Fall, Falling, Fallen

About a month ago there was no doubt that fall had come to the Anchorage bowl.  Yellow is the predominant fall color here.  Multiple shades of yellow: muted, dark, variegated, bright; but all yellow.  And green too.  It is a pretty mixture, the green and the yellow, but it never says fall to me quite the way the reds of the maple trees do in the lower 48.

When I took a drive out to the valley the mountains reminded me of some sort of tiered skirt with swirling yellow and green along the base that progressed to solid green, from the pines, around the middle of the mountain and at the top transitioned into a yellow/brown/green, the color of the lichen that clings to the mountain peaks.  So one fall day, my little sidekick and I took a drive out to the Botanical Garden.  It's only a few miles from here and it's somewhere I have been wanting to go for some time.  

Sky and I met this fellow at a gated pavilion where there are gardening classes for kids a little older than Sky.  As you can tell by her face, she wasn't too sure of this giant pumpkin.

 

 But it didn't take her too long to warm up, once she realized there was nothing behind him

 It was a beautiful day, and after wandering around the trails at the Garden, being ever mindful for the potential run-in with a bear or moose, I decided to head out toward Earthquake Park.  We actually went a little past the park and stopped short of Point Woronzof.  Everyone was out enjoying the day.  I think it's because everyone one knew it was one of the last days of summer left for us.

Cook Inlet beyond the trees, and the white fluffy looking things are mountains, not clouds.  It's the Alaska Range.

The view back toward Anchorage over Cook Inlet

In retrospect this day was a huge bonus because we have had nothing but rain and gray since this day.  In fact, we had a storm come through with 100 mph winds that brought down trees and fences all around town.  Some people were without power for up to 5 days.  Let me repeat that.  In Anchorage Alaska, where in the dead of winter our temperatures routinely drop below zero, a wind storm knocked out power for 5 days.  Thank God it was fall and not winter.  And after that storm came through, so did another. Although this storm only packed 70 mph winds.  And the one after that gusted up to 40 mph.  The winds may have died down, but the rain has not.  Cordova, AK has received over 9 inches of rain, Kenai is under water, and Anchorage, after having a record snowstorm this past winter - is on track to have the second wettest September in history.

These photos are actually courtesy of the Alaska Dispatch.  And although this first storm occurred about 3 weeks ago there are still fallen trees all over town.  Chainsaws and generators are sold out in all of the stores around town.  

We don't own either of them....

But let's go back to the fact that it's fall.  So while it's raining here other things are happening on the tops of those mountains.

And then another storm system came.  This one from the south and it brought steady daytime temperatures that were in the 50's and not much colder at night.  It rained everyday, but the rain melted some of the snow.  Everyone was okay about that, although I do notice people are all ready starting to put on their SADD lights.  Yesterday the forecaster warned us about the change in the weather pattern that is coming next week.  Cold temperatures are on the way he said, fall is about over, be prepared.  So this morning we woke up to this.

Across the street

The mountains out back with a serious case of Termination Dust

Almost all gone by mid-day

Moonrise over the Chugach Mountains. I think that snow is here for good

It is obvious to me that we are on the downhill march when it comes to daylight.  We continue to lose about 5 1/2 minutes of daylight daily.  Right now, we have light for about 11.5 hours.  In June we had 22 hours of sunlight.  It goes quick.  I don't mind the darkness, but this year I think it is depressing to so many so early because we have had so little sun in the past year.  Between the snow last winter, the gloom we experienced all summer, and the terrific rains we have had during fall (all 25 days of it), well, it's just been a little much.  And it's a bit concerning to think that our winter may continue in the same vein.

Maybe we should go buy a generator.

There have been several environmental issues in the state.  And I don't mean the flooding in Kenai or Talkeetna.  Or the flooding that wiped out the railroad track north of Wasilla.  But other stuff, like the fact that the King Salmon season was declared a disaster and some fisheries may have lost up to 90% of their average revenue.  And nobody knows why.

Shell Oil was going to start drilling in the Chukchi sea, but stopped after one day.  Seems they were plagued by things like giant ice floes and malfunctioning equipment.  Shell has spent over 4.5 billion dollars to get approval for the right to drill.  They haven't gotten approval yet, but they are positioning themselves to be ready to start drilling as soon as the ink is dry on the paperwork.  At least they were ready, but do to the short-season, the ice, the whale-hunts, etc etc, Shell is now waiting for next year to start drilling in this pristine area.  Ok, so I'm on a bit of a soap box.  I just don't understand spending that much money for something that hasn't been approved yet.  Or having your drilling platforms and barges in place waiting for the approval. It just seems odd to me.

