Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

I have been fairly busy since we got home from Valdez.  We’ve had a few occasions of rain, and it brought thunder with it. I just love the sound of thunder, particularly at night as I’m falling asleep. And nothing beats the clean smell of the air just as rain begins to fall.

We’ve also had gloriously sunny days, today being one of them. A few days ago, we even climbed into the mid 70s, or maybe higher. Mostly it’s been in the 60s, with a slight breeze - which is just perfect.

We’re seeing more and more changes in the landscape as we make our way through August. On the way home from Valdez, Steve and I saw some golden patches in the aspens and birch trees. Nothing too extensive yet, but definitely a sign of things to come. The berries of the dwarf dogwood are a rich red now, and contrasted with the green leaves, they remind me of Christmas holly.  The leaves on the prickly rose bushes are starting to turn orangey-red, while the rose hips seem to get bigger and juicier looking every day. Autumn will be here before we know it.

Steve and I stopped several times on our drive back from Valdez last Wednesday. We woke that morning to light rain, and a thick fog laying low over the marsh. It was quite beautiful, and a fine send-off for our trip home. Here are the photos I took on the drive home, along the Richardson Hwy:

Friday was another beautiful day, so I took advantage of the sunshine and did all my errands. I took Sedona with me and we made our customary stop at Creamers Field. I heard from a few people that the leaves were starting to change there already. Also, all of the rain has brought back the small ponds in the boreal forest, so there were pretty reflections to enjoy. Add in the raucous honking of geese and trumpeting of sandhill cranes, and Creamers Field was a perfect stop in the middle of the afternoon.

I did see some color changes, although not enough for me to shriek “OH NO! Autumn is here!” There are yellow leaves falling from the trees, and littering the path through the boreal forest. It’s really quite pretty, despite the message that it sends.

As you know, our friends Randy and Celeste left Alaska and are on their way to Washington State. They keep us up to date on their travels, and last we heard from them, they were still in Canada, and had stopped to enjoy Liard Hot Springs.

The day they left Alaska, Steve and I were in Valdez. During our last visit, Randy asked Steve if he wanted their big gas barbecue. Of course he said yes (and I swear I heard a “Tim the Toolman” grunt). Randy told us that he’d drop the BBQ on our back deck before they left.

When we got home from Valdez, not only was the BBQ on our back deck, but Celeste had left me all of her container gardens too! She spaced them out beautiful around the perimeter of my deck, and it looks so beautiful out there! I didn’t have time to plant flowers this year, and to see the beautiful colors when I open the blinds is such a joy. I think of Randy and Celeste, and miss them even more.

Saturday, I had the privilege to photograph two of the most beautiful babies in the world! They are 6-month-old twins (a boy and a girl), and have the sweetest dispositions! Also in the photo shoot were Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, and their two furkids.

I took the photos outdoors, as the sun was shining. We chose an area with lush green grass, and a beautiful backdrop of birch trees. I hope they don’t mind me sharing these few photos with all of you:

I’ve ordered some prints and notecards to place at The Stash. My notecards are a good seller, and I’m planning to offer prints (both matted and unmatted, but not framed) for sale. I have quite a few here that I had printed for my first First Friday, and they’re just collecting dust. I need to go through them and make sure they’re tagged and packaged correctly before taking them over to the store.

The Stash is also going to be renting a booth at the Holiday Marketplace this year (November 14-16). I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this will be a great opportunity for both Janie and partners, as well as we local artists who will have our work offered for sale. The event will take place at the Carlson Center. If you’re local, come on out and stop by the booth. The event will be perfect for holiday “one stop shopping”.

Until next time…