other

After a wedding that was all but breathtaking, my dearest wife and I set forth to check out the southeastern part of Alaska. We drove 1200 miles in a day and a half, took the Alaska Marine Highway (big ferry boats) down to Ketchikan, got marooned in Juneau for a few days, encountered a roving chautauqua group who sang us a wedding song, made it over to Prince of Wales Island, hung out with a wonderful family, our friends Isaac & Katie & Co. (https://stealawaynorth.wordpress.com/), explored a bit, camped at the very far north end, explored some more, listened to whales breath, eagles cry, fishing boats chatter (yeah, fishing boats actually do chatter!), built lots of woodstove fires, woke up late and drank coffee and whisky. Shared hearts, grew closer, discovered untold beauties. Saw a bear and gazillions of deer. In general, things have been wonderful.

Almost all the pictures I captured of this goodness were film pictures, so it’ll be a while until I post it here.

other, stories

My soulmate and I got married :)

10406392_10106432465873760_8293128124759760664_n

I want both of us

To start talking about this great love


As if you, I, and the Sun were all married

And living in a tiny room,


Helping each other to cook,

Do the wash,

Weave and sew,

Care for our beautiful

Animals.


We all leave each morning

To labor on the earth’s field.

No one does not lift a great pack.


I want both of us to start singing like two

Traveling minstrels

About this extraordinary existence

We share,


As if

You, I, and God were all married


And living in

A tiny

Room.

 ~Hafiz

other, photography

Tailwheel endorsement with quite possibly the most badass flight instructor around: Heidi Ruess. Eighty years old and a fantastic pilot and instructor.

Longest flight* yet! Anchorage to Nome, loaded to the gills with groceries. Beautiful. Also in the same event I moved to Nome to hang out with my favorite person in the entire universe!

Lots of funny faces

Lots of hanging out with my favorite person in the entire person in the universe, including but not limited to: beach combing, walks, flying together, playing music, making bread while imbibing favored libations, dancing, picnics, and helicopter rides.

Tasty & healthy food

Flying around Nome, exploring, Council and Salmon Lake*

A flight* back from Nome to Anchorage, during which I saw the most beautiful scenery & light I have ever seen. It was & is still hard to believe to be real.

Musk Ox!

Wildflowers!

More flowers!

My soon-to-be in-laws traveled (quite adventurously, I should add!) to Nome to hang out. We went flying*, saw a parade, walked on the beach, explored. It was wonderful :).

I got to take my parents and little sister flying*! Of course, I had to be all scowly and grumpy! Grrr!

Photographic evidence:

11743001_10154029254172786_7525907773040999626_nDCIM100GOPROIMG_0469 IMG_0530 IMG_0554 IMG_0563 IMG_0565 IMG_0567 IMG_0609 IMG_0612 IMG_0699 IMG_0702  IMG_0778 IMG_0780 IMG_0786 IMG_0809 IMG_0899 IMG_0916

*Any time I went flying this summer (with the exception of my tailwheel instruction with Heidi), it was entirely thanks to the incredible kindness, generosity, and trust of Darla and Robert G. In exchange for a promise to take good care of her, they let me fly around their homesick angel, 65Q, for a month or so. Huge thanks to them!

other, stories

Final classroom cleaning: check
Apartment: almost cleaned. still have the kitchen to do!
Grades: done
Goodbyes said: sorta
Weird feeling of leaving somewhere I’m attached to? Check.
Most amazing woman in the whole wide world to go hang out with for the rest of my life? Check.
Flying to do? Check.
Summer is here? Check.

other

..when a big bird takes off on a small runway. And, by ‘big,’ I mean 4000 radial-engine horsepower pulling fifteen tons of 1940’s airplane.

other

I read this article by this fella named Brett McKay, on this website The Art of Manliness, about this one study. If you have the time, jump over there and read the whole thing: love is all you need. So about this study: in few words, it’s a scientific be-all & end-all of what makes a good life. Of course, ‘scientific’ comes with the usual caveats: they had a very small and very homogenous test group but they cross checked results with other those of other studies of different demographics, procedure and methodology play a significant role as always, yadda yadda. Want the punchline straight? Here: ‘happiness is love. full stop.’ Really, that’s it. Reminds me of the ending of one of my favorite movies of all time, Kung-Fu Panda: ‘the secret is that there’s no secret at all.’ The more love, the better the life.

OK, so while there’s no secret…there are a ton of details and interesting facts and wonderful insights, all for which I’d highly recommend reading the article. The article is actually a summary of a book, The Triumphs of Experience, which I believe I’m going to have to add to my reading list.

other, stories

..to take off from a small airstrip in a small town in the largest state on a beautiful springtime day.

Sitting in the pilot’s seat (left): shana, the coolest girl in the whole world.

Sitting in the co-pilot seat (right): heidi, an astoundingly incredible pilot & flight instructor

Sitting in the back seat and enjoying the ride: yours truly