONUNCIATION:

(toot sweet)       

MEANING:

adverb: Quickly; immediately.

Guest Room is Complete

The replacement top bar is a piece of rolled steel that I purchased at our local industrial steel dealer. This top bar might have been brass originally but I decided that a steel bar painted to match the bed was a good choice for a replacement.

Now what we need are guests that travel from Minnesota or Iowa or any place for that matter to visit and sleep in our guest room!

So when will you be here?

...

P.S. yes this is the bed that we brought back from MN when you moved to AK... miss you dearest friend! 

Can't wait to see you and your family!

Fall Refinishing Project ~ Old Bed

There was time for one more fall project before winter set in so I went to work refinishing the old bed frame that once belonged to my Grandparents.  I brought it to Alaska from Minnesota in 1996 on one of our many road trips to and from the lower 48. It was missing the top bar and the multiple coats of paint were chipping some but that did not matter to me until recently.  The paint had started to chip off in large chunks and the thought of having house guests who might have young children started me thinking that perhaps the old lead paint needed to be taken off and replaced with a more suitable coat.

As you can see there were layers upon layers of paint.  Some of them even just painted on with a brush.  The layers were so thick in places that you could not even see the detail in the cast.

This project called for some paint stripper ~ the biodegradable kind ~ the pressure washer a.k.a. The Annihilator and tons of elbow grease.

Here is the detail once all the old paint had been removed.

After two coats of self etching primer.

After two coat of Rust-Oleum spray paint ~ Oregano color.

After two coats of a Rust-Oleum gloss top coat for shine and durability. 

Do you want to see the finished project?

Check back tomorrow!