more from Round Island. day one

 not too many wallies on the island while i was there really.  the ones that were there were mostly on main beach which is not an easy viewing place while you are on the island.  you web cam viewers with explore.org have the best shots of that beach.  still there were like 10 i think at second beach and 3-4 at first beach.  enough to keep me interested of course.  some wallies are better than no wallies.  :-)

 looking at the web cam it sure has greened out on the island.  plant growth in AK is pretty incredible.  once it gets going it's nuts.  i sometimes need to mow the lawn a few times a week just to keep up the jungle.  it's a short season.  before you know it the flowers will be replaced by mushrooms and then falling leaves and then winter returns.

 didn't see any tufted puffins while i was there but plenty of horned puffins. none at puffin rocks though. it's the earliest i've ever been.

 some of the camera equipment.

 flowers blooming there and here.

 got my car back today...could have returned to Round Island for that cost..or so it felt. haven't paid a car payment for years so that is how it goes.  the element is getting older.  eventually i'll get another car, one with a bigger towing capacity....but i'll hang on to my element i think.  it's a classic car and a great dog car.  great for tooling around to trails with wet and muddy dogs.

 today we headed up Powerline Pass and then on up to this area just below the hidden lakes. could have gone further i guess.  we chilled there. i had put a cairn and ashes of Blossom up there after she'd passed so i repaired the cairn and left a few treats for my pups in heaven.  most of the cairns i make i don't really return to or expect to return to.  this one...seems like a good place to return to.  didn't leave any ashes today but they are there....tossed by the wind and the winter.

 trail above and equipment below.

 a bird takes advantage of the equipment and sings away.

 still some snow on the trails today.  a bull moose was crossing the trail ahead of me. lost sight of him, he seemed to be moving pretty fast.  so i got a hold of the pups and we slowly moved forward.  soon a saw a woman coming slowly towards me. she had a baby and a toddler.

 no moose...then i looked up the mountain.  man did that moose move fast up to that location.  would have gotten a photo but it was pretty far away and began moving even further up the mountain.  what spooked it?  bear?  i never saw one.

 lots of kids after that. it was a group of moms and kids out for a nice walk.  lots of strollers.  some wrappers and food bits left by the creek.  happy to see the moms and kids out there, but do wish they would have taken a few minutes before heading back to use the teaching moment of picking up trash and making sure no food was left scattered about.  i picked up the trash...and a pair of kids sunglasses.

 ran into one little girl 7-10 years?  not sure.  she told me she had just seen a dead rabbit.  i'd heard that horrible rabbit scream a few before that so not sure if she saw it get killed or what.  i mentioned that it was sad but that there would probably be a lynx or a fox or some bird that would be happy with the meal.  she just said, "I guess so" not sure i allayed her sadness over the dead rabbit by informing her it would soon be a happy meal.  the cycle of life...it is what it is, right?

 bizzareness in DC as usual.  you almost get immune to it.  the iitoo had a round table with his cabinet members who went around the table fawning over him.  he was in heaven.  tomorrow Sessions testifies in public hearing.  no doubt he will answer nothing and defer all.  not that he has proven himself to be all that trustworthy.  what does iitoo have on all these people to make them so cultishly dedicated to him.

 still, it's a matter of time before one of them grows a conscience and spills the beans on the whole situation, whatever it is. impossible in my mind to think there is nothing there as the GOP likes to pretend.  they have lost all credibility.  out nation is currently feeling on the path of total destruction. it's a sad thing to watch and to feel powerless over.  there is a whole segment of those who voted for this iitoo that i suspect don't want to really come to the realization of what this man is doing to our nation and what a lunatic he is.

 if any of them do i hope they start calling their representatives immediately.  the GOP won't listen to us snowflake libtards...we couldn't possibly be right about anything.  it will have to come from those who voted for this iitoo.  still i'll write another note or make more calls.  hoping that sheer volume will wake up some out there.   this man has no understanding of how any government works, no understanding of history, no appreciation for anything that is natural and beautiful...unless you can golf at the place.  he seems to have little tolerance for the poor or the unhealthy.  he has surrounded himself with people who will only say yes.  some GOP seemed to abhor him during the election...one can hope that they still do and are secretly plotting a way out of this.  how to do it without creating a civil war with his super culty base.  not matter what this guy does they seem to support him 100%...it's bizarre.  nobody has ever had a base like this.  what a bunch of twinkies...! he had one thing right...he could shoot someone on a city street in New York and they would still support him and excuse his behaviour.

 the cormorants are nesting.

 saw some eggs in some of my pictures.

 local flowers.

