slept in but got out to Hatchers pass anyway...

 saw this herd on my way down from Independence Mine.  they do look pretty cool with those pink clouds...they are not real, well they are probably real, but really stuffed.  there was a group up there moving the 7-8 large stuffed mammals around.  i have no idea what they were doing up there or what would possess someone to haul 7-8 stuffed full sized animals up to Independence mine, but there it is.  life is strange...that is what makes it whimsical!!

 rio opted out for todays events. i did not encourage her otherwise.  i for sure think she is feeling better with her lump exploded and part of me thinks if i just let it go she would probably heal up from the inside out, she'll go in monday though for a lumpectomy and hopefully all will go well for her with that.  for my part i will have to awaken super early to get her to the vet.

 lots of people around gold mint trail and independence mine, but mostly just at the trailheads or on snow machines headed another direction.  did hear one siren as i hiked out gold mint and when i got back there was all sorts of activity in the parking lot.  rescue type of vehicles. when i got up to independence there were signs about rescue training and loads of folks near the parking area..looked like avalanche training.  was the activity in these parking lots related...no idea.

 hiked past the 1 mile marker at gold mint trail.  the trail was pretty pocked up.  you had to stay right on this trail that was probably less than a foot wide.  if you stepped off you would post hole down a good 3-4 feet at least.  felt a bit like walking a tightrope or a balance beam.  i'm not very graceful.  passing people was interesting.  someone always dropped in as there wasn't enough room for everyone plus dogs.  of course the dogs are mostly light enough to float on top of the snow.

 the buildings are out buildings related to the old mine site. it's been preserved.  great views from up there and they now keep the trails groomed nicely for cross country skiing.  that trail was in great shape.  maybe a little crust on the top of it, but i walked the distance from the parking lot to the mine without any issues.  not sure how long that walk is, i'd guess over a mile at least one way.

 once you were out of the parking area there weren't many folks on the main trail. you could see people scattered out on their ski's and such, snow machines were off in the distance.  a few sledders, snow boarders...hatchers is well used in the winters.

 other than the stuffed beasts i didn't see any wildlife.

 well birds of course.

 the light was so beautiful up there, i know my pictures do not do it justice, but looking all around you were snow covered mountains and incredible light and those few wispy clouds.  amazing!!

 loved how the surrounding mountains were reflected back in all the little window panes.

 you can see another mountains shadow on this mountain.

 listened a bit to NPR as i drove out there.  for a bit they were talking about how we all have these inner conversations with ourselves.  things we want to do but somehow our own selves seem to keep us from achieving those things that we want to accomplish and so often we bargain with ourselves or make deals with ourselves to accomplish this.  a pair of elderly women were talking about smoking.  they hadn't seen each other for years and when they did see each other the one lady commented to the other something like "you're still smoking? nobody smokes anymore".

 even though she never said another word it really bothered the woman who was smoking, it was like in her head her friend kept harping on it even though she'd really only made the one comment.

 finally the woman told her friend she was going to quit.  she told her friend that if she smoked even one cigarrette in the next 5 years her friend was to donate the smokers $5000.00 to the KKK.  the idea of her money going to such a heinous group such as the KKK made her quit smoking cold turkey and never go back.

 another guy was a writer and he was having a tough time getting a book finished.  apparently, he finally decided that he had 10 days to finish the book or commit suicide, which he really didn't want to do.  somehow making this outrageous deals with oneself can be helpful in getting the one self to make the other self quit procrastinating.  the writer who wrote, "eat, love, pray" was talking about how she had learned from another writer to talk to the book she was writing..like talking to the creative gods of the universe i guess.

 whatever works i guess. i could use that, though i won't be donating any money to the kkk or even threatening it or suicide.  i'll have to think of some sort of unpleasantness that i would wish to avoid to make myself sit down and write on one of my novels for 2 hours every week. any ideas?

 see here they are setting up all these sheep

 these are from the drive out to the valley.

 could not believe there was no snow on the ground in the flats...none!!  guess this warming spell has gone on longer than it usually does.

 no dripping heard out there tonight and if for sure feels colder tonight.

 a few from gold mint...not a lot of photo ops out there today, always pretty though. love that trail

 here is the mile marker.  soon after i passed this the trail got super pocked up.  it may have improved shortly after that, who knows, but i turned around.  i try to be sensible as i walk alone a lot and don't generally follow the cardinal rule of letting someone know where i'm off to.  of course, there often are clues in the blog as to where i'm thinking of going.

 when i first started the blog it was so that i could write where i was headed...i'm thinking one could easily surmise from the blog the usual places i do go.

