The first official day of summer is June 21st, but Alaskans can’t wait that long. Our season is short. We have to get the ball rolling early.
And the ball is definitely rolling.
The sun currently rises before 5am and sets well after 11pm. A time frame that will continue to expand until the first day of summer. On that day, the Summer Solstice, it will be light for 24 hours.
Then we start the slow march towards winter.
It’s all so fleeting. We have to capitalize on every second of “summer” we get.
As I write this, my husband is giving our lawn the first mow of the season. I’m watching a little robin watch him as it cautiously hunts for worms in the grass. I saw fields of pretty, purple lupines along the side of the road this morning.
Looking out the window, I can almost feel the warmth of the sun. When I step outside, I’m reminded that looks can be deceiving. It’s cold enough to send me back in for a jacket.
Spring/Early summer 2023 has been chilly. Especially compared to Spring/Early summer 2022.
For perspective : last year, Alaskan’s spent Memorial Day weekend reveling in 80 degree temperatures. We all got sunburns and we loved it. This year, we were treated to torrential downpours and temps dipping down into the 30s at night.
My Memorial Day weekend was filled with baseball games. Miserably cold baseball games. To be fair, I was warned about the frigid fields. All the other baseball moms told me to dress warm.
They weren’t kidding.
For some reason, the city of Kenai thought it would be a grand idea to build the local ballfields on the bluff. They sit above the beach where icy winds whip off the inlet and turn spectators into human popsicles.
It only took sitting through one game, without the proper gear, to learn my lesson. I slowly added layers all season until, by the last game, I was decked out in my down parka, winter hat, gloves and toe warmers inside my boots. I topped all that off with a blanket. I was still cold.
The lady sitting next to me was wearing a literal sleeping bag. She was the envy of the bleachers.
I haven’t even pulled my t-shirts out yet. I’m donning the same long sleeves I was in January. It’s still sweater weather in Alaska.
My husband and I finally gave in and repotted all the flowers we bought from the greenhouse. It’s not really warm enough for them to be outside yet, but they were withering away in their little plastic containers.
Now we’re working on hardening them off. A process that involves putting them outside during the day and hauling them all back in at night. This usually takes a week or two but might turn into a month long ordeal if it doesn’t warm up soon.
As usual, we went a little overboard at the greenhouse. So, the twice daily transition is labor intensive.
As I’ve mentioned before, we live in a tiny cabin. Now that we’ve got all these plants, my kitchen table — that doubles as my writing desk — is also a greenhouse. Worse things can befall a workspace.
It’s actually quite nice.
Here are a few of my favorite posts of the week from Alaskans that are O.V.E.R. it and some uncooperative wildlife…
We’re back with the 2nd edition of “What’s Good”. A weekly roundup of the random, ridiculous and righteous happenings from the week.
Beach Read Smeach Read
Last week I wrote about Beach Reads and I got some excellent suggestions from you guys. Thank you! I will be adding those to my TBR list immediately.
One thing I learned was that you favored more of a “Summer Read” and it seems that a lot of other people do too.
The term “Summer Read” has been popping up in my emails, favorite podcasts and everywhere else lately. The idea behind the “Summer Read” seems similar to the “Beach Read” with a few important differences.
I stole the “Books you read between June and September” definition from this BookRiot article : What is a Summer Read?
Read it to discover Stephen Kings thoughts on Summer Reads. You might be surprised!
For more about summer reading, check out : The State of the Beach Read. Also from BookRiot.
Get it While it’s…..Cold
Dairy Queen announced that they are discontinuing their cherry dipped cone and no one is happy about it. I don’t even like the cherry dipped cones and I think it’s bull$hit.
In this article from the New York Post : Diary Queen is Getting Rid of it's Cherry Dipped Cone - Just in Time for Summer, Dairy Queen is quoted as saying “While it’s great to see our fans’ love for the Cherry Dipped Cone, we are always innovating our menus to showcase new and delicious flavors”
Okay, but can’t we innovate without eliminating perfectly good ice cream cones? Haven’t you guys ever heard the phrase “If it aint’ broke, don’t fix it”? Obviously not.
There’s also a telling statement earlier in the Post article, “Dairy Queen is discontinuing it’s famous cherry-dipped ice cream cone for now.”
Which falls squarely within the (conspiracy?) theory my son has. He predicts D.Q. will “discontinue” the cone then trot it out for seasonal and special promotions.
I dare say, I think he's correct.
At any rate, go down and get one before it’s too late! We did. As of Wednesday, May 31st, they were still available.
From Ke$ha to Kesha
Kesha released her fifth, full length Album “Gag Order” on May 19th and it’s a showstopper. I’ve been listening to it on repeat. In fact, I’ve listened to it so many times, it’s begun to permeate my dreams. Not kidding.
Kesha’s come a long way from brushing her teeth with a bottle of jack. Originally known for her party girl image, her powerful transformation into the fierce and unstoppable woman she is today hasn’t been fast or easy.
Kesha has been outspoken about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-music producer, Dr. Luke. If you’re not familiar with the situation, you can read about it here : Timeline: Kesha's Legal Fight Against Dr. Luke (Please be aware that these allegations are disturbing and include sexual assault)
The long and public battle for professional and personal freedom has informed much of Kesha’s music in recent years. “Praying” is a triumphant anthem that never fails to give me all the feelings.
Before diving in to “Gag Order”, I would recommend listening to some of Kesha’s earlier music. It will give you an idea of how far she’s come. Her first album “Animal” was all about partying, with shallow lyrics and a mischievous edge. On “Rainbow”, her third album, Kesha’s music began to showcase a deeper side, but kept the playful spirit.
“Gag Order” is completely different. It gives us all a front row seat to Kesha’s trauma, her healing and how all of it has affected her.
Some people are calling “Gag Order” experimental and others wonder if it might be a cry for help.
I think it’s a testament to Kesha’s strength and how mightily she has faced down her demons. To me, she sounds like a woman who has made peace with her pain and embraced all her broken pieces to become whole.
Kesha teamed up with Rick Rubin to create “Gag Order”. She says that the music is a direct expression of her emotions, that it sounds the way she feels.
The result is hauntingly beautiful, raw and real.
Give “Gag Order” a listen and see what you think. Let me know if you like it, if you hate it, what song is your favorite, and any other thoughts it provokes for you.
As usual, share this post with anyone you think might enjoy it!
That’s all for now. I hope you have a warm and wonderful week. See you next Sunday!
I didn’t know you lived in an adorable cabin! I love the photos and your work area looks very lovely with all the flowers around. I’m sending warm weather vibes your way, but even here in LA we’ve experienced almost an entire month of May Gray which merged right into June Gloom, ergo, it’s not very sunny here either. I don’t mind the cooler temps because the heat will come with a vengeance in July and last through October.
Your cherry-dipped cone update cracked me up. I agree with your son, this sounds like a marketing ploy to create a frenzy around what will become a “seasonal” flavor. But what better season for a 🍒 dipped cone than summer I wonder??
I love hearing about your life in Alaska. It’s always intriguing to me. Love the woman in a sleeping bag. That would be me.