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We finally found a narrow footpath along the bluff above Moose Creek and eagerly began our hike. A short while later we came to a steep gravel bank where high above the rusted iron railroad rails were suspended in the air, hanging like clotheslines. The entire bluff was washed away in a huge landslide and the trail came to an abrupt end. I carefully walked to the edge to see if any detour had been established, but none was visible. One could try climbing the slippery scree with the balance of youth, and no doubt reach the rails and find the railbed again, but it is almost certain that more washouts lie ahead. So much for my plan to hike the “easy to moderate” trails in the Matanuska Valley. I think we need to find something labled “for beginners.”

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The Matanuska Borough trail guide general description of the Moose Creek Trailhead states; “Cross the highway, follow the creek side trail to the old railroad bed and trail.” We couldn’t find any marked trailhead, so we started by following the creek. At first it was easy but soon we became surrounded by multiple forks in the stream that were choked with uprooted trees. It looked like the remains of debris from a flash flood. We waded through water and climbed over fallen trees searching for some sign of human use. After awhile we decided to cross the creek bed using a perpendicular route, from the main water channel to the bluff, hoping we would cross the path somewhere along the way.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

On the steepest part of the bluff, just below the view point on the Glenn Highway, the Palmer-Moose Creek Railroad Trail is totally washed out. Only the very agile, experienced, or hearty hikers would be comfortable crossing this precipitous loose scree and rock. It certainly didn’t look “easy to moderate” with a 100ft. drop straight down to the roaring, glacier fed Matanuska River. At this point we decided to turn around and hike back to the car and drive to the opposite end and begin our hike from Moose Creek trailhead, hopefully skirting the eroded bluffs. My plan to combine exercise and research for painting subject matter was turning into more of an exercise in survival.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

About a mile down the Palmer-Moose Creek Railroad Trail we came to a sizable washout. This photo doesn’t show how steep it is or how far down it is to the glacier fed river below. Suffice it to say, our aging bodies and trifocals caused us to tread very gingerly over this spot. We actually sat down and scooted over the steepest part. It was a bit unnerving, but undaunted we continued our hike.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

A little way down the Palmer-Moose Creek Railroad Trail we came to a scenic overlook with views of the braided Matanuska River and towering bluffs on the opposite side. I was saddened to see the river bank immediately below used as a dumping ground for old vehicles, appliances, and trash. It was a scene right out of the 1950’s, before our country became aware of pollution and its ramifications. How can people be so ignorant in this day and age, and blatantly spoil the beauty of this magnificent place? We tried to not to let this disappointment spoil our hike, but the memory still lingers.
More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

I like to combine efforts and partnering the search for painting subject matter with exercise has worked well for me during the summer. As I’ve become a member of the senior citizenry my methods for exercize have grown less strenuous, during winter I spend 45 minutes on the treadmill five days a week. With summer on the way I decided to step it up and start hiking the local trails, beginning with ones described as “easy to moderate,” taking my camera along to record scenes for future paintings. I consulted the Matanuska Borough web page and downloaded hiking trails and maps as a guide. (more…)

I love to grow Snap Peas, Snow Peas, and Green Beans. Some varieties will grow up to 6′ tall and need a trellace for support. We built these simple trellaces with 2′x2′ wood frames and garden twine for the grid. In my last garden I experimented with some scrap wire mesh, and later built very “artsy” structures out of twisted and bent willow branches. I’d like to do that again, but this year the simple wood and string approach will suffice until I have more time.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan Artist

By mid May the soil in the raised beds is ready for planting seeds and potatoes. I have cut several varieties of seed potatoes into pieces, each piece contains at least one eye and after they dry for a day I will plant them. This year I’ve chosen Yukon Gold, Fingerlings, Reds, and German Butterball. It is fun to watch them grow, and even more rewarding to dig up the mature potatoes after a few September frosts.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Some people become friends for life. Bob took this photo of me with Russ and Nancy Kanady the owners of Dolphin Realty in Maui, Hawaii. We got to know them when we both lived in San Diego County and have remained good friends for over 45 years. How true the old saying; “new friends are silver, but old friends are gold.” We are pictured in front of one of my large original paintings Prime Colors.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Bob is hard at work finishing the raised beds for our new vegetable garden. My job was to fill them with topsoil. My arms, back, and legs are much stronger now, from shoveling dirt into the wheelbarrow and dumping it into these tall planters. I like the height, I won’t have to bend over so much when planting or weeding. Bob put a trim along the top edge that will be a great space to stash tools, phone, camera, waterbottle, or whatever else I might be toting around with me. Planting must wait until Memorial Day weekend when we are safe from overnight frosts.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Part of my landscaping plan is to artfully arrange a few boulders in the woodchips along the driveway in the front of the studio, and plant hearty roses in between.  I drove to Rock Alaska Quarry in Eagle River, Alaska, and selected a few small rocks and one larger boulder. The biggest one was about 1500 lbs., not quite a ton. It was very hard for me to visualize how these rocks would look in my yard, the quarry is huge, and the rocks I’ve selected are but a pebble in the bucket (so to speak). From the back of a dump truck they were unloaded into a pile, and I soon realized that they’d have to be rearranged.  We moved them into place by wrapping a tow strap around each one and dragging it with our pickup truck.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Part of the job of keeping our woods healthy is to thin out the standing dead trees. This not only allows sunlight to reach the small spruce growing underneath, but eliminates the hazard of falling limbs, or the wind downing trees onto the house. We found some great tree jockeys at Brandlen Tree Care, a Matanuska Valley owned and operated business, who climbed these big, dead Cottonwoods with chainsaws and carefully cut them down, section by section. Now our woods are safe and look beautiful. I can’t wait for the trees to turn green in May.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

