Sun, Light, Greenery, Clouds - It's All Good

29 May 2012
7:49 PM

Sunrise at

3:39 AM

in direction

26°

North-northeast

Civil twilight all day

Weird indicator of light, isn't it?  That is because sunset is at midnight and midnight is actually the next day, 30 May.  Bizarre!

Looking toward Denali (not visible); construction debris (visible)

Today was cool and cloudy over the university, but when I got home, the temperature was warm here, 8 miles away.  I hear the river is near flooding due to intense rain up in the hills that feed the Chena River.  I will take a photo tomorrow.  I didn't have the car this afternoon, so rode the bus home.  My dad commented on how low the river was and I told him it wouldn't be long before it was high and flooding, but I didn't think it would be that soon!  He just left last Wednesday.

Flowering trees on campus are outdoing themselves in celebration of warmth and light this year.  I appreciate the blooms every year, but they seem more tightly clustered and aromatic than what I remember from previous years.  Blog readers will endure many photos of plants and sky over the next few weeks.

Flowering ornamental cherry

I attached JayJay to the bike via the leader spring and we biked down to Farmer's Loop on McGrath (2 miles round trip) and then back up to Willow Grouse (1.8 miles round trip).  She did well and I actually had to work a bit since it was a longer run with some steep inclines.  It did us both good; I enjoyed the warmth, smells and sun. She took time to look at things as we passed on our way down to Farmer's Loop because there are driveways and houses along there.  Going up to Willow Grouse is a smoother bike trail, but not as interesting on the path side because all of the houses are up on a ridge facing Willow Grouse before it curves down to meet McGrath.

Then I played frisbee with both dogs, cooked dinner, ate, and light and shadows look like 5 PM for mid latitudes.  If you can stick the winters, living far north has definite, definite advantages.  My son posted on Facebook that he missed the stars.  I don't .. simply because I need to soak up the light.  I am like those birch trees out there.  I soak up as much as I can, storing it to make it through the deep cold and dark of winter.

Young crab apple tree's blossoms

A Sunny Day in the Farthest Northern City

28 May 2012
5:29 PM

Sunrise at	3:43 AM	in direction	26°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:57 PM	in direction	334°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 20 hours, 14 minutes (6 minutes, 30 seconds longer than yesterday)


Civil Twilight all day

I think we are drifting from late spring to early summer.  While we don't have wild flowers in bloom yet, we are now looking at plenty of green everywhere.  And the wild roses and bluebells are forming.  Our summer is so brief and so cherished.  I embrace eery day - even if I am waking up at 3 in the morning because I think it is time to get up .. maybe it is time to get up.  That's a thought!

Aria playing frisbee in the afternoon's warmth

The two youngest dogs both took a good run at playing frisbee early this afternoon.  First Aria again showed that despite being over six, she still has what it takes to get that flying saucer mid air.  JayJay stood on the deck with Mira Bai watching enviously.   Then JayJay had her turn while it was Aria's turn to whine from the deck.  JayJay does not get the whole trajectory thing, but she does get that I like when she looks full into the camera.

JayJay willing to pose 

I went back to the Tanana Valley Fairgrounds to watch the final groups in the dog show.  I missed the Working Group, which is the grouping for Dobermans, Great Danes, many of the Nordic breeds, boxers, and many others that were bred for specific jobs.  But, I did have the opportunity to see the last few groups and the Best in Show ring.  Michelle and Amanda took that award today.  I felt happy for Michelle and actually excited to be there because I know that Michelle regularly places Best in Show with Dobermans, but I've never seen it.

Michelle and Amanda after winning Best in Show today

Before going back to the fair grounds, though, I took time to take a photograph of the trees in our yard - because you can never have too many photos of birch trees!

Our lovely, lovely birch trees

Dog Shows - Why I Participate

27 May 2010
10:04 PM

Sunrise at	3:46 AM	in direction	27°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:53 PM	in direction	333°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 20 hours, 7 minutes (6 minutes, 33 seconds longer than yesterday)


Civil Twilight all day


I don't know why I continue to participate in dog shows, exactly.  But I can tell you this.  JayJay was rockin' yesterday.  I saw if she kept it up, she could finish this weekend - and I was disappointed.  That makes no sense, of course.  The idea is to finish as soon as possible, you'd think.  But I realized that wasn't what I was after - exactly.  I like being with other people who love dogs.  


