Happy 4th of July...now 5th i guess.

 worked the last 3 nights so didn't really get my 4th started very early.  not really any sort of 4th of July festivities. i have not heard any fireworks/fire crackers this year.  they were banned and i'm starting to think perhaps most people obeyed that law this year.  you'd have to wait until 1 am here anyway for fireworks to be seen.  it's 1 am.....i think i just heard some.  hmm...

 these are all flowers from Denali National Park trek.

 fireworks are said to have started the big fire out in Willow.  i guess the only thing i did do was watch the mens segment of the Mount Marathon Race out in Seward on TV.  much less crowded that way.  the pro circuit European racers, a couple, took first in both the mens and the womens races.  they both broke the records previously set. i think the one guy doing the play by play on the race was kind of bummed.  once it gets international will it lose it's small town Alaskan feel?

 when they interviewed the guy who won, he seemed like a really nice and gracious guy.  like he enjoyed the race, found it challenging and fun.  he had much good to say about how the race is run and the crowds that attend it.  the 18 year old girl from Alaska who is getting a lot of press for her running of late, took second.  can't complain about that...WOW is all i can say..impressive kid in that one!

 i did 2 nights in ER and then the middle night i was a sitter in PCU.  basically i got paid to watch tv most of the night.  guy wasn't too bad.  had to jump a few times to keep from getting pee'd on, but other than that, can't complain.

 seems like i tend to not get put in the adult icu as much in the summers, the travelers seem to be there more than me.  i believe i'm just more versatile than others.  the ER seems to welcome me.  first night was super busy down there and i was supposed to do holds...never had more than a couple though and they got rooms.  ended up just floating around and putting out fires and cleaning up, i know from midnight to 7 am i put in 4 miles of walking.  had to have gotten another 1-2 miles before midnight.

 last night wasn't as busy but still steady.  they actually put me in the Acute area for the last 4 hours.  it's rare that i get put there.  think i did ok though.  i think they don't put me there because i'm float pool and i suspect some of the regular crew would not like a float pool person being put there before them.  lots of new staff down there right now though, they have travelers they are putting in the acute area, i worked with one of those.  ER is fun most of the time.  crew is cool.

 Blossom and i hit the bog and today University Lake.  twice this week, the main parking lot had cops blocking it, once when i drove by en route to work and then again today.  looked like a homeless person down today.  no idea what happened the other day.

 it was Rio's 11th Birthday today.  i tried to get her to come, but i think she'd noted a few rain drops last time she'd been out and wasn't budging from the couch.  such a silly dog.  she did get some ham for her birthday so she seemed good with that.

 only tossed Blossoms toy out once when i saw a beaver swimming near the shore.  i got  Blossom out and put her on her leash.  the beaver can be aggressive.  this one then swam about 20-30 feet off shore back and forth slapping it's tail.  i took that as a sign that the beaver wasn't in a good mood.

 just kept Blossom on leash after that.  later a few beavers were pretty close to another area so i just sat and watched them for a bit.  busy indeed.  they might not be so crabby if they would stop working and relax..haha.

 always cruise the walrus cam and see if i can see anything fun.  this evening a pair of fox were jumping around on the beach near the walrus.  a few times they were sneaking up closer to the walrus and then jumped and ran when a walrus moved.  they went back to jumping around the rocks.

 fourth of July as a kid often meant a trek to Lacey Park for a picnic and fireworks show.  maybe not often.  seems we went a few times anyway.  i'm sure a few times we were out in Laguna.  bbq or KFC were generally on the menu.  other than sparklers that we held i don't remember my family doing much as far as home fireworks shows.  my mom was never keen on fire though.

 Jornet, that is the guy who won today.  he was named the Nat Geo adventurer of the year in 2014. he's only 27 but has made quite the name for himself.  he flew up Denali Mountian, a feat he accomplished in 11 hours total.  his girlfriend Emelie Forsberg beat out Allie Ostrander in the womens run.  they didn't mention how skilled his girlfriend was in running.  he seems to take the limelight as the athlete but clearly she has some talent as well.

 lunching in Denali.

  a guy in Haines killed a bear and her 3 cubs....they were getting into his trash.  he is being charged as this did not meet the requirement of defense of life or property.  he hadn't stowed his trash. gotta be careful, basically it's like he set up a  bait station with his trash.

 FOMO-fear of missing out.  i think my niece mentioned this when she was here.  i hadn't heard it before. we all have it i think.  an article was speaking specifically of Alaska and summer.  when it's nice out and the sun is out, we feel we must be out.  doesn't matter if we have other things we should do, we go out so we don't miss out. i think it's why when winter does start to show signs of coming i almost feel a wee bit of relief.  i can relax or lay about at home...the same can happen on a rainy day for me.  an excuse to just be lazy.

 being outside is good for your brain and overall well  being..they continue to do studies and the end result is this is true....i shall continue to go outside.

 not sure about tomorrow's plans.  was debating a short roadie north or north east to Chicken.  not sure yet...never sure.  if it rains, i may just lay in bed and read for a bit.

 a new Mayor is in town.  welcome to Berkowitz...good riddance to Sullivan.

 we are set for our adventure North....getting excited.  i still need to arrange for Blossom and the cats but Rio is set....so that is a relief.  she's the toughest.

 caribou tracks seen on one of our rambles

 so many flowers. it has made me more aware of the wildflowers on my walks. i think i have always noted them but now i find myself searching them out more rather than just running across them.

 golden eagle.  we saw a few of these while in Denali park.

 Verna takes a closer look at a flower for proper identification.

 wildflowers find the tiniest place to settle in and grow.  the seeds are transported down little creeks or by animals or wind i guess. so many ways.

 scenery along the way

 wild poppies

 pink plumes

 milk vetch

 this one is a lousewort of some sort.

 more poppies!!  love poppies!!

 and another louswort.

 i think this one below is wintergreen...i need my flower expert!!

 may not help that it's 2 am now. no doubt a wee bit sleep deprived.  i tend to sleep just 4-5 hours between shifts...so after a stretch i'm no doubt getting behind.  starting to think of tomorrow.  could hike at the palmer hayflats refuge and see what flowers have showed up and then hit the glacier then camp somewhere closer to Glenallen...hmm...or not.  we shall see.  i'll try and let someone know what and when i decide.

 some envy the fact that i can come or go as i please for the most part.  i guess that is a sweet perk to life as i know it.  everyone has their things though.  no life is perfect no matter what others try and convince you of.  most of the time we are all just like each other, we put our best selves out there so it's easy to forget that each of us also has some sadness, or loneliness or doubts and fears.

 being outside for me keeps those at bay.

 seems to be working for Verna too.  :-)  best turn in and make an attempt at some sort of weekend tomorrow.

thankful for: 1.  a job that pays, gives me time off and is rewarding in that there is always room to give more and make a positive impact on those around you.  2. Rio...she is 11 now...amazing!  3.  Blossom for letting me work on her coat today. she is not keen on getting a good brushing but she needed it and looks all pretty now.