another trek to Homer under my belt...

 seemed easy so i went for it.  always see something new or fun anytime i go.  i stop at various spots along the way.  try to take a new road or check out something different each time i go as well.

 a little rain on the way down there.  stopped in Portage, made a loop at the Conservation center. 

 stopped at the Quartz Creek campground to stretch the legs, then one more stop at beach in Ninilchik before arriving in Homer for the  night.

 these guy didn't come with, but i did miss the cats.  he was happy to get the dog run gate open tonight and the next time i saw him was coming back over the fence. i'll be off on a boat trip tomorrow all day so i'm going to leave the gate open for the dogs..and him.  we shall see.  i left it open the last two nights i was at home, all night. 

 hadn't been at the Ninilchik beach for such a low tide so that was fun.  the low tides in the morning these days was super early 4 and 5 am.  i made it out the first morning by 5:30 am and the second morning i was out there by 5:15.  how did i do that you ask?  a malfunctioning tv in the tiny hotel room and a very loud bald eagle the second morning. i got up before the alarm. it looked pretty out so i headed out.

 i returned both mornings to take an additional nap for a few hours. it was well worth it and i'm hoping it helps me wake up tomorrow morning super early. we are headed to Seward for a super long boat trip looking for whales and whatever else.  going to a bay further out than we've gone before.  fingers crossed always for a bubble net feeding sighting.  still on my hope list, but still unfilled.  some friends were up and they saw this but hadn't seen a grizzly...screw the grizzly...haha. i'd take the bubble feeding any day over a grizzly. 

 can't keep eagle feathers as it's illegal.  can't harass them either, but no matter how often i explain that to Tusker, i must explain it again.  loads of feathers so i collected them for some photo ops.  figured if there was going to be any authorities it would be in a location where charter boats come and go. not worth the risk.  if some tourist braves it and succeeds...what do i care.  they are really pretty big. 

 trying to get myself unpacked and then figure out what i will need for tomorrow.  can get chilly on those boats.  hoping the weather cooperates and the waves aren't bad.  gotta go stick my patch on.  those are good for three days but i think i'll use it for this all day event.  it's 8 hours on the water. we have to be there super early and it's a 2 hour drive. 

 still want to get a fishing trip in as well. maybe my next stretch off.

 on the way home, it was beautiful so i finally drove the Skilak Lake road.  let the dogs take some swims in the lake.  they needed to get the fish smell off their coats anyway.  pretty views.  the fire damage from last year is pretty apparent in this area. i had started to drive it once last year. the fire had moved through but as i drove i saw hot spots and even some flames.  i decided i really shouldn't be out there and turned around. 

 it is a big and beautiful lake.

 yesterday and today were sunny.  my friend wasn't planning to go but as i drove she ended up planning for a night down there. i went flower hunting and watched a pair of Sandhill Cranes with their babies then met her for a walk at low tide at Bishops Beach.  we got take out from Fat Olives.

 i got up early this morning and as i slept she wandered a bit. i left first and she went for a bike ride on the spit.  great to have someone to do things with but also someone that we could both do what we wanted as well.  so we will hope for calm seas and good weather and whales, whales, whales tomorrow.

 covid numbers are up...don't think our hospitalization numbers are too bad here yet.  makes me nervous.  worse is all the fools who refuse to do anything to help prevent spread because they have listened to the idiots who tell them it's no big deal or it's conspiracy this or that, or masks don't work or....so many other idiotic notions. they are keyboard warriors.  one hopes that they scream about it but secretly wear masks and avoid others.  the ages are not generally elderly so i do at least hope those who are older and have co-morbidities are just doing what they need to do no matter what the crazy fools do.

 listened to some ted talks on the way home.  one was talking about how those in China dealt with this as opposed to those in the US. they are used to living in a culture where the needs of the many supercede the needs of the few.  the US is not.  i think they have a long standing respect for elders which i think is pretty absent in our culture.  we have a "not my problem" culture. until it impacts people more directly, they will just look the other way. 

 there is another huge scandal for this administration.  if i ever hear about Benghazi again after this bull....

 trump is trying to say he wasn't briefed on the Russians paying a bounty to Taliban for the death of our soldiers in Afghanistan.  bull.  that is crap.  when i was in college, if i wanted to party all night and skip class, guess what?  i was still responsible for the information covered in class.  just because he hates to read, or listen or can't comprehend or would rather be golfing....he's still the POTUS and so therefore the buck stops with him.  he is responsible.  i'm sure he asked Putin about it and then just took putins word that he didn't do that.  trump really is a puppet of Putins.  he has him right where he wants him and those fool Republicans are too afraid of losing an election to face up to it.

 saw these little guys this morning with their mom.  i was heading to the spit and there was a mist/fog at the float plane lake so i pulled in and was taking pictures when i saw the family.

 the one saw that log and then went into attack mode.  it was adorable.

 this is the mist/fog on the lake below

 as soon as i set my bag down, Covi Kitten climbed on it.  he got a visit this morning i hear. 

 this evening i must say, Miss Breezy Chatterbug has been hanging out downstairs more....i've hoped he would help her gain more confidence to move around the house. 

 big slabs of natural coal on the beach at Ninilchik.

 i stopped at Deep Creek on the way home today.  loads of boats out there.  it was still early.  all the eagles seemed to be on the cliffs as we walked out but on the way back a load of fish guts had been dropped it seems so there was a big group of eagles.  as i drove out, my friend drove in.  we exchanged texts all day.

 part of our evening walk.  she took over tennis ball duty.  i know i did loads of steps but my fit bit had logged me out so i have no record for a week i think at least.

 the dogs are tired...which is good, i think i can leave them guilt free tomorrow. Ivy is showing more signs of hip issues. i'll have to get an appointment.  she takes her glucosomine and hopefully that helps some.

 not really keen on a major surgery.

 hopefully, medications will be enough to keep her more comfortable.

 sunrise yesterday above and this morning below.

 this is from my first night i think.

 the sun is up but still great color.  this was at the spit.  i only saw one sad sea star...it only had 3 limbs and looked like it was about the end of the road. 

 this is Kenai Lake i think, quartz creek campground day area.

 a nice stop for the pups.

 we also took a walk at Everling?  it's a great place to see wildflowers . there was a sign that there had been a grizzly with 3 cubs...i didn't notice that the date of sighting was over a week before i arrived. i would have been less concerned had i read the sign more closely.

 great light at times.

 the lupine were in full swing and many other flowers were also blooming. so pretty

 raining in Portage but we had a good walk there as well.

 i think i have lots of sand all over me.  the dogs shake and their coats are good collectors. good to get them into Skilak Lake to get some of the ocean off.

 i kept no feathers but took lots of photo's.  i'll have to look at those when i get back from tomorrow's boat trip....where hopefully, i'll have even more photos to look at.

 we won't linger in Seward i'm sure after we get back.  i'll have to plan more treks out there.  that is this summer.  lots of little mini vacations. 

 this state has plenty to offer even if you stay close to home.

 loved all these red flowers.  they were often in the ditches along  the road.

 i better get myself ready for tomorrow and hit the bed so i can wake up early.  eek!! 

 perhaps i can finally take a day to catch up on the newspaper reading. 

 will sleep great tonight i suspect

thankful for a. all the amazing beauty of this place.  b. furs and friends to hang with.  c. cool sightings like those moose and a black bear on my skilak drive today...and the eagles.