Yes, I know, Best in Show was a hilarious movies that portrayed the unusual characteristics of people who follow dog shows, but I have to say - I don't experience that in Alaska.  I mean sure, people want to win, but as my friend said today - once you have finished, then you can't play anymore.  For me, at least, it is simply the fun of participation and as I watched the many people entered in the various breeds, that seemed to be what was motivating most of them too.


We were having a good time.  Some people really resent, for example, that my friend Michelle Santana brings dogs up to show.  But without her entries, we rarely have majors for Doberman Pinschers in Alaska.  Because she brought up another bitch (making 5 total) we had enough for major points in our region of Alaska for Dobermans.  


Here is how it works when you are cooperating with one another.  If either the bitch entries or dog entries aren't enough for major points, and you are working to help everyone get their championships, then you set it up so one needing major points has a chance to beat the one who just received a major in the final ring - the ring for Best of Breed.


Today Bev and Terry's dog, Aussie, received 3 points (i.e., a major).  He didn't get a major because Bev very skillfully and ably guided her male to success as Winners dog.  He received one point for that because he beat one other dog.  He received his major because when all the Dobermans went into the final ring to determine Best of Breed, he beat the bitch that had the major points.    


Since Bev returned with her dog and Michelle went to a different bitch for Best of Breed, the judge knew that it wasn't important to put up the Winners Bitch as Best of Winners unless she thought her extremely worthy.  She didn't.  Aussie was tagged as Best of Winners.


So, I guess I ignore those who fuss about Outsiders coming into the show ring.  Those of us with Dobermans need them - and besides, those folks are a rarity.  Instead, we just seem to have fun, relax - get together for dinner, eat and drink like we did tonight.  We talked dogs, talked politics, talked Alaska.  We had a good time and the bond I feel with these people is as strong as that I felt with a select few in Colorado - without all the headache and weirdness.


So, she didn't win today.  She either is loved or seems to place 3rd (oh well), so we are going to Anchorage where she can (hopefully) pick up a few more points.  Then we are going on to Soldotna mid July and Palmer in late July.  Hopefully, but that time she will be a champion and we can concentrate on agility and other types of performance skills, but for now, I am just happy to have friends who came over and had a good time at our house.

Dog Show Weekend

26 May 2012
8:22 PM

Sunrise at	3:49 AM	in direction	28°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:50 PM	in direction	333°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 20 hours, 1 minute (6 minutes, 37 seconds longer than yesterday)

Civil Twilight all day

JayJay taking Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and Best of Breed in March

 This weekend is the dog show sponsored by our local kennel club, Tanana Valley Kennel Club.   I acted as ring steward for the herding dog ring this morning - Australian Shepherds, Shetlands, German Shepherds and so on.  At first I managed the arm bands and then since a new steward came in to help, I took over calling people into the ring for showing.  Keeping people aware that they are next, calling them in the right order, telling them if they need to come back is surprisingly tasking.


I was not at peek form in any case.  I didn't sleep well last night because I was worried I would oversleep and not be at ringside early enough.  The light encouraged me in this belief.  At one point I woke up sure it was dawn - which it in fact was.  But the twilight of dawn followed straight on the heels of dusk, brightening ever so slightly at 2:00 or so in the morning, which is when I looked at the clock the first time.

Still, the dogs and their humans made the ring very pleasant and very different from the working dog ring.  It could be my imagination, but it seems to me, now that I compare the two rings, working dogs have an edge about them.  All dogs want to work and are very focused on their owners wishes, especially with the added inducement of food, but there is a kinetic energy in working dogs that almost insists on activity.  Of course I say that as two of my workers lie here on the bed with me, passing the time in Dreamsvile.

