We have had a moose cow and a yearling calf hanging out on Trippingovermoose ranch most of the winter. On Wednesday this little bull showed up and has been hanging out with them. I suspect he's the cow's calf from 2 years ago.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Three Little Moose
A Little Bull...
We have had a moose cow and a yearling calf hanging out on Trippingovermoose ranch most of the winter. On Wednesday this little bull showed up and has been hanging out with them. I suspect he's the cow's calf from 2 years ago.
We have had a moose cow and a yearling calf hanging out on Trippingovermoose ranch most of the winter. On Wednesday this little bull showed up and has been hanging out with them. I suspect he's the cow's calf from 2 years ago.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
I Declined!
Some "friends" asked me to play Santa at the Christmas party last Sunday. What could they have been thinking?
Some "friends" asked me to play Santa at the Christmas party last Sunday. What could they have been thinking?
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Subaru Update
I know all of you, or both of you, or maybe at least my son have been on pins and needles....
The Subaru Doctor did a complete examination. The patient will live but needed several procedures done. First, the engine missing was bad plug wires. This really makes me feel stupid because I thought about replacing them about a year ago and never got around to it. With new plugs and wires the engine is purring like a kitten and has at least 30% more power. Which makes sense since it had been trying to run on 2 to 3 of it's 4 cylinders for a year. I should see an increase in gas mileage too. The back brakes needed to be done so I had them done. Work still to be done, rear wheel bearings, rear struts, radiator hoses and a valve cover gasket. Now that those items have been diagnosed we'll probably get the parts and do them ourselves. I've got to keep her on the road for at least 4 more years.
The Subaru Doctor did a complete examination. The patient will live but needed several procedures done. First, the engine missing was bad plug wires. This really makes me feel stupid because I thought about replacing them about a year ago and never got around to it. With new plugs and wires the engine is purring like a kitten and has at least 30% more power. Which makes sense since it had been trying to run on 2 to 3 of it's 4 cylinders for a year. I should see an increase in gas mileage too. The back brakes needed to be done so I had them done. Work still to be done, rear wheel bearings, rear struts, radiator hoses and a valve cover gasket. Now that those items have been diagnosed we'll probably get the parts and do them ourselves. I've got to keep her on the road for at least 4 more years.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Cold Weekend
Subaru, Round Two
It was a balmy -18 degrees Friday morning at TrippingOverMoose Ranch. The Subaru started and got me to my place of employment in Anchorage. However my son-in-law forgot to plug in his truck the night before. Long story short, in two hours he couldn't get his truck nor mine to start. He had to call his boss to come pick him up to get to work. Saturday morning, an even nicer -14 degrees, with the trucks plugged in overnight, we got them both to run. But the Subaru, which has no engine heater, refused to start. The Subaru used to live in the garage so I had never got around to putting a engine heater in it. Now that, in car years, she's getting old and having some issues, she's getting tempermental. Sunday morning we moved the trucks, pulled the motorhome out of the garage and dragged the Subaru inside with the Honda 4-wheeler. After 4 or 5 hours of warm garage she started up. By the end of Sunday the cold snap had snapped and we were +14 degrees. We moved the trucks, Subaru, 4-wheeler and motorhome around back to the original configuration. This morning, at +5 degrees the Subaru started fine and delivered my brother and I to our respective places of employment. I am going to call today and make an appointment to get her into see the Subaru doctor to address the progressive breathing-fuel problems she is having.
It was a balmy -18 degrees Friday morning at TrippingOverMoose Ranch. The Subaru started and got me to my place of employment in Anchorage. However my son-in-law forgot to plug in his truck the night before. Long story short, in two hours he couldn't get his truck nor mine to start. He had to call his boss to come pick him up to get to work. Saturday morning, an even nicer -14 degrees, with the trucks plugged in overnight, we got them both to run. But the Subaru, which has no engine heater, refused to start. The Subaru used to live in the garage so I had never got around to putting a engine heater in it. Now that, in car years, she's getting old and having some issues, she's getting tempermental. Sunday morning we moved the trucks, pulled the motorhome out of the garage and dragged the Subaru inside with the Honda 4-wheeler. After 4 or 5 hours of warm garage she started up. By the end of Sunday the cold snap had snapped and we were +14 degrees. We moved the trucks, Subaru, 4-wheeler and motorhome around back to the original configuration. This morning, at +5 degrees the Subaru started fine and delivered my brother and I to our respective places of employment. I am going to call today and make an appointment to get her into see the Subaru doctor to address the progressive breathing-fuel problems she is having.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Responding to an Old Friend
An old friend from my childhood in Juneau asked to see more picture of my dogs, so here you go...
This is Kiska. She was supposed to be a Samoyed but turned out to be a mix. I suspect her father was a golden retriever. But she does have the crazy blue eyes. She's almost 14 years old now and spends most of her time sleeping on an oversized dog pillow next to my recliner.
The Malemute is Shadow. He's 12 years old and still very active. Shadow has earned his name over the years. If I'm home he's always in the same room as me, watching my every move. If I sit down he comes over and sits or lays as close to me as possible. Lately, perhaps sensing my sadness, he's trying to be a lap dog. It's difficult to read a magazine or watch TV with an 75 pound malemute in your lap pressing his face into your face. The last goofy picture isn't actually Shadow but a photo of a look alike lifted from some website years ago.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
The Old Subaru
First Time She's ever let me down.
Tuesday evening, after work, my '95 Subaru with 265,000 miles failed to start. It has been cold for the past few weeks and I haven't put any Iso-heat in the gas tank this year so I thought it might be a frozen fuel line. My nephew, Officer Daniel, gave his father and I a ride home. Wednesday I drove the Dodge Pickup to work and put a couple Iso-heat in the Subaru's gas tank. It did not help and the Subaru sat there in the company parking lot until Friday night. After work on Friday my new Roommate and son-in-law borrowed a trailer and we went to Anchorage to retrieve the car. We got it into Officer Daniel's father's garage about 9:30 pm. This afternoon I provided money for parts and moral support while Roommate Son-in-law figured out the fuel pump wasn't working and replaced it. The Subaru is as good as new, or at least as good as it was before the fuel pump died. Having Roommate Son-in-law around is pretty handy.
Tuesday evening, after work, my '95 Subaru with 265,000 miles failed to start. It has been cold for the past few weeks and I haven't put any Iso-heat in the gas tank this year so I thought it might be a frozen fuel line. My nephew, Officer Daniel, gave his father and I a ride home. Wednesday I drove the Dodge Pickup to work and put a couple Iso-heat in the Subaru's gas tank. It did not help and the Subaru sat there in the company parking lot until Friday night. After work on Friday my new Roommate and son-in-law borrowed a trailer and we went to Anchorage to retrieve the car. We got it into Officer Daniel's father's garage about 9:30 pm. This afternoon I provided money for parts and moral support while Roommate Son-in-law figured out the fuel pump wasn't working and replaced it. The Subaru is as good as new, or at least as good as it was before the fuel pump died. Having Roommate Son-in-law around is pretty handy.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
New "Roomy"
I told him to take his time and enjoy the trip...
No one ever listens to me.
My son-in-law arrived from Idaho at 3:30 a.m. last Friday morning. He made the trip in about 3 1/2 days. I believe he said he pulled over and slept in the truck twice for 3 hours at a time. He arrived in Sarah Palin land in the dark, with everything engulfed in a thick fog. When he stopped at a gas station he wasn't even sure what town he was in. Of course the hallucinations from total exhaustion probably contributed to his confusion.
No one ever listens to me.
My son-in-law arrived from Idaho at 3:30 a.m. last Friday morning. He made the trip in about 3 1/2 days. I believe he said he pulled over and slept in the truck twice for 3 hours at a time. He arrived in Sarah Palin land in the dark, with everything engulfed in a thick fog. When he stopped at a gas station he wasn't even sure what town he was in. Of course the hallucinations from total exhaustion probably contributed to his confusion.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Winter 2008, First Snow
It started snowing this morning...
It's starting to accumulate a little but it's only 33.6 degrees F. If it warms up a little it'll melt away. 
A little over a month ago the fireweed was still blooming. The conventional wisdom is when the topmost buds bloom on the fireweed, winter is three weeks away.
It's starting to accumulate a little but it's only 33.6 degrees F. If it warms up a little it'll melt away. 
A little over a month ago the fireweed was still blooming. The conventional wisdom is when the topmost buds bloom on the fireweed, winter is three weeks away.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Vice Presidential Debate
From Wasilla, Alaska:
It is so interesting to watch a Vice Presidential debate and to see a woman that you used to say "Hi" to in the local grocery store mention "mainstreet Wasilla." I just drove mainstreet Wasilla moments prior to the debate on my way to the auto parts store to buy brake pads for the Subaru.
The other thing I was reminded of last night was the comment of some liberal mainstream media type, right after Sarah's introduction at the Republican convention. The reporter made some snarky remark about the Palin children and their, "sort of hippy names." He mentioned all of the names and when he got to Piper, he made an additional derisive comment about her name as being unfathomable. I bet that nearly everyone in Alaska and outdoorsmen across the country understand the reference. It's eastcoast liberal reporters that are out of touch with America.
It is so interesting to watch a Vice Presidential debate and to see a woman that you used to say "Hi" to in the local grocery store mention "mainstreet Wasilla." I just drove mainstreet Wasilla moments prior to the debate on my way to the auto parts store to buy brake pads for the Subaru.
The other thing I was reminded of last night was the comment of some liberal mainstream media type, right after Sarah's introduction at the Republican convention. The reporter made some snarky remark about the Palin children and their, "sort of hippy names." He mentioned all of the names and when he got to Piper, he made an additional derisive comment about her name as being unfathomable. I bet that nearly everyone in Alaska and outdoorsmen across the country understand the reference. It's eastcoast liberal reporters that are out of touch with America.
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