A Lyric Day (or week)

We started this blog with the musings of Robert Frost, but now that we are in Alaska- a Yukon Poet, Robert Service, has our attention. We feel that these lines of his poem, A Lyric Day, sum up the our
experience thus far


excerpt from A Lyric Day

"I deem that there are lyric days
So ripe with radiance and cheer,
So rich with gratitude and praise
That they enrapture all the year"
                            Robert Service


 This has been a lyric week! It's hard to believe we've been in Homer for 8 days. We have seen and done so much.

The boys have started school.  They go to different schools; Colton to West Homer Elementary  (Grades 3-6) and Ethan at Paul Banks Elementary (K-2).  Both of the schools and their teachers seem fabulous. The boys are impressed with the amount of enrichment activites (Field trips). For example, Colton is going out on a 52 foot charter fishing boat (owned by the family of one of his new friends & classmates)  this week and next week will be going on a "2 night, 3 day camp out across Kachemak Bay to study botony, geology, marine invertibrates, zoology, anthropolgy, mammals and general ecology at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies' Peterson and Kasistna Bay Field Stations" - WOW!!  Tim has offered to chaperon both trips - we're still waiting to hear....

Ethan's class has four separate field trips planned for the next two weeks to many local museums, the beach, and the Islands & Oceans Education Center.   On Friday last week, Ethan's class had a "1/2 day recess" after they completed 'Spirit Day' which was fun and games. The children then spent hours outdoors while the teachers prepared for the First Friday Art Show that was happening at the school Friday night - formal wear encouraged, but not required.

Unfortunatley we had to miss this event as we already had tickets aboard the Danny J, a converted WWII shorelander which has been converted to a fishing and taxi charter. We went accross the bay to Gull Island to view the migrating birds as part of the Shorebird Festival that happens every year in Homer. People are really passionate about the birds! The excitement reached a fever pitch as someone spotted a red breasted, yellow bellied, long leg something or other!!

A flock of Common Murres, frightened off Gull Island (their nesting ground) by prowling eagles.

Red-faced Commorant on Gull Island

Common Murres on Gull Island.  They are similar to a penguin, but of the Arctic regions vs. Antarctic.

Gull Island birds



Tim blending in with the locals, looking at the birds!

 We met a really great couple on the boat, a retired Physicain and his wife, who is an RN.  We are looking forward to dining at their home next weekend.

We also particiapted in number of other Shorebird Festival activites, with the boys completing the requirements for a Katchemak Bay Junior Birding Badge. This included a live bird presentation, a two hour lab with shorebird education & activites, along with the Gull Island tour. Be sure to question them on their newfound knowledge when you see them next.

When not in school, there are plenty of other outdoor activities to engage in.  With endless beaches and shoreline, "beachcombing" is a very popular leisure activity.  It's not quite the same as the Maine-NH sandy beach-stroll in flip-flops or sneakers that we were accustomed to.  You definately want to have calf-high mudboots (footwear of choice by all locals)  and an extra layer or two handy for the frequent weather changes.  The boys were fascinated with the shells, different rocks, drift wood and other "treasures" to be found on the shore.  A walk along the beach just to take in the scenery is reason enough.

Colton beachcombing.  The backdrop scenery is a bit more dramatic than on the Atlantic.

Tim carrying Ethan's haul of shells and other "treasures."

Ethan and his treasures....

Colton, devising a way to plunder Ethan's treasures....

The boys have also started karate here in Homer.  It's a diffent style, Shodukan, but has a lot of similarities to the Shorin Ryu Karate they do in NH and the same basic principals are promoted. The boys are quite famous as they are the 2 highest belts, but the belt rank structure is a bit different. Nonetheless, they contine to see kids from karate around town and they are becoming known to this group. This has also been a nice way for us to meet and get to know some other adults/parents around town.

There is a Boys & Girls Club at the Homer Middle School, just down the street from us that has a great outdoor skateboard park.  Equipped with their  $5 (each) Salvation Army and Yard Sale skateboard and Razer scooter, the boys have been honing their skills (and adding to their bruises) at the park.

Ethan and his Razer and Colton and his skateboard on one of the many ramps at skatepark.

Tim has finally wet a fishing line! He has been fishing at the end of the Spit for the last few days, as he patiently (not!) waits for the salmon runs to start and trout season to open (and lakes to thaw!) here in the Homer area.  We have dined on fresh fish for the last 4 nights and we anticipate many more fish meals to come. Someone felt sorry for Tim as he was cleaning Pollack at the municipal fish cleaning station, so they threw him a Halibut fillet - yummm!!! We're hoping to go Halibut fishing later this summer once more boats get in the water, or we meet more folks with boats.

The boys have joined Tim over the weekend at the spit fishing and they have been having a ball. There is a fish-processing plant at the end of the Spit which has an outlet pipe to discharge it's waste-product and where fish seem to congretgate.   As one would expect, Colton has focused on getting bigger fish, farther away from the "honey hole," whereas Ethan sucks right up next to it which ensures numerous small fish on his line. Tim doesn't get to actually fish at this time as he is too busy untangling lines, taking off fish and keeping the peace. 

Ethan's 1st Pacific Pollack

Ethan quickly became bored pulling in fish after fish, so he then focused on being Colton's fish-mate, at the ready to take fish off Colton's hook. After an hour or so of watching his brother catch fish, Colton decided to move in a little closer to the action.

Colton's Beach-hand (Ethan) removing his fish for him.  He's got him trained already! 

The boys also have learned to NOT throw back small fish if natives are also fishing at the spit. They comminucated, not in english, that they wanted every fish the boys caught - no matter how small. The boys were happy to oblige. It has been a good lesson on how the natives of Alaska do not waste ANYTHING.


The one fish NOBODY keeps, is an Irish Lord fish.  A bottom-feeding sculpin that is nothing but head, tail & teeth!

Anna was spoiled for Mothers Day and went across the bay for a cooking class day at Tutka Lodge. This was a wonderful experience with great food and superb company, along with another great boat ride across the bay.  Check it out at http://www.withinthewild.com/ .


The furure cooking school at the Tutka Bay Lodge -  an old fishing vessel, run aground and then a kitchen & lodge built over-top of it. 



Lunch at the Tutka Bay Lodge's cooking class.

The wildlife remains abundant. We are now counting days when we DON'T see a moose - so far we are at one.   New additions to the wildlife include sea otters, and some up close experiences with Eagles while fishing. We've instruced the boys to stay together since the eagles can't carry them both off together. We've also seen Terns, Magpies, Stellar Jays, Sandpipers, Sandhill Cranes and Plovers (yikes - we're getting Homerized as evidenced by our knowledge of these shorebirds).

We continue to ride our bikes everywhere and it seems that our bike-butts are getting in shape; we hardly wince now when we mount our rides. I think we've logged about 50 miles in the last week - mostly in 2-4 mile rides - but it all adds up.

We are grateful for our lyric week and are excited for more to come.