wildflowers are starting to go nuts...so much fun!!

 woke up right before the alarm that i set for myself so i wouldn't spend the whole day in bed after working past 2 nights. i suspect i woke earlier as a neighbor is getting his roof done.  they are supposed to give us an estimate to do our collective roofs here at my place.  chatted with neighbors today and my connected neighbor was good with the idea of getting an additional estimate before we commit

 Rio again insisted on joining us for a walk so we did a bog loop for her and then snuck out and ended up at Palmer Hayflats Refuge.  was looking at the wild iris situation out that way.  often stop at this little pull out (unofficial) right before the Eklutna exit heading South.i really didn't see the usual iris craziness there yet so i ended up going to the refuge.  we took this side trail and it led us to many wildflowers. the iris are just getting started...as are most of the wildflowers.

 the wild roses were going nuts.

 super pretty day and all that light...i was out walking until after 7pm and then i was actually pretty tired.  that lack of sleep thing tends to catch up with you.

 had some excitement in the bog this afternoon.  thought i saw some baby ducklings so i went off the main trail to check it out.  soon i had all these magpies dive bombing me.  i soon discovered the cause of their distress....well me of course, but there was a little fledgling magpie in front of me on the trail.  not quite ready to fly.  not sure it's story but i did get a cute photo before ducking and booking and thus returning peace to the bog.

 dandelions are actually really pretty.  it's easy to forget that since they tend to grow where you would rather they not.  i am also told they are great eating and have seen a black bear going to town on them.

 got the macro lens out again...flowers was really one of the reasons i got the macro.  it's a fun lens though.

 the refuge is right by the Knik River so lots of great views.

 saw a cool hawk out there but it was too far away and i the macro wasn't any use for that shot anyway.  guess it could have been a falcon as well.  it was smallish and light brown from what i could tell.

 love these...shooting stars.  these were going like crazy out there.

 Blossom got some tennis ball time, water time, mom time and roll in the tall grass time...so all in all a good day for Blossom

 Rio is doing great it seems.  walking slow but improving.  eating well, doing all the right stuff.  she is a bit overly needy at this time, refuses to take peanut butter snack quietly when we try to leave her for a second walk...i try to just settle her and then just go now.  she can't do that much or strenuous hikes...she couldn't even before surgery. i'm sure i push her too hard at times...poor dog...i've been letting her dictate our pace on our Rio walk, but i do have to leave her behind sometimes and it would be helpful if she would cooperate!

 her walk does seem to have worn her out sufficiently and i hear a light snoring coming from downstairs.  once i'm home she does settle down and rests. she is for sure thin so i try to give her small snack meals to help  increase her weight. of course, Blossom thinks that anytime Rio eats, she should.

 had a great time just enjoying the sight and smell of all these flowers.

 there were quite a few off these Dr Seuess type flowers as well. alaska cotten it's called.  guess that makes sense.

 gotta bone up on my flowers. i have my copy of the guide book out here. it's by Verna Pratt and she will be our guide on our wildflower class in Denali next weekend.  V will have the pups.

 hope they aren't any trouble for her.

 work was work.  got an on call my first night.  never got called in which i was surprised about.  the next night i ended up moving around quite a bit.  really just a sitter all night in different units.  keeps it interesting though.  also good for bonus points.  people assume you are distraught at switching units 3x in one night...since they really wouldn't want to do it themselves...so you get those points for being flexible.

 my last night i was in the icu in heart land.  nice enough older guys. they can keep you busy. one of them told me i had nice teeth and the other told me i'd make some man a good wife.  at this stage of life one must take any compliment that comes your way...they are often few and far between. especially compliments where i am actually recognized as being a female being.  i mostly feel invisible to the opposite sex at this stage.

 love that commercial where this girl walks up to guys and does idiotic things because she is sure that men don't see her, that she is invisible...but then i guess they do.  it's cute

 can't believe how fast solstice is coming up.  yikes...!! the summer is just getting started.  will need to venture out and enjoy all that i can while we still have light.

