Update Letter

Dear friends, 

It has been rainy rainy rainy here in Alaska. On the bright side, we’re getting quite a bit of school done since we’re stuck inside, but every once in a while the sun comes out (like this afternoon) and then we all go outside as much as possible to soak in the gorgeous fall weather. 

The leaves are changing color and there is definitely a different smell in the air. Nippy too, but no frost yet. We’re getting cabbage, Brocolli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and spinach and peas from the garden. Not in large quantities, mind you, just little bits here and there. We didn’t have time to add any compost or anything to the garden this year, so hopefully next year we can do a little better and grow a bit more. I’m still hopeful we’ll get a good potato crop, and when my friend Tina Weaver was here visiting, she helped me make 9 quarts of sauerkraut. 

Jasper is officially mobile. Not really crawling, just able to scooch wherever he wants to go. And no matter where I set him down he always ends up over by the door sucking on shoes or eating dirt or pieces of dog food that got dropped on the rug. Yesterday he grabbed the kitty bowl before I could get to him and dumped all the milk. Feels like I’m so eager for each new milestone, and then I wonder why I wanted this. 😄

Getting Gabe to sound out words and read a story was getting harder and harder, but this week he had a breakthrough where he was able to read fast enough that he actually got excited about the story. Now he wants to read every day, and I’m honestly pretty relieved. 

Jasmine is 5 and loves to help, and will go out and milk the goat all by herself to surprise me. She also loves to take care of Jasper. 

More and more Oscar is keeping up with Gabe and they go and do things together as boys. It’s nice to see them operate on the same wavelength. This week they had their tools out and were pounding nails into boards building a shop for daddy. Bless them. It was about 2×5, but they were trying! 

Ariel reminds me of a little bird. She loves to sit on the counter and watch me work, offering up many observations and questions in a little piping voice. She has learned how to use the big potty and I’m so happy to not have the training potty in my kitchen anymore.  

It has been several weeks since I have written anything here, but hopefully as cooler weather slows the frenzied pace of summertime I will have space and energy for creative writing again.

Love to all,

Tabitha