Finch Quest | Sitka Nature

Filed under 907 Updates

Mostly clear skies prevailed as the day dawned. I got up before the sun was high enough to be seen over the mountains to the southeast (not especially challenging as we’re headed into t…

Sitka Nature, Finches

golf lessons and gardening programs -- 9/20/24 September 20, 2024
Today's selection-- from the Early Years of Television and the BBC by Jamie Medhurst. The challenge of deciding what to televise in the very earliest days of television and the BBC: “The BBC made use of the grounds of Alexandra Palace, televising golf lessons, women's health and beauty programmes, and gardening programmes with the popular […]
nobel prize winner kati kariko-- 9/18/24 September 18, 2024
Today's selection-- from Breaking Through by Katalin Karikó. The early struggles of Katalin Karikó, who, along with Drew Weissman, developed the extraordinary mRNA technology that was used globally in a vaccine to combat the COVID virus and is now being used to develop a broad array of vaccines for other diseases: “I didn’t feel smart. […]

Recent Research Spreadsheets
Our students have compiled research in three topic areas. Below are the links to their research tables that can be downloaded for searching and viewing. For a state-by-state review of Mandatory Reporter laws, click here. For a state-by-state review of Background Check laws, click...
feigleycommunications
Legislative Drafting Students
Our students spend the summer working on the research project of the LDICP. Through their extensive research, massive databases of information on state statutes regarding the abuse of children have been created and will be posted here as their work is finalized. Here are...
feigleycommunications

The Missing Link in Three-Act Structure – by Lisa Poisso… September 20, 2024
on Writers Helping Writers: In any discussion of story structure, the three-act model inevitably dominates the conversation. Even as plotting methods such as Save the Cat, the Hero’s Journey, and the Snowflake Method gain popularity, the classic beginning-middle-end form reaching back to the dramatic theories of Aristotle remains the essential core. But here’s the rub: […]
Chris The Story Reading Ape

Sunny Ann Starling, July 2, 1943 - January 6, 2023 January 10, 2023
All-American patriot, artist, designer, entrepreneur, flower arranger, chef, and joyful servant, Sunny Lou Starling, was carried on the wings of angels to the arms of her savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, January 6, 2023. She once said her mission was to “Gather and feed all you can, as often as you can, because you never know if […]
Unknown
WASP Final Flight February 28, 2022
WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish, 44-W-4"Failure isn't failure unless you let it be. It's simply a change in direction. Just count your many blessings move on. With God's help, anything is possible!"Deanie Bishop Parrish passed away peacefully in her home in Waco, Texas, on February 24, 2022, just one day shy of her 100th birthday. She met every challenge […]
Unknown

Five Fun Kodachrome Car Image Series No. 513 September 18, 2024
In this weekly series, we ask our readers to tell us the year, make, and model of all of these vehicles along with the location where the image was taken and anything else you find of interest in the photos. You can look back on all the earlier parts of this series here. The photos are via Americar.
David Greenlees
Four Fun Kodachrome Car Image Series No. 512 September 11, 2024
In this weekly series, we ask our readers to tell us the year, make, and model of all of these vehicles along with the location where the image was taken and anything else you find of interest in the photos. You can look back on all the earlier parts of this series here. The photos are via Americar.
David Greenlees

R.R. D.J.: 1943 September 18, 2024
March 1943. "Waynoka, Oklahoma. An Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe operator and telegrapher throwing one of the interlocking switches." Thirty years old and still playing with trains! Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Dave
Dragon Garage: 1943 September 17, 2024
March 1943. "Shopton, near Fort Madison, Iowa. Locomotives in the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway roundhouse. Note train control mechanism on truck wheel of the engine." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Dave

+112 September 20, 2024
In reply to Oglethorpe Avenue: 1908: Below is the same view from July of 2010.
TimeAndAgainPhoto
Rear View September 20, 2024
In reply to R.R. D.J.: 1943: I would strongly suspect that the mirror allows the operator to see the "model board" of the interlocking behind him. The model board is not visible in this picture, but it would display the position of trains within and approaching the interlocking. The operator will throw switches and clear […]
signalman

