[Joel B]

Man, this is my favorite time of the year. Summers coming to an end, Fall's just around the corner. Pretty soon the air will have that crisp smell,...leaves will be turning,..I better go get a bottle of Hoppe's #9 and splash some behind the ears!

 

[Marshall Stanton]

I know what you mean. Although it's been unseasonably dry for North Idaho, (over 40 days without rain now), and hot (mid 90's) daily, yet it's getting crisp at night... in fact, my wife's tomatoes froze down to nothing on 01 August! Something of a new record, even for here I think.

Yesterday was in the mid 90's, but this morning at a little after five it was only 36 degrees.... archery season for deer and elk in just three weeks, and bear season at the same time... less than two weeks to dove and forest grouse season!

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[alyeska338]

Just got back in town and hunting season is in full swing here in the North. Unfortunately I busted a couple of ribs (broke one and tore the other from my sternum), so I'll be out of action for a few weeks. Did finish the job, took a really nasty little spill the second day out but still managed to set 128 monuments in the mountains. Can't shoot without a tremendous flinch though and couldn't hit the broadside of a barn if I was standing inside it right now. Maybe a late season deer hunt in the Prince William Sound in November.

Did manage to climb up Crow Pass and pick about 5 gallons of the sweetest blueberries you've ever tasted a couple of days ago though. Fall is here and I think MY neck is starting to swell...

 

[MAINER]

338 - Take it easy, and heal up quickly. Btw, the experts claim that blueberries make you "stemmy" - but 5 GALLONS?

 

[alyeska338]

Well, we were using the gallon size Ziploc bags, and had 5 of them packed so tight we had to pour out a few from each bag so that it would seal. Was it a true 5 gallons, maybe not, but it was dang close. We really like blueberry scones, bb&lemon tarts and pancakes. Hey, it's a long winter up here and store bought berries just cannot compare to those ripe on the vine. Mother Nature provides us will all kinds of tasty morsels, even if they don't have a coat of fur or feathers. The salmonberries (which we ended up with more than 10 gallons) have been rendered to jams and jellies. The cranberry crop this year doesn't seem as abundant as in the past few years, but hopefully we'll get enough for sauce for Thanksgiving.

On a side note, our blueberries are no where near the size of the ones in Maine. Ours are considerably smaller and just a bit more tart.

 

[MAINER]

338 - Well at least we have one thing here that's bigger than the ones you have in Alaska. Don't get me wrong either. I believed you, and I'd pick 5 gallons of them if I could. Blueberries are very near the top of my list for favorite foods. There's a farm near us where we buy a big box full every year. I don't know as it's pretty close to 4 or 5 gallons. Come to think of it, I don't think there's anything I like better than blueberry pie, except maybe blueberry cobbler. Oh Honey......

 

[alyeska338]

Where's the drool icon? Gotta like those blueberries. It was a beautiful day too. We hiked well up into the alpine, to very near the growing limit of the low bush blueberries. Sunny, warm with a fall nip on the wind. It was about a 4 mile hike UP (and I do mean UP) but the berries were there and it's much easier pickings that trying to fight the bears and devil's club for them at the lower elevations. I picked a few the day before behind my house and bear sign was everywhere and I was accousted by ruthlessely by birds that were fighting me for the berries. I decided to let the birds have the low stuff and the next day we hiked up above the birds.