 a few walrus chilling on the beach.  you are above them here.

 they do look pretty relaxed though.

 nice to have my dirty old car back.  i still need to get the auto lock fixed.  more money!  it's not making any more strange grinding noises.

 really need to clear out some crap.  time for another free pile out front i think.

 no doubt i'll be a bit sore tomorrow after todays walk.  at least 6 miles i guess.  a few extra.  time to get cracking on some bigger walks.  get myself back in better shape...hit the pool again more.

 finally reading the paper from today.  two states have began a suit against iitoo stating he is violating anti-corruption clause of the constitution and that he is accepting millions in bucks from foreign governments.  he's been in violation of many things since day one.  mostly ethical and moral violations which seem to be all they are...apparently the GOP could care less about morals, ethics and values...let alone Jesus and the tenets of Christianity since they now have power...

 i suspect Jesus would be flipping tables in DC and letting this ilk know that they do not speak for Jesus and the message he brought to the earth in his short time here. i suspect they are more of the sort that he chastised because they put earthy things before God.  this GOP worships money and power.  i've read all the books and this sort of behavior tends to not go well for those who practice Christianity this way. love one another, treat others as you wish to be treated...none of this is to be found in the current GOP, who still claim to be the party of Christian values...they really need to admit that this ship sailed long ago and they really are the party of the super wealthy and greedy.

 seemed to enjoy watching the walrus swim more this trip than others...probably my excitement to see them on land and get pictures of them there.

 i do wish these lawyers well on their fight.  resist...it's all we have.  he has always run his businesses straddling what is legal land he is continuing that as POTUS.  other POTUS of the past have followed certain more's and unwritten ways of doing things in DC.  this guy will do what he can get away with...pushing what is legal and to hell with what is right.

 the Dems have their own issues.  there is some dissent and i think many folks in our nation, like myself would like to see another party emerge and come to power that is more for the people and by the people. i have called it the Rationalist Party.  not sure that my party will come into favor...haha. one can dream. of course, the fear is always that this will split folks and allow the GOP to continue it's reign of hell.

 just a few sprinkles on my hike today.  looks like more rain fell while i was chilling inside.  tempted to head over to Reflection Lake.  the flowers should be hitting a nice bloom.  back to work tomorrow night for 3...then to Kennicott.

 there is always so much breaking news that news gets old pretty fast.

 Alyeska is replacing it's oldest lift.  chairs may be available for sale.  seems like that could be a fun thing on a front deck in Girdwood.

 looks like the sun is coming out again here.  always nice.  perhaps the sunset will be worthy of a drive some place.

 many in Russia protested today.  Put doesn't like protests.  he likes control.  many were arrested.  he, of course, arrested the guy with the best chance of battling him out in an election.  of course, the arrests also disqualify the guy from running.  not that an election would be fair there. many are not as unhappy with life under Put.  better than it was.  the vast majority of most societies just want to live their lives and if they can do that reasonably they will tolerate all sorts of bad behavior it seems.

 bald eagles pretty active on the island last week.  saw at least 4.  the other birds were less than thrilled with these guys being there....they want to protect their nesting area's.

 a few from the cell phone from todays walk.  tried to get pics of the dogs and me together.  not always easy.  they are pretty good at jumping onto the big boulders so that does help.  if i get on the ground with them Ivy goes nuts with excitement.

 she only jumped on me today i think.  that is success in my eyes.

 after a nap i woke to this guy looking pretty cozy.  really should have called out sick for work...how could i possibly disturb him.

 almost back to the main trail.  i do have some tired pups tonight.  lots of running for them.

 up on rocks

 rose in my front yard.

 the iphone shots always get so jumbled.  was laughing as i attempted to re-make the bed the other day.  fresh sheet day can take some time.  i generally stop as they dogs jump on bed.  leave and do some other task which eventually gets the pups to come find me, then i can sneak up and do more on the bed change

 above i'm almost done with the bed but not quite.

 the tundra flowers are starting to bloom.  always amazing. should hit Kennicott in perfect time for some great flowers.

 can't believe it's getting so near to solstice.  boo.  summer solstice always makes me sad...the days will start getting shorter again soon.

 i re-built the cairn for Blossom...the main rock was still there.

 half way done with the bed.

 that is me...selfie time

 the kids always look adorable.

 trying to get the dirty linen off the bed with two big dogs

 i shall go see what is happening outside.  perhaps it's a good day for moose spotting.  of course, i really should clean out a closet or something.  sorry about the politics...i have to rant some times for the sake of sanity.

grateful for:  A. long relaxing walk/hikes with the dogs  B.  blooming flowers.  C.  happy puppies