Easy Microgreens June 13, 2023
Microgreens seem to be all the rage these days and for good reason: they are packed with nutrients and easy to grow! The USDA and University of Maryland found that leaves from microgreens had more nutrients than the mature leaves of the same plants. And great flavor. Plus, you don’t need a lot of space […]
gardenfrisk
Cauliflower Growing Tip April 12, 2023
I’ve been growing cauliflower for years, but only recently did I learn this cauliflower growing tip from a farmer friend of mine. I was showing her my garden and she wrapped her hands around the leaves of my young cauliflower plants and folded them upward. “When your cauliflower begins to form a bud, pull your […]
gardenfrisk

DIY Sweetgrass Basket Craft Inspired by Gullah Tradition by Josie Riviera May 22, 2024
Welcome back to Daufuskie Island, where every corner tells a story. This island is off the coast of South Carolina and is a 1 hour ferry ride from Hilton Head Island. Today I’m sharing how to make a sweetgrass basket: Materials: Coiled rope or raffia Colored yarn or embroidery thread Large-eye needle Scissors Instructions: Start […]
Josie Riviera
Daufuskie Delights: A Culinary Journey Through Gullah Flavors by Josie Riviera April 22, 2024
Welcome to Daufuskie Island, where time slows down and the rhythms of Gullah culture come to life. This inviting getaway off the South Carolina coast is more than an island; it’s a testament to the resilience and creativity of the Gullah people, descendants of West African slaves. These people were brought to work on the […]
Donna Fasano

Family of fallen paratrooper remember son as a warrior September 19, 2024
Matthew Perez’s parents told him that he and his new wife, Jessica, should wait a few years before having kids, to make sure the young couple had their “ducks in a row” before adding to their family. But the young Army paratrooper and his wife had other plans. “That’s the only thing I’m glad that […]
Joshua Skovlund
Marine veteran and wife locate body of shooting suspect in Kentucky September 19, 2024
A Marine veteran and his wife located the body of a man who is accused of shooting five people earlier this month along Interstate 75 in Southern Kentucky. On Wednesday, Fred McCoy and his wife Shelia located the remains of Joseph Couch, who was wanted by police in connection with the Sept. 7 shootings. Couch […]
Jeff Schogol

More T'Dubing for Fall Colors around Silverton and a ride down to Purgatory. September 19, 2024
I've woken up to frost on everything outside the last couple of days with temperatures down in the high thirties. Yesterday, Wednesday, was a gloriously sunny day though the temperatures never crested above 62° I think. Still, in the sunlight it felt warm. I went to check on the availability of a couple of the campsites candidates […]
redlegsrides
Rainy Days after a Glorious Sunday Afternoon of Fall Colors near Silverton September 17, 2024
Sunday developed into a mostly cloudy day here near Silverton, CO after a morning of cold rain.So I rode out with Yagi, my TW200, to check out conditions on County Road 23 which I'd seen on the maps. It seemed to provide access to the forested mountainsides to the east of Silverton.Purely by luck, I […]
redlegsrides

How I'm Voting September 13, 2024
A friend on Facebook asked me who I’d be voting for in November. For whatever they’re worth, my thoughts:I think reasoning tends to be more interesting and useful than conclusions, and going into my reasoning would take a while. But to try to summarize: I don’t think America has two political parties; I think we […]
Barry Eisler
Dark Matter! May 8, 2024
Update, June 25, 2024Just finished watching the Dark Matter episode 9 finale and holy shit, did they stick the landing! No spoilers and so much still to think and talk about, but three initial impressions:1. Part of what makes the show so special is the authenticity and consistency of the human reactions and emotions. In one […]
Barry Eisler

Kashevaroff Mountain April 6, 2019
Long before we were a sailing family, Alisa and I were a young couple in love with adventuring in Alaska. The opportunity to introduce Eric and Elias to the delights of outdoor living in the Great Land was one of the big bright sides of our return to Alaska. Earlier this winter, the boys and […]
Letting go March 20, 2019
So...this beautiful island is our home. See the barky? The boys just had their spring break. A week off from school and nothing to keep us from buggering off in Galactic. The weather was generally poor - nothing like the pics above for the most part - so we just snuck off to the west […]

