Got nearly all of the firewood stacked into our racks made by Chris. Liam did most of the stacking as John Alex did the spitting. Splitter has to go back today, it was a loaner. I was able to help out on the splitter as the engine did all the hard work. Losing the loan of our big trailer also, but we still need to cut up another 4-6 cords of wood. Chris building additional racks , plus we have one shed to pile it into. Sometimes, with all the work, I think it might be easier to use the furnace, but the fuel is just too expensive around here. Been over 8 or 9 years since we last used it. Wood heat also smells better. Having John Alex, Chris and Liam to help out is a real blessing. Oh, Gas goes for $3.32 a gallon here in Seward, it was much higher during tourist season. I think they should give residents a break. Back in 1971 I once paid 19-cents a gallon outside Whiteman AFB, Missouri. Never again I guess. The $1.98 Candy bar used to cost us 10-cents and was larger, milk cost 35-cents a gallon. My mom used to tell me the prices she paid during the great depression, but when one didn't have any money everything was still expensive. The Great Depression ended with World War Two and some people thought this was why President Roosevelt got us into the war, to save America. Vietnam stirred the economy and might be why it lasted ten years, when we could've wiped out Hanoi in a month of heavy bombing. For years the Air Force was restricted from even hitting Hanoi. Weird thoughts through my mind, as this was my war. Look back through our history and tie in the wars of that time period. You might have questions then too, including our Civil War. A lot of people are not aware but President Lincoln had to send a naval force into New York harbor to bombard the shoreline to convince the people of New York to send their men south to fight. Oh well, its all history now.
Bears should be heading for the upper hills to find their dens, might be passing by soon enough. I've always wondered how bears can sleep most of the winter away. My main question isn't about food to survive, but how do they get along without water for months at a time? f you can answer that, send me over the email. Over the years I've dealt with a lot of bears, from grizzley to black bears, but never had to kill one off. Usually could chase them off with loud noises, a shotgun blast over their heads and even once a palm sized rock to the beast's side, he seemed deaf as the loud noises didn't even make him flinch. Pastor lives next door and now they are raising goats, some expect the lynx that visits us will come by, but it will never make it through the fence. Moose are in the backcountry doing their mating thing. It is weird how so many of the antler critters will lose their antlers one at a time. Have you ever seen a lopsided moose or caribou? Will I have. Wasn't until I cam to Alaska 42 years ago I learned that these critters would drop their antlers one at a time and grow a new bunch in summer. I saw a caribou one with the largest rack I ever saw, with animal and rack he stood 9 feet tall at least, most of it his rack. Moose, I believe, is the only deer family member that the female doesn't carry a rack. The female caribou and reindeer keep their racks longer to protect their young from predators, then they drop them when it is believe the young are old enough to escape from the lynx, wolves and man. Hunting in Alaska heavily enforced. Violations can lead to expensive fines, jail time, hunting privileges suspended or revoked, loss of weapon and even whatever vehicle you used to get into the area. I've seen airplanes, boats and cars taken. I once busted two military clowns hunting bear inside the city limits. they lost their weapons, hunting privileges, heavily fined, but allowed to keep their truck since they were military. You wouldn't believe what people pull to shoot, trap or catch illegally. When I was the Public Safety Director for the City of Whittier, I helped some Federal Fishery people work in Prince William Sound. They had expensive equipment recording this fishery line that if a boat continued fishing and cross the line the crew was busted and many of them lost these really expensive fishing boats. These feds got so excited as they watched the line on their cameras. I was bored stiff. But some of these boats cost millions. Yes, Alaska takes it gaming laws seriously.
