with the dogs, right where i should be...

 humans can be too complicated. didn't do the bigger plans i had thought of this week. but i did make it out to Portage to check out the big ice...and i was impressed.

 first we stopped at the little lake down the road from the lake. i think the pups know this is their swimming spot. it was rainy/cloudy off and on but still a lovely day

 some of these are from yesterdays jaunt to the beach. 

 today we hit the Campbell Airstrip before road tripping it. 

 ran into some old trail friends.  folks who i see on the trails often over the years and have just gotten to know because of our love of dogs and the trail.  the first you saw in the last picture from yesterdays post.  i was able to get his phone number and text him the picture.  we chatted for a few minutes. 

 once out on the trail i ran into a group of the peds crew out walking their dogs/kids. at first i was so focused on the toddlers and making sure that Ivy wasn't going to take a kid out  by accident, but then they were waving and i figured out i knew all of them. 

 after i left them i ended up running into another trail friend I've known for years. i always admire people who go out hiking well into their 80's.  it is for sure something to aspire to, if i can be so lucky.  we ended up walking back to the trail head together.  we are like minded on many things....politics being one of them.  haha.  so we got to get into that conversation. 

 someone added a little surfboard to this sign.  haha.

 i let the dogs go swimming in front of the big ice bergs after a few shots were taken.  so they had a few fun swimming treks.  they are tired now, which is great.

 above is the first little lake again. not really even sure if it's an actual lake or not.  i do tend to stop there. a trail runs past it.  trail of blue ice i think it's called. I've walked a ways on that several times. it runs along the road.

 this section with all these old stumps is usually under water so since they were out it seemed a good idea to take some photo's

 in between tossing the beloved tennis ball of course.

 the one berg is really quite large, it will be there for some time.  lots of ice, which is really unusual any more. when i first came to see the glacier it hadn't turned the corner yet.  my 83 year old hiking buddy today was telling me that she used to bring her kids to play on the face, which was right at the road basically.  she scoffs at those who refuse to accept science regarding the warming trends.  it's pretty obvious to those in AK who have been around a while.  truth and facts are easy to brush off when they don't tell you what you want to hear i guess.

 always like these cool stumps.  not sure the history of this area and why there are all these stumps here to begin with. 

 there is the big berg. 

 here are the pups closer to the waters edge...waiting for the throw.  this is also not a place i ever remember going...but maybe that is just because there are usually lots of tourists in the summer and no lake ice. really odd to have ice make it all the way out here.  must have been really big calving.  I'm thinking a pretty decent sized wave came off of that one.

 always great to just drive for me.  i like a road trip.  i drove in silence, which is always needed some days.  peace and quiet are a gift.

 here is Ivy swimming in the first little lake.  last time i was here it was frozen and we were walking on the lake

 she always reminds me of a happy go lucky first grade kid.  always just looks so happy and enthusiastic.  she for sure has FOMO...she kept almost drifting off to sleep on the drive back home, but kept waking herself up...

 beach time!!

 my life is pretty simple, but i do like that.  it worked out pretty well for me

 had leftover LoMien tonight for dinner. i had bought a big stir fry type pot...i can store it now. i have room.  that will  be a great new tool to work with. 

 i got a bit obsessed with the ice bergs.  they are fascinating.

 only a few cabinet members remain from the original group. this guy goes through people fast. this one refused to break law to close border as he demanded and begin to take children from their parents again as a deterrent from border crossings. all the replacements have only been "acting" so he can just skip going through the usual process of actually hiring anyone.  prevents him dealing with congress and he can more easily fire them.  this also means that they don't usually hire staff so the entire of government is slowly grinding into absolute chaos.  this, of course, was Bannons big plan.  destroy the government as we know it.

 Bannon is gone now but Miller has remained through it all...just a few have.  miller is a nut case.  he has ties to white supremacy leadership.  he is scary in the position that he is in. he is also not an elected official.  he has a lot of power however.  millers big plan was no doubt the wall and for sure the separation of children from their parents.  this is not only deplorable, it's despicable. 

 totally slept in today.  have some yard work to do.  touch up paint on the back deck.  not sure if the dogs or the weather trashed my work from last year, but there are some bad patches again.  maybe I'll do it like i did last spring.  sections at a time. 

 aren't these stumps cool looking?

 everything will be changing, it always does. that is one of the things i love about this place.  it's never the same.  the day light is constantly changing as well.  we gain or lose like 30 minutes  a week.  you just can't keep track of it all.

 dogs must have some awareness of the change...swimming vs frozen lakes maybe.

 saw a few pairs of swans out there on my drive to Portage. 

 quite a few bald eagles. I've heard the hooligan are running already.  I've also seen that there is supposedly a moose carcass out there partly under water which has baldies feeding on it. wondering if it's out past the portage cut off. 

 stopped by the wildlife conservation center as well.  wanted to get my new annual pass.  drove through quick as i had gotten a late start today.

 low tide out there when i was returning.  sun off and on

 not huge adventures but still enough to keep me and the dogs entertained for the week.

 the blue in the ice is always amazing to me.  so beautiful

 made a few cairns the other day....I'm sure they were knocked over before i made it back to the car. the wind really picked up yesterday when i was on the beach.

 so other worldly out there some days.

 God is found in nature in my mind.  my 83 year old walking companion feels the same. 

 so much diversity in this world, if it had a maker, it was one that cared a great deal for this place...we have been charged with taking care of this earth.  we are failing more than we are succeeding.  Did God know we would fail?  Did God know that greed would ruin the things that were held dear? 

 it is sad to watch and to read of the failures.  to read of the great animals disappearing.  there are less giraffes in the wild than elephants i just read tonight.  before i leave this earth it may be that the only elephants or polar bears or giraffes people see will be in cages, not running free.  such a loss.

 humans are over due for a big die off...there are too many on the planet.  will it be man made as it has been so many times, will it be a virus or the weather extremes.  the earth can't take so many humans, and humans can't take so many humans.  the idea that humans could co-exist is the hope, but it's not really the reality. hate wins more than it should.  Jesus came and tried to spread the word of love, but that message is getting lost. how can the message be one of love when we are taking children from their parents in spite and in hope that we can teach them not to come here for help?  how can that be a message of love when even the most tiny attempt to prevent permanent separation is not done.  when those kids may be separated for years or life...how is that a message of love? it isn't.  Jesus would be turning over the tables in anger at what is happening in our nation...that greed and selfishness have taken over...that love and compassion have been  brushed aside. 

grateful for: A.  any hope that i can find some days.  B. beauty that has been created, such diversity and detail... C. the simple joys of life