Halloween Day 2009

Brandon and I needed a get out of the house day. Brandon had a bit of early "Cabin Fever" because of the shoulder surgery and limitations placed on him, so we threw together a picnic and headed for Tern Lake. It was a very chilly but sunny afternoon and we found lots of frost and the ice was beginning to form around the edge of the Lake and in the Creek. It was a sunny day but the mountain hid the good light. The creek still had some salmon swimming in it but they were not looking very good. Pretty much at the end of their life cycle. There were several Bald Eagles hanging around. I'm sure they were there for the free all you can eat salmon feast. There were signs of bear in the area too. We took a few pictures and had fun enjoying a day in the outdoors of Alaska. Good memories!!

The Bionic Man

Just an update on Brandon, many of you know he has been having trouble with his right shoulder for a few years now and on Tues. Oct. 6th he had surgery to fix it. Basically ended up with repairs to fix a dislocation type injury, fix soft tissue that was getting torn up from his shoulder being too loose and tighten the shoulder joint itself. We found out that the meds you get right before surgery creates uncontrollable giggles and laughing for Brandon. He had been pretty nervous and quite all morning until he got his "loopy" meds and then all he could say was "Whoa, what was that stuff"? and then he would laugh and laugh and laugh. He laughed all the way to surgery.
He is doing good and looking forward to the spring soccer season. By the way the thumbs up was just for show he really felt more like the 2nd picture.......really out of it due a nerve block and lots of pain meds on board.

Beautiful Fall

I have enjoyed our warm and for the most part "sunny" summer and I also have had fun photographing the beautiful colors of fall. Most of the fun was right in my own backyard roaming the woodlands with our little dog Daisy. I found many varieties of wild berries. Some were edible and others were not, but all were eligible for some great pictures and provided a wide array of colors.
The length of the daylight is growing noticeably shorter as the dark of the evening comes sooner each night. The mornings are cool and crisp and occasionally frosty. A warning of the approaching end to fall and signal that winter will soon follow.

Fireweed Phases

The colors of Alaska are a wonder all themselves. When the winter white gives way to spring and our world begins to wake, green becomes the dominant color of Summer. Only when the wild flowers bloom does green have competition. In late May and early June Lupine is one of the first wild flowers to mesmerize the landscape and then in mid July the Fireweed comes to life just as the Lupine begins to fade. The Fireweed begins to bloom from the bottom with varying shades of pink and slowly works its way to the top. When the final blossoms open to the fading summer the lower blooms turn to long spike like arms that eventually open to reveal the cottony seeds that scatter on the now cooler breeze. Once that process is complete the leaves themselves join the quest to join the fall bouquet. Folklore says the first snow will fly 6 weeks from when the fireweed finishes blooming and the height of the Fireweed will be the depth of the snow. What an amazing journey for the Fireweed.

Summer Flowers

I can't complain about our Summer this year, probably the warmest one we have had since moving to Alaska 5 years ago. In fact, we had some days that we thought were too warm. The never ending sunlight is my favorite part of summer. It is fun to see the Alaska landscape come alive with the purple of the Lupine and pink and fuchsia colors of the Fireweed.
We have a fun little garden by the house that we plant flowers in each summer. It is a fun reminder that Alaska is not always cold and covered with ice and snow. It is our simple contribution to Summer.

Red Salmon

Last weekend we went to Seward for some fun with Daniel and stopped at Tern Lake on the way home and found these Salmon in the creek. Summer is winding to a close.

Kenai River

The Kenai River is the summer "Hot Spot" for fishing....Kings, Reds & Silvers. Due to a warm and rainy July the river has been under a flood advisory for the past few weeks. It is hard to do any bank fishing as the bank is hard to find under all the water so fishing from the boardwalk and steps seems to work the best for Daniel.