Here are some recent headlines: "Turkey Launches its Offensive Against North Syria and the Kurds".... "2- People Killed in German Synagogue, Two Shooters Escape in Hijacked Car".... ""Planned Parenthood Plans to Spend $45 Million in 2020 to Help Elect Abortion-Rights Candidates".... " Florida Begins Arming its Teachers Under New Law, But School Districts Rebuff the Program"...." Super Typhoon 'Hagibis Hit Japan, Causing Flooding, Landslides and Rising Death Toll".... "Turkey Targeting Kurd Militia Recently Trained by American Troops, Now Militia Gaining Support by Russian Troops- Now Russia that is Turkey's Allie Helping Train Turkey's Enemy".... "9- Year Old Charged With Death of 5-People in Arson-Fire in Illinois".... "France and Germany Unite to Advise Turkey to Stop Invasion".... "European Union Agree Not to Sell War Supplies to Turkey".... " "More Than 60,000 People Displaced as Turkey Invades Syria".... "Republicans Lead Bid to Sanction Turkey for Their Invasion of Syria".... ""Israel Offers 'Gallant Kurds' Humanitarian Aid".... "Idea of Roman Priests Allowed to Marry in Remote Locations Could Fracture Catholic Church".... " Report: In 2018, China Conducted 100 Military Exercises With 17 Different Countries".... "Fears Grow as ISIS Members and Family Allies Begin Escaping From Kurdish Custody, Number Could Grow to More Than 11,000 Formerly Imprisoned/Detainees".... "United States to Send 1,800 Troops to Saudi Arabia to Boost Defenses Against Iran".... "Israel Sees Abandonment of Kurds by Trump as a 'Betrayal' ".... " Thousands Flee Wildfires in Southern California"...."Facebook Removes Accounts From UAE, Nigeria, Egypt and Indonesia".... "Kurdish Military Leader Accuses US, 'You're Leaving Us to Be Slaughtered', 'You have Sold Us, This is Immoral' ".... " Shooting at New Hampshire Church Leaves 4 Dead".... "Actress Jane Fonda Arrested For Demonstration in Washington DC Protest Over Climate Policies".... "Astronomers Find 20- New Moons Around Saturn, Asking Public For Help in Naming Them".... "New Law Will Ban Smoking in California State Parks and Beaches".... " Actor Robert Forster, an Oscar Nominee, Dead at 78".... "Turkey Shells U.S. Forces Still in Syria" ...." 4 Killed in Illegal Gambling Joint in Brooklyn".... Report: Smoking is Banned in Burkina Faso, Also No Alcohol, or Music and No Celebrations Not Governed by Government. Third Offense for Smoking or First Offense of Prostitution Can Draw Execution"...."John & Johnson, The International Drug Company, Fined $ 8 Billion by Jury Verdict For Selling Antipsychotic Drugs That Were Shown To Lead to Breast Growth in Boys".... " Japan Reports Latest Death Toll from Super Typhoon Reaches 58- People As Searches Continue On".... "Iran Announces It Will Initiate the Building of Advanced Weaponry".... "Unicef Reports More Than 70,000 Children displaced in Syria This Week".... "Huge 111-Foot Asteroid To Skim Past Earth At Estimated 22,000 MPH, Closest Encounter in Last 115-Years. ( I believe that one was Halley's Comet in very early 1900's, when a lot of people thought we were all about to be killed. Numerous movies and TV made about that passing. I recall seeing an episode of "Time Tunnel", the centered on that comet's passing. )".... " "Russian Forces to Support Kurds in War with Turkey. (Russia was an ally of Turkey, but have reportedly switched sides as US no longer supports the Kurds. This could gives the Russian a major corridor to Damascus)".... "Haiti Enters Into 5th Weeks of Presidential Protests".... "Protests Erupt in Spain".... "Remote Control Bomb Targeting Police Explodes in Hong Kong"....
So the world continues to turn and now even more countries enter into violent protests. We must ask ourselves where is this headed and how can we pray to bring peace to the nations? Are we making our way toward a world of war? What will happen in the 2020 election? Old diseases popping up again- why? What might happen when that 1,100 mile long asteroid draws close in several years. Now we have a new comet in our solar system. So many points to ponder and questions to ask, but with very few answers so far. Oh, I am surprised by a lot of our news stories and I must ask how many of them are true? If it is not happening down your street, in your county or state, how can you be sure its real? News services are coming out with some real wild ones to sell papers and air time. Some real zany stories were reported in the late 1900s, if your old like me you might recall them and later proven to be false. But, read Psalms when you have time, there are many hints there that causes one to wonder if that time spoken of is now. I just happen to be reading Psalms right now in my Bible studies, leading me to ask a lot of questions that I take to the Lord.
Hope you are all well. God Bless, BILL