Pebble mine is another huge environmental issue.  Create the mine and bring in jobs and revenue to a place where there are no jobs and no revenue.  Or create the mine and destroy a way of life that has been going on for centuries in yet another pristine part of the state.  It's hard to say what is right and what is wrong.

On a personal, family update, the baby of the family (and I don't mean Skylar) has decided to join the Alaska Youth Military Academy.  From the time that Jake was in Kindergarten and he was asked what he wanted to do when he grew up, he always said the Army. Lately, the branch of service has changed, but the theme remains the same.  This is a challenging program where he will stay on the local base for the next 22 weeks.  While he is there he will have the opportunity to challenge himself not only physically but also emotionally and hopefully academically.  The first two weeks the cadets are sleeping on the ground and learning what they are in for.  After that there is a little graduation ceremony and we get to see him. That day just happens to coincide with his 17th birthday.  I'm glad I have the opportunity to see him on his birthday.  Jake has one more day at home and Monday he departs.  At least the base is right at the edge of town, and it won't be a big deal to go and visit.  But it is a big deal to have my baby leave home.  Even if it is only temporarily.

It's late now, and I can hear the wind blowing outside.  It's about 34 degrees out, and I bet we start getting solid frosts from here on out.  Which actually I'm looking forward to because our lawn is so wet that you need waders or x-tra tufs to let the dogs out.  Don't know what x-tra tufs are?  At first glance they remind me of the tunnel boots my dad used to wear when he was working in the tunnel construction business.  And maybe they are the same thing.  They are also a common denominator between the social stratosphere.  Everyone wears xtra tufs.  They keep your feet warm and dry, and when you tuck your pants into them, they keep your pants dry too.  They can be found anywhere, from the construction site, to the mall, to the grocery store and to church.

Maybe we should get xtra tufs too.  And an ark.  Or at least a snowblower.

Until next time!

Bigger and Bigger

My sister tells me that I do things big.  I don't know if I agree with that.  Planning a missionary trip to an African nation to deliver mosquito netting to prevent malaria (a trip recently undertaken by a small high school) is doing something big.

I think what we have been experiencing is a rolling tide of change, and we are adapting in a hopefully positive manner, to those changes.

When I came back from New York, the priority was to find a new place to live as our rental house was up for sale.  So we bought a house.

Oh, and before we moved in, I started a new job -

I know it looks like I'm part of an Olympic Synchronized Swim Team, but actually, I am now a Community Health Nurse.  The agency I am working for provides services for people who experience disabilities. I think its a pretty good fit for me, because so much of my work history has been in this particular field. And I must admit, I am really happy to be back in the not-for-profit working world.

We have been in the house for about a month and for the most part we are settled in.  There are closets that need to be re-arranged; some furniture that still needs to be purchased; a doggie door to be installed; but it is comfortable and most importantly, it's ours.

During the interview for my new job, the Director of Nursing asked "so how do you feel about flying in small planes and then traveling by snowmobile or 4-wheeler to a remote village?"  I can honestly say I have never been asked that in an interview before.  But, this is an agency that provides services statewide.  And this is a BIG state.  Many of the people I visit are within driving distance, but there are some that live farther away and I need to visit them on a quarterly basis.  To do that, I have to get on the plane.  So I did.

Last Sunday, I got on a plane and flew about 800 miles south to Ketchikan.

note the cruise ships.  they tell me about 20 per week arrive in town

my lunch time view

 The weather for SE Alaska was phenomenal.  It was about 70 degrees and bright and sunny.  Since it was Sunday, and I wasn't at work yet, I took a nice long walk.  Ketchikan reminds me of Juneau in the way that the housing seems to be battling for space in the crowded downtown.  The older buildings are stacked upon each other, reminiscent of the nursery rhyme about the little crooked house.  There is a creek or stream that runs through the main part of town and the houses and shops are stacked all around it.  It makes for a nice little trail.

The Trail I walked

 When I got off the plane,I got in my rental car and drove down the ramp to get on a ferry.  The only way to get from the airport to the mainland is by ferry.

Totems outside the hotel

part of the trail

Creekside Shops

with all the beauty, there are signs of poverty and neglect

Salmon do go up this stream

Monday night, I flew into Sitka.  It was grey and raining, quite a difference from the previous day.  Sitka has a very important place in Alaskan history and a very strong Russian heritage.  One of the first people I saw when I left the airport was a Russian Orthodox Priest.

Downtown Sitka

Baranov's Castle site.  Originally a Tlinget village, then a Russian "palace"or gov't buidling, and later the first site of the US Gov't in Alaska.

