Stalking a Robin

I'd be lying if I said this was the first robin I've seen, it isn't, but it is the first I've seen when the camera has been handy. And, sigh, as it was, it really wasn't all that handy since it was in the car. At least it had a functioning battery in it, which it didn't have the day of the first robin, but I tell you this long winded story simply to explain why the robin had meandered half-way across the yard before I could get the camera trained on it. You'd think I'd learn, huh?

And half-way across the yard translates to long zoom and fuzzy focus through the window, but it was still fun. I could imagine this little guy going, I can hop over this tree with three wing flutters....
Or, to appease the mystery shadow on the other side of that window way over there taking pictures, I guess I could walk around it, too. Walk, walkity, walk....

Sunshine and Blue Skies...and a cat...and tire

Did anyone in Wasilla lose a tire? I found it.

Ah, yes, just another day in Alaska....

I wasn't the only one enjoying the sunshine.

And, no, this isn't my cat.

The mountains beckon me toward Hatcher Pass.

Alas, no time to venture all the way up into the mountains, but did make a quick stop at the viewing platform for the Little Su(sitna) River. Warm, nearly 70 degrees(!!!) but still lots of snow and ice on the river.

Closer view of the snow/ice still atop the water.

Oh, so tempting....

Weren't the skies awesome?

One last snap....

Back home, my snow pile from the driveway is slowly but surely going the way of the rest of the snow. Can't say that I'll miss it.

Schitzo Spring

Dang, never got a better shot than this of my morning visitor... and this one through two panes of glass and almost directly into the sun. As soon as I opened the door and stepped outside, alas, it moved back behind the brush you see it munching on here.

This shot is a followup to the last blog. Although the snow is long gone now, some of it wound up sticking overnight when temps dropped down near freezing. And, the white dots are, no surprise, the big flakes that were coming down at the time.

Snowflakes

Oops, my plastic snowflake fell down. I need to go out and retrieve it as soon as.....

....as soon as the real thing stops falling.

Spring has sprung....well, maybe

Spring has sprung.....

well, maybe....

Tax-Snow Day in Wasilla

While much of the country is at least beginning to enjoy spring-like weather as they do their taxes, we were gifted with a late snowstorm. Although it didn't snow much on the 15th, it snowed all day the 14th. Most of it pretty much melted as it hit the ground, but it did leave a nice layer of white behind to decorate the trees and lawns once again that evening. This shot was taken along Long Cub Drive, just below my spot on the hill.

And here's my front yard as I pulled in from making a run to the grocery. Today the yard is back to being largely snow-free, but for a couple days at least, it was back to our winter wonderland look. While most of us are anxiously looking forward to leaves and flowers and green grass, we at least have the reassuring knowledge that snow this time of year isn't likely to stick around long, which this dump certainly didn't. It was pretty while it lasted, tho'!

To Anchorage, to Anchorage, to....

The view from Glenn Highway. Look at the big ice chunks!

Sometimes it amazes me when I realize how rarely I've "revisited" Anchorage since moving out here in the summer of '04. I lived in Anchorage for nearly half a year and tho' I certainly didn't like the traffic, I didn't hate living there and could have stayed had that been what was meant to happen. I loved being near the museums and zoo, places that weren't even that close to me in Florida, so in some ways it was like "Country Girl Goes to the Big City". Yet, here I am in Wasilla, which tho' it certainly isn't country living where I'm at, isn't city living, either. It's....well.... it's Wasilla. Spend some time on Parks Highway, even when it isn't rush hour and you'll be looking for one of those bumper stickers I've heard of saying the driver survived Wasilla's traffic crush, but venture off Parks Highway and the beauty of my chosen home is apparent. I'm surrounded by mountains and lakes and moose. Yet, every now and then, this country girl does venture south to the big city. Today was one of those days.

That's not to say the country girl wasn't in full view, smiling as I snapped this evidence of country living in Bonnie and Jim Foster's driveway in Chugiak.

Of course, a shopping trip to Anchorage wouldn't end on a high note for me without a visit to Gwennie's Restaurant on Spenard. Did you know it used to be a, uh, house of ill-repute? Now it's just a fun food place with a decidedly Alaskan atmosphere.

Last time I saw this ol' car, which sits outside Gwennie's, it was covered with snow!

I've taken tons of shots of the bear just inside the entrance door, so thought I'd give one of the other critters forever immobilized on its wall some time. This guy is in the upstairs dining area.

One of the coolest things about the upstairs is that it's decor is not only very ol' time Alaska, but it has lots of Iditarod and mushing stuff on the walls. There's a whole wall of VanZyle race posters, not to mention some other artists, too, most likely, and the occasional odd item that just grabs your attention.

The mountains never seem to have any problem grabbing my attention, however. Not a bad shot for a quick grab shot as we crossed the Knik River on the Glenn Highway, huh? There's still lots of ice on the river but it's slowly going away. It did make for a lovely photo today, tho', especially against the gorgeous blue skies above us.

Gotta love the view along Glenn Highway!

Through the car windshield, a beautiful spring day in the Mat-Su Valley

Happy Easter, everyone!

Somewhere between Wasilla and Palmer....
Again, just grab shots taken from a moving car through the windshield, but they capture a bit of the everyday beauty that surrounds those of us lucky eough to call the Mat-Su Valley home.