Canoe time

We’re not talking lakes yet, nor rivers. We’re talking large, fun neighborhood puddles and extreme seasonal water bodies. Massive snow melt is creating these new aquatic areas for a fleeting few weeks and they’re yours to explore. It is a sudden joy to wake up to a brand new waterfront in your front or back yard. (Unless you have a boat, It is not so fun to find the new waterfront in your road or driveway.) But enjoy them if you can: splash in them, throw sticks in them, and canoe in them. But be careful and wear your high boots or hip waders and life preservers if you have some new localized waterfront property.

Spruce up the Sluice—The Alaska State Fair’s Sluice Box is being renovated from the ground up which means it was taken down and will rise again. We all share memories from the Sluice Box and many should not be remembered or can’t be remembered. But good music and crazy dancing, fun acts and great camaraderie has been the heart of the sluice box. This will continue in a building that is built with old character and new materials.

New Attractions Coming—It is clear that some natural new attractions are coming our way. Some of the Palmer Major Snow-piles are going to be with us for quite a while, in the summer. Soon you can wear your summer skivvies and enjoy the sun and the remaining snow. No doubt this will be a novel new tourist attraction for visitors. We will just sit back and enjoy the sun and laugh.

Strange Sky Things—Once more we have crazy sky events to report. Last week’s Russian Kamchatka volcanic ash made the moon and sun turn into colorful orbs with purples and oranges. And last week there was that ethereal,strange spiral! Don’t forget this week’s eminent eclipse!

Palmer People Rest In Peace—You might remember Howard Bess, Darlene Bess or Dan Grota. All three were community members who gave mightily of their talents and their care to our place. All three have passed on in the last months. Howard was a force for good. Darlene was a beacon of kindness. And Dan had musical talents that he shared in his radio show and most recently at Open Mics in Palmer. All were good citizens. All will be missed. Condolences to each of their families from the community of Palmer.

Major Music Local Time—We have three great music events forthcoming. Saturday is the Next Tuesday is the Mat Su Orchestra at the Glenn Massey benefit for Valley Center for Recycling on Sunday Next Tuesday is the Coast Guard Band at 6pm at Colony High. And Friday on the 28th is the Colony Jazz Orchestra on the 23rd

Spring Cleaning—We can’t ignore it anymore. All winter we did what we could to survive and flourish but now that the sun is back, lots of dust bunnies and streaky windows have been revealed. Fortunately the artificial lighting of winter gives us grace and doesn’t show all the dog hair, smudges and dusty corners. But the sun is back and with it purpose.

Prettiest View At This Time of Year—Oh the mountains and the valley are always wonderful but—right now—the prettiest view is the exposed mucky gravel driveway which increases in size incrementally each day.

Buzzing This Week In Palmer—Library meeting on Wednesday, Farewell to Steve at 6pm at Palmer Ale House on Saturday; Community Clean up of Rabbit Slough on Saturday; Pet and Rabbit Show on Saturday at noon at Mat-Su Experimental Farm; Sunday at 3pm Mat Su Orchestra at the Glenn Massey benefit for Valley Center for Recycling; Jared Woods at Alehouse on Wednesday; Children’s Place Annual Gala at Alaska State Fair on Saturday at 5pm in Raven Hall; Barbecue Association at American Legion in Palmer at 5pm Saturday. And start preparing yourself for next week’s first big Palmer festival Who Let The Girls Out!

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222