JayJay is entered all three days and took Winners Bitch for 3 more points.  Ten down, three to go for her Championship.  We are especially pleased, but not too surprised, that she beat the bitch that Michelle is showing this weekend.  Michelle's bitch is fine, so that isn't the issue; JayJay is in top form right now and has a good attitude about it all.  Michelle wanted Leslie, my handler and a friend of Michelle's, to show her male when we went back in the ring for Best of Breed, and other honors.  That was so he could get a major by taking Best of Winners, which he did.


We would have liked JayJay to take one of those honors, but Michelle has continued to send us very worthy dogs up here - something other breeders would not do.  So, I am fine with it.  The thing I wonder is how well Jay Bird would do if she were in the lower 48.  Would she be kicking butt like she is here with a lot more competition? I suspect she would.  She emanates a lovely, beautiful aura right now and her sass actually adds to the mix rather than take a way from it.


We show again Sunday and Monday and it is possible that we could win each day and she will be finished by Monday at 11:00.  That is not likely, but possible because Leslie is doing a great job with her and JayJay cooperates fully.  She looks good.  We should be able to finish her this year and then Gary and I need to think about whether we want to continue to show her as a special.


Once we left the ring and knew JayJay would not be going into Working Dog group competition as Best of Breed for Dobermans, we were quick to gather up our things and leave for home.  I'd scheduled a cardio exam at 1:30, but one of the attendees of the show had a heart attack (who they were able to get breathing again), and everything slipped and we did not go into the ring until 1:15.  I received a call from them asking if I wanted to take one of the afternoon appointments, which I did, so JayJay and I returned to the fairgrounds.  She was full of rambunctious energy.  But sweet girl that she is, settled right in when I wanted her to hold still for the exam.  The vet told me she won Best Dog award for her behavior.  She is such a sweet girl; why does she insist on sporadically tearing up cushions?


After that, the lack of sleep caught up with me and I came home and napped.  Life is good.

Rain Boots - Alaska Style

25 May 2012

Sunrise at	3:52 AM	in direction	29°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:46 PM	in direction	332°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 19 hours, 54 minutes (6 minutes, 41 seconds longer than yesterday)

Civil Twilight all day

It's been raining all day.  As a consequence, I have reconsidered buying rain boots.  Usually, when I consider this option, memories of hot feet, no support, and clomping along due to poor fit come flooding back from my child hood.  I turn to rationalization to avoid the memories; our sporadic rain and mud season is comparatively short.  A pair of rain boots is a wasted investment.  Still, today as I avoided puddles and draining water in my leather Keen's, I reconsidered.

But as in all things, finding the appropriate boot, with respect to fashion and practicality is very important.  I first considered buying boots when in Oregon.  My friend offered me hers so I could walk along the coast.  They fit surprisingly well, and it was easy to slip my pant legs inside them.  I was pleased and looked on line for something that might fit.  Hers were a simple design, with a pattern on the upper boot.  I think Nomad Rubber Boots for women has a good selection of boots for those who want design, good soles, but without a lot of expense.  I am not sure I have ever seen anything like this in Fairbanks though.

The boots on the left below caught my eye.  They are a simple but would come above the calf.  They looked like they would be practical for all kinds of wet weather, but still fit in with a pair of slacks if I needed to wear them while dressed in something besides Levi's.

LeChameau Wellington

Cabela Wellington

The only problem was that they cost $280.  It's true that the Duchess of Cambridge wears them - so they must be top notch, right?  I haven't seen any LeChameau boots in Fairbanks either.  On the other hand, the boots on the left have features that are desirable in Alaska, thinsulate, felt foot-bed with an arch, buckle top above the calf to keep out debris, water and snow.  They only cost $59.95.


There are three other manufacturers of rubber boots that are most likely to be purchased in Alaska. Sorel's are always reliable, long-lasting and always in fashion here.  The Sorel's on the left are practical with the some of the same insulating properties present in their severe cold weather boots which I wear in extreme cold:

Sorel Sorellingtons

Lately, Bogs have been laying claim to a lot of Alaskan dollars for those that want comfort, dryness, and warmth combined with ease for putting on and taking off.  The design is essentially the same for short and high boots with uppers of Neo-Tech insulation, removable insole and antimicrobial properties.

