The Alaska economy showed broad improvements in 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 as it rebounded from the pandemic lows of 2020. A steady recovery of jobs in nearly every sector resulted from improved tourism, rising oil prices, a strong housing market and consumer liquidity from government stimulus programs. We believe that the potential […]
The state's Office of Children’s Services has been sued over its handling of foster care. Also, Alaskans welcome Ukrainian refugees to the United States. And weeks after a landslide, the road to Lowell Point may soon be cleared.
Today's selection -- from The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson. In 1958, when John Lennon was 17, his mother died after being struck by a car: "At a party celebrating Commonwealth Day, John and his band play on the back of a parked coal lorry. As he sings and plays, he sees three […]
Today's encore selection -- from Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal. Scientists routinely make claims about the uniqueness of humans compared to other animal species. For example, in the past, scientists have claimed that "only humans can learn to use tools" and "only humans are self-aware," only to […]
The state's Office of Children’s Services has been sued over its handling of foster care. Also, Alaskans welcome Ukrainian refugees to the United States. And weeks after a landslide, the road to Lowell Point may soon be cleared.
The first book in a new non-fiction series of Little Black Books comes out today. Each of these books offer over 100 bite-sized snippets of information. Besides being informative, they make excellent gifts. As we hit graduation month, Life’s Little Black Book would be an excellent gift. It’s guaranteed there’s something you don’t know in […]
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...
Our students spent the summer working on the inaugural project of the LDICP. Through their extensive research, massive databases of information on state statutes regarding the abuse of children ave been created and will be posted here as their work is finalized. Here are...
on Writing Forward: You see it everywhere, but most people don’t know what it’s called or how to use it properly. In fact, it’s often referred to as “dot, dot, dot” even though it does have a name. This punctuation mark is the ellipsis. It is a series or row of three periods, which is usually […]
So, I just finished a puzzle and realized I hadn’t posted about them in a while. I have 9 that I completed since the last time. Looks like the last time I posted about puzzles was back in August. That … Continue reading →
Welcome to the round up of posts that you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord. I hope you are well and have enjoyed your week as much as I have mine. The house is still a bit topsy turvey … Continue reading →
An oldie but goodie. ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧ After Fr. Gregory’s beloved old tabby died, he adopted a kitten from the animal shelter and named her Frances. While chasing a squirrel one day, Frances ran up a tree, and then refused to come back down. The tree wasn’t sturdy enough for a grown man to […]
We live in the most perfect area to have a staycation. The gulf with its white sand beaches are only five minutes away. We have the best restaurants with fresh seafood and seats with the best views. The charter fishing experience is top notch. Evidently, this is not a best kept secret anymore. The only […]
Michael Shaw, the creator of this compelling documentary, describes it as "a journey seeking to both face up to the global changes we are collectively facing, as well as an exploration of how to meet this time with a ready, willing heart." Through a series of in-person interviews with key people who are exploring the […]
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about content consumption — what we consume, how we consume it, and why we do. As someone who spends a ton of time creating,… The post Considering Content Consumption appeared first on Positively Present - Dani DiPirro.
May named after Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility, is a fabulous month in Texas. The fertility angle is easy to understand since the weather in May is ideal for romantic evenings.Twelve best things about May—especially in Texas? Here's my lsit.1. At the top of my list is that May is when Day Lilies burst […]
By: Stewart Brennan I look back on the disaster that was 2021 and do not find much of anything good to talk about as it was a year in which online censorship metastasized while the world plunged into a lockstep fascism, where friendships ended, families broke up, and all the celebrations of life came to […]
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 […]
"Jacqueline Cochran was looking for WASP. They told me I would have to be interviewed and they would contact me when they came to the Wichita area. But I didn’t wait for that. I went down to Houston for my interview, to speed things up. And I think that’s one of the smartest things I […]
To end the week today, we have this image of what appears to be a well-established upscale restaurant in or near Colorado that was found without any background information. The structure and the lush vegetation growing on the stone foundation and its construction give it the appearance of being constructed quite sometime before this late...
Today’s photos are from the Cuyahoga Falls and Akron, Ohio area. The lead image is dated by the source August 8, 1960, and the location is identified as Front St. past the intersection with 2nd St. in Cuyahoga Falls. At the time, a ninety-day one-way traffic test was underway. A view of a traffic tie...
Stock footage might not sound too sexy or fun, but this is an easy one to start and doesn’t require any start up funding. In fact, you can start with your smartphone camera. Ready? You Ready Are You Ready GIF from Youready GIFs What is stock footage and how does it work? Stock footage […]
I think it’s a paperback book from about 25-30 years ago. I’m sorry I don’t recall title nor author, nor cover.I’ve tried googling what little I remember in nouns, but no luck. It could be a short storyanthology or a book of short stories by one writer. As I recall, the carny, a kind of […]
Seatmate (Love Lines Book 3) by Cara Bastone Narrated by Amanda Ronconi, Zachary Webber, Josh Hurley, Carol Monda, Corey Allen, Allyson Johnson, Eric Yves Garcia, Tanya Eby, and Dina Pearlman Made for audio. Completely stands alone. Clean Romcom. The first two audiobooks in the Love Lines series, Call Me Maybe and Sweet Talk by Cara […]
September 14, 1951. "Tillett residence, 170 E. 80th Street, New York City. Mr. and Mrs. on couch." The influential textile designers D.D. (Doris Doctorow) and Leslie Tillett. 4x5 inch acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.
