It must be spring

Everybody has their own favorite indicator of spring. Our old neighbor Roy Mullen always said it was when the snow melted off our roof so he could count how many Frisbee's the kids had lost. For me it was always going fishing....seeing that first King of the year or even catching him like I have many many times, some as early as today. But now I gauge it with other things in nature I guess. We spotted out first Robins here about a week ago and we have one living here that is driving us nuts...he seems to be courting having forgotten one basic standard of life in Alaska...if you want a good mate for sure think about  bringing one with you.  That guy right there sits in the same tree next to our check in gate and has this cackling call that is on about a 5 second cycle. Every now and then he hits the ground to grab a worm or something and then it's right back to the tree for more love ballads. Now MP says he must be a male because there's another one about 1/8 a mile away doing the same thing and they haven't found each other so they must both be males...mmmmm....in my mind they could also both be females, or just not like each other, or related, or maybe even a democrat, who knows?....here he is...

Another thing you see around here is Boats. Unlike the 48 these babies sit high and dry all winter just waiting for that first trip. Not only do you see a lot of boats you see them in all shapes and sizes....and sometimes you even get to thinking ' man am I glad that guy ain't MY fishing buddy'. We came across this fine watercraft that started out as a 16' Starcraft and ended up a 16' double decker cabin cruiser...with....a 1986 40 horse Evinirude, with the skag missing...Jeff knows those smokey old 2 cycles, he bought several of them. I guess I shouldn't make fun of a guys boat, my first one wasn't exactly the Queen Mary and Bill Forrest once told me  some sage wisdom....never make fun of a guys dog, boat or what he smokes.

And we in Alaska keep a close eye on the trees this time of year to finally see them 'greening' up. Maybe I just see things different but while I was looking for that greening up deal I was impressed with finding an entire neighborhood that leaned to the left....just like me. .I'll bet ya them tree's there get REALLY green.

Now I won't bore you again with my adventures with J+J salvage. Everybody knows I invented the sport of low water  retrieval on the Kenai River. It takes a certain kind of guy to risk an 1800.00 dollar lower unit and prop to go and find rusty pliers...But the rewards are huge, status ya know, there's no doubt I lead the league in rusty pliers so if any of you need a pair to rehabilitate just give a holler, I got lots. Here's how our quarry look in their natural state.

Back when I was framing houses for Wayne Passe he used to say " all I want to see is elbows and a$#^....mmm...ooops....well lets forget about that....but the point is to do a good job you gotta be focusing. Here's a pic of my favorite salvage partner,,,even more than the Jet for sure. She's doing it just right but the skipper seems to have put the boat in the wrong place, that's the story of a guides life I guess.

That day I took a pic you've not seen before. After having written this blog since, well a long time and having published just about every pic there is to take of this unique spot of American dirt that we live at,,,Mile 14....I go this pic of our house from across the river before the 'greening up'  hides us away for the summer. One time when we were gutting fish I had a guy from Anchorage (that has wonderful vista's ) tell me...." your gutting table has a better view than my hot tub"...I said "thanks".