There is no place like home, and my childhood home in
Southeast Alaska is no exception. My folks live in the same place they
purchased as young pioneers, moving from California to Alaska in the 1950s. The
house was tiny, with an oil stove and chemical toilet. The front yard was
comprised of stumps and brush, and the backyard was a rain forest that ran up the mountain to the ice field. The view was spectacular – of the
channel, Douglas Island, and the beautiful snow-capped Chilkat Mountains,
visible when the clouds lift.
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| Home Sweet Home - my childhood home is full of wonderful memories |
They added on rooms over the years, as three kids were added
to the family. Together they built a bathroom, a utility room, a living room,
bedrooms, another bathroom, and a mud porch. Now it is a cozy, snug place that
is just the right size for two, or a family visit. Additional changes include a
highway built in the channel (forming a lake in front of the house), a
subdivision in the back of the house, and a beautiful Alaskan garden in the
front yard. The spectacular view down channel remains.
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| Fabulous view down channel |
Gardening in Southeast Alaska is a brief, intense activity
that takes advantage of long days, lots of rain, and occasional stints of hot, sunny
days. Drainage is a major consideration, blue clay soil provides its challenges, and mold strikes soggy plants some years. We had the
pleasure of enjoying the fruits of their labor on one of those beautiful,
summer days.
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| Mom's stump |
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| Bluebells |
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| Asteraceae |
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| Petunia |
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| Columbine |
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| Unidentified |
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| Forget-me-nots |
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| Daisies |
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| Starflowers |
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| Iris |
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