Alaskan Painted Sky

What a perfect end to a beautiful day! I saw the beginning of a great sunset, so I grabbed my camera and headed for the beach. What a treat! The sky eas gorgeous, and I sat there for a long time taking a lot of pictures and soaking in all the beauty around me. The mountains were awesome, in as many shades of blue as you can imagine, with snow visible on some of them. The clouds opened up, allowing the sun's rays to stream through and reflect off the water. Absolutely breathtaking. I could have stayed there forever, but it started to rain, so I left before I got completely soaked. What a great way to close a wonderful day!

Rain, rain...has gone AWAY!

It's been raining for 3 days now, but today I woke up and there was blue sky! So pretty. It's amazing how much you appreciate something you haven't seen in a while. Oh, and for those of you complaining about the price of gas...well, this might help you put things in perspective. Here in Wrangell it's $5.32 a gallon for the cheapest stuff! How's that make you feel. Of course there's only a few miles of roads so I guess it all works out. Well, I'm off to take more pictures. Wednesday through Saturday I'll be in Ketchikan with Grandma. We get to ride the ferry. Should be fun. It's supposed to be a nice day Wedensday, but we'll see. I'm definitely bringing my raincoat because it rains more in Ketchikan than it does here in Wrangell!

The Blueberry Fiasco

I went to Eric & Joan’s to watch eagles. They caught a halibut on their river trip and Eric threw the guts out on the beach. First the crows came, but the eagles were standoffish. Then I saw a black lab on the beach, so that could have been part of the reason. Once the dog was gone, the crows came back and then the eagles moved in. There were 3 bald eagles and 8 immature ones. It was fun to see. I got lots of pictures. Finally one of the bald eagles flew off with the remainder of the carcass. After lunch, I walked on Volunteer Trail to pick blueberries. I found tons of them. Picked probably 1 quart. I was gone for 2 hours. Got some good pictures too. Like a rain forest in there. When I got back to Grandma’s, I started cleaning the berries. There were little green worms in some of them. Well, it was hard to see what ones had worms in them, so in the end I threw them away. How sad…….a whole quart of wild blueberries and I had to throw them away. Two hours of my life wasted. Well, not wasted. Is time ever wasted when you can take pictures and be outside? I did take a picture of the berries, because they really were pretty. It will be a reminder of the crazy blueberry fiasco.

Pat's Lake

Went to the city park today. What a beautiful view. Lots of old driftwood on the shore. Too bad I can't fit that in my suitcase to take home!

I also went out to Pat's Lake with Grandma today. The reflections were really pretty. The trees and grasses were every color of green you could imagine. Not much blue sky, but it was still pretty. It was so quiet out there. No cars, no people, no birds...just the wind rustling through the long grass at the edge of the water. So peaceful. Enjoyed being out once again and taking more pictures.

Beautiful Day!

Waking up this morning, I never would have guessed it would turn out to be such a beautiful day. Sitting in church, I could see the sun streaming through the stained-glass windows and I couldn't wait to get outside. Thanks, God, for such a wonderfully beautiful sky! The breeze was cool, but the sun was warm on my skin. I sat by the water for a while and just enjoyed being outside. The mountains were partially covered with clouds, but they made for beautiful pictures. I visited Shakes Island, where there's a tribal house and totem poles. Very interesting to see the work that went in to carving the totems. I'm sure there's a story with every one. At the marina, I saw all sorts of boats--from old to new, small fishing boats to huge yachts. Then I went to Petroglyph Beach, where there are many carvings in the rocks on the beach. The story goes that the carvings were done by ancestors of today's Tlingit. No one knows for sure the reasons for these markings, but they sure are interesting. They are spread out across the beach, and you have to be a good detective to find them, since many of them are not very visible. I found 8 in the short time I was there. I think I'll have to go back and see if I can find more. I saw a bald eagle fly overhead. Awesome. As I was walking along the beach picking up seashells (one of my favorite pastimes in Wrangell), I saw two old boats that had run aground years ago, and they were never removed. Looked like a shot out of an old movie! Great picture opportunity! All in all, it was a great day to be outside. How quickly the weather can change though. It's cloudy tonight, but who knows what tomorrow will be like. I'm thankful for every beautiful day I get!

I made it!!

Hi everyone. Just a quick note to let you know I made it to Wrangell, AK. What a beautiful place. The mountains have snow on them, and the temperatures couldn't be better. It was 50 degrees the day I got here. Absolutely wonderful. I'm wearing t-shirts and everyone else has sweatshirts on! Can't wait to get out on the water and take tons of pictures. Still trying to catch up on sleep....missed a whole night while in the Portland airport. Leaving Seattle, the view was incredible. Saw Mt. Ranier above the clouds....way cool! Talk to you later.

I'm almost there...

My trip to Alaska has officially begun....Well, actually it began yesterday at 8:30 a.m. when I got out of bed after being up till 2 a.m. After a leisurely morning, we headed to Minneapolis. Stopped at the Como Zoo to waste some time and break up the trip for my parents, sister, and her kids as they were heading back to Kansas City. Then I was off to the airport with a few hours wait until my flight to Portland...which is where I am now. I'm really ready for sleep, but I don't think that's going to happen, although it's really quiet here now. But I don't want to risk that I'd really fall asleep and then miss my flight to Seattle. So I think I'll try to stay awake. Not too many people here...can't "people watch." :( I'm sure more will show up as "normal" hours arrive. My connecting flight in Seattle is scheduled to leave 40 minutes after I'm supposed to land, so hopefully I'll make it. I guess I'll get to watch the sun rise. Most of you know, that's not a common occurrence for me!!! :) Well, I guess that's all there is to say at this point. Catch up with you later.