Day 62 and 63 - In And Around The Pacific Northwest

We had a wonderful day filled with tons of lousy fair food, great photo opportunities and even better beer at a local brewery. And, afterwards we came back to the house for some great ribs. Lots of talk brought us late into the evening and we observed a fairly nice sunset over Bellingham Bay from the comfort of Adena’s living room. The next morning found us off to Joe’s Gardens, a local source for great vegetables, herbs and flowers. We watched a lady braiding garlic and she explained the process. For her it seemed quite natural as she used to be a hairdresser. I could have spent hours taking photos there but we had other places to head. The plan for the afternoon was to head to Mt Baker Ski Area and take some reflection photos of Mt Shucksan. The weather was most cooperative, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the intensity of the blue was almost overwhelming. There was only one minor flaw in the day and it was connected to the reflection. There was a slight breeze which stirred the waters. It didn’t matter though because the view was breathtaking. We took a short walk around Picture Lake, observed a Greater Yellowlegs wading in the lake and a Killdeer on shore. Dad pointed out some really delicate looking Avalanche Lilies but I suspect by their name they are pretty hardy. Adena drove us as far up the road as we could go which was another mile or so before the snow blocked our path. They never opened the road to the summit this year. It was just going to take too many man hours. The whole day culminated in a stop at their favorite Brew and Pizza place billed as The Brew Shrine and Wedding Chapel. Our server told us the whole place was considered the chapel and they hold between 50 and 60 wedding each year in the museum like establishment. The walls were covered with old beer signs, a rather large rack of retired beer taps and an immense collection of beer bottles, tucked safely behind glass. The pizza was as advertised, great. Dad and Adena chose a Mediterranean with a Balsamic reduction which was mighty tasty while Carl and I took the Combination with green olives and salami. And once more, we stayed up late to talk, edit photos and try as we might to identify that Greater Yellowlegs which was finally confirmed by one of Adena’s bird friends, Joe Meche. Thanks so much Joe!!

Day 54- Ready, Set, Go!!!!

