Alaska sojourn, part 3...

My 100th post! Life has suddenly become very busy with school starting up very soon; my daughter coming home on leave next week; and my middle son preparing to move out (again) and start school near the coast. The fledglings are spreading their wings and flying into the big blue yonder. I think I'm over the empty nest thing.....

I'll leave you with an assortment of shots from my trip to Alaska. Just random snapshots and commentary - an essence of Alaska from the inside...



<----These folks were on the ridge at Hatcher Pass, waiting for their paragliders to land. I think I posted a shot of that area including Summit Lake in a previous post to give you a better idea of the landscape.












Fireweed - the roads and hillsides were exploding with it --------------->
















<--------Christmas in July? Nope. Used snow booties for the sled dogs.  This is at the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, AK.  Fascinating history around the use of dog sleds and the relationship between the musher and their dog team.  It was quite brutal 'back in the day'. It still isn't a cake walk but the event, held every winter, now has support teams along the 1000+ mile route.

Here is a good link if you wanted to know more about the history as well as current status of the 2013 Iditarod.











And this is Toby, sporting his new snow booties, ready to go snowshoeing with me this winter. The bag on the floor is an authentic food drop bag for the sled dogs. The name on this bag, Shaktoolik, is one of the checkpoints along the trail...--------------->

















Our fav pit stop - the Burger Bus!  These kinds of places were all over where we traveled on the Kenai Peninsula. Funky vehicles converted into eateries or drive-thru coffee hutches or ice cream stops. This place has fabulous burgers and fries, and when it's chilly and dreary out - which was most of our trip - it warms the tummies well.....  I assumed these places would only be open once the snow melts. Not so. Many are open year 'round - even in minus zero conditions - the ice cream stops were the most popular - in the winter!



And finally, the image below, not a great one as I used my iPhone and zoomed in. Our national bird, the Bald Eagle. Magnificent. There were 2 pair on the beach right outside our room every day. This one allowed my son to get within 15 feet of it. It flew just a few feet farther away and was joined by, I believe, its mate. A short time later, another pair landed not too far away. They were 'talking' to each other.  It was fascinating to watch. There were maybe a half dozen people on the beach, at low tide, quietly taking photos and just watching. The eagles didn't seem too perplexed that we were there. These graceful birds are huge compared to the gulls and crows that were on the beach as well.

What a treat to be in their presence.....



All images 2012 © Diana Shay Diehl / Alaska












Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Promise yourself...

Image
What to you think about as you meander around the great outdoors? Do you meander in the great outdoors? If not, you absolutely should. Dr. Shay's orders. It's good for what ails you and reinforces all that doesn't.  I stumbled upon this poem somewhere on the 'net.  Something to turn over in your mind as you wander instead of the usual things that can strip us of peace and joy..... My favorite light at the end of the day - just before sunset..... 2012 ©Diana Shay Diehl / JTNP Promise Yourself... To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and pr...
Read more

Seeking Shelter (aka Querencia 2)

Image
I am having trouble picking up my camera lately. The spark of creativity is buried underneath a pallor of human unkindnesses. Can't watch the news or read the internet or walk through the staffroom without feeling personally assaulted in some way. The world outside is coming alive with wonderful spring light and peeps of color. The air is warm and alive with happy chirps and the whir of wings as life gets busy making more life. But I stare at it from inside. Unable to move. Tears spill over without warning. There's a sharpness to my speech. Breathing is shallow as it burns in my chest. I feel like a thousand elephants sit on top of me. The only solace is my walking buddy, Toby, who insists on his daily walk - which we do. Most of the time. And I always feel, a little, better. I turn off the tv. I limit the internet to communicating with friends and family on "good things",  researching fun lessons, or playing a mindless game (or 2) of (dare I say it), CandyCrush. Bu...
Read more

16 March 2012

Image
Feeling a little melancholy of late. Maybe I'm just tired - lacking B vitamins. Maybe I'm just missing time with my daughter and middle son. Or, it's not enough time in nature or with people who are kind, genuine, gentle... Too much 'stuff' to do on my plate and not enough of the stuff that makes my soul sing...  I spent all of today, sitting, listening to stuff I heard the last time I sat and listened. I don't sit well. I always feel like I'm on the outside of the fishbowl looking in at the place I spend the majority of my days - particularly when there are staff gatherings. Ah well, such is life. Sometimes we are swimming with the school....sometimes we are flip-flopping helplessly on the shore - hoping to be noticed and rescued.  Today, I think I needed to be rescued. "Mama said there'd be days like this There'd be days like this my mama said......." (First sung by the Shirelles, no? Or was it Sam Cooke?) I'm also kind of missi...
Read more