Beluga Point on Turnagain Arm

Oh the joy of exploring the world around you made sweeter by the company of dear loved ones.

Get out and explore your world.

Happy Friday everyone!

Winner Creek Trail in the Rain

Our Captain signed us in at the trail registration stand. 

We spent the afternoon hiking in one of the northern most rain forests ~ in the rain.

It was just a little rainy but the hike and company were well worth the wet clothes.

Peanut Butter Pie

The best peanut butter pie on the entire planet can be found at the Glacier Brewhouse in Anchorage.

CJ is an expert on all things peanut butter pie!

When visiting it is advised to make reservations at the Glacier Brewhouse or your well worth the wait-wait might be a long one. 

Glacier Cruise and Killer Shrimp

Surprise Glacier

Killer shrimp and halibut at the Swiftwater Cafe!

Another great day to be on vacation!

Portage on a Sunny Day

Portage Glacier and Portage Lake on a sunny day!

We stopped to explore a bit before we drove through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Whittier.

High Five Friday for Bridges

High five Friday for bridges and fun photo shoots with your BFF!

Here is to a great weekend full of smiles!

Alaska Railroad to Spencer Glacier

What a great day riding the rails with CJ and getting off at the Spencer Glacier whistle stop. Hooray for BFF's and riding the rails together!  Great day with great memories!

Kenny and I will be sure to take this day trip together soon.

Check out the Alaska Railroad web site for all their routes and tours!
Then take a ride on the rails ~ you will enjoy every moment!

U.S. Airmail Beacon System

Photo from Something Interesting web site

"Scattered across the United States is a network of mysterious concrete arrows. They are often found in remote locations or areas difficult to access. Some will be accompanied by a small shack, a few have a metal tower affixed to their base. Many are in good condition while others have succumbed to nature. The shape and direction of the arrows vary, but it is clear they served the same purpose.

The purpose was important: helping early pilots navigate U.S. transcontinental flights at night.

In a era before radar, pilots used ground-based landmarks for guidance. This solution worked for flight during the day, but grounded pilots at night. Before long, a system of beacons was established across the United States to guide airmail pilots around-the-clock. When radar and radio communications made the beacons obsolete years later, most were torn down and abandoned."

Want to read more, go to Something Interesting web site.  Click HERE!

***

Above from Something Interesting web site. These concrete arrows are totally cool points of interest in our aviation history and Something Interesting tell a good story, why reinvent the wheel.

The Great Flood of 1967

I found a nicely written article about the great flood in Fairbanks on this day in 1967.  Click HERE to read!

Photo credit goes to the interwebs

After the great flood they built the flood control and the dikes that divert all flood waters around Fairbanks.

May the only floods in your life be tears of joy flooding down your cheeks.

Happy day everyone!

Independence Mine

What an extra joy life is when being around those you love.

Share the love each and every day!

Smile and play no matter your age!

That List

There has been some controversy in my heart about the words “bucket list”. It seems everyone has one these days and they seem to want to empty their bucket list before they die.

Now it is not that I live or want to live with a cloak of invisibility around me, as I am not invisible to death. I am mortal, true fact. But I do not want to live my life with a bucket that I want to empty, which seems to me the impression that I get from others when they talk about their “bucket list”.

My dear BBF CJ enlightened me to the fact that this list, this bucket, could be used to fill up your life with good memories and laughter. You can fill your bucket with everything from a simple supper with those you love, to a grand adventure traveling the world or anything in between.

Or today! Today is on my list. I want to enjoy today. In fact today found me enjoying coffee with my fella, driving to work, helping a student or two and then home again to enjoy the quiet of my home in my still new Anchorage life, and tomorrow will be another today to enjoy.

I don’t think I will ever have a “bucket list” but I sure will fill my life with as many joys as I can pack into the time I have been given.

I will also not say “someday” without actually attaching a day. Someday may pass you by or worse never come.

No empty bucket. No someday.  

Living life to the fullest and always sharing the love!

Hatcher Pass Summit Lake

At Hatcher Pass Summit Lake there was still some snow to be found and enjoyed! This is one my favorite photos of the two of us! 

Love those smiles.

Kenny sure takes GREAT photos!

Hello Dragonfly

This dragonfly got caught in the grill of our car.  Not sure he was able to fly again but we set him in a good place for the best chance. He was very beautiful and made us smile.

Here's to the joy of the small things in life!

Denali South Face in Full Show

It was a foggy and cloudy morning that soon started to clear!

Denali's South face!

Such a view would make even the most rational person giddy! 

Living large in Alaska!

High Five Friday for Scrabble Fun

High five Friday for Scrabble fun with my BFF CJ and my fella, on a windy raining night!  I can not think of a better way to spend an evening.  Oh and I tied CJ but I did have a little help along the way.

Happy weekend to everyone!

Susitna River

Just at the edge of Talkeetna three river converge to form one.  The Chulitna, Susitna and Talkeetna Rivers come together and form the mighty Susitna River.  On a clear day you can see Denali and the Alaska Range from here, but not this day.

Quirky Talkeetna

In Talkeetna you can find all sorts of interesting handmade items, like this He-Man wrist band.  Perfect for any super hero yet just a bit too small for mine.

Or you can find handbags made out of old inner tubes.  Okay now this is just taking recycling too far, first off they smell terrible and second, think of the chafing and the chaffing.

If you like quirky then Talkeetna is just the village for you.