DR ZHIVAGO

Cue the music: Laura's Theme.  Grab a fur blanket, and settle into the sleigh for a trip across Siberia.  Well, actually it's only Anchorage, Alaska, but the fairyland reminds me of the movie, Dr. Zhivago.

Okay.  We're back in civilization now, and you are warming your cold toes beside the fire.  Have you ever seen anything like this?  Some of the frost is over an inch thick, sticking to everything.  It is absolutely the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. 

We came to Alaska in the middle of the winter for a very sad reason, the death of my dear sister-in-law.  But we spent time with our son Chris and his love Amy, we saw the awesomeness of Denali, and we were treated to this winter fairyland.  God is good.  God is very good.

THE GREAT ONE

Sunday was a beautiful day to take off on a 2 hour or 297 photo trip.  The trees and bushes are coated with at least an inch of icy crystals, and the whole world was a fairyland.

We headed North, through Wasilla (and no, I didn't see Sarah on the streets anywhere), up through Willow and on to Talkeetna, the jumping off spot for climbers who are brave enough to challenge the highest mountain on the North American continent.

The roads were clear, there was little traffic, and we drove north until we saw

The Big Mountain*

The High One*

The Great One*

Mt. McKinley*

Mt. Foraker, Mt. Hunter and Denali

DENALI

The golden skies on the drive home were anticlimatic.

The last orange glow in the ski was beautiful, but won't be etched in my mind forever like the view of Denali will be.  I will never forget this day.  Ever.  The day I saw Denali in all her glory.

The Great One - Denali

*all names Denali is known by

MADE IT BACK TO ANCHORAGE

Good morning!  I'm coming to you, in the dark of course, at 8:00 am,  from Anchorage.  Yesterday we made the 237 photo  219 mile drive from Homer to Anchorage.  The three things to watch for on this drive are: ice, moose, avalanches.  None of that happened, thank goodness!  Oh, we did see moose, 5 or 6 I think, but they were at the side of the road and didn't block our road.  We encountered a little ice in sections, but it was better than the trip down earlier this week.  And, although we saw evidence of snow slides up on the mountains, none were close to the roads.

It's always so hard to say goodbye to the kids.  We see them so seldom, and then for such a short period of time, and my heart aches each time we have to leave.  They are such good people.  So caring and loving and kind and helpful and  sharing and everything you would want your son to grow up to be......and then for him to find a girl who is the same and a perfect match for him, is the best parenting success story I could imagine!  (Of course I'm taking all the credit for the two of them, right?)  I already miss them and can't wait to return to their little village for another visit.

I don't know if they want their picture posted, but I'm doing so anyhow!  Love these two kids dearly!

As I said up top, I took 237 pictures on the drive up, most of them through the dirty rental car window at 50 miles per hour.  I do have a few I want to post but Blogger is a bit slow with photos on this connection so I'll try again later.  We are heading downtown Anchorage to the ice sculpture event, so should have a few more photos to pick from when we return!

Have a great day!

The sun gave us a beautiful sunrise about 10:30 this morning, a treat for our last day here in Seldovia.  We leave on the ship late this afternoon.

I could get used to waking up to this every morning.  Love, love, love this quaint little village and the beautiful people who live here.  Just realized I haven't taken many pictures of Chris and Amy.  I had better remedy that this afternoon!

FISHING IN ALASKA IN JANUARY!

After two rainy days, God blessed us with sunshine, blue skies, and 37 degrees yesterday!   We had to do something special to take advantage of those blessings, so our son Chris decided to put his boat back into the water and to take his dad fishing.

Of course the mom had to tag along with the camera hanging around her neck. The water was smooth as glass as we loaded the boat to take off for the channel where we hoped to catch a winter king salmon.  Or a cod.  Or a halibut.  We didn't care which.

The ferry was coming in on its Tuesday run as we headed out.  This is the ferry we will take back to Homer tomorrow when our stay in Seldovia comes to an end.

We had some clouds, some sun, and beautiful liquid silver water.

Way across the water, on the far shoreline, are the volcanos Mt. Illiamna and St. Augustine.  Further up is Mt. Redoubt, and these are all active volcanos.  It was  just a year or two ago when Augustine was spouting off and dropping ash on the countryside.

We trolled for a couple of hours, but the fish were ellusive. 

The scenery is not equaled anywhere I've been................

..........and this little guy sees it all the time!  Isn't he lucky?

We headed back to the harbor with no fish in the boat, but do I care?  Nope!  It was a beautiful, quiet, relaxing fishing trip.....and just a bit cold...but the scenery makes up for that!  What a wonderful world we live in!

Our God is an awesome God!

RAINY MONDAY IN SELDOVIA

It is pretty dark out at 8:30 am when we headed out to the coffee shop for a nice Americano!  The light is just beginning to show over the mountains across the harbor.

A bit later, after it was fully light, we went to Outside Beach.  I love the ocean!  It was a bit cold, and it was raining, but nothing could stop me from taking a walk on the beach.

In the photo below you see the scene that we saw from our campsite on the hill above the beach when we were campground hosts up here, two different summers.

These colorful places below are on the boardwalk, or what is left of the boardwalk after the big 1964 earthquake.  The first time I was over here, in 2002 or 2003 I believe,  I stayed in that aqua cottage for a few days. 

This is the boardwalk in the other direction.  That is a B&B on the right side.

And below is the scene from our room overlooking the main street.  Notice the eagle keeping watch over everything!  He's been there most of the day.

And it has been raining all day.  I have gone out three times, and I have gotten wet three times!

WE'RE IN SELDOVIA

To all my Minnesota family and friends: Move to Seldovia, Alaska.  There is very little snow!

The first view of the harbor as you come in to the ferry dock.

This is the Tustumena, the ferry we took from Homer to Seldovia.  This is the same ship we've taken before, once in 2006 when we had a big truck and a 30 foot fifth wheel trailer, and then again in 2009 with the truck and the smaller trailer.  This time we have a little rental car!

Looking down the shore from our building......this is almost the whole town.

The view out the window of our room, the beautiful Russian Orthodox Church on the little hill.

This is the street view as opposed to the view on the other side of the buildings along the shore that I showed in the earlier picture.  Notice the dark spot in the tree?

This would be Mr. Eagle.  Isn't he gorgeous?  Love those eagles!

HOMER AND NEW YEAR'S DAY

Happy New Year everyone!  I know it's warmer up here in Homer, Alaska than it is back home in Minnesota!  It's raining and there are sloppy puddles all over the parking lot of this little motel.  I think it was 37 at 7 am!  Oh, there are also moose hoof prints in the parking lot.  Speaking of this motel, I am chuckling at the art on the wall.  On the side wall there is a poster of a man and a woman with six or seven huge halibut!  And in the center of the wall over the bed is a lovely photo of a grizzly bear with a salmon in his mouth!  The room is very clean and warm, has a comfy bed, and to top it off it has a view of the Homer spit!  We will definitely stay here again on our way back.

This morning, after breakfast, we will board the Tustamena, a ship of the Alaska  Marine Highway System,  and head over to Seldovia for a few days with Chris and Amy before returning on Thursday and spending a few more days in Anchorage, a 5 hour drive to the north.  Goodness, I've been here  four full days already and I've not had my halibut!  I'm going to have to remedy that shortly!

I've seen that many have been posting resolutions or goals for the year.  I will not do so because I will break them before I can hit publish!  However, my emphasis for the year is FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS.  And maybe to eat less, exercise more, and most certainly, drink more coffee!