Now it's REALLY spring

Wow. I went outside for a couple of weeks and came home to the snow just about gone. I've never missed break up before and it wasn't bad at all. ;>) The crocuses --pasque flowers are blooming so we know that spring is really on the way. We have a raised bed garden so we have already put the potatoes in. I'll plant carrot seeds and some other slow starters this weekend (if it doesn't snow). Being gone meant no starter plants at home so I'll have to buy tomato plants for the greenhouse.

It looks like a moose helped herself to the lilac bushes, so we won't see many blossoms this summer. I guess next year I'll have to surround it with chicken wire.

We're hoping that Saturday is warm and we can have our first picnic of the year at Tok River Campground.

Has Spring Come Early to Tok?

Is is possible spring has come to Tok already? It has been such a warm winter anyway and here we are in the middle of February looking at temperatures around 0 or on the plus side. That translates into spring around here. Normally we are still looking at the depths of winter but with the warmer temperatures and the increasing daylight our thoughts can't help but turn to spring.

People are moving around more and I saw kids coming home from school carrying their coats. These are hyacinths bulbs and daffodils we have in the office. Now that smells and looks like spring!

This truly is an amazing place to live, grow up and call home.

KUAC Fundraiser has local input

I'm publishing an email I got from our local Duct Tape Radio regarding KUAC's(public radio)
fundraiser. And we can cost Lucia a small fortune if we all call in and pledge that night!

Hey there, Duct Tape fans!
If you've been listening to KUAC lately you have the numbers 1800 474-5822 echoing in your head. Yes, it's their Pledge Week! Tok's own Bud Johnson is going to do a special live version of his radio show, Accousic Accents this week. Wouldn't it be cool if he had a bunch of people from Tok call in their pledge? Well, here, I'll let Bud tell you just how cool ...
Hi Folks:
Please excuse this cyber intrusion but I wanted to let you know that KUAC has kicked off its annual fund drive. More to the point, I want you to know that I will be driving to Fairbanks next Friday (the 23rd) to help them out by doing my show (Acoustic Accents) live. I know some of you occasionally tune me in on Friday nights so I'm asking (shamelessly) for you to wait until Friday night at 9 pm to phone in that generous pledge that I know you're going to be making. I believe this is the 6th or 7th year that I've done the show live and it's always a little challenging because I'm always at the END of the drive and most folks have already succumbed to the incessant pleas for money and phoned in their pledge. So if NPR is as important to you as I think it is, please show your support and phone in a pledge sometime next week (and if you can wait until next Friday at 9:00 pm that would even be better!)
NiLts' udelken--We are all related.
Bud Johnson
Producer/Host
ACOUSTIC ACCENTS
P.O. Box 89
Tok, Alaska 99780
info@acousticaccents.net
http://www.acousticaccents.net
"Celebrating 15 years of Folkin' Up The Radio"
So, Duct Tape Fans, here's a challenge ... If five people from Tok call in their pledge during Bud's show I will double my own pledge! Yikes, what am I saying? No, I'm up for it. Are you??

Back from summer

Whew! Well the busy summer is over, and a LONG fall has been with us. Weather has been spectacular--blue sky, no snow, and no real cold. I keep waiting for it to end. I can't believe I haven't written since June, but between trips to Fairbanks and work, the time flew by.
I missed writing about the bird festivals, the cranberry festival (to benefit the food bank) and the end of summer.
Cranberries weren't as big as usual because we had such a warm, dry summer. We picked our blueberries out in Chicken and they are huge and juicy. Love both of them in scones or banana bread.
Now life has calmed down, the tourists are gone, the tourism businesses are mostly closed and people are settling into winter mode. I'm sure the kids are grousing because there is no snow for snow machining. Four wheelers are still the preferred mode of transportation.
There is termination dust on the mountains but it hasn't reached us yet. Soon, I'm sure.
Trick or Treat Street will be happening again at the school, falling this year on the actual date of Halloween. We are already prepared. I've even got my "costume" ready.

Music fans...

Dont forget Chickenstock this Saturday...(write-up in the newsminer) sounds like fun

Hunting

Just a reminder for those hunters intending to apply for a Draw Permit Hunt this spring. This includes Bison hunting in Delta, Moose (including some new hunts in Game Managment Unit 13) and Kodiak Brown Bear. The deadline to apply for these specialized draw hunts is May 31, 2009. The applications are available online at http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/ or at the local Alaska Department of Fish and Game office in Tok.

I promised in another blog that I would share "my" recipe for European style bread. This comes straight from Mother Earth News except for the temperatures I use. Thos in the original recipe resulted in a hard, dark bottom curst. It is the easiest bread recipe I have, and it makes the very best bread.

Mother Earth News Bread Recipe
No Knead, Dutch Oven Bread
1⁄4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1⁄2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.
1 1⁄2 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes. (My change: reduce heat to 425)
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. (My change: Pull chunks off and eat warm. It makes wonderful crunchy toast, too.)
Yield: One 1 1⁄2-pound loaf.
Adapted from The New York Times.