Thursday, May 27, 2010

Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday.  I made it through another year.  Every year I celebrate my birthday I am amazed I made it. I am so lucky to be here.  Everything I have been through, I shouldn't be here, but I am and very happy about it.  Not so happy about the tiny lines that are starting around my eyes but I can't have everything. LOL 

Kodiak was beautiful for me the sun was out, wind was calm and the ocean looked like glass.  We had a cruise ship come in and the ferry came in and docked right after they left.  So it was a good day for the all the tourist.  Kodiak isn't green yet, but it is getting there.  A few more weeks and everyone will know why it is called the Emerald Isle. 

Crab Fest Starts today.  Let the fest begin!!!  You know who the locals are, they are the ones in line with food in each had and waiting in line to get more food.  VFW will be selling funnel cakes and fried Twinkies, snow cones, CPOA will selling brats, but most hope they will have the turkey legs back.  I heard from a little birdy they will.  We'll see.  King crab will be on the menu, dough buoys, bruin burgers..and the list goes on.  I hope to take pictures of the USCG when they put on their show that is always fun and hopefully I can make the parade. 

I have to post a picture later of the halibut Karen gave me.  I can't wait to hang him up in the kitchen.  Halibut is my favorite fish.  Yummy in my tummy.  Can't wait to go halibut fishing!!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

View from an airplane

Just a few shots from the flight to Seattle from Alaska.

Happy to be home

After spending a week in Seattle I remember why I do not miss living in a city! Good grief it takes forever to get anywhere and everywhere is crowded. Also I just didn't get a thrill out of watching people urinating in public. Not just the homeless, but a young guy wearing a skirt. Yes a skirt. It was not a kilt. Anyway the food was great. So many choices which we don't have here on the island. But after a week I was tired of eating out and was ready to eat my own cooking for a change. I don't know how people eat out all the time. Even when we lived were we could do that we only ate out once a week or so. Loved Zoopa's. Incredible all you eat salad and pasta bar. No meat on the bar, but you can order chicken extra if you like. They even have tofu and a bread bar. When we go back to the west coast I will definitely eat there again.


We went to Pike's Place, I do miss being able to shop like that. All the wonderful choices in fresh fruit, herbs, plants..... not to mention love watching the early morning fish market. We also went to the aquarium. It was rather strange to go in there and see so many things in glass tanks that we see here on the beach and when we go fishing, or just riding around the island. They did have a rather cool display for jellyfish, it went in a circle and had lights that changed colors so that when the jellies passed the colors where displayed through the jellies and you were able to see every detail of the jelly. Made for some interesting pictures.

I also did a lot of regular shopping for things that are hard to get here on the island. We came home with two footlockers full, weight, 48.9 and 49.3. Just made the weight for the flight. We went to Seattle with one of the footlockers, believe me this is not unusual with anyone from Alaska. Anyone living in the "bush" goes with empty suitcases wherever they go, or they come home with "Alaska luggage" which can be anything, including a cardboard box with duct tape. We went to Target to get the footlocker. Looked everywhere could not find one so I decided to ask someone if they had them. I found a Target employee, asked him if the carried footlockers and he said oh yes I'll show you. So I follow him, DH in tow. He stops at the small food containers. Did I mention that he was Nigerian? So English was his second language. I told him I wanted a f-o-o-t locker, he gets this strange look on his face, then he ask me how many feet did I want to put in the locker? My DH leaves at this point, and I am trying not to laugh while I explain what a footlocker is. Next thing I know he holds up his inventory machine that shows that nothing was found matching footlocker, and he is stammering and takes off. By the way he followed us out of the store. He thought we didn't see him but we did. So I guess he thought we were some kind of criminals looking for storage for our trophies! I went to Wal Mart even though I didn't want to, they had it. Oh well it made for a really good laugh

Anemones and urchins

sea anemones and urchins

Fish aquarium

Fish at Seattle Aquarium

Jellyfish aquarium


Jellyfish at the Seattle Aquarium

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Beautiful day at Pasagshak


Yesterday was amazing. The big round bright shiny thing in the sky that so often alludes us here on the island stayed all day! When my DH got off work he loaded the atv up and we headed out to Pasagshak. We were hoping to see some whales maybe. The whales were not close to shore but you could see lots of spray and and a few flukes. However, the buffalo are having their babies right now and they are just adorable. The Teddy Bear Cows are also calving. O.K. so their name is not Teddy Bear but that is what they make me think of, wish I could make stuffed animals like them. They are Scottish Highlander and they are a rugged breed to make it here. They have one heck of a view for grazing even if they don't appreciate it. While riding the atv around I got to see a whale breech. No picture except the one that will live in my memory of a wonderful day. The dogs loved running on the beach, staring at the buffalo, and Buddy got brave and "chased" a cow. Which means he ran toward it and when it got off the road he kicked his stiff little legs like he had done something grand. He was proud of himself. Taz ignored him and the cows.

In just a few miles of road way we saw whales, buffalo, and new babies, cow, and new calves, eagles, ravens, magpies, chickadees, wrens, sitka deer, Canadian geese, and swans. All done in a couple of hours. Not bad for a quick little ride in the afternoon.