unimpressive owl shots and other stuff

 still cool to see owls.  most of the time i get no picture of the owls or even worse pictures.  usually none.  they go by and the camera is either not out or not ready. they are fairly quick really. 

 the owl sightings this week have been at Potters Marsh and at the back side of the airport...or the end of Northern Lights Blvd...past Point Worzonof.  i stayed for the sunset too today.

 i believe the owls i spotted on both occassions/places were short eared owls. seems to be a very common owl species for the region. i am not a birder though...but the people with the big cameras and binoculars said that is what the ones at the airport were. 

 last week i had a totally cool sighting out at North Bivouac. i am not entirely sure if it was a hawk or owl, though i am heavily leaving toward hawk.  i was more focused on the large animal it had in its talons as it flew quickly past me...again, camera not out so no photo.  it looked like it had a squirrel perhaps.

 got my friend/hairdresser Jesse to cut off 4-5 inches today and do highlights/lowlights. he's always fun and does a good job i think.  my hair grows fairly quickly i had chopped off over 8 inches just over 4 years ago.

 it was just looking too mousy.  i am no looker but i have my moments.  i figure i'm one of those folks like they had in a Seinfeld episode...where the girl looks pretty in the right light and then the light changes and he's all yikes, where did the pretty girl go. at over 50, ain't nobody looking that i've noticed anyway.

 i liked having it short too, but i like having the option of putting it up or in a braid or something.

 i look really attractive in this state....this is what you do to get the highlights/lowlights.

 really not a looker there.

 a few more from the beach trek the other day.

 i think i have successfully worn out the dogs this week.

 i have worn myself out as well. actually, woke today with sore throat, increased coughing and that sinus feeling again.  i have muddled through the day. no fevers.

 we shall see how tomorrow goes. i head back to work tomorrow.

 the big panic is over the corona stuff.  it may hit...we are a very likely area to be hit as we are a refuel stop for many planes coming from Asia.  also with the Northern lights we get a lot of tourists through the winter from Asia. 

 there were 3 moose out on Potters yesterday as well.

 this below isn't a good picture of either the moose or the owl, but they are together in a shot which is kind of cool.

 they are hunting and they like these open areas for hunting. 

 i could see these owls from the road so they are large enough and unusual enough for me to spot them. 

 this one is good of the wingspan i think.

 the bird landed on the fence, but it took me a minute to get the camera out and then the lens had fogged up...needless to say, more bad photos of owls.

 and it took off.

 they do relocate i think if there is concern for the planes.  wouldn't want to suck one of these big owls into the engine.

 the sun was setting anyway so i headed to Pt Woronzof to watch...leaving all the photographers and birders behind.

 the dogs had chilled in the car while i got my hair done so i let them out just to stretch and chase the tennis ball for a few minutes.

 the parking lot there tends to be pretty full and active but i caught a lull and took advantage.  many folks around here come to enjoy the sunsets each night year round.

 pancake ice floats by as the tide was coming in

 sun sets

 lots of camping spots available at Brooks late August..will there be any bears there still. i don't need tons of bears and it may be nice to go when it's not crazy crowded.  i'll do some reading and blog hunting.  see what others have seen that time of year.  they may go to permits next year so it may be a good time to finally get out there.

 need to work on booking a few cabins soon too.

 hoping to do a nice long drive as well.  top of the world over into the Yukon Territory and back through Whitehorse and perhaps a little side trek to Haines.  hmm...

 those are the summer ideas...along with the usual romps to Seward/Homer and Valdez. 

 after the sunset i headed back to look for owls.  this guy was on a post.  the birders/photographers had mostly left.

 the two owls from here and potters look pretty different as far as colors but that could be age or sex i think.

 better get some sudafed and hit the sack soon. hopefully, i feel better in the morning. 

 will the corona thing be bigger or over by the summer...? no idea.

 being in healthcare, you do have to be aware of such things.  we get exposed to all kinds of stuff. this virus can last on surfaces for 9 days they say.  that is a long time.  the latest i've heard is it came from bats probably, most likely in the place that was doing illegal sales of animals.  new information is always coming out.

 sorry, the spell check seems to have been removed from blogger.  all of this could just disappear i guess one day.  that would be a bummer for me...i will disappear too so i guess it would just be part of that process.  ashes to ashes, dust to dust i guess.

 the colors often turn more vibrant after the sun has actually gone down

 stopped to enjoy those post sunset drives as i headed home

 i am a socially awkward freak some times.  not sure how that happened. maybe i just never learned the skills you were supposed to learn. i was always a misfit in social settings.  the wall flower, the one forgotten....you would think you would get used to it.  there are times as well that i prefer to avoid social settings so even when invited it can be difficult to get myself to engage.  that strange balance of wanting to be included and actually showing up. we are all freaks in our own way.  all we can hope really is that there are some out there who don't find us too intolerable. who find our quirks not too off putting.

 i think we all just want to feel included and accepted.  i suspect that many of us try and fail more than we succeed.  some just make it look so easy, all that social stuff. i am often in awe and a little jealous of those with social skills like that...

thankful for A.  those who don't find me too  strange and include me despite my quirks  B. wildlife sightings. i never tire of them.  C. peaceful sleep, snuggled up with the pups and the cat.  good night.