A couple days after we returned home from our trip up north, a fire started near the village of Nenana where my husband grew up. Somebody dumped what he thought was cooled embers from a burn barrel. As of tonight the uncontrolled fire is at over 40,000 acres. We do know that the fire went through the area where my husband and his family lived. We also know that it has come very close (as in yards away) from homes of some people we visited when we were there 8 days ago. It came within a quarter mile of the town itself. Three homes, some cabins, and outhouses have burned so far. It is also in the exact location where my husband and a friend were planning on moose hunting this fall. The winds are currently blowing it to the east, but winds are expected to turn and blow to the south and head towards Anderson, another small village next to an Air Force station.

Sunday morning just after 9 a.m. my daughter called from Anchorage to tell us one of our granddaughter’s soccer team was in the championship game. We had 3 ½ hours to make the 160 mile drive…BUT we first had to drive into Kenai and collect two grandkids from their other grandma’s home. Well, we did make it just a couple minutes after the start of the game. They won!!! Yeah!!! The team they defeated beat them last year with a 9-0 score. This year, that team lost with a 3-0 win for my granddaughter’s team. They were really proud. They didn’t lose any of the four games they played in the tournament.

Even though it seems to take forever to make, I’ve started making fresh vegetable juice every day again. Because my blood pressure is still high, today I made celery juice with some additions of carrots, an onion, and some garlic. I’m out of fresh ginger or that would have been a part, too. This afternoon, my BP was down 10-15 points over this week’s measurements. They say celery juice is good for high BP. Maybe it will help.

I think it was Suzanne that had the recipe for spinach with almonds, raisins, and ginger. It is now a favorite with my family. Tonight I made it using pignolia (pine nuts) because I was out of sliced almonds, and I used ground ginger because I was out of fresh gingerroot. Nonetheless, it still tasted quite good and got a thumbs up from my eldest son when he stopped by at dinnertime.

A few days ago I made banana walnut muffins using spelt flour instead of wheat. They were also very good. Next time, however, I’m going to add some raisin, too.

If all goes as planned, I hope to finish planting my garden tomorrow. The weather temperatures have moderated again and with it being this late in the month, I’m hoping the colder temperatures will stay gone and not freeze what I set out again.

We celebrated our 27th anniversary on the 9th and my husband’s birthday is on the 13th. One of my daughter’s birthdays was yesterday. Next Sunday is Father’s Day. June is a busy one for our family.

Take care. Till next time….