Russian Church in Sitka

Sitka did not seem to have the same frenetic and crazed building that Ketchikan did.  Maybe its because there isn't the same struggle for flat land between the coast and the mountains.  Sitka has a lovely harbor and a great downtown, perfect for walking.  Most of the town area is flat and although there are mountains, they don't rise right out of the ocean like they do on so many of the other islands.  In fact, I thought it looked like a great place to live until I remembered that milk cost about $6.00 per gallon and gas was at a low of $4.25 per gallon.  And everything needs to be shipped in. The only thing local is the seafood.

Tuesday night I flew into Juneau.  It was another night of pouring rain, but hey, this is SE Alaska. Part of the Tongass National Forest, or America's Rainforest.  So, why would I expect anything but rain?

Cruise Ships arriving in Juneau. Crappy hotel = great views

About 4 ships would arrive everyday and leave the next

After the rain, I was lucky and the sun came out for the rest of my visit.  It was glorious!

I took a side trip about 17 miles out of town to the Shrine of St. Theresa

They have a spot overlooking the water. There is a land-bridge going from the lodge out to the church.This is a view from the land-bridge back to the lodge.

Walking to the church I met a woman telling me there were whales out there "bubble-fishing"

The Shrine

Can you see all the Inuksuit?

An outdoor altar that looks out upon the water and the Inuksuk

I came upon a sign that said, "Don't touch the fish".  Then I realized this was a stream full of swimming salmon.  I took the video and looked further down the stream.  It quickly disappeared into the black undergrowth of this old growth forest.  Suddenly, all I could think about were bears.  I had no desire to meet up with any bears while they tried to catch their supper, so I departed.

I spent a couple of beautiful days in Juneau and Friday I took a small plane to Kake.  And I do mean small.

note the single prop.  I climbed up onto the wing and then into the cabin.  I wound up sitting next to the pilot.  The only other passengers were a man and his 2 year old son.  They sat in the next seat behind me.  The rest of the plane was filled with freight.  And a good reason to go back on a diet - they ask how much you weigh so they can figure out how much to load.

It was a great day for a flight

The view from the home I visited.  That is Baranof Island in the distance.  It's the 10th largest US Island and only slightly smaller than the state of Delaware.

Grave Island is to the right.  It's where people are buried in weighted coffins so they don't float away.  But it's full, so they are now starting to bury people on the littler island to the left

Houses are battered by the elements.  The cost of building is astronomical.  Upkeep is frequently minimal.

The pier appears to be in better shape than much of the town

The Kake airport.  I did not bring a drink on the plane with me, but did not realize that with smaller airlines, there were no such concerns.  No security x-rays or pat-downs.  Heck, they didn't even ask for ID.

The plane back to Juneau was slightly larger.  There were also more passengers.  4 of us.

More humpback whales bubble-fishing.  The pilot actually circled the pod of whales.  Guess when you are in a smaller plane you don't have to worry so much about sticking to a strict flight pattern.  We got to see both orcas and humpbacks from the air.

Return to Juneau

There wasn't much to do in Kake. My plane arrived at 9:15 and there wouldn't be a flight to Juneau until 5:00 PM.  There isn't a shopping center, or mall.  No real downtown to look for touristy stuff.  Just people trying to eek out a living where there is no economy, no jobs.  And milk here costs about $8.00 a gallon.  Just about everyone drinks the powdered stuff.  Almost everything here comes from Sitka.  Need to go to the doctor?  fly to Sitka, grocery shop?  fly to Sitka.  Dentist - well.  Actually, I met a pediatric dentist who is from Seattle.  She opened a clinic in Ketchikan, and does home visits 2x a year to get to the kiddos in some of these remote areas.  But if you are an adult - you fly to Sitka.  As we waited to board the plane, we watched a family unload their Costco purchases into their minivan.  They make the trip monthly.  Here there is no running to the store because you need an ingredient that you forgot to purchase.

I think I flew close to 2,000 miles in the past week, never leaving the state.  In about 2 months, I get to repeat it all again.  I think I will take some extra undies in my luggage.  At that time of year I'm likely to get weathered in somewhere.

Now, it's time to get to bed so I can get to work tomorrow and chart on everything that happened last week.  When I do get up, I hope the rain has stopped.  I do not live in the rainforest, but you wouldn't know that from the weather we have had this summer.  But at least it is still raining and not snowing.  Our temps are down into the 50's now and the leaves are turning yellow and falling off the trees.  Now that it is September, it won't be long until we have snow, or Termination Dust, back on the mountains.

Until next time!