 continuing with plans for our trip to Barrow.  arranging a tour and seeing if a boat is even a possible option.  would be fun.

 we chilled out here by the water for awhile this evening. look at these views, we would have been a fool not to.  bugs weren't bad at all today.

 seems like they still don't have the main beach cam back up out on Round Island.  seems like everyone is enjoying the views st 1st/1st prime beach though.  much rockier and a little cove so i think you can see them playing in the water and climbing over the big rocks.

 the walrus had a spook today so they showed classic behaviour of being startled. head raise and then moving off beach quickly. you can see how they could get hurt or hurt other walrus in their panic to get back to the water.

 a co-worker that moved to Nome apparently posted a few pics of a walrus found on the Nome beaches with it's head cut off and then it looked like the skull was cut out.  hope they are investing that.  it could have been a walrus that died naturally and then had skull removed after but honestly it's more likely  a poaching situation.

 there was also a report in the news today that up to 15 stellar sea lions were killed illegally.  there are some pretty bad people out there.  such a waste.  they were just dead on the beach i guess.  it makes no sense.

 my other neighbor has just doubled her family size.  was chatting with her as well today..suns out so you tend to catch up with neighbors here.  she and her husband have 2 daughters and now it looks like they will be taking on her sisters two young boys.  drugs...jail.  so sad for the boys to have had a rough start.  hopefully, she can make this permanent as she is hoping to and spare the boys more turmoil in their young lives.

 you do what you have to do i guess, but it is always amazing how people step in and just do what is the right thing, despite personal sacrifice involved.  i got the impression she has seen this as a possibility for some time and really didn't seem to surprised or hesitant...hope all goes well for them...the world needs more people who are willing to step up for these kids lost to so many drug addicts.  drugs and alcohol really take the bite out of many young lives.

 always sad to watch all these young adults funnel through our ER seeming to just throw away their lives and the people that used to matter to them all for drugs and alcohol.

 so many just don't end well.

 the remains of a Kenai family and their dog that went missing last year have been found. looks like a murder/suicide...the boyfriend.  so many times it's the new boyfriend.

 Blossom out enjoying the water...cool and refreshing on this "hot" summer day!!

 mud around these places and i'm sure i was coated it it!!

 the Dalton highway is apparently open again.  lots of damage this spring with the melt.

 the battle continues to get Alaska's big mountain renamed to Denali...Ohio is once again renewing it's fight against that...they want to keep it named after a guy who was President who hailed from Ohio, but i don't believe ever even set foot in Alaska.

 of course it seems like a silly battle right now considering how little our government is getting accomplished of real stuff that impacts lives. i'm all for the name change but it does get ridiculous watching those who hold office seem to be incapable of compromise or fixing issues at all.

 Blossom enjoys rolling in the grass...always a pleasure!

 our little wood frogs seem to be at risk.  we don't have much for amphibians in Alaska and the little frog we have up here are being found dying off.  they survive alaska by basically freezing through winter and re-animating in the spring...they still may be no match for the warming trends and pollution it is looking like anyway.

 it is getting late...what to do tomorrow.  may end up not camping out but just trying for a longer day trip and leave Rio behind.  i'd like to drive out to the Matanuska Glacier...a day trip, it could work.

  more wild flowers...so pretty.

 supposed to be lovely all week!!  yeah!  first little trip comes up next weekend.  i have vacation this week.  i'll have to stop by work and put my PTO in the computer so i get paid.

 the reflections were so beautiful!!  stunning really.

 i go a little nuts with pretty reflection shots...

 and of course, some lupine!!

grateful for: Rio cont to heal and wanting to walk...she is an inspiration!!  food.  so many people at work are cutting out this or that.  happy i can enjoy a variety of foods... wildflowers...beautiful to see and smell