Our Emerald Isle

I thought you might like a glimpse of what we are seeing on Akutan recently. These pictures were all taken within the last week and give you an idea of how beautiful it is here in the Summer.

We walked for several miles on the beach at low tide and returned along a hillside trail at high tide.

The return trail was completely obscured by beautiful purple, white, pink and yellow wildflowers.


Gary caught this nice Halibut when he was out on a boat with his friend Boris from the village. Gary filleted it and we cooked some of it on the Weber and froze the rest. Best Halibut I ever tasted!

Some mornings the bay is so calm it reflects perfect mirror images. Other days, like today, it's so foggy I can't see across the bay and the wind is skimming across the water.


Early morning fishing trip with our friends Joe and Lorraine at Entrance Point. We caught several Black Bass and a big Gray Cod.

The Great North Islands Gospel Tour

Trident Seafoods, Chuck and Diane Bundrant and Kory Ness hosted a Gospel music tour that performed three concerts in Akutan on Sunday July 11. It was part of a joyous celebration of spiritual and gospel music uniting the coastal communities of Norway and Alaska. The three concerts featured the lively and uplifting country vocal duo of Synnove Aanensen and Solfrid Brekka, sisters from Karmoy, Norway. Other musicians on the tour were our friend Fred Holmberg from Sand Point, Alaska and Aleksander Hauge from Norway. The music and the message were very warmly received by the workers at the Trident plant as well as those who attended the concert at the church from the village. Our hearts were lifted in praise to God and encouraged by the fellowship and music. Three of the musicians and their spouses stayed in the parsonage with us and the others stayed at Trident. It was a whirlwind tour which included all of the Trident plants in Alaska as well as Hawaii.

The Great North Islands Gospel Tour group arrived late Saturday evening on two PenAir "Geese" and departed Sunday evening following a reception at Safe Harbor Church.

Sisters Synnove Aanensen and Solfrid Brekka from Karmoy, Norway sang and played such favorites as I Saw the Light, Sweet bye and bye, I can only Imagine, How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace and several Norwegian Folk songs.

Synnove

Gary with Chuck Bundrant, sponsor of the Music Tour, Trident owner and Safe Harbor Church board member.

Akutan Spring

A busy Sunday at the Port of Akutan! The Goose is approaching the landing and a cargo ship is tied up at the City Dock. This view of the church shows our home, a lovely four bedroom, two bathroom residence with a family/dining room and separate living room. In addition to a lovely kitchen in our residence, this area also includes a large commercial kitchen and office. We are blessed!

We took the Alaska Marine Highways Ferry to Dutch Harbor last Saturday and spent the day with some Pastor friends there. What a blessing to fellowship with them. This is the approach to the Akutan dock on our return home on Saturday evening.

Gary has spent the last two weeks sanding, buffing and refinishing the Gym floor. Just finished yesterday and now we wait seven days before we can allow traffic on the floor. Because this is the busiest time for the workers at Trident, it was a good time to shut the gym down. By the time they get some time off the floor will be set up.

My friend Lorraine planted tulips in her Dad's grave and they are just beautiful this Spring. The Russian Orthodox church is in the background.

Leaving the Dutch Harbor Docks on the ferry Saturday evening after a full day of visiting and exploring. We were grateful for the sunshine and change of scenery.

We gave a birthday party for Moria, Lorraine's 12 year old grandaughter who is visiting from Anchorage for the summer. There are several other kids visiting Akutan for the summer and we had the whole gang for the party.

Ian and Raimie came for the party with the big kids. I put them on stools at the kitchen counter instead of in the living room on the carpet!

Humpback Whales feeding on Krill in the bay right in front of the church last Saturday. We will try to get better pictures but thought you would like to see what we are seeing!


Gary built new shelves for storing fabric in my sewing room. I am excited about an upcoming quilting class in September. My friend and quilting teacher, Kitty from Friday Harbor is coming with another quilting friend, Carol to teach the ladies in Akutan how to quilt. They will be here three weeks and we are praying that this will open new opportunities to build relationships with the women in the village as well as women at Trident. More details about the class will be posted as they develop.

Small Blessings

There is a woman playing the piano in the church right now. I met her earlier and found out that her name is Aurora and she has studied classical music. I don't think she speaks English and I'm not sure if she is Mexican or Filipino but her music is lifting my thoughts and heart this dark and cloudy Akutan morning.



