Hello Michele! Welcome aboard. I'm another newish member from the Seattle area since 1983 but I grew up in Alaska (ages 10-23) mostly in Anchorage but went to school in Fairbanks as back then it was the only campus with dorms. I will warn you about this site that you are likely to be tempted to make more projects than you think you have time for -- at least that's my experience so far.
I just got back from a trip with a local friend, we spent a couple of days in the Anchorage area with my best friend from High School going to quilt shops and picking up the Row by Row patterns for another ex-Alaskan friend (she now lives in Phoenix area). We went out to the State Fair in Palmer and then took a week-long cruise from Seward, ending in Vancouver BC -- also picking up Row by Rows and visiting the various quilt stores at the various port shops. It was my first time back to Alaska in 20 years... and my first time along SE since about 1977. Many many changes!