Tday in Seldovia

They called it the Thanksgiving Storm 2007. The predawn hours roared and howled with an angry mean wind. Trees succumbed to the gusts. Power went in and out, and I huddled in my sleeping bag praying the timber frame barn would hold. By noon the storm abated enough to allow all 14 of us (9 adults and 5 kids), to don foul weather gear and explore the Stanisch's land near quaint Seldovia. Their moss and spruce forests were converting to swamp and huge rootballs where trees met their fate dotted the landscape. Fully drenched, we returned to the house, where we dried our jackets next to a fire and feasted on all the traditional home cooked, Thanksgiving feast. The rest of the 5 days were filled with more eating, cooking, talking around the dinner table, long walks, saunas, beer drinking, laughing, playing with the kids, and general family goodness. Was that just the bite of the wind or a tear in my eye, when we waved good bye to the wonderful and amazing Stanisch's, as our boat pulled away, to whisk us back to the 'real world'.