Summer is in full swing and our one year old dude is getting closer to walking everyday. He stands at times when randomly distracted, before plopping to the floor after remembering that he is no longer holding onto something. He’s physically ready to walk, but mentally cannot visualize it yet. The one thing we are certain of is that when everyone chants, “Walk! Walk!,” Henry only wants to sit down and play with a toy. He has his own schedule.

July is ending with a flurry of warm days and Henry has been enjoying them all. When it’s sunny, clear, and in the high 60’s, you need to get out and embrace it here in southcentral Alaska. We’ve even hit the low 70’s once or twice this month. Henry loves moving fast in the jogging stroller with Daddy pushing away or zipping along in the bike trailer as Dad churns down the bike trail. Becky’s knees dictate that her journeys with Henry in the stroller are a more leisurely affair, though she covers the same ground around the neighborhood. Hank loves it all, especially because most excursions end at the playground with the swings and slides (there is often fussing when we have to leave the beloved slide).

Last week Becky rounded a quiet street on the path with Henry in the stroller when an oncoming jogger stopped to remark, “If you keep heading down Patterson be careful. A Sow and three cubs just crossed the street a moment ago.” This was a block ahead in the direction Becky was traveling. Sorry Henry, but mother bears with cubs are strictly on the do not fly list. Becky and Henry turned around and headed towards home. We often get moose in the neighborhood and every year or so we hear of a bear. We once had a black bear at our garbage cans, but this is the new high water mark. Sadly, the bears were too acclimated to humans and garbage so they were put down this week.