Moving around In Palmer

There’s a lot of moving around these days within our Palmer area. And some of it is in-migration (internal migration). People within Palmer are moving to bigger or smaller homes in Palmer. People are moving outside. Economic pressures, lifestyle alterations, changing age structures, rural desirability, small town desirability, mountain views, are all reasons for changing up. The appeal of Palmer is heard all the time from folks who don’t live here. This results in lots of activity including and especially the need for boxes. So the question comes up regularly on the Palmer Alaska Buzz about where to get, find, or secure boxes for transport of stuff. The folks at UHaul say they can not keep boxes in stock. Fortunately there are many locations for acquiring boxes. First of all, the liquor stores have excellent boxes. They are smaller and sturdy. Bishop’s Attic sometimes has boxes that people drop off. Facebook marketplace often has posts from people who have completed their moves and want to share the boxes they used. We are so fortunate to have the Valley Center for Recycling nearby; they sometimes have wonderful boxes which you can pick up for a donation. You might even find a wardrobe box or a giant box there. Perhaps the best place to acquire moving boxes is the grocery stores. Egg boxes are excellent. Banana boxes are another favorite. Corn boxes are amazingly strong yet lightweight. Gallon water jug boxes are made for moving. Meat and fish boxes are also great although you want to make sure they are clean. Sometimes you can find packing paper at the Recycle Center. And The Frontiersman office on the Palmer Wasilla Highway has plain newsprint end-rolls which is similar to packing paper! When you are done with these boxes, share them so other movers can also benefit from bountiful and recycled boxes.

Rugosa Roses and Peonies and SO many Daisies!—This is a crazy year for daisies. It must be the rain and cooler temps which they love. Dahlias are coming and Rugosa Roses are in full bloom. Peonies are holding on longer this year because of the weather. This is a good time of year to take your nose for a walk!

Goodbye Cotton—I doubt if anyone feels bad saying goodbye to the prolific Cottonwood offering this summer. It seems extreme. Cotton pieces flew around like little, chaotic fairies. It seemed like snowflakes frequently and in some Palmer yards, it piled up. Cottonwood trees are grand and have the most primitive, yet interesting bark. However, their cotton is sometimes annoying. Some complain that they are messy trees. But Nature is messy so you can’t hold that against them. Hopefully you didn’t get any cotton in your eye this year and likely you won’t because the cotton season is over!

Palmer Post Office, Poppies, and Pothole—The post office garden is gorgeous right now with all the poppies beginning to pop! These poppies and the entire garden is a grand annual effort by two local organizations—The Palmer High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) and members of the Northland Pioneer Grange #1. Many of us love the Palmer post office for many reasons. People are kind and hold the doors open. (Sometimes it is contest to see who can hold more doors open!) It’s a gathering place. You have a little box with a little key that sometimes has another little key in it to open another little locker box. The staff are helpful and friendly. There is a lot to love about the post office with the flags, the big circular window, hanging baskets and garden of poppies. There were years when it was full of pansies with smiley faces. And then there is the perennial post office pothole that never actually goes away. It isn’t a problem because it is familiar and if you drive carefull, you can avoid it. But it is predictable and maybe it is actually just a traffic calming device. It really is a favorite pothole in P town because of its’ regularity and annual occurrences.

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