Even I realize I’m sounding like a broken record, here, but it was still raining when we got up this morning. So, if life hands you lemons, well, you try to do something with them. You haven’t got any sugar in the house and it’s definitely not lemonade weather. Still, there was a plus, at least for me. I got to see what actually happens when we bring in the slide out room and it’s been raining for two days. There is a squeegee gasket all the way around plus an awning to keep most of the rain of the roof so I thought everything would be great. And it mostly was. However, when you bring an outside room inside, well there is a certain amount of water that comes with it no matter how good that squeegee is. A quick breakfast and a well practiced pack up saw us off in good time and as we passed by the site of Old Valdez, wiped out by the earthquake and Tsunami of 1964, I caught site of the grain silos in town. Captain Stan, on the boat, told us the town built these gorgeous silos and a bridge to get to them with anticipation of shipping Alaskan grown grain out of the port. Here’s where the story has one of those good / bad things going on. The good news is all of the grains grown in Alaska stay in Alaska and the bad, well, Valdez has this eyesore on their horizon that sits pretty much empty all the time and the townspeople are reminded everyday of the cost the entire facility, bridge included, has set them back. The trip through Keystone Canyon and up over Thompson Pass was not the sunlit and photographic experience I’d hoped. In fact the weather was worse today than it was on Friday when we came in. So, no great photos of the Bridal Veil and Horsetail Falls. I also could truly get a feel of how majestic the scenery was around us. We would get small glimpses as clouds and fog rolled in and out, but it was just a tease. I could imagine how very beautiful the Chugach range was, though. As the road continued on to Tok, we passed this “gas station” where I saw absolutely no sign of any pumps whatsoever. There was a satellite dish and the driveway was not blocked with debris like so many other places we’ve seen that just dried up or withered away. Still, it’s been a while since it was in operation. How do I know ? When was the last time gas was $1.45 9/10 per gallon? Sometime before noon, we came upon a 12 mile stretch of road construction complete with two flag people holding traffic up while 3 state workers literally leaned on shovels and brooms. Carl and I got a chuckle over this for a couple of miles and we were still laughing when a pickup truck coming towards and by us threw up a rock and hit our windshield. We’ll be looking for a glass replacement shop when we get to Washington state. Right in my line of sight are not one but two craters with spider webs. Eventually they will work their way into full blown cracks. Carl wished he’d packed the super glue. That might have helped to hold the little devil together a bit longer. Most of the mileage driven today was a repeat from earlier but we did have new territory from Glenallen to Tok and I declared that today would be the day I’d find that bull moose. At the time, I had no way of knowing this stretch of road would contain the best moose habitat we’ve driven through. And all I saw was one cow very far off from the road. I am beginning to think there are no big bulls in the state of Alaska. And now, we’re back in the Yukon for the rest of today and part of tomorrow. While I was trying to convince Ms Moose to come closer, I looked up at the mountains to see a fresh snow fall happening which reminds me, on last night’s local news broadcast, they mentioned Denali National Park had a substantial snowfall this weekend. I told you the signs were all there for an early and harsh winter. This photographer has to fess up with something. Today, we drove past an airplane in one of those pull outs they put every so often so you can get off the road and let faster traffic go by. Why is this noteworthy, you ask? Because we were in the middle of no where and there was no runway. This plane landed on the road about mile 101 and taxied to this paved pullout. There was a pickup truck there and it appeared to us as we drove by, they were working on either the tire or the strut. And I didn’t think to take a picture. Camera on the front seat right beside me and we continued on our trip. I’d say his landing was definitely “off airport” and I suspect that’s how he’ll be taking off again. These bush pilots are an amazing and hardy bunch with nerves of steel. They will and do put down almost anywhere from a gravel airstrip or sand bar in the middle of a river. For a boring day, it was pretty exciting.

St Cloud Sampling

Day 9- The Journey To Randall

So maybe it wasn’t the best place to sleep last night but the price was right. After breakfast we walked back into the Welcome Center and asked what we might do along our route to kill a few hours. Michele has to work today and we didn’t want to arrive too early. The very pleasant woman behind the desk told us about Munsinger Gardens in St Cloud. The minor detour would take us about 3 miles out of our way and there was no fee for touring the acres of gorgeous flowers along the Mississippi River. I’m a sucker for flowers so off we went. Sure enough, two beautiful sprawling gardens waited for us. We wandered through acres of roses, delphiniums, trickling fountains and ever other flower you could name. It was beautiful. I was particularly struck by the huge variety of peonies they exhibited. We spent about two hours strolling about, in both sun and shade and it was well worth the time. Then we started looking for a place to eat, not something familiar like Mc Donald’s or Wendy’s. We were thinking Arby’s or Red Robin or anything after a while. We found Rte 10 is just about in the middle of no where. It goes through about 5 very small towns between St Cloud and where we were headed. We finally settled on a familiar place, Subway, in the town of Randall. We were less than a mile from Michele’s house. It was great to see the boys, Christian and Jude. It has been 5 years since we were last able to visit. They’ve grown so much. We talked for several hours, played Yahtze and then retired for the evening, lulled to sleep by the gentle hum of our generator and the not so gentle blast from the trains as the crossed each road in Randall. I’d forgotten how much impact those heavy freights can have on their surroundings. I could feel the ground rumble before I actually heard them.