It took a couple of days, but we got all the woodchips spread. The muscles in my back, legs, arms and hands are protesting from the increased activity, but it felt good to be working outdoors in the sun. Now I’m looking for a few large (huge) boulders to place near the circle of dirt in the middle of the chips, then I’ll bring in some topsoil to mound around the boulders and plant some hardy roses. It will be interesting to see if my landscape plan changes as we proceed. Meanwhile, the 4″ layer of woodchips should serve to slow down the growth of weeds, and that is a good thing.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan Artist

This popular image Cow with Calf is now available in an open edition mini print, image size 5.25″x8″, printed on acid free paper and signed by the artist, priced at $22.00 US. This image was reproduced from a painting commissioned by the State of Alaska Per Cent for Art Program for the Teeland Middle School Library, Wasilla, Alaska. Moose are abundant in the Matanuska Valley, and can be seen almost daily in the early morning or late evening in meadows and marshes alongside roads. One of the biggest hazzards an urban moose faces today is being hit by a vehicle. If a moose is encountered along the shoulder of the road the wise driver slows to a stop, because 50% of the time the moose will walk directly on to the road in front of the vehicle rather than run into the woods.
Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan Artist

Seining is a painting of a fishing boat working along the coast of south central Alaska, hauling up a huge load of salmon. This image is available as an open edition miniature art print, image size 5.5″x7.75″, printed on acid free paper, signed by the artist, priced at $22.00 US.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

This original acrylic painting Pond Lily Swans is now available as a miniature open edition print, image size 5.5″x7.25″, printed on acid free paper, signed by the artist, and priced at $22.00 US. The beautiful Trumpeter Swan are featured floating among yellow pond lilies, a common sight in the wetlands of the Copper River Basin and the Copper River Delta, Alaska. Trumpter swan are always a thrill to watch, I have spent countless hours sitting motionless observing, sketching, photographing and learning about these magnificient creatures.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Red Fox and Barn is a painting of one of my favorite Palmer, Alaska, barns and illustrates one of my experinces. One August day while working outdoors I spotted a little red fox kit watching me, sitting quietly in the woods about 25 yards away. He was very curious. I decided to sit down on the ground and watch him. We both sat there watching each other for several minutes, then he began to slowly inch closer toward me. Over the course of a half hour he would carefully approach to within 5 feet of where I sat, then suddenly dash a short distance away, stop, sit down and watch me again. He repeated this several times before he grew bored and wandered off through the field into the woods. It was a magical experience!

This painting is available as a miniature open edition print, image size 5.25″x8,” on acid free paper, signed by the artist, priced at $22.00 US.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Me working in the front yard of the Niebrugge Studio/Residence shoveling woodchips. This will be the second summer in our new home, and about a half acre still needs to be landscaped. Part of the yard will remain forested, we thinned the dead trees and hauled away broken branches until it is quite pleasant now to walk through the woods. Along the outer edges of the forest we plan to use woodchips to transition from the driveway to the natural ground cover of leaves and mulch under the trees. We figured it would take about 50 yards of woodchips to complete the job. That is a lot of wheelbarrow loads and a lot of raking for our aging senior bodies, but we are determined to do this ourselves.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

A stubborn soul, who refused to give up on the quest to be the first boat to circle the island, used the hull of his boat as an ice breaker and plowed his way through until he was stuck here, only scant yards from making the loop. After much scraping and banging he was able to manuver himself free and retreated, failing to execute the circle. Later during the evening of May 3 someone finally achieved the goal, a parade of boats commenced cycling round and round the island through the narrow path in the ice until they could no longer see in the dark. With the ritual accomplished there is no question that Spring is here, trees and lawns should be green within a week or so. Let the fishing and fun begin!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The entire east end of the lake is thawed now, the ice pack is congested across from us at the west end and down the south/west finger. The dark land mass above our dock on the left, is an island. An annual ritual and rite of passage into Spring is to be the first boat to circle the island. Boats have been buzzing back and forth all day trying to break through the last bit of stubborn ice that clings to the north shore of the island, thwarting all attempts to complete the loop. As I work outside in the yard, is is strangely comforting and exciting to hear familiar whine of jet motors again.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist