Alaska and summer

I don't know if you can find a better combination of words.  We've got sun, sun sun.  Hours and hours of it.  And outdoor sports.  Boating.  Fishing.  Camping.  Biking.  Hiking.  Everybody is outdoors, enjoying the lengthy summer days. 

And then there's me.  I do get outdoors at least three times a day.  When I walk my dog.  Go to the store.  Water the blackberries.  The rest of the time, I'm holed up.  Putting words into play.  Researching all sorts of cool/interesting stuff.  Playing piano.  And doing handcrafts.  You name it.  I like doing it.  Okay.  That's not entirely accurate.  I'm not much of a knitter.  And I might as well just confess it. 

I'm a counted cross stitch addict.  

Hi!  Jackie Ivie here, blogging about - of all things - cross stitch.  Why?  Because it's incredibly fun.  Yes.  I do cross stitch.  I admit it.  I've usually got eight to ten projects going - which is why I finish so many.  I have so many options on what to work on, I'm never bored.  It's a perfect craft for long, dark, cold Alaska winters.  

And it's a great accompaniment while I'm watching a DVD/researching the latest thing in jet aircraft.  Or what an updated WWII Diesel truck would sound like.  Or the night Alexander the Great razed Persepholis.  Or looking over the Temple of the Jaguar in Tikal (city of the Mayan empire.)  Or learning about the Forbidden City.  Angkor Wat.  The theory of special relativity. 

What can I say?  I do all kinds of weird/cool research, because you just never know when you might need this sort of knowledge for your vampire.  Or maybe your historical.  Or maybe just to confound your kids.  Or maybe I really am the nerd my kids call me.

Then again...it could just be because it disguises my cross stitch addiction. 

 

And just last weekend, I got to start someone else on this addiction.  The art gallery in Palmer Alaska took part in the summer art walk (really cool idea, huh?). 

 

They asked me to partner up with 9-year-old Sammantha (you read that right.  She's Nine Years Old.  She's amazingly talented.  Already.)  Sammantha designs and constructs jewelry pieces, and I have to tell you, she's good.  And Sammantha brought something extra:  she has a little sister named Megan who is also extremely creative.  I spent some time with Megan, showing her the art of cross stitch, and assisting her with needles, and thread, and counting. 

(Yes.  That's us on the floor in this picture!) 

I had a ball!  Thank goodness we had people there with cameras - since I am never prepared - and we got some great photos. 

 

 

 

 

 

One is Sammantha, me, and the gallery owner, JoAnn. 

 

 

 

Another is of me and Audrey, a lovely woman who came by and let me tell her all about cross stitch. 

 

It's not just the pattern, you see. 

 

It's the material. 

And the weave. 

And the thread manufacturer. 

And the thread count. 

It's the beading. 

It's the metallic accents. 

It's the storage systems and pattern conversion,

and...

 

Oh dear.  There I go again.

**************   

 --- Jackie Ivie

 

Junior Nordic Skiing in Alaska

I keep my skis and poles in my car ready to go.

To most Alaskans skiing means Nordic skiing, also called cross-country skiing. I just call it skiing. Three times a week I coach Jr. Nordic.

I get to run around on skis, mostly in the dark, making sure kids have fun. The trails are lighted but we like to bushwhack through the shortcuts and howl like wolves.

Jr. Nordic is a kid's ski program which meets at three locations in Anchorage.

I believe there are about 500 kids involved, give or take some younger siblings and parents along to help out.

We divide the kids up by ability: Polar Cubs, Otters, Wolverines, and Hawks. The Hawks are the fastest. I ski with the Polar Cubs.

Last Saturday, high winds were forecast, so I called the Jr. Nordic hotline to make sure we were skiing. The wind didn't pick up until the precise moment I opened the hatch of my car. Whoa Nellie!
About 200 kids were gathering in the snowy soccer stadium, checking in with coaches and waxing skies. Dogs are barking with excitement. I found my kids.

My group is quite fast for Polar Cubs, but I tell them to wait for the Cookie Tour to becoming Otters. The Cookie Tour is a race of sorts so we can figure out who is a Hawk and who is a Polar Cub. The kids who can't yet stand on skies forgo skiing the loop but still get a cookie.
Only two of my kids showed up on Saturday.
I usually ski with five.


The wind was roaring through the trees, and the snow was melting with pine needles mixed in, but the trails were was still skiable. We got up Heart Attack Hill which is a steep herring-bone uphill. Oh dear, I'm using too much jargon.

Cross-country skiing has two categories of technique, one is skate or freestyle and the other is classic. Skate skiing is like ice skating, while classic skiing is like running.

We teach classic skiing first, but I mix techniques shamelessly. I'm not a purist.

Classic skiing uses herring bone--also called duck walk--to get up steep hills. To duck walk, angle the ski tips outward so that the skis make a wedge with the wide part in front, tip the inside edges of the skis into the snow for traction, and walk. It helps to keep ski poles moving behind you, ready to keep you from slipping backward. The truly classic way to do it is at a run. It's quite a workout.

At the top of Heart Attack Hill, we stopped for snacks. We debated going back to play tag games in the soccer field, but I get bored with tag, especially with only three people. Instead we skied the Service Loop with a few short cuts. We even had time for rainbow tag.

Well, I'd best go get ready for skiing tonight. The snow is icy, so we're going to be at Kincaid Park. I need to stop by the grocery store for more Oreos and apple juice.


--- Lizzie Newell