kimmiequilts Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi Everyone, my nephew Tim is in the Army and will be getting married on the beach in NJ next month before being sent for duty in Alaska! They just decided this after a long year of seperation. Can any of you Alaska natives send me suggestions for an Alaska newbie survival kit? I am going to try and make a qucik "One Big" quilt for them with sunflowers so that they have some \'sunny-ness\' through the winter!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Congratulations and best of luck to the (almost) newlyweds! How lovely of you to send them off with a warm, sunny-colored quilt! Do you know where he will be stationed? There are two army bases - Ft. Richardson is near Anchorage and Ft. Wainwright is near Fairbanks. I might suggest a Milepost as a part of an Alaska survival kit. It\'s a book that details the sights, recreation areas, attractions and even some history...actually milepost by milepost. Tons of information. It\'s actually a travel guide for people driving up the Alcan, but it\'s very informative and useful within the state, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Ditto what Sherri Dolly says about the Milepost magazine. It\'s a great resource with lots of info. So, where will he be stationed? Alaska isn\'t all "gloom and doom / nor is it the land of ice and snow" it really is a great place. I\'ve lived here 32 years. Many military families stationed here really enjoy the lifestyle. People are friendly. It is a good place to live and raise a family... really! Attitude is everything; so word of advice from me is to make the best of what there is to be offered in the community. And to remember that when they feel lonely, family is only a quick phone call away or a plane ride away. When he finds out where he will be stationed, he can google the city and get more info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Take Bug spray for BIG skeeters too.. and anti squirrel and anti moose spray.. take picts of their huge dogwood trees, ( 8-12 inches tall or so,) be sure and try their wild potatos.. and fireweed jelly.. and don\'t damage a "forget=me=not" plant.. be prepared for sunsets that go 360 degrees of the sky, and black out curtains for the bedrooms during the summer.. Just enjoy, It is BEAUTIFUL up there.. Even Muncho Lake along the way, good for seaplane fishing. Not very tasty. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Rita, LOL!! You and the story about Muncho Lake catching the small plane on floats with your fishing line... Yes, and them thar skeeters are HUNGRY up here! Definitely gotta have bug spray. We should change the Alaska state bird to the mosquito. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 I thought the mosquito were refered to as B52 bombers...... One of the few things that I have left on my "Bucket List" is to see Alaska and Australia....Shana....ya need any company? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Now, let\'s not freak everyone out and cause nightmares, Bonnie!!!!!!!! :P Yes, please fulfill your bucket list. Come on up to visit me any time, my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Just trying to help keep the weary out so that it will stay as pristine as it is now....How do ya think we get rid of those who only live in Montana and Wyoming for a full 4 seasons. One winter and they heading back to where they came from.:P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuiltSnob Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi Everybody! Shana is right about the skeeters! I actually bought a mosquito catcher which uses propane to kill them. I have to empty the catcher every day! it was well worth the price. I love living up here in AK. But attitude is everything. I would probably lose my mind if I let the the summer sunshine get to me. We are getting over 20 hours a day soon to be 24 hours a day soon. I love the winter more since there is really no yard work to do so more time for quilting! Some family and friends have been up to visit and they all love it but none would wnat to move here, which is ok with me, just makes the visits that much more special. If any of you get up here, let me know and we can do lunch at one of our many fine places to eat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 I lived in Alaska for 30 years...(1960-1990)..and I\'d be there still if DH\'s job hadn\'t transferred us Outside. I go back at least once a year to visit. My daughter lives in Wasilla and I still have friends in Anchorage. It truly is a state of mind. I love the summers.....so much to do and lots of daylight to do it in. I love the winters......they are long, dark and cold, but there\'s nothing more beautiful than the crystal blue sky with the sun shining on the snowy mountain peaks and reflecting off the ice frost on the trees. Nothing quite as inspiring as snowmachining out to the middle of nowhere - turning off the machine and listening to the silence. Not much fall - it only lasts about two weeks. Break-up is a little mucky.....but then you know summer\'s not far behind. Alaskans are great people - some are a little quirky - but kind and friendly and they tend to look out for each other. No place like it in the whole entire world....... I park my car in Kansas - but my heart lives in Alaska still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 My address has always been Philadelphia, but I have "lived" in Alaska 14 times. I love it there. Probably winter is my favorite time, but summers are beautiful, too. Autumn is great, as well, but I have never experienced break-up in the spring. Tho others are right, Alaska is a state of mind! QuiltSnob-Where do you live? I may call you some winter when I am in your area. If y\'all remember, last February I did go visit Shana. She is a lovely hostess/tour guide and friend. Her husband is so cute:) Beautiful dogs, too. Kim - I sure hope your nephew and his wife love their time in Alaska. Maybe you will need to go visit them:) Is Plumstead, PA near Phila? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuiltSnob Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 HI, I live outside of Anchorage in Chugiak. I would love to see you next time you come up. My name is Peggy, BTW. Thanx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Peggy, I probably won\'t get to Alaska next winter. It will be the first time I\'ll miss in many, many years. Instead, I will be spending 2 weeks in Germany and Austria in October and then I hope to go to a quilt show for a week in the spring, so there\'s no money or time for another vacation. Oh, and the expense of buying my Liberty and some CL toys:) Probably the following winter I will get up there, or maybe even in the summer of 09. I\'ll let you know when I plan to get up there again and would love to meet you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuiltSnob Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hi Sandra, I will be looking forward to meeting you too. Have a nice time on your trips this year! See you next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmiequilts Posted June 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hi All and thank you for the helpful suggestions! I don\'t think Alaska is anything but beautiful and wide open. I can\'t wait to visit there myself. I\'ll look for the Milepost magazine and still make the sunflower quilt for the dark winter months. I am sure that with Jackie & Tim being young, 23 yo each, it will be a wonderful adventure! I also think that it will give them precious time to become a family with not too many outside demands! I did know about the giant cans of bug spray but I have to say living in the Pennsylvania woods is pretty buggy too! I\'ll ask my SIL which base he\'s going to, he told me over Christmas but I\'ve forgotten Thank you all again, I knew that this list would be so helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmiequilts Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Update on my nephew and Alaska, he is going to the base in Fairbanks but won\'t be there for long. We just were told that he is being deployed to Iraq, my SIL waited to say anything as her Mom worries about everything so much! The newlyweds will be driving cross country and he will get ready to head to the desert and she will fly home and live with her parents and teach until he returns. After Tim\'s tour in Iraq he will be based in Alaska. Please keep Tim in your prayers along with all of our service people. Thank you all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appr216 Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 God bless your nephew and all the soldiers that work so hard for our country. I keep all of them and their families in my prayers. Judi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Kim, I live 10 miles away from Fairbanks, and drive into town every day (I drive by the gate to Ft. Wainwright every day). So, if Tim & his wife are up here and they want to meet up, let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmiequilts Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Thank you Shana, I\'ll give them your information when he gets back from his Ranger training in GA. Judi, thanks for your prayers, this nephew has wanted the military since high school, he transferred to a military academy his sophmore year. He\'s an amazing young man and his finacee is just so sweet and adoreable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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