grouse in the woods today...

 they can scare the crap out of you as you think some bear is flying through the brush at you, then you see it's just a family of grouse. this pair flew up and away from their young one.  my brother called right at that moment so i let it go to voice mail and took some pictures then called him back and chatted as i watched them for a bit.  while i chatted the baby crossed the trail and headed to it's folks, reunited.  they are pretty birds.

 don't think i made it to the trail until nearly 2pm.  ran into a friend from the trails so we chatted for a bit, Jillian.  told her about WARIS.  she helped get a lot of the local trails and natuaral areas of Anchorage designated for recreation...and she is not a young squirt but could easily out walk me...she's a hero of mine.  she doesn't know it but those are always the cool people i want to emulate.

 my morning was a lot of email exchanges back and forth.  JM and i seem to email quite a bit.  he's my guy in fish and game.  i trust him. i trusted him from the first time i spoke to him. i tend to run stuff through him.

 i'd asked about those growth looking things on the backs of moose legs that i always see so he forwarded my email to JC, our local wildlife expert.  she let me know that those were from moose flies....looks painful.  poor moose.

 DVL responded to my email so that was good. always best to be the one who just sucks it up and backs off a bit.  you get more flies with honey, right?  i think this KT is working out to possibly be a good go between and he knows the system and the language.  he wants to meet with me on Thursday.  so i'll meet.

 of course, i had to laugh to myself as in my days of past when a man wanted to meet me for coffee, it had nothing to do with walrus.  man how my life has changed.  now no man wants to meet me for coffee unless it's to talk about walrus.  what to wear...haha

 i may have to figure out how to dress more professional, but frankly with my time, energy and cash going out to WARIS they will just have to deal with me in hiker wear.  could wear scrubs.

 so we've been emailing back and forth quite a bit today as well.

 here are more of my birds.

 then i did make a few successful phone calls.  actually left messages and got return calls back to back.

 one from my US Capitol friend.  i still find it funny that my caller ID says US Capitol when he calls.  he seems to be on board with wanting to help though i know they are trying to win an election so quite busy, so i do appreciate him taking time to contact me and chat.  as he said it's been well over 20 years since he made his trip to Round Island but it's not a place that you easily forget.  once you have been there it really gets into your heart and soul.

 it's not surprising to me how many people who have gone are willing to work to help this place.

 so we are all working on options and possibilities. hopefully we can find a way to mix fed and state funds and get the place watched over next summer and the summer after.  i fear this may become an annual event, trying to fund round island.  we may need to look at other options for it eventually.

 seems the native group in Bristol Bay may be able to assist and Sealife Center may also be able to raise funds.

 spoke with the director of the Sealife center today.  she was super nice and we actually chatted quite some time.  (above is the bog by my house) anyway, they try to not associate themselves with advocacy groups and instead focus on  science and education which i understand.  they try to avoid politics. as an advocacy group we will be miring ourselves in the thick of it from time to time.  i think i was able to let her know some benefits to having trained staff out there so i think the call was helpful for us both.  she noted my name and she had liked our facebook page within an hour of us talking.

 i need to get our mission statement better memorized.  may just write it out on my page that i created with questions i can look over when i'm on these phone calls.  i'm not great at cold calls and i think having that near did help..it will take some time for me to improve, but you never learn by not doing things.

 this is from the local dog park, University Lake.  that place is always mired in politics as well it seems.

 sorry to rattle on about WARIS today.  that was really the largest part of my day today.  some days it's like that.  i think i put in close to 5 hours of my day today.

 spent some time looking up all the legislators of our state. i vote but i don't really follow politics very much. a lot to learn about how the system works and how the various systems work that take care of our lands and animals.  we were discussing the possibility of applying for federal sanctuary status for the Walrus Islands. i see WARIS as a place to try and pull it all together.

 our legislature is composed mostly of white male republicans.  there is only one native, which seems pretty sad. there is a handful of females, one is a democrat, the rest republican.  stuff i just never noticed before

 the leaves are slowly changing. soon the rapid change will take us into fall.

 JM was talking about me meeting with he and EW next week, he mentioned the date and this month is nearly halfway over...WHAT!!

 my knee was feeling pretty great this morning and there were several times on the walk that i didn't even remember that it had been sore, then when i was nearly back felt some increased pain.  been back on the ice off and on today.

 hadn't taken any ibruprofen for nearly 48 hours.  think i just did too much too soon.  hoping this goes away on it's own.  i have a family history of bad knees though.  of course that was with brothers who played a lot of basketball, but i hike so i'm sure i've put some stress on my knees over the years as well.

 was really hoping to take a roadie this stretch off, but i think i need to just forget that and rest.  i had even started to pack today.  was thinking i'd walk Blossom and then just book.

 instead i chilled with Miss Rio on the couch.  she is a good snuggler though.

 had maddie for a few days last week. she and Rio are doing mad libs here. i had bought her the jumbo book of mad libs...tanya may have been stuck doing dozens of mad libs on the flight to Maine.  hehe!!

 this is at little campbell lake (old local name beer can lake-changed for obvious reasons)

 love these shrooms

 these are lichens below

 Blossom has been worn out a few times even though i've been moving very slowly with my knee.

 North Bivouac.  still very green

 no bear sightings though i did see one moose out there.

 still some bugs but i think the numbers are starting to decrease.  they aren't making me too nuts of late.

 Blossom settled into these ponds...which are totally gross and stinky.  such a cute girl.  you can barely make her out down there.

 sad day in one way.  actor/comedian Robin Williams passed away.  sadly he was lost to suicide.  always such a sad waste.  that depression can really beat a person up.  i think he's also battled the bottle, but it may have been his way of coping with his depression.  a not effective way sadly.  was just very sad to hear the news today.

 she seems happiest when she is stinky.  how can you not allow a little stink time.

 Blossoms selfie with a bull moose at point Worzonof.

 sunset the other day out there.  i think tonights was lovely as well.  i was chilling on the couch with Rio and my ice bag.

 my night was capped off with some tasty Gewurztraminer!!  it's really my favorite white wine.  i am usually more of a red wine person, unless it's Gewurztraminer...that is the best!!  so i am relaxed at this moment.

 these look pretty similar i guess.  it was a lovely night.

 thankful for...1...all the great contacts out there, hopefully together we can make a difference for some cool walrus i know.  2...my grouse sighting...always love fun pictures like those today 3...my chat with my brother...we had some rough days as kids, but as adults...i sure love that guy!!