September 14, 1951. "Tillett residence at 170 E. 80th Street, New York City. Dining table." The minimalist townhouse kitchen of textile designers D.D. and Leslie Tillett. 4x5 inch acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.
My mom Thérèse Helene (Larochelle) Lavoie (1943-2019) when she was around 20 years-old in the early 1960s near Saint-Isidore, Dorchester, Québec, Canada. A similar photograph taken at the same time was captured in an oil painting.
I’m posting this recipe for Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms and warn you: it’s NOT that difficult to make these scrumptious beauties! I found the recipe (including video) on Kitchen and Craft. This site is definitely worth a visit! I tried my hand at making these stuffed squash blossoms after a visit to a local farm-to-table style […]
Avoiding trouble when growing tomatoes in Florida can be challenging. While warm weather is conducive to growing tomatoes, it’s also the perfect climate for pests. From caterpillars to stink bugs, your tomato plant is prime eating for these beasts. NOT PRETTY–but don’t despair! While these critters have it out for your plants, you can outsmart […]
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 22, 2022 is: galumph \guh-LUMF\ verb Galumph means "to move with a clumsy heavy tread." // After long days at his landscaping job, their teenage son galumphs into the house and flings himself onto the couch, sighing heavily. See the entry > Examples: "One moment he'd […]
Last week, it was announced that four very-long-term members of Saturday Night Live (Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Kyle Mooney) would be leaving the show after Saturday’s finale. Not only did the show give each of the four significant send-off time on the show, it addressed the feeling of future nostalgia…Read more...
Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, May 22 to Thursday, May 26. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]Read more...
Clad in a black catsuit, Saturday Night Live host Natasha Lyonne strode onto the stage of Studio 8H like she owned the place. The long-burnishing comic gem—an underrated presence for decades, now the star of Russian Doll—had the right. A former child actor and native New Yorker, Lyonne said she considered SNL “her…Read more...
The queens reenter the workroom and celebrate Shea’s win, who says it feels “correct.” For whatever reason Trinity is absent and renters later holding the plunger. Shea attempts to explain her reason citing Trinity’s resilience as a main reason why she decided to block her. Trinity accepts the explanation and decides…Read more...
No mess, no fuss, and no frying. Completely BAKED amazingly crisp-tender chicken parmesan for the entire family! Crisp-tender chicken parm without any of the frying mess? Yes, please! Not to mention, the melted mozzarella right on top along with the juicy, blistered cherry tomatoes. It’s a very quick sheet pan dinner (serving enough for 4) […]
Taco night just got even better (and quicker!) with the juiciest, most flavorful shredded salsa chicken! What’s better than build-your-own taco night? Tacos that you can make so effortlessly right in your pressure cooker. It starts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs (of course!) cooked in your IP for 8 minutes in a pool of the […]
I read this and laughed. You may enjoy it too even if you’re not that old. “I have everything that I wanted as a teenager, only 50 years later. I don’t have to go to school or work. I get an allowance every month. I have my own pad. I don’t have a curfew. I […]
What does the warm weather mean to you? To me, it’s gardening season. That also means I need to get in shape. Here’s a chart that should make you happy about spending time weeding and trimming. Need a butt lift? Move loads of soil or compost around! Continue Reading → The post Chill Out in […]
Now that the Sammy appears to be willing to be operational, it was time to do some other things for her.Some of you were aware that the Sammy sported a sticker on the spare wheel which read: "0 to 60, Eventually". Something to perhaps give clueless drivers a hint that perhaps the Sammy doesn't accelerate […]
Should have kept my mouth shut and not incurred the wrath of the gods of things mechanical....Yesterday, Thursday, May 12I'd just taken Thing One to work with the Sammy and had returned home noting that the engine seemed to be overheating a bit.Once I got out of the car, it was obvious why. There was […]
If you’ve read my book The Chaos Kind, you might remember a certain CIA SOG (Special Operations Group) character named Dutch. And while I don’t write characters based on real people, that doesn’t mean none of my characters were inspired by them...So yes, there is a real Dutch, who a long time ago I was extremely lucky to train […]
Not taking a position on last night’s Smith/Rock incident. But for anyone piously intoning some version of “Violence never solves anything, violence is never the answer, violence has no place in XYZ, etc,” have you considered what discourse would be like with zero possibility of offense to words leading to violence?Actually, you don’t have to […]
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 I headed […]
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 side of […]
Caregiving is well-trodden terrain in Parkinson's circles, but what of the reciprocal practice of caregetting? It is a critical skill that doesn't get the same attention. Read some caregetting tips here.
Plan now to get to Whittier for your “26 Glacier Cruise” aboard the m/v Klondike Express with Phillips Cruises and Tours! See it all in one day, departing from Whittier! ... The post 26 Glacier Cruise special: join the Klondike Club and save $$$! appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.
