As seen in Kodiak

Unfortunately (or fortunately... depending on how you look at it), not much has been going on around here lately, so all I really have is pictures. I've been bringing my camera with me pretty much everywhere I go these days, trying to catch the signs of spring (or summer?) that are finally coming to Kodiak. So, here's a week of Kodiak through my camera!

First up - a sure sign of spring (summer) - lupine! These purple flowers were everywhere when we got here last summer. In fact, on one of our drives out the road, we found an entire field of them near an old air strip. It was awesome, and one of the pics from that visit now adorns our bathroom wall in an 11x14 version! Here's just the beginnings of blooms that are sure to be everywhere sooner than later!


Also seen on the same day as the lupine were some sprouts of this flower. I have no idea what this is, though... so, if anyone does, let me know! I just thought it was pretty!

The first two pictures were taken from one of my favorite spots in Kodiak on Near Island. Near Island is a small island connected to the City of Kodiak by a bridge. It's also home to the Trident sea plane basin. As usual, I was caught unprepared with only my 18-70mm lens on the camera, but I finally got at least a decent shot of one of the planes coming in. One day, I'll have my big lens ready and will get a good shot off!

And, for the last shot from Near Island (these were all taken the same day, by the way), this flower is a VERY welcome sight to many in Kodiak. This is the bloom of the salmonberry bush. Last year, because of a horrible winter, the salmonberry bushes never really bloomed, and produced VERY few actual berries. In fact, when we got here last year, most of the "bushes" were just brown sticks, without even any leaves! Late in the season, we managed to find a stray berry or two, but it just wasn't what it was supposed to be. Judging by how many of these pretty pink blooms I've seen over the past week, in all our favorite hiking spots, the crop should be healthy this year! I can't wait!

About mid-week, I glanced out my window at work early in the morning, before the wind kicked up, and was greeted with the view below... seriously, I get to look at that from my office! This is Old Woman mountain, and her reflection in the CG boat basin.

On Thursday, Fred and I ventured out to Ft. Abercrombie. Given my ridiculously bad sense of direction, I have never gone out to Abercrombie by myself. I have been afraid that I would get lost! Feeling confident about one particular trail, and after walking through a big cook-out to get to it, we set out onto the Wildflower Trail, and made it back to the car with no issues! Of course, Fred had to stop and smell the flowers.... (ok, maybe he's eating grass... but whatever).

Going back in time to a week earlier, and back on Near Island, here's a view from the beach. Yes, we still have a ton of snow up in the mountains, but the temperature is rising, and the coastal mountains are slowly losing their snow and turning green!

Finally, we end the week(ish) in pictures with a couple shots from yesterday. Because it was GORGEOUS out yesterday (over 60 degrees and SUNNY!), Beth and Zach called us early in the afternoon to see if we wanted to head out to the beach for a campfire and cook-out. Our original plan of staying "local" at the Buskin River pavilions was crushed since a LOT of other people had the same idea, so we headed out to Mayflower Beach, way out the road instead, and enjoyed a few hours of sunshine, campfire smoke, the rocky beach, and great friends!

First up - Fred, digging in the water for.... a rock. He won't put his face in to get something on the bottom (though he'll chase sticks, grab 'em and bring 'em back!), so he paws at them to get them to the beach. We thought maybe he'd found a bone of some sort, or maybe a dead crab or something. But, no, it was a rock. Actually, two rocks. Ah, endless source of entertainment! At least one of us thoroughly enjoyed the rocks on the beach. I won't give away his identity since he seemed to be concealing it with the hood, but we'll just say that the G-man seemed to have a good time!
And, finally, most of the group - Looks like a couple kids, Zach and Jason didn't make it into this one. Jason was probably tending to the meat-on-a-stick we brought out to eat, and Zach was probably trying to get a piece of meat-on-a-stick!

So, that's my week, in pictures. Jason was gone for most of the week, out in "Man Camp" (aka Cordova) for the first of many deployments this summer. As usual, he enjoyed himself thoroughly out there, and caught his first halibut (babies, but halibut nonetheless). I'll let him share that if/when he gets to it.

A belated Happy Father's Day to all the Fathers in our lives! We miss everyone and we're looking forward to our upcoming visitors!!
Becca