Suitcases Dusted Off

With our departure on May 6th just around the corner, I felt compelled to give everyone in the house the illusion, at least, of my organizational and packing skills. The truth is, I am pretty near ready. I only have to charge all the batteries for my camera, pack the tripod and chargers, get the medications from the pharmacy, haul out the shorts, tee shirts and bathing suits, make sure our sneakers and sandals are in good order, pull together the laptop and card reader, make sure my husband's blazer, tie and my dress are clean, decide which earrings are going, remember to put any liquids and creams over a couple of ounces in the checked luggage, decide what goes in the carry on and last but not least, grab the passports and directions to the Wolf Sanctuary. Now, to some people, it may seem like a lot left to do, but the truth is, the suitcase is in the bedroom and every time I think of something that will be needed, I grab it and toss it in. We'll be a week in Tobago, a week in Florida and 4 days at sea. I plan on having quite a few photos of waterfalls, rain forests, sunrises and sets from Tobago. I am really hoping the wolves will cooperate in Naples, FL and all I really care about on the cruise is that my drinks are cold and my food is hot. I will be flexible with everything else. I do expect my yard to be in a much more photogenic condition when I return. For now, I have to be satisfied with another nice image of grape hyacinth.

Never Too Early Or Am I Crazy?

This year, for the first time ever, I'll be doing a craft fair in February. Thankfully, it will be an inside event. The Littleton, NH Senior Center is sponsoring the 1st Annual Cabin Fever Flea Market and Craft Fair on February 20th from 9:00AM to 12:00PM. Call me crazy but I think, with enough publicity, this could be a really good thing. By that time in the month, most of us who don't have a passion for snowmobiling or skiing, are crawling up the walls. We long for something green to burst from a tree branch, the ground or even a window box. Some of us even go to great lengths to get things to bloom like forcing spring bulbs in inside gardens. I hope many of you will come visit me at the Senior Center which is just off Cottage Street on the 20th. Please don't make me regret my decision!!

Getting The Urge

We finally got our taxes done. It's not that my business empire is so huge, because it's not, it's just that it does take a lot of time to count all of those mats and frames. I am always amazed when I start plugging figures into my spreadsheet. And, if I only had that $10,000.00 that my figures tells me is sitting in my studio, well I'd probably be on my way to the camera store for that lens I mentioned I could really use. each time I look wistfully off into the distance knowing I can't bring that subject close enough or try to get a saleable image of an eagle or a bull moose, I mutter to myself the same thing. "Have to have that bigger lens before I head off to Alaska or Africa. It will be a waste of time, money and effort, otherwise." So, now the numbers are in the hands of the accountants and I'm getting the urge. The urge, you see, is for all of the snow to be gone. It's going, but no soon enough for me. The sap is running and I know that new life is just waiting to burst upon the scene. I can't wait until I can hang up my heavy jacket, put the boots away and start wandering the countryside in search of that first new baby whatever, the first daffodil, the first moose calf, anything but dirty snow banks and muddy brown lawns.

The Peace Of A Garden

Travel day. Everything is in the car and we have hours to kill before arriving at the airport so we head down Banyan Drive which is aptly named and made famous because famous people have been coming to this part of Hawaii for more than one hundred years to plant these trees. We drove this road because at the very end of the road is a beautiful park named after Queen Liliokialani. Everywhere is evidence of strong Oriental influence with gazebos shaped like pagodas, graceful winding streams with stone arched bridges and topiary shrubs. Even the palm trees have been shaped to resemble bonsai. It is an exquisite place to loose ones self in contemplation or just to have a picnic. We spent more than an hour waiting for this one bridge to be clear of people. Everyone, including me, wanted a photo here. But, unlike me, those people wanted a photo of themselves on the bridge. I just liked the bridge.

