Bear in the woods, moose in the woods and a whole lot of mushrooms!!

 ok so this was my bear sighting.  not too scary!!

 these are from my walks the past few days.  went to north bivouac, campbell lake loop in kincaid and then back to campbell airstrip for a walk.  liked this guy fishing with his little dog..how cute is that?

 i'm feeling more like myself and in a better place.  needed to take a mental day off from WARIS as much as i can these days. so yesterday other than look at emails and stuff i just let it go.

 the crew is off the island and there isn't anything i can do about that right now.  hoping that people behave if they are out there or near there and don't take advantage and spook or disturb the walrus...or kill any of them.

 took Rio along all week  as i was going slow with my knee anyway.  gave me a chance to slow down and look at all the mushroom activity going on. not sure why i go so nuts for mushrooms every year.  there is such a variety and they grow and change so fast....it's just cool.

 my knee overall feels better. now just a wee bit stiff and swollen.  my flexibility has improved greatly and the pain has decreased.  today i didn't wear a knee wrap thing and last night i didn't ice it.

 i'm all about trying to allow my body to heal itself.  in general i believe your body will if you treat it right.  moving is good but i don't want to push it.

 was hoping to take a road trip and i may go tomorrow afternoon if my knee is continuing to improve.  not too keen on being in a tent or in the back of the car trying to sleep with a sore knee.  i'm a wimp.

 had found some of my older WARIS to do lists and many of the boxes have been checked off, which is great. it just means i needed to redo the list and get cracking on the new one.  it's funny how i get myself stuck at times.  like i want to get all these bumper stickers made and then you are like how many...then the idea of 500 or more stickers makes me pause...omg that is a lot of stickers...it's a commitment thing.

 the news in the world seems to just keep getting worse. i find i skim over the articles about all the war and hate that seems to be building on this earth.  it can't be long before it all spills over and impacts us all more and more.

 walking and taking pictures of the mushrooms and enjoying my dogs brings me peace.

 focus needs to be on trying to see if the federal government would be willing to pitch in and help our walrus or take over.  wrote a short note to usfws just to see if it leads me anywhere.  need to talk to people in DC and see if they can make any moves in that direction on our behalf and Katie is looking over what we would need to do in order to request the Walrus Islands Sanctuary become a national sanctuary rather than a state one.

 Bob pointed out that this alone may spur those in our government to want to do something as many states rights people abhor the idea of giving anything over to the feds.  i hadn't really thought of that.

 i'll have to smooth over ruffled feathers with my contact who was confused about my thinking politics are involved...i can sometimes speak my opinions without really thinking of the consequences of such.  better to keep the peace, even if means a little political bullshitting of my own.  maybe i can find a ted talks about how to not always have to say what you are thinking.  haha!! like that will ever happen.

 went out last night at sunset and went moose spotting past pt worzonoff.  my friend sandra showed up out there as well.  she lives close by and she loves to go out there. a few bull moose sightings.  how can i ever get bored of my moose sightings.  lots of tourists head over there to check that moose sighting off their list. i had no idea.  heard one saying the locals must think they are nuts...but there were locals there too.  not just me.  we love our wildlife and beautiful views.  it's why we live here....i should have taken pamphlets and gotten donations.  haha.

 saw one moose yesterday out walking with the dogs...actually i don't think Rio joined us yesterday come to think of it.  i've stayed to fairly flat trails.

 stayed up late again last night.  another week of not really flipping over much.  i watched, "our idiot brother" i think that is what it's called.  he trusts everyone and is actually kind, he just gets them in trouble for their bad behaviour because he just says  stuff...i can relate to that. maybe i'm the idiot sister.

 hoping i can get to the walrus meeting that i am hearing will probably happen in Dillingham late summer, early fall.  it really depends on when i hear a date and what my work schedule is and all that.  this walrus biologist implored me to go.  i think people forget that WARIS is not a paid job and that i actually have a paid job and my own bills to pay.  as much as i'd love to do all these things, there will be a limit at times.  i shall try though. i do realize it's important to meet with people face to face.

 may have to go clothes shopping though.  any body out there have fashion skills and could help me shop?  i only know how to dress for camping/kayaking and hiking anymore.

 love all the folds on the underside of mushrooms

 a few leaves are trying to hasten fall.  i'm not ready for that yet.  want to get another green trip in first.

 met up with scott and bob tonight for a little meal and laughter.  scott is in town.  they have bought a house in Hawaii though so not sure how often we will be able to visit with him in the future.  may have to go to hawaii and visit.  it will be a great sacrifice, but i think we all may be willing.

 not sure where next years trip will take us.  he wants to wait on Iceland.  there are so many places i still haven't been to in Alaska yet.

 still haven't gotten to Kennicott or St Elias park, want to hit Barrow and St Lawerence Island and of course Kaktovik to see Polar Bears would be cool.

 next summer i may find myself out on Round Island watching over the walrus...we shall see.

 the climbing season on Denali should be done by now...or for the most part anyway. i guess earlier there was a guy from Spain who climbed to the top and back down  in 12 hours.  crazy. don't have to pack as much though i guess if you book it.

 so many cool shrooms and i haven't even gotten my macro out.  there are tons of tiny shrooms out there. i'll have to make a trek to Girdwood.  i always find some gems out there.

 my yard continues to grow out of control.  i went to Sears yesterday all set to buy a real mower and then i just stood there and stared at all the machines lined up.  it occurred to me that i have never in my life used anything other than a push mower.  when i was a kid my brothers did all the mowing.  i do seem to recall my dad always bought his mowers used and it seems like they never worked quite right.  a source of constant annoyment to all.

 so the lawn continues to grow out of control and i have not purchased a mower yet.

 there is my cute girl.

 todays walk she apparently did not approve of my trail route choice and kept stopping.  she just wanted to play in the creek.  such a silly.

 Rio was happy to wade into the creek as well.  they are easy going pups.

 like how this mushroom found it's growth stunted by this felled stick

 not sure which if any of these are edible. i actually don't eat mushrooms..i only take pictures of them

 sometimes they grow in big clusters.

 these ones always look like pasties to me.

 here is a little wood frog.  we don't have much of a amphibian or reptile population in these parts...actually, i think he may be it.  this guy has adapted to load his cells with sugar, burrow into the mud and much in fall and freeze with the earth.  he then re-animates in the spring and hops away.

 saw this gal on the trails out North Bivouac.  pretty moose. no baby seen with her.  just chilling on her own out there.  she is sure checking us out though.  i didn't stay long as she started lumbering towards me

 more signs of fall.

 a last shot of mushrooms

 the rest are of this big bull moose at dusk past point worzonof.

 good looking moose except for his unsightly raised and red bumps on his hindquarters.

 low light shots with a moose on the move aren't always my specialty

 you can see his bumps a bit in this one.i think these were the best of the bunch

another summer day is coming to an end.  boo hoo.  thankful for 1.  my knee feeling a bit better 2.  a new and improved outlook on life 3.  blue skies coming from the grey