 liked the light on this one

 this kinda shows how crappy the trail is/was.

 the valley rescue crew congregate at the trailhead.

 nobody looked too stressed out which makes me think they may have been involved with the rescue training operation up the road.

 the activities at the end of the road reflected back from my window.

 the rest i think are up at independence mine.  had fun up there.  blossom just goes along with whatever i do.  she's quite accommadating.

 on that NPR show they also spoke of an alcohol treatment in Russia.  apparently, you can get an implant of medication, can't recall what the med was, anyway, they say if you drink alcohol with this tic tac sized implant in place you will die.  right before they implant it they give you a drop just to let you know how potent the medicine is.

 apparently, it won't actually make you die, but it will make you feel like crap.  another mind over matter method to tricking your other selves to comply with what your one self wants.

 another case of a brain dead individual.  these cases are playing out.  it is good that there is interest and discussion is happening on these cases.

 this one is quite different than the 13 year old, for all we all know that girl is still on a vent in an undisclosed location. no word.  hopefully, the quiet will allow the family to come to grips with the reality of their situation and let their daughter go with some peace and dignity...it may be too late for that i guess in some ways.  

 it is just her body though so i just have to remind myself that in the end, they can do whatever they want with her body shell, that is all it is.  she can't suffer since she is brain dead.  still these cases do bring to light questions that i do believe are important for our society to ask.

 the other case is in Texas.  they apparently have a law that states a hospital cannot remove life support for a pregnant female.  she is to be kept on life support in order to save the fetus.  the husband and parents of a young female are the ones asking for the support to be terminated and the hospital is refusing as they feel they are complying with texas state laws.  the woman was found down at home, presumably of a clot, when the fetus was only 14 weeks along.  the woman and her husband were both paramedics and have discussed end of life issues with each other.  he and her parents are all sure she would not wish this.  they are also very concerned that the fetus is abnormal given this loss of oxygen in those early weeks of pregnancy.

 it's a bit confusing as the hospital seems to admit that the woman is brain dead but have not declared her actually dead yet?  anyway, the judge ruled that she is dead according to state law and as a corpse her family has every right to ask the machines be removed.  the hospital is now debating their response.  a time of monday at 5 pm has been given for removal of the machines.  i think the fetus is now over 20 weeks as this has gone on for some time now. i suspect that at first the woman wasn't brain dead and now that she is officially brain dead the family is ready to push this issue.

 liked this one below.  love these old buildings.  i really need to get to kennicott mines and see the old buildings there this summer. haven't ever gotten out there.

 rio is snoring as usual.

 liked both of these as well.  the light and background above and the mountain light reflected in the windows.

 selfie of blossom and i.

 this guy flew past me..off into the sunset he goes.

 a young guy was found dead in his car.  they had a photo of him with his cat, ninja.  the cat apparently would go hiking with him. sad story.  hope they find out who did this to the poor guy.  terrible when bad things happen to good people.

 a veterinarian imaging center is opening in anchorage.  mri's and ct's for cats and dogs.  probably spendy. veterinarian medicine has become much more sophisticated since i was a vet tech years ago.

 watched "the odd life of timothy green" while i loaded the pictures from today.  strange flick.  okay, not one i'd watch over and over.  they made the parents too annoying, sorry jennifer garner.

 the snow level seems pretty high.  the area is popular for snowboarders.  as i was stopped to look at the stuffed sheep and view a truck pulled in with a bunch of youth and their snowboards in the open bed.  all the youth jumped out and then the truck pulled out and drove  back down the hill.  the truck is the tow rope i guess.  there is talk of making official runs and hills and such.  not sure the locals would welcome this idea though, many alaskan's prefer things left wild.  makes for less traffic, only the more adventurous and resourceful get to ski there now

 another day passes, all i got accomplished besides walking was dishes and laundry.  i think i will take a moment after this and get signed on for my permanent fund.  only takes a few minutes usually.

 it's almost tax time as well.

 oh well, i guess i can clean house another day.  really should plan a pool party....that always motivates me...see that is true what they were talking about on NPR.  anytime i really need to clean house i plan a party...that will get me to clean house by a certain deadline or risk having people see my messy abode.

 perhaps i will start by talking to the books i'm writing for assistance with my creative process.  i think for any art form you are expected to be a bit strange, makes you more interesting and artsy.  i talk to myself anyway.  i certainly write to myself all the time.

 it fools me into thinking i have interesting things to say.  even if i'm not invited out anywhere, i can pretend to my other selves that i am interesting and worthy of conversation.

 will leave you with pink skies.  so pretty.  night.