The decade that was in Palmer, Alaska

Palmer’s Christmas Week —And Palmer’s Hanukkah week. And Palmer’s Solstice Week. And Palmer’s New Year’s week. It is just a big, confusing celebratory time with lots going on for everyone. It is hard to remember what day it is. It is hard to schedule anything. It is a delightful chaos of Palmer parties in cozy town.

Exponential Joy — You see it everywhere in Palmer. Gracious sharing and holiday cheer. One good work spawns five more good works. One kind word elicits ten more kind words. One person holds the door open and three more step up to do likewise. Cookies are handed out at the post office. The next day candy canes. The next day water bottles and boxes of raisins. Someone is surprised by a courtesy cup of coffee. Then they pay for another’s meal secretly. Then that recipient leaves a huge tip for the waitress. Then that waitress donates a large gift to an Angel Tree. It’s an inspiring reminder of the Palmer cycle of life and love.

Fruitcake Woes —There was a dearth of fruitcakes in Palmer this year. It’s hard to figure out why they are lacking. But they are missed.

Pottery Surge — Homemade pottery was a prime seller this year. The reasoning is that much was damaged in last year’s epic earthquake.

Last Week of “the Decade” in Palmer —There has been such growth in Palmer over the last decade. Ten years ago there were no breweries; now there are five in 99645. Ten years ago there were still two phone booths in Palmer; now there are none. Ten years ago there was no tattoo parlor, no Tai Chi classroom, no Thai Pho restaurant, no walking track, no Art Cafe, no Alaska Picker, no Ale House, no Infusion spot, no bike map, no bike racks, no farm tours, no dahlia farm, no lighted water tower, not many connected paths, no 203 Kombuchery, no large dance and music studio, no Veteran’s home, no food trail, no Toddler Playtime, and no skatepark.

Video stores closed; travel agencies closed; the Palmer Downtown Deli closed; the Garden Gate closed; the Recorder’s office left town; Fred Myers moved into old Carrs Mall site and Carrs moved across the street. Old Fred Myers turned into a U-haul business.

In this decade Palmer has seen the advent of smartphones, kindles, movie streaming, and thin, big screen tv’s. Our cars are lighter, our trucks are fancier, and on-location cameras are common. Downton Abbey, Superheroes, and the Keto diet took over many of the years of this decade. We have 4G and possibly 5G on the way. Amazon and Netflix are often a part of our lives. Our post office has had to deal with a huge increase in online shopping. Online degrees and social media are common. Uber is in Palmer now. Matchmaking apps,Youtube videos and memes are part of life. We’ve experienced some big earthquakes, major fires, floods and winds. The river keeps changing its erosion routes.

There has been much new road construction in and around town. There’s better crosswalks and safer walking. There’s more traffic. There are more stop lights. Festivals have increased. Tourism has increased. There are more sports opportunities. Running, walking and biking events have increased. Businesses have increased. Music venues have increased. Shops and art events have increased. We thankfully still have a local newspaper, but Facebook and Social Media has changed many of our news sources.

Palmer in 2020 —Fortunately, much of the wonderful glow of Palmer has remained, and in some cases, become stronger. We’ve had tragedies, indeed, but the gentle framework of our community remains predictable and secure. We are fortunate to live here and call Palmer home. This next year will be a difficult one, based on the loud drumroll of elections and politics. Let’s continue to be helpers and stay kind.

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. Her 2020 “Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops and the Palmer museum. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222