Community hand painted mural at the Arts in the Garden Festival

Community hand painted mural at the Arts in the Garden Festival, the simple question was posed,”What do you Love about Palmer?” The fun responses were then painted on the Palmer Mural at the highly successful and well-attended festival this past weekend. What started as a totally blank mural was jam-packed with images, marked and painted by scores of Palmer children, tweens, moms, dads, students, and senior citizens…..few of whom I actually knew. The Palmer Mural will be making its rounds soon to community events to share the love. (The Community Mural is not pictured here because it is still too wet with fixative, to photograph.) In addition to so many of our wonderful local icons and flowers, someone painted an entire school of red salmon swimming upstream through Palmer! Who knew?!

Full Floral Orchestra—Now is the time to visit the Palmer Visitor’s Center Garden next to the Museum. The is the apogee of the season. It is futile to attempt to describe the beauty of this well-cared for garden; you have to see it for yourself. It would take dozens of adjectives and they would all fall flat compared to the reality of the garden at this exact time of year. From now through September, the Palmer downtown garden is a gorgeous destination.

Local Markets—Have you ever munched on fresh Arugula, while driving? Well you probably just visited one of the local farm markets in Palmer. We are hip deep in early harvest season in Palmer. Suddenly we are starting to get fully ripe tomatoes, fat cucumbers, big onions, peas, cauliflower, garlic, baby carrots, green beans, lettuces, buckets of greens, and various delicious vegetables. On Wednesday afternoons at 4pm is the Matanuska Community Farmers’ Market. It is close to the borough building and in the parking lot across from the Log Church. On Thursdays and Saturdays, an original Colony Farm opens up its’ Farm stand Market and old Alaska railcar Sipping Room. This is Moonstone Farm, located near the hospital on an original Colony farm at 2141 S. Church Street. Moonstone Farm is also the location of a Railcar Air Bnb and a wedding location! The Kenley Family vegetable farm-stand is open at 5150 N. Palmer Fishhook. Again there is an abundance of valley vegetables. There is also an occasional market up on Palmer Fishhook. Plus Bushes Bunches is beginning to resemble a constant small market. There are other markets and you are encouraged to visit them all!

Recognition that High Summer is Over—It is difficult to not be resentful about this topic. And with that acknowledgement comes a bit of wistfulness and a sense of loss. The loss is clinical and accurate however based on the length of sunlight, since we are one month week past the Summer Solstice. Summer’s light is starting to fade although the temperatures will stay warm for another full month. In fact most Alaskans are starting to flirt with the fact that, although a long ways off, another winter is coming. Many long-timers recognize this with no bitterness and Alaska Natives, who have been here for centuries, have a better acceptance and say, “We are always preparing for Winter.”

It is Time to Get Into Gear—Summer is half over. I know this is a painful thought. But I repeat it for reality’s incentive. Get your can of paint out and do that shed. Get your bike out and ride that trail. Fix the window before the rains come. Dip those fish. Collect those berries. Photograph that fireweed. Be aware that the State Fair is in one month! Football starts soon. School starts soon. If you have entries for the fair, get hopping. Summer seems to be fleeting so fast. It’s hard to grab hold and enjoy it. But by being aware and treasuring it, you actually can make it last longer.

Graveyard Stories—The Palmer Historical Society is offering another “Stories in Stone” tour this next week. It is officially the Palmer Pioneer Cemetery Walking Tour. It celebrates 90 years of Palmer Colony history and 12 Matanuska Era residents, colonists and homesteaders.

All proceeds will be split between Palmer Historical Society and Palmer Pioneer Cemetery Association, supporting the preservation of our local history. Tickets are fifteen dollars and there may still be a few tickets left.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff on the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz 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