With the sun shining brightly, mom and I took a brisk walk up to the graveyard to assess the necessary repairs to the graves. Something we try to do every year before Memorial Day. And let me tell you it was brisk! That northish wind really puts a chill in the air. On the way back, we walked the front beach looking for wood for the smokehouse this summer. We threw it up the bank, at intervals, and then Caleb and I used the Exploder to pick it up.
Then, after Caleb got up from trying to take a nap (hahaha) before having to go back to work, we heard some bumping and thumping around outside. Caleb says, “Now what is your dad up to?” Me – “I don’t know.” Caleb – “Is he fixing up a new oil drum for the smokehouse?” Me – “Looks like it.” And…..he’s off and running. I swear. No rest for the wicked! The old one was having some major issues with the door last year.
Many, many years of service!
A few measurements, some god-awful noise, and we have something that will be ready for use….after they burn the gunk out of it….or, as Caleb said, divorces will ensue.
Caleb and Sam - they can do anything and everything!
We are all looking forward to fishing this summer!
We were going to have a little hot box for growing some edibles. You know, like lettuce and radishes. Maybe a little box to give broccoli a good start before putting it in the ground. Someplace to acclimate plants started indoors….
A bit bigger than I envisioned!It just about killed him to have to pay money for some supplemental top soil!!Devising and putting in the irrigation system.
Aiyiya. My husband has a way about him, doesn’t he? We have now planted 24 potato plants, a row of lettuce and are trying to decide on what else.
Potatos from our beautiful friend Clare. Fingerlings.
It is a busy time of year, so I apologize for slacking on the blog. The aanux^ (red salmon) are starting to hit, and I have been busy bickering with my husband. Things are starting to smooth out in the equipment department (trailer, boat, engine, net) and although my body is beat all to h***, I am enjoying myself immensely.
Our net set on the front beach.
It is darn hard to get the net straight! Our engine isn’t strong enought to pull in reverse, so Caleb has had to devise a bridle (not quite refined yet) to pull with it attached to the stern.
Skiff and engine courtesy of brother-in-law Greg Hawthorne.
It is so nice to be able to fish, practically from our front porch. Plus the whole family gets involved…all four generations! The reds are HUGE this year.
We need a bigger container!
Our first concern has been getting enough fish for the smoke house. Dad said, ” I am not wasting my cottonwood for less than 15 fish!” Well, it took us two days, but on the morning of the third day, mom was stripping 20 fillets to brine and hang. SP was so excited to be able to fish. Any kind of fish made him happy. Sadgunix^ (Trout), araamusax^ (bull heads), flounder. And, oh yeah, the aanux^, red salmon.
Gert Svarny, fillet master!
Our second day was frought with wind. The north wind blows in the fish, but it hits us smack dead center and plays havok with the skiff. I almost had a heart attack when mom waved Caleb and I off when we tried to land the skiff again to pull the net, and I saw my 82 year old father down on the beach pulling away with mom and Laresa!
Many years of experience go into each step of the process. Sam and Gert Svarny.
The third day, Caleb had to work so we set the net early, and Laresa and I planned to fish it all day. Easy……except I couldn’t get the engine to start! We spent the day pulling ourselves (in the skiff, of course) out the net and back. Man that is tiring. The good thing was that Laresa is almost as good as Caleb at picking the fish out of the net. The bad thing was that I just wasn’t pushing hard enough on the engine starter button and when Caleb got home, he started it right up. Aaarrgghh!
Aanux^ - Red Salmon.
Neighbors are a blessing in Unalaska. Zoya and Bobby Johnson helped Laresa, Caleb, and I pull the net in on Saturday evening. Then Bobby expertly repaired the net where a hole had mysteriously appeared. Two nights of mom’s lovely cooking – fish stew with alaadix^ and boiled salmon with potatos, petrushky, fiddleheads, and seal oil! Yum. That’s the life!
Two days of rest and we are hoping for good weather tomorrow. At any rate, something will get done because we have another project going – the mini greenhouse!
Unalaska From My Point of View 
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