Tutka Bay, Homer and Solstice...

 we had a wonderful sunset out in Tutka for Solstice.  i went out after we'd settled in to sleep because i could tell it was looking pretty awesome.  i returned to get Tanya to join me out there. i knew she wouldn't want to miss it.  for sure it was worth it.

 We had all crashed at Cathy's place in Homer the night before.  she is a fabulous hostess!! she even took us for a walk to a beach in Homer that none of us had known of. a short hike and we were on this lovely stretch of beach. i love finding new places.

 loved this of Miss Maddie.  below is Tanya, me and Cathy.

 tons of coal on the beach.  i have heard there are locals that collect this and use it for their heat source.  messy but it works well i guess for a free source of heat in the winter.  strange to see it all over the beach and think of it being flammable.

 didn't feel flammable.

 tons of pretty lupine.  below is their dog Chip.  so cute.

 got some stuff done today.  mostly me stuff.  oil change, dog to vet...stuff like that.  Miss Rio Catalina will go in for surgery tomorrow morning.  she needs a partial tail amputation.  poor girl.  the end of her tail has been open and raw for weeks.  we tried some antibiotics but it looks the same.  so we will take the end off and see if that helps.  i'm nervous about the after care.  large blind mastiff with big collar to keep her from chewing the end of her tail.  could be a disaster.  i have work coming up as well....not sure how that will go.

 Chip could be a  bit stubborn about his sticks...haha.

 emailed off the bylaws to a few folks. i think overall they will work for a start.  tweaking perhaps, but not bad.  want to print off a second copy of the 1023 so i can change out a page as i think i marked the wrong box.  most of it doesn't apply to us.  i have some blanks that i will have to go back over and figure out.  just a lot of legalese that boggles my brain if I look at it too long.  i tend to read too much into things and over think stuff.

 some stuff is just still unknown.  it's evolving and will continue to evolve for a bit.  so it was a good day as far as interacting with some folks.  just want to try and involve as many people as possible because this isn't one of those places that i will get a rush of folks wanting to sign up for i fear.  do what i can though.

 Met up with Tanya today and we walked powerline with my dogs anyway.  took Rio as she had her vet appointment fairly early.  probably wore the poor dog out.

 kept Blossom as clean as i could. after a bath you really try to prevent the mud dip for at least a day or two. love her all fluffy and clean, but it won't last long.  she even allowed me to trim her hair...she didn't like it, but she is all cute.  she got a few compliments today and we ran into two doodle puppies, her same coloring.  so adorable!!

 really liked this of Cathy.

 one day not too long ago i was walking Blossom and this lady stopped and said that my dogs was "ridiculously cute".  aww...i must agree...she is.

 sunset from Cathy's.  more with rebel later...these are all with the powershot.

 i hadn't even been into the main part of the city, just drove straight to Cathy's place.  that is the spit below.  it's what you think of when you think of Homer

 it was an early morning, as it always seems to be.  did get a last shower in.

 liked the reflection in the puddle of all the bikes.

 gear ready and waiting for our water taxi.

 couldn't have asked for better weather!!

 we went with Maco's water taxi.  it's who Bob and Tanya always use and they have always been super nice to me.

 if you don't know what a yurt is...this is a yurt.

 i really didn't do much paddling this weekend.  i was actually quite happy to chill.  i needed a mental break weekend.

 we got out on the water that afternoon and then later i chilled with Maddie on the beach and let her folks take off for an evening paddle.  felt bad as Maddie kept calling them on the walkie talkie her Dad had given her.  i knew i was not entertaining her enough. i had brought a Maddie bag of fun so we dug a bit deeper in to that.  i was just super tired that day too.  still have no idea why

 i know sometimes when i just relax, my body just seems to want to take a vacation too and i can just be sleepy like that.

 the afternoon chop had set in and i just headed back to shore after a bit.  i lay down in the kayak, Maddie took this picture and soon i felt that sunshine and i felt my whole being just relax.

 and i fell asleep.

 no idea how long i slept, probably not long.  it's amazing how even a short, super deep sleep can make you feel so much more awake.

 lots of Jellies out there.

 how i entertained Maddie back at the yurt.

 nail polish.  we did nails and then she turned to rock and shell art.

 Maddie helped me get the fire started...what is camping without a camp fire.  the big fire is pretty much gone and the fire restrictions had been lifted.

 chatted with my sister today and my friend Q!! always great to catch up....!!

 i'm working this holiday weekend.  now i'll be worried about Rio.  should be a short surgery anyway.  tails are tough.

 loved this of the two suns...and above i always love a halo around the sun.

 this was still close to 11pm i think

 you could see the light starting to change from my bunk in the yurt. this is what drove me out there.

 the rest are of the sunset..hopefully not too redundant..

 i couldn't stop taking photo's.

 some lady wrote a letter to the editor today.  something about being a bike rider and being tired of having to say "on your left" wanting everyone to just stay out of her way.  such a selfish world we seem to be living in.  really, it's too much for you to just say "on your left"?   get a dang bell then or better yet, ride a stationary bike in your living room where you won't have to interact with the other humans.

 an inmate was beaten to death in his cell.  both of these cell mates were highly violent prisoners.  it's our 6th prisoner death, most of the others were suicide.  i know i'll sound horrible but there is this part of me that feels like when you live a life of crime you assume certain risks. one of those risks is death.  being in prison, surrounded by people who are violent like you are is also a risk that you take.  not sure society needs to feel totally responsible to protect those who lash out at everyone they come in contact with.  should every prisoner be given a private room?

 of course, i tend to think our prisons are way too comfortable in many cases.  conjugal visits? really?  TV, weight rooms?  i'm more into hard labor makes a person rethink their choices i guess.  i also tend to think that sex is not a human right.....nobody chops off your hand in prison....have at it!

 just going to say that way too many folks don't want the government to make decisions for all of us, but they do seem to want to impose their own moral values on all of us.  i'm not keen on the government having total power but i also don't want the moral "right" to make decisions for the entire nation.

 seems like every environmentally minded person in Alaska is on the run since our politicians have decided to battle it out with those who wish to protect Alaska's lands, waters and various species.

 my sister and i don't agree on all things political but we both agree that it is ridiculous that so much money is spent getting people elected...with all that money we could fund so many things that are at risk of being lost.

 these probably all look the same...the sun was dropping fast once it decided to go.

 and then it was gone...

 liked a quote that someone put in their letter to the editor...not sure who it was by but it was "the thing that most characterizes the 21st century is our lack of ability to limit ourselves for the sake of others".  this is so true and very sad.

off to pen a letter to the editor...thankful fors, 1-that my parents raised me to think of others before myself, that they were able to teach us kindness and empathy and compassion 2- a fluffy, clean, sweet pup!! 3- meeting total strangers and being able to have a pleasant conversation with them.