 Bogs

But if you really want to choose boots that are sure to signal you know Alaskan style, Xtratuf Neoprene are the boots to buy.  They dominate.  From sons of fisherman in Seward, to young coeds at UAF, to those avoiding wet feet in rainy Southeast and South Central these boots are clearly the first choice.

Fastionable under any circumstances
Xtratuf Neoprene Boots

Sorry, Duchess, you just don't reach our standards for style.

More on Mushing - Never Too Early to Plan Ahead

24 May 2012
6:55 PM

Sunrise at	3:55 AM	in direction	30°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:43 PM	in direction	331°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 19 hours, 47 minutes (6 minutes, 44 seconds longer than yesterday)

Civil twilight all day

So, I contacted the local Mushers Association down on Farmer's Loop with questions about getting a small recreational sled.  They advised me immediately to consider skijoring instead, since I have only one dog.  Well, that makes absolutely perfect sense, but it is probably not the way it is going to happen.  I don't know how I am going to make it happen so I can get on runners with a small team that is still big enough to carry me 16 miles or so, but I am not giving up just yet.

Then there is the issue of having to run the dogs after work and I am a slug after work - especially in winter.  This will mean not just figuring out the logistics, but figuring out how to motivate yours truly to get past a basic resistance to being out in the cold and dark.  Then there are all the things I need to do to ensure the dogs and I stay alive.  That is thought provoking.

I need to add to my winter clothing for one thing - warmer gloves, warmer pants, warmer mid thigh length coat with hood and good hat and neck gator.  I need to think about what I need to carry with me at all times.  I need to become comfortable seeing life through headlamps instead of sunlight or twilight.  I probably need to start by having lessons on the weekend at the Musher's Hall, so by the time I am traveling for a few hours each evening with dogs, I feel confident that I can make it home with all of us alive.

Then there is the issue of the sled, gang line, harnesses, fasteners, quick release line.

Rats!  I need to mentally think this through more, but at least I am starting early enough.

Summer Chores

23 May 2012
8:08 PM

Sunrise at	3:59 AM	in direction	30°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:40 PM	in direction	330°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 19 hours, 40 minutes (6 minutes, 47 seconds longer than yesterday)


Civil Twilight all day


There is much to do over the brief summer.  Just as the plants are working hard so they can store up through the winter, we also take advantage of the light to complete essential tasks in the short time we have to do them.  Many of the tasks are directly related to preparing for next winter, of course, but some are just easier to do in the summer with good light.  Others are best done when the ground is snow free.


Here is my list:

• Finish the drywall, plaster and paint on in the living room where we retrofitted inside instead of outside.
• Rehang radiator covers below the new drywall.
• Lay the foundation for steps going up from the driveway to the deck stairs
• Stain the wooden slates over the deck
• Rehang the wooden slates that were removed for foam along the basement
• Fell several trees
• Cut and stack the felled trees for curing over the winter to use next year
• Get 5 cords of wood and cut, split and stack it
• Install a new wood stove and sell the current one
• Seal all windows that were not sealed properly before (which is everyone in the house)

Then we are not planning to get these tasks done this year, but ...

• Think about how to finish off covering the remaining foam on the bottom floor
• Think about what to buy to finish trimming out the basement apartment

I'll let you know how far we got when the snow flies.

What Would It Be Like to Have a Sense of 24 Hours?

22 May 2012
8:21 PM

Sunrise at	4:02 AM	in direction	31°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:36 PM	in direction	329°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 19 hours, 34 minutes (6 minutes, 49 seconds longer than yesterday)

Civil Twilight all day

Our yard after midnight

One understanding I used to think important was the notion of Circadian rhythm.  The rhythm of human life is supposedly based on these cycles of 24 hours.  According to the the National Institute of Health, the definition of circadian rhythm is:  "Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness ..." [Circadian Rhythm Fact Sheet].  But what about when your life rhythms have developed in other latitudes?  Are all humans affected by drastic changes in light and dark, no matter where they are born and raised?  Does it effect mental health, fertility, and physical well-being for everyone or only those thrust into these changes?