PDS on PBS II Cross post from "Frozen Grin" April 5, 2024
Here is a link to a story about my struggle to draw with Parkinson's Disease. the story is from "The Daily Cartoonist" a Web journal concerning the world of professional cartooning. It was occasioned by the release of the documentary "Matters of Mind, My Parkinson's" which follows three families and their efforts to cope […]
Peter Dunlap-Shohl
Matter of Mind, My Parkinson's, PBS Looks at PD and PD-S March 4, 2024
Here is a short trailer for the PBS documentary "Matter of Mind, My Parkinson's. It follows the attempts of three people and their families to cope with the progressive, disabling and incurable neurological condition. The film won the Audience Choice Award for documentaries at the recent San Francisco Film Festival, possibly due to a scenery-chewing […]
Peter Dunlap-Shohl

Identifying Devil’s Club Plant August 10, 2023
Devil’s Club is a common wild plant in Alaska that’s large & covered in hidden sharp thorns, growing everywhere from remote forests to even well-groomed Anchorage city trails. Just because you’re “in town” doesn’t mean you won’t run into devil’s club. It’s smart to stay on the trails, particularly if you’re not confident spotting it. […]
Ashley
Pumpkin BOO-berry Muffins (Fun Halloween Toddler Snacktivity!) October 21, 2022
Here’s a delicious fall-time spin on classic blueberry muffins. If you’re a solo adult who likes good food, this recipe is for you. Or if you’ve got extra kitchen “helpers” around (read: kids who need entertainment), turn baking these Halloween muffins into a fun toddler snacktivity. Pumpkin BOO-berry Muffin Recipe Ingredients: 2 boxes Jiffy brand […]
Ashley

"Home" vs. "Away" May 20, 2022
I’m home now. I’m looking at the flea market couch I brought up from California; I had cushions made three times over the years till I got it just right. Now it’s just right. It’s been in my life 42 years. Tim has been in my life 34 years, but he had to be out of […]
CloudyinAK
Goodbye, Toronto May 10, 2022
I’m saying my goodbyes to Toronto. I’ve seen my last Hot Docs Festival film, and I’m just back from my last author program. I’ve probably had my last roti, checked out my last book at my local branch library, gone to my last art workshop. Horror of horrors, I’ve even watched my last play. The thing […]
CloudyinAK

Malnourished launches today January 21, 2020
It’s here. The big day. My memoir, the one I spent 15 years struggling over, launches today from Raised Voice Press. I’m feeling very exposed, very vulnerable. This is not at all similar to when Dolls Behaving Badly launched from Hachette Book Group. That was a novel, and while some of it was based on… […]
cinthiaritchie
Book review: Secondhand Summer by Dan Walker December 1, 2019
I had had Alaska writer Dan Walker’s YA novel SECONDHAND SUMMER on my list for a long time, and two weeks ago finally had the chance to dive in. I wasn’t disappointed. Walker’s book, geared for middle school readers (but still immensely enjoyable for adults), follows 14-year-old Sam’s move to Anchorage from the small fishing… […]
cinthiaritchie

Sitka Nature Show #318 – Kari Sagel and Brooke Schafer June 30, 2024
Download Radio Show The June 30th show featured a conversation with Kari Sagel and Brooke Schafer in our semi-regular cross-over between the Sitka Library Show and the Sitka Nature Show. If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up […]
matt goff
Sitka Nature Show #317 – Daniel Graham and Zach LaPerriere June 16, 2024
Download Radio Show The June 16th show featured a conversation with Daniel Graham and Zach LaPerriere. Daniel was the artist who crafted the Sitka violin commissioned for the Sitka Summer Music Festival by Marcel and Connie LaPerriere, it was the made out of wood sourced in Sitka by Zach LaPerriere. We discussed the of the […]
matt goff

Sandra’s Overnight Artisan 10" Cast Iron Soft Bread-No Knead March 2, 2024
INGREDIENTS3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon active yeast (not rapid or instant)1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt1-1/2 cups slightly warm water (tepid)--2 teaspoons canola oil (For top and bottom of dough ball so it doesn't stick or form crust while rising)-2 TB butter melted in ramekin, with brush (set aside)--10” Seasoned Cast Iron SkilletMETHODAdd flour to bowl. Add yeast […]
sandra
Sandra's Fresh Apple Pecan Cake (9x13") September 18, 2023
My husband loves this cakeso much he had two pieces 'after' eating lunch...Ingredients2 Eggs1 ½ cup Canola Oil2 cups Granulated Sugar3 cups A-P Flour2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg½ teaspoon Kosher Salt1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda4 cups Chopped Apples (peeled and cored): measure after chopping1 cup chopped Pecans: measure after chopping1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract⅔ […]
sandra