Mint is a reasonably cold-hardy perennial, meaning it grows back every year under the right conditions. Just like there are many different kinds of tomatoes (cherry, beefsteak, roma, etc.), there are plenty different varieties of mint, too. Here’s an overview comparison of three different kinds of mints that grow well for me in Anchorage, Alaska: […]
Do chickens still lay eggs in the winter? That’s a common question many curious poultry lovers ask me. The answer? It depends. Egg laying chickens will naturally taper off and cease egg production in winter months, assuming you live somewhere that gets darker in winter months than summer. In Alaska, where our winter months might […]
This is the easiest, best gluten free pizza crust! With minimal ingredients and no kneading, you can have gluten-free pizza your whole family will love on the dinner table in no time. If you’re new to baking gluten-free, this is the perfect recipe to start with. With my step-by-step directions, there’s no need to be... […]
We came to this land in June of this year, in the midst of a heatwave. We thought we could make a home from … The post A Home In The Mountains first appeared on Backwoods Mom.
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 […]
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 […]
“The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should […]
On the day the National Park Service retrieved the body of one dead climber from near the 20,300-foot summit of Mount Denali, another was entombed in the Kahiltna Glacier. The as-yet-unidentified Kahiltna […]
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… […]
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… […]
This is a GREAT recipe to have. It's super easy to make (2 bowls and a spoon) and the muffins are moist and super chocolate-y. It's my "go to" recipe for sure.In the 1st bowl, stir together:2 cups flour1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup unsweetend cocoa powder1 cup semi-sweet […]
My list of 10 Best Gifts for Cooks and Food Lovers helps last minute shoppers buy great presents for the food obsessed; most of the items on the list I’ve used and loved for years. Most importantly, if you act quickly, there’s still time to order most of my recommended gifts and have them arrive […]
It's Stick Figure Saturday again! Simple coloring pages with a lot of room to play with techniques, backgrounds and colors. I hope you enjoy this week's installment. Click the images below for larger versions to save/print/color! Stick figure dance coloring- small jpgStick figure dance coloring page- large transparent png
There will be eagles and jellyfish and herring, Oh My! Join us at 3:30 p.m. this Earth Day, Friday, April 22, for the 2022 Parade of the Species. After missing two years due to Covid-19, this is the 19th Parade … Continue reading →
I LOVE my grandmother’s navy bean soup, but it takes forever to make with soaking the beans overnight and then slow cooking the soup all day. I decided to try it in my Instant Pot and it was a success! Not only that, but my kids loved it…score! Ingredients: 1-2 Tbs. olive oil 1 onion, diced 3 […]
Thanks for the question Michi - trailing currant does grow wild in Sitka. I notice it most commonly along the edges near beaches, but have seen it at other locations also. The berries are blue, but have a whitish bloom on them (link goes to a picture I took of them a few years ago)
Good Day, I was curiosed at the Foto of the Trailing Currant (Ribes laxiflorum). It looked to me familiar and when I looked it up in german it confirmed my guess. Do they grow wild in Sidka? What color berries do they have? Thank you for sharing, Michi, Switzerland
Since 2016 I have worked in Hoonah to help build a vision. The Hoonah Native Forest Partnership is a unique model of community-based forestry that seeks to meet the objectives of land managers and the needs of the community. The project relies on training a local workforce in natural resource inventory and landscape improvement. I’m […]
At the end of July we took the boat over to Halibut Cove to hike the Saddle Trail with the kids to picnic at Grewingk Glacier Lake. It's a great trail for kids to master themselves, and Riggs hiked the whole way himself. Raina was in the backpack, but more because we wanted to hike […]
A man who just moved to Homer about a year ago from Chicago has started a podcast interviewing people from the Homer community. He called up my husband a few months ago and asked him if he would be willing to be interviewed. My husband said sure, so the second episode of Alex's podcast features […]
Well, 2017 was not a good garden year in my area, even for those of us with greenhouses/high tunnels. I'm sure I didn't help my chances at all; we had a month between returning home from the States and getting the roof on the high tunnel, and I didn't start any seeds or work the […]
I just love an easy dessert, don’t you? This is Strawberry Dump Cake is one of the most simple desserts to make. You don’t even have to stir it!! Fresh ... Read more The post Easy Strawberry Dump Cake appeared first on Little House Big Alaska.
Mountain View is in for a treat — a whole new store full of treats, in fact. Packed with dozens of varieties of handmade custom candies, classic favorites, and assorted other sweets, Sweet Creations Lollipop Boutique is one of the latest businesses to open doors in the neighborhood. Owner Missy Simms made it for the […]
During our time in Washington we also took some time to drive over to Kennewick to visit some of my family in that area. We camped in my aunt and uncle's driveway and visited them and some of my cousins. The highlight for the girls was the nerf war for sure (pictures here). It was […]
This is part two of our recent drive up the Dalton Highway in partnership with Go North Car and RV Rentals. Built for purpose, not comfort, the Dalton Highway is a 414-mile twisting, turning route between Interior and Arctic Alaska. Partially-paved but mostly dirt (or mud or ice, depending upon the conditions and/or season), it […]