Rabbit Lake

 and the last bit of June...

 not my most flattering photo's.

 the puppies look cute.

 should have done what Tanya did and then I could have used the dogs as a shield.  haha.  this may be why i should have a really big dog!!  one i could hide behind for photographs.  or i could get more fit.  that is another option i guess.

 Ivy's face in the first one.  she cracks me up.

 today i was joined by LS and we went up Arctic Valley.  turned out to be pretty nice.  she hasn't really hiked there which is funny since she lives so close.  she saw the blueberry potential up there as well, though we saw no blueberries today.

 a group showed up with buckets as we were leaving but i really don't think they will have much luck.  too early i guess.  the berries will be coming out soon though. we didn't really see any sign of them at all though

 pups were a blast to watch chasing the sounds of ground squirrels all over the mountain.  not sure they ever even saw one actually.  they knew something was out there though.

 TO walks a lot faster than i do.  she hit the lake first.  i think she was in heaven.  the sun was out and there was no wind.  i guess it's usually a wind tunnel here.  there are large boulder cairns that people have set up in an attempt to shield themselves from the winds.

 there is plenty of water for the pups.  i think it was maybe 6-8 miles round trip.  not sure.  the first part is a steady uphill and then you get to the second half which is just open and beautiful until you hit the lake.

 quite a few wildflowers to enjoy. we had lots of wildflowers today as well.

 it was a bit cloudy today but still great views and it never rained on us.

 met for a chicks night out with the Monday walk crew.  we had fun.  you miss the crew in the summers. we vowed to do another dinner out soon.  everyone got out their phones and calendars so that is set up again.

  i would have thought the pups would be pretty spent but when i got home from dinner Ivy had tennis ball ready.  she's starting to get like that dog in Spanglish.  obsessed.  if i am awake i apparently should be throwing a tennis ball.

 watched a thing on Netflix.  can't remember the name.  something bones.  it was about a girl with anorexia.  goes through the treatments she undergoes. in the end she appears to be finally getting control of her anorexia.  she at least sees what is possible and the show leaves you with the sense that all will be okay.

 left a bit of Blossom out on the trail out there at the lake.

 seemed like a good spot.  probably should have taken some ashes today.  she always liked Arctic Valley.

 she had some brilliant squirrel chases as well.  several other dogs out there today enjoying the chase as well.  so great to just see dogs run.  i need to do more leash training i know but they really are getting better and better off leash and it's so fun to see them in their element.

 strange almost perfectly round opening here.  looked cool.

 it really is a beautiful lake. I'd never made it out this far. the one other time i came here i only did the first part that goes uphill.  it was raining pretty good that day.  this day was much more pleasant.

 once I'm in the rain though, i really don't mind it and i tend to prefer a day with clouds over a day without.  better photo's too.  light just seems more flat without clouds . the urban dictionary says a pluviophile is someone who finds peace of mind and joy on rainy days. many are complaining about our rainy summer. I've not minded it.  i think rain is like winter for me. it's like this excuse to be lazy, read, watch mindless TV and enjoy the sounds of the rain coming down.

 so maybe Talkeetna tomorrow.  hmm.  will have to see what tomorrow brings.

 got a few packages mailed off today so i did get that goal accomplished.

 woke up to news that the annoying comm guy is out.  chaos and turmoil continues.  talk of hope that the new chief of staff will be able to control the iitoo, but it's pretty doubtful.  as the guys on the NPR podcast i listened to said, we shall see in a few weeks if there is any change in the tweeting.  that will be the litmus test.

 iitoo is doing all he can to attempt to derail the Rus investigations...Rus is ousting a crap load of our diplomats from their nation.  the Senate/House just sent a pretty unanimous bill to iitoo which takes away his ability to alter the sanctions.  he hasn't signed it yet, i suspect this is Put attempt to get him to veto.  even if he does the senate/house will probably just override him.

 due to distractions not much news coverage of bill Browders Senate committee hearing.  very interesting information that he had to share regarding Rus and how Put works.  at this point you should assume when they speak of Rus adoptions that is synonymous with sanctions.  he worked there many years and things went fine until he discovered this huge corruption scandal.  he and his Rus lawyer, Magnitsky, assumed Put would want to clean this up but as it turned out he was totally complicit in it all.  Browder was accused of tax evasion and barred from re-entering Rus.  Magnitsky was arrested and eventually killed.  after his death a Magnitsky act was passed by congress that totally ticked off Put.  making it more difficult for him to continue in his corrupt ways. he responded by putting a stop to adoptions of Rus orphans.

 as they keep saying follow the money and the dead Rus. Put keeps a great deal of his monies in the west and this act freezes assets.  no idea if iitoo or family were complicit in anything or have just been clueless to how things work.  surely some around them have used them for Put benefit. that would not be surprising.  i mean iitoo is such a narcissist that all you have to do is shower him with false compliments and he thinks you must be brilliant.

 anyway, every day in American politics is pretty nuts right now.

 back to beautiful AK.  really interesting and informative testimony from this guy.

 always these cool root like things in the alpine. always so amazing to get above the tree line up here.

 so that is probably some sort of ground spruce or whatever. I'm not great at remembering names of plants.

 above is another flower i have forgotten the name of. if i was a really talented blogger i would take a moment to look it up for you.

 the rest are from the SeaLife Center.  the birds kept me entertained after the baby walrus.  i zip through but this day i spent some quality time with these silly birds.

 this is a horned puffin....and generally i also am not good at naming birds.

 they are pretty handsome though.

 this guy below was really pretty too i thought.

 nice stache.

 i remember meeting our first birders out in the Pribilof Islands.  then i saw that birder movie. they are kind of nuts. when they asked us if we were birders, i know we looked totally baffled at them.  we were just there to see everything.  we were immediately shunned as they just turned and walked away.  a few were friendly with us while we were there but you could tell we had suddenly become lesser tourists.

 our notoriety on that trip was that we had chartered the plane from St George Island back over to St Paul.

 murres.  i know those.  once held one in my winter coat after I'd found it trapped by Potters Marsh.  the big die off a few years back.  i think the one i rescued did fine.  the bird rescue place felt it would be fine.  have never heard what they thought was the cause of the die off.

 liked the dots on this birds feet.

 then i cruised past the resident seals and sea lion for a few quick shots. you pass them anyway.

 they have pretty small enclosures.  mostly what they do is educational and rescue.  they just keep a few on hand.  probably can't be released for medical reasons.

 love all the spots

 the big sea lion cruises by. over and over.

 anemone.

 and a star below. well i shall hit the sack...tomorrow is another day.  really need to make some phone calls and get some stuff scheduled.  start to pick out stuff for my kitchen.

thankful for: A.  friends and laughter  B.  tasty ribs...something i rarely eat but when i do.  nummy!  C.  the joy of dogs