General Update

It was just as crazy as I thought it would be. Our bags had arrived in Lihue, as they should have, on Friday evening. We arrived Saturday morning to find out there was no one in the American Airlines Baggage Area and they wouldn’t be until sometime that night. We picked up our rental car, grabbed some groceries and headed to the Lawaii Beach Resort which was to be our home for the next week. It’s a beautiful resort across from an equally beautiful sandy beach. It’s a favorite of the snorkel crowd as well as a hangout for local surfers. From our lanai we get to watch all of the action only a couple hundred feet away. After waiting all day Saturday and Sunday, we realized no one was going to bring us those bags so we headed back to the airport only to find there had been some minor damage to the bags. AA says they’re not responsible even though the bags were in there care the entire time. It’s the job of Hawaiian Airlines to compensate us for the damage even though we only flew with them from Honolulu to Lihue and they never handled our bags. So remember, when traveling with two or more airlines, it’s always your arrival carrier that is responsible. This is an FAA regulation which isn’t fair but what can I do. After two days of waiting for the bags, I was able to do laundry and we had two more days of waiting until the package arrived with my new camera. We charged up the battery and then drove up the street to the Botanical Garden to practice. The photo is of the fragrant plumeria also known as frangiapani which is used in traditional Hawaiian lei making.

Packing Is A Thankless Job

My sleep was interrupted this morning by a fight with my former boss. There ought to be a law against previous employers invading your dreams, don't you think? By the time I got through reading him the riot act, I was too awake to fall back to sleep. Instead, my thoughts turned to the very long list (yes, I'm back at it again) of things I have to accomplish today. Normally, there wouldn't be much of a rush but today I have to get my husband's car serviced and pack for a few days away. It isn't anything exotic this time, just a short week in North Conway. Still, the suitcase needs to come out of the closet after having only been there just a few days. While in North Conway, my husband will still travel back and forth to work and I will have a different sort of scenery to wander through in hopes of capturing that perfect image. Anyone who knows North Conway in May isn't getting too excited about that happening. The buds on most trees are just barely swelling and the only leaves that have begun to show their true colors are the Poplars. There are traces of green in the woods, a few ferns and the slightest hint of what will become trillium and lady slippers. I did spot some trout lilies blooming on my way back from Campton yesterday. So that's the photo of the day.

Forty Years Of Waiting

Next week, we are traveling to Washington,DC and I'm really thrilled. I've been to this city which is rich with history, culture and politics three times. During each of my visits, I was able to experience much of what makes this city so unique. When I was 13, our church group stayed in the basement of a host church, visited our state senator, sat in on a session of congress, absorbed the ceremonial and somber attitude of Arlington National Cemetery and marveled at the marble likenesses of Lincoln and Jefferson. At 16, my experience was centered around the many buildings of the Smithsonian and visiting friends in a nearby suburb. My best memory of that vacation had to be the landing on the moon. All of Washington paled after Armstrong and Aldrin gave that most memorable of performances from a quarter million miles away. And as a young mother of 20, we stayed at Quantico Marine Base where a high school friend and her husband were stationed, while visiting a frigid Washington Monument. This time it was a different experience at the Cemetery. That one brilliant flickering flame at the Kennedy graves has been burned into my mind ever since. Still, there is an air of excitement for this trip. This time, it's the cherry blossoms that will have my attention. These flowering trees were a gift from a Japanese city in 1912. We responded with flowering dogwoods in a splendid show of hospitality and to promote the idea of one world. This time, my husband and I will stand with others in hushed reverence at The Wall to commit to memory some of the 58,000 names that we'll find there. It will be a good trip.

Decidedly Spring Like

While the calendar has decided that spring is finally here, there are no outward signs around us. There are no bursts of color on an otherwise drab and uninteresting landscape. There are no brilliant hues waving gracefully in the warm afternoon sunlight. In point of fact, there's very little warm afternoon sunlight. I haven't even seen a robin, yet. So, you can imagine my delight when I passed by this store window in downtown Littleton. I applaud the store keeper for the vision it must have taken on some bleary cold day in February to set these tulips on their way to stardom. It's that kind of spirit that sets people in the north country apart. There are positive signs that Spring is making it's way north, however. Over the past few days, I've seen sap buckets on trees and sugar houses with steam pouring from open windows, both signs that the annual sweetness extravaganza called sugaring has begun. It's a very short season when trees can be tapped to collect what will become that amber confection so craved for pancakes, waffles and baked beans.