I have NO idea.  All I know is I am usually guessing at the time based on some reference point in the day, rather than a sense inside myself.  But, I think I may be adapting.  I think I may sense that it is closer to 11 PM than 8 PM, for example, but that may be based on what I have done all day.  Today is a good example.  I got in the car to go by where Dad is staying tonight.  He opted to stay in a hotel since he will be getting up early and leaving for the plane early.  We told him we do that all the time, but no matter - he felt more comfortable doing this.  I dropped him off earlier, did some errands, picked Gary up and then got in the car to go back over to Pike's Landing to visit a bit more.  My sense of time was that it was about 4 PM in the afternoon.  It was in fact 6:30 PM.  It is true that by the solar noon and factoring in our far west we are - it was closer to 4:00 PM than 6:30, but I was still surprised when I looked at the clock.

Ah well - I really don't care.  This is the time of year to make the most of the light.  I don't have any trouble sleeping in the twilight of summer.  I honestly don't stay up more in summer than in winter (since I really never know what time it is in then either).  I always, always, always enjoy the light from May to August.

As promised, here are a few photos, showing how the spring is progressing.  Look at the ducks in the first one and the crane closest to the tree.  The three in parade are leaving the pond for a tilled tract where many, many cranes and geese were eating in Creamer's Field.  The cranes blend so well into the colors of spring that I did not take a photo of them.

Cranes and ducks by the pond - sleeping, preening, and eating

On the move

Green Hills of the Fairbanksian Summer

My dad said over and over .. I would never have imagined there would be so many birch trees here - whole forests of them.

Civil Twilght Extends light to 24 Hours

20 May 2012
9:01 PM

Sunrise at	4:09 AM	in direction	33°	North-northeast
Sunset at	11:29 PM	in direction	328°	North-northwest

Duration of day: 19 hours, 20 minutes (6 minutes, 53 seconds longer than yesterday)

AND

Civil twilight all day

Yep.  No dark.  I will go out at midnight and take a photo.




Life is good.

Spring

17 May 2012
7:51 PM

Sunrise at	4:19 AM	in direction	35°	Northeast
Sunset at	11:19 PM	in direction	325°	Northwest

Duration of day: 18 hours, 59 minutes (6 minutes, 57 seconds longer than yesterday)

Spring in the Horse fields

I took some photos of Fairbanks Monday after we returned from driving south.   While most regions of the state had the suggestion of buds, we came home to spring green hillsides.  Even hillsides of locales close to home, e.g. Nenana, just over 50 miles away still had many large sections of bare limbed trees.

Here, each day, leaves extend more fully and comfortably from the protection of their bud casing - even though unfolding of leaves is slower than in previous years.  I saw my first Robin pair Sunday or Monday.  Spring is official.

I am including photos of shots I've taken before at different times in the year.  It's already greened up a lot since I took these at the beginning of the week.  Many times, I can smell the new poplar leaves as they emerge.  The smell transforms from aromatically sweet to pungently sweet to no odor as the leafing out progresses through spring to summer.

From the deck looking across our lawn

Looking north across the flag quad to Rasmuson Library

I stopped to take this next photo because the green trees in the foreground was a nice perspective, but chose that exact spot so I could catch the peaks of the Tri-Valley (Delta Junction) region above the hills.  The day was partially cloudy and they'd covered the trees in the foreground making my first goal superfluous.  However, the peaks in the background are clear.

Looking south east toward Delta Junction

Talkeetna

16 May 2012
7:38 PM

Sunrise at	4:22 AM	in direction	36°	Northeast
Sunset at	11:15 PM	in direction	324°	Northwest

Duration of day: 18 hours, 52 minutes (6 minutes, 58 seconds longer than yesterday)

We drove up to Talkeetna on Saturday.  I had the pleasure of seeing my son both Saturday evening and Sunday morning.  Rain had sputtered in Anchorage over the last two days and we continued to meet stretches of wet road, scattered by drifting showers.  Lorien suggested we eat dinner at the the local brewery. Denali Brewery Company's restaurant, The Twister was packed, a sign that the summer season has already begun in Talkeetna.  The brewery's beer was voted as the Official Beer of the State Fair for 2010 and 2011.  We visited over a simple, but tasty meal.  I am not a beer drinker, so I whether it is as good as Alaskan, meets the level of Homer Brewery or Silver Gulch!   