My friend Lorraine dropped by this morning to have devotions with me and brought me a seagull egg. Isn't it beautiful? I will eat it for breakfast tomorrow. She also brought a picture she had taken of a bird in her feeder last night and we eagerly looked it up in my Sibley's bird book to see if we could identify it. It is a juvenile Swainson's Thrush. Kind of a plain looking little bird, but fun to watch and identify. We usually see only water birds and Eagles, Ravens and Gulls.

Sunday Afternoon Fishing Trip

We went Cod fishing with our friends Joe and Lorraine on Sunday. It was overcast and windy but not too cold. Joe explained that we were in a hole between the Pacific Ocean and the Bearing Sea.


I got so excited when the fish started biting my line. My arms and fingers were very sore on Monday morning!

Between the four of us we caught 25 fish. The others each had a big halibut on their lines at one point, but no one landed any. One broke Gary's 80 lb test!

Gary filleting the catch at a cool fish cleaning table on the Akutan beach. We took them home and put them on the grill for dinner. Tasty!

There were two hungry adult eagles waiting for Joe and Gary to throw the fish remains on the beach for them to devour.

Precious People

These are only some of the precious people in our lives. They just happen to be the ones we were privileged to spend time with when we were visiting friends and family in February and March. We thank God for all the precious ones he has given us.


Girls against the boys in a game of Charades at our family March Birthday Party in Friday Harbor. Heather, Melissa, Chelsea, Allison, Margo and Heather. The girls won, hands down!

Gary and Chris, friends and fellow elder on the church board at Islands Community Church.

Jeremy and Matthew joined us for a swim at the Comfort Suites in Bellingham

Margo and Helen having a chat at the memorial service for our mutual dear friend Fred in Bellingham.

In February Bryan, Allison, Nathan and Dylan spent a fun weekend with us and snow boarding at Mission Ridge. Bryan spent most of his time helping his three beginners on the Bunny Slope but at the end of the day he and Dylan got in a couple of good runs on the chair lift.

Our good friends Ruth and Ken who spent time with us in Friday Harbor as well as traveling to Entiat to spend a weekend with us seeing the sights around Lake Chelan and Entiat.

Jeremy and his girlfriend Heather outside Matthew's favorite restaurant in Bellingham, Boomers.


Our dear friend and Sunday School Director at Islands Community Church, Alice. She called on our grandson Dylan to read about missions in Sunday School.

Visiting with the Boettchers in Soldotna is always lots of fun. This time we were especially blessed because our old friends Kevin and Maryann and their little girl Kira are living in the area while Kevin attends Bible College. This is Alissa and Kira relaxing on "Uncle" Gary's lap. All three of our families lived and worked together at Kako and we enjoy keeping in touch.

The Buckingham family in Palmer Alaska. We met parts of this special family when they volunteered at Kako Kid's Camp last summer. They graciously invited us to visit them in their home. What an encouragement and a blessing they are to us.

We always love to get together with our dear friends Thane and Chasity. This trip we caught up with them in Wasilla and spent time together with them and their little friend Larissa in Anchorage.


Our pastor Bill and his wife Sonja at Entiat Federated Church in Entiat Washington where we worship when we are at home. We appreciate their friendship and sweet fellowship with the folks there.

Friends from East Wenatchee, Janet, Jerri, Peggy, Jan, Evelyn, Valerie and Sharon. We enjoy special times of fellowship with these gals and their husbands any time we have an opportunity. We are grateful for Lon and Janet who open their home to us and share their friends.

More Precious People

Our niece Jessica and her new little girl, Rainbow. We had a picnic in the park in Everett with Jessica's parents, Jim and Jeni and took a walk in the arboretum with Jessica and her husband Tim and their little boy Sonny.

Gary's brother and his wife Janet who are also our dearest friends.

A "not unprovoked Nerf attack" on Aunt Chelsea by Matthew and Nathan. The battle raged for over an hour with the victors still undeclared.

Nephew Jared and his wife Melissa and son Miles joined us for our Family March Birthday Party in Friday Harbor.

Open Gym at Friday Harbor High School. Taking a time out after the guys played a hard game of basketball. Adam, Margo, Allison, Nathan, Heather Adam and Bryan.

Nathan and cousin Miles playing Ultimate Frisbee at Roche Harbor.


Bryan, Nathan, Dylan, Margo and Adam resting at the Ultimate Frisbee course. I think Margo threw the winning toss for her team!