22 September 2009

A Quick August Re-cap

I'll be brief on August ... on the 3rd, the Homer High School Cross Country Running Team began practice.  With me as head coach ... naively embarking upon a second job that has taken a phenomenal amount of time & brain-space.  Ben has been incredibly patient in listening to me talk about 17 high school students waaaaay more than anyone should have to listen to.  That being said, it's been a fun adventure, we have Regions this weekend, States next weekend, and another season has come and gone.  8 Weeks, I can hardly complain.

septupload 011 

August is the Gibson Family month.  Ben's sister and family come to Homer for the month, along with other sisters, neices/nephews, aunts/uncles, family friends, etc etc.  While Sam and the kids (the England-family) were staying at the house, Ben, Kaya, Shaemus, Pemba, and I stayed at Charlie, Debbie, and Elias' (aunt, uncle, & cousin) cabin-by-the-sea.

septupload 004

This is the only real picture I took during our tenure at the cabin.  I was sitting on the bed at the time, so all at once you can get a sense of how lovely and sweet and small this space was.  The beach was just outside the window, and Shaemus fully enjoyed sitting on the top of the hill, watching the people and crows and other dogs meandering below. 

Also in August, Ben & Josiah tried their hands at set-netting.  There is a personal use fishery in Kachemak Bay for silver salmon.  The openings are 48 hours, and you hang a gill net that you hope fishes will swim into.  More or less, this is the idea.

septupload 005 The net, with a buoy at each end and floats along the length.

septupload 006 septupload 007

septupload 008

A few salmon were caught, although I'm not entirely sure it would classify as the "bloodbath" that I was assured would ensue....

Next time, next time...

septupload 013

To wrap August up, Chris came down before heading back south to Maine to pick up Shaemus and visit.  Coincidentally, he arrived for my birthday!  We loaded up the boat with dogs, Blaine, Katie, Ben, Chris, & I, food and beer, and headed across the Bay to the head of Tutka Bay for some first-class bushwacking up a beautiful valley.

septupload 014

septupload 018 septupload 020

septupload 017

The boys tried to lend a hand to Katie for a river-crossing..

septupload 019

Rainforest-y, wet, sunny, thorny Across The Bay.  Loved It.

septupload 021