Breakfast at the Roadhouse was as good as I remembered.  We watched several groups come and go while we enjoyed a pancake each.  The pancake filled an oval plate and we folded it over to make two feather light and tasty layers.  After, I caught these photos of Denali and companions, Mt. Foraker and Mt. Hunter.  

Mt Foraker and Mt. Hunter

Mt. Hunter and Denali 

Denali

The cloud cover above was lowering, blurring the line between mountain and sky.  Lacking contrast, the mountain faded into the sky above and behind.  Transformations between sky and mountain were rapid, reflecting how quickly conditions change around the mountain itself.

Lorien overslept.  Finally connecting with him, we decided to drive out to his cabin.  It is not far from town, although Talkeetna is small and six miles away from the village's center encourages a sense of living in very rural circumstances.  Lorien's bachelor pad was a conglomeration of objects, books, food, and eating implements as befits a single man.  Yet ... I may be practicing full-scale self deception, but, it looked less cluttered than places I've see him live in the past.  And although there were a few dirty dishes from his last meal, there were also clean once carefully stacked in the drying bin.  There was space to walk across the floor, the clutter being relegated to the edges of the cabin.  

He and I agreed he would make better of it, if he had running water.  Heating water to clean means pumping it from the lake, the carrying water jugs into the house, heating water for cleaning, and then doing the same for what could not be cleaned with the first round.  Being reminded of the basic conditions of many Alaskan residents caused me to renew my vows - so to speak.  I have never deviated, not even for a second, from a clear understanding that under no circumstances, would I live in a dry cabin.

Lorien wanted to record his grandfather's oral history.  We were in the recording studio at KTNA for an hour and half or more.  I heard tales of my grandparent's lives through my grandmother's voice.  She spoke of flour sacks for clothes, clean-swept dirt yards, sewing and quilts, and food preservation and spoilage.  This recording session gave me a chance to see events as passed down through the men folks' stories.  I heard of successful farming techniques, road building, mechanics, and working at the age of eight.  I was reminded of my own introduction to farm life by learning to drive the tractor, watch my grandfather irrigate, the careful combing of cotton, and making biscuits for the noon day meal.

Later Lorien introduced us to a local pilot, Robert, whose home is across the road from the city airport.  He and another resident have been maintaining the Talkeetna City Airport as an alternative to landing at the State Airport, just over the railroad tracks.  The advantage of the local airport is its free to land, but the disadvantage is that it is not meant to be maintained like the paved, state airports.  On Sunday, it was soggy which made landing unsafe.  He has broadcast that it was not available open, but pilots still chose to land there.  

Robert - preparing to take a photo of us and an airplane parked at the airport

Above, the view is from midway in the privately owned section of the airport back toward town. The two story building, center-left, is the historic Fairview Inn. The south end of the airport is BLM land and made available as part of the landing strip.  

Robert says the local airport is functioning on borrowed time.  He is concerned that there will be a serious accident since he posts safety conditions, but pilots don't heed them.  He witnessed two such landings and both landings barely averted crashes.  In fact, he has his plane parked at the State airport, less than a mile away.  He says local support for the city airport is waning as more opt to use the better maintained and regulated State Airport.

Volcanoes, Glaciers, and a Rainbow

25 May 2012
9:05 PM

Sunrise at	4:26 AM	in direction	37°	Northeast
Sunset at	11:11 PM	in direction	324°	Northwest

Duration of day: 18 hours, 45 minutes (6 minutes, 59 seconds longer than yesterday)

Mt Redoubt from the Southeast, plume barely visible behind the peak

Because we opted to visit the Alaska SeaLife Center and then go on to Homer in the early afternoon, we came into Homer on a wonderfully clear day with excellent views of both active volcanoes across Cook Inlet.  The series of Redoubt eruptions in 2009 spanned slightly more than two weeks from March 15 to March 31.  A plume is still venting on the northwest side of the volcano; it and the caldera are visible as you approach from the mountains west of Seward.  We did not stop until directly across from Iliamna, and from that angle, the plume almost looked like clouds, except for its consistent position, height, and direction of the wind blown steam.

Iliamna is thinking about erupting and has been moved to yellow alert or watch.  I was not able to find record of definitive eruptions in recorded history, but that is open to debate as several years are listed as "questionable eruption" where there appears to be smoke and ash, but without the drama of Redoubt's displays.  However, right now, she is unmistakably smoking.

Mt Iliamna across Cook Inlet between Ninilchik and Anchor Point

We stayed at Wild Rose Inn hosted by Anne and Robert Haynes.  We were expecting to stay in the two bedroom house, the family of a solider on leave from Afghanistan wanted to make the most of every minute, and Anne - gracious person that she is - decided to let them stay in that spot and set us up in the three bedroom on the hill above.  The house, probably built in the 1970s, was spotless. It is decorated in Anne's cozy, unpretentious style.  Several comfortable pieces of furniture anchored each room with unique items of bricabrac distributed liberally throughout.  A balcony extended across the top floor with doors exiting to it from both upstairs bedrooms.  The views from the hills above the Spit and the business area can be amazing - and our view easily met that expectation.

Looking at the peak rising to the south east of Sadie Cove

East toward the glaciers Kenai Fjords National Park

Looking more southerly toward Sadie Cove and Turk Bay

The setting Sun

We had lunch at Fat Olives and promised ourselves a trip to Two Sisters Bakery the following day.  Anne suggested Captain Patty's seafood at the evening meal.  As the sun set, I tried to catch the play of rose and violet colors upon the peaks to the south of us.  Clouds were settling in around the peaks in the Kenai Fjords National Park and the Kachemak Bay State Park. 

The light does not linger as long in Homer as it does here and we did actually have a period of dark, plus Anne provides nice drapes for warmth and to block some of the light.  I slept well.  The evening before we tried to find someone available for a trip out on the bay the next day.  We had wanted to go to Halibut Cove, but the restaurant was not open and would not be until Memorial Day, the start of the season for Homer.  Then we looked for water taxi's or ferries going to Sedovia.  The only practical way to do it was to take a ferry over and fly back.  Ferries did not run as frequently and there was not much to do in Sedovia, again because the season has not yet begun. 

With all of those avenues blocked, Gary opted to cocoon at the house.  It was his birthday and he could think of nothing better than simply reading and resting all day.  Dad and I went to the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitors Center.  Homer is the closest mainland port to Kodiak and, along with Dillingham in Bristol Bay, the closest embark point for the Aleutian Chain when traveling by sea.  It is a small museum, but jam-packed with information.  Displays are an interesting blend of fishing, the Aleutian Chain, wildlife preservation and the effects of the war.  I was fascinated and totally lost myself exploring what it had to offer.

After, we walked down to Two Sisters along the estuary path.  The Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival was scheduled for the following weekend, but there was scant evidence of bird migrations that day.  It has been a long, cold winter followed by the a long cold spring.  The birds are either by-passing usual stopping points or have delayed their migration due to the slow spring.  When driving along the spit the night before, we did see hundreds of sea otters off the shore, though.  They seemed to enjoy the cold and turbulent waters evident in the bay that night.

Later that evening, as we settled in, we had a visitor.  We agreed we had seen more moose in two days inHomer than we'd seen all month in Fairbanks.  She was actively, and happily munching on the lawn and leafs around us as rain began to fall.

The rain persisted over night and then turned to snow.  We went to bed with one view of Homer and woke up to another.  It has been a long, cold winter followed by a long, cold spring.  Leaf out was not in the immediate future for Homer.

The surprises in the weather weren't over yet.  We drove home in rain, no rain, rain, no rain, sun, no sun, and then back to light rain.  We were glad of the clear weather on the way down because nothing across Cook Inlet was visible on our way back north.  But as we left the regions of Homer and Anchor Point, we saw this "Come back again soon" sign.

Rainbow touching the waters of the Inlet just off the bluff