the Bus...well not really "The" bus...a bus.

 finishing up the last of my Valdez trip and starting on the flowers.  lots of flowers and then i can catch up with all the day to day fun of my life...hikes and day trips.  always fun.  gotta enjoy every bit of summer this place has to offer...soon it will be mushrooms and then the dark and cold will settle in again...

 but lets not think of that yet.  Barrow is all set up except the dog care...that is generally the most stressful part of planning any trips.  will see if shell will take Rio and then look for someone for the rest of the crew.  fingers crossed.

 at least i took these flowers in color and not black and white.  hehe.  below is lupine

 and i now know this is Eskimo Potato.  it wasn't to be capitalized.  not that am always good at doing that.  today, after a late start, i did make my way to Seward eventually.  it's more about the drive then the actual destination though the dogs both do love the beach there.

 the weather here was clearing but it was raining off and on in Seward, more on than off.  i actually enjoy the rain once i'm in it.  we stopped in Girdwood to walk on the way out this time.  just a change.  we did the Cross Pass side of Winner Creek.  it's more of a raging river than a creek, but it's all relative up here.

 some kids were "terrified of dogs" or so their parents said.  my dogs were on leash anyway and very well behaved.  i pulled to the side so they could pass and the one kid started freaking out.  a bit silly reaction.  i mentioned that the dog was blind and couldn't even see her so there really wasn't anything to be concerned of.  she finally passed uneventfully.

 a glimpse of the pipeline a few up and then mostly just pretty clouds on the drive back.  i love clouds.

 after the walk, we cruised to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.  i think i got that wrong. anyway.  saw the baby moose which was mostly my goal.  the baby deer and musk ox seemed to be off and away so didn't get a good look at them.  it was feeding time for the bears though so i was there anyway.

 in Seward i went to the Sealife center.  asked if the person who runs it was still there but i think i was too late.  one of these days perhaps we'll meet.  anyway...i enjoyed a stroll through and then headed off to walk with the dogs at Lowell Point.  tide was going out.  there was an otter out feeding and a cormorant...so plenty to entertain us.  then we drove out to Exit Glacier.  the rangers were just packing up to leave...no dogs allowed...probably could walk them there after the rangers left though.  that is after 8 if i remember right

 then back home.  stopped at the pipe for water fills on the way home...also and more importantly. they have replaced the pipe recently so i added a WARIS sticker to it.  got to represent!!

 my brother posted an interesting piece on marriage..for those who believe it's this institution that has remained steadfast for generations.  a few fb friends seem to be just posting all sorts of religious stuff to express their disdain over the Supreme Court ruling.

 anyway it was interesting to read all the major changes that have occurred or partially occurred.  marriage still means different things to different cultures. polygamy still occurs, marriages were apparently initially civil only and then religions got into it.  marriages were and still are in some cases arranged (imposed vs consensual).  marriage been dissoluble has varied. can one divorce or not. in many times/cultures the "wife" was simply property.  most recently womens role has commonly changed from being a dependent and subservient to being that of an equal partner.  not sure i remembered all the variables but just another take on everything being discussed this week.

 on to the flowers....this is a book by Verna Pratt, below signing autographs.

 these are flowers...this may be a close up of an Eskimo Potato...pressure is on now!!

 not going to  be an expert after a weekend. pretty flowers though. :-)  i know more than i did before.  it's at least something to build on.

 getting taught by the master!!  Verna is a self taught botanist.  this actually was nice for me.  she seemed to accept that not everyone has the patience or interest in memorizing all the scientific names.  i think she was just happy to be able to get more people interesting in looking at the flowers around them and not just the big animals and tall mountains.

 in the end i created a word....pratteling.  the act of going for a walk to look for wildflowers.  it's a work in progress, spelling not set in stone, but i think it's catchy!!

 yellow spotted saxifrage. these are just cute!!

 watched a few ted talks this morning as i tried to rouse myself.  one was by President Jimmy Carter.  he was speaking on women,  abuse and lack of equality.  ultimately he encouraged women, like us, who live in better circumstances than a great deal of the other women across the globe, to be the ones who stand up for the other women.  he said ultimately the men don't care, they are enjoying their status as men.

 he also spoke briefly about all the wars the US gets involved with.  drones, bombs, arms...he mentioned there were only 4 years where we weren't involved in a war...a chuckle arose from the audience.

 we are here at Polychrome exploring the flowers.

 we also saw several types of willows....when in doubt, it's a willow..there are apparently over 50 of those.

 the other ted talks was about building with bamboo, a sustainable product. fairly tough..except that the bugs can get it, sounds like.  some pretty amazing buildings being built in Indonesia. they wouldn't hold up to an Alaska winter.  great for free flow of air.

 on the drive today on NPR before i lost radio contact.  they were talking about how our jails are filling with those who are mentally ill.  it's a travesty really. jails are just meant to be holding places until people are convicted or released and yet they are more often becoming psych units. there just aren't the options for the mentally ill in our nation.

 this one guy who runs jails in Chicago i think he said was saying he trains his people now to deal with the mentally ill so that they are getting more of the treatment they need in the way it is needed.  it's just different than dealing with a standard criminal. it is pretty sad.  a very small percentage of our jails in this nation do this sort of training and yet they are all dealing with this population.

 flower, flower, view!!

 i think this is a moss gentian.

 the purple one above is siberian aster.

 of course the blue one is forget me nots...which are so cute who could forget them!!

 the yellow flowers, mustard? and below asters

 there are lots of tiny white flowers.  alaska starwort??  not sure at all.  where are you Verna?  haha.

 see more tiny white flowers.  spring beauty?  another guess.

 i enjoy photographing them...just like the mushrooms even if i'm not entirely sure of their names. i have a hard time remember my co-workers names and i see them all the time.  how can i be expected to remember flowers names too!!

 Rio did great today.  we walked slow.  she was excited about the ocean and i had to keep her from going in and drinking the water.  was happy though that she was back to jumping into the car on her own with just encouragement from me.  4 weeks post op and that dog is kicking it!!

 rocks and tiny white flowers.

 polychrome pass with the amazing views in the distance.

 a type of spring beauty?  oh dear...i think you can claim hybrid if you aren't sure too...that should work.

 these look like harebells starting to bloom.

 and on that note...i shall begin the process of crashing for the night.  i'm tired.

 these are blue bells.

thankful for: A.  safe driving with pups  B, more cute baby sightings C.  rain, we do need it

just another day at the beach!

 late to bed, late to rise...makes a person thrive!!  we both look pretty perky here i think.  the sun was lovely out this end of town.  it took a long time for the clouds to lift at my end. after i'd been home from the walk for a bit, big snow flakes were seen coming down.  it turned to rain eventually, nothing stuck.

 did get several months into the shutterfly account. will try and do a few more.  perhaps i can get that calendar made before i head back to work.  so a late night every so often isn't too bad.  really should get back to a more normal for me schedule. i'll never say normal because working night shift you have a different normal than the rest of the world.

 no doubt the night shift has negatively impacted my social skills and social life.

 when i'm out and about it's obvious that most people are out and about with other humans.

 i take pictures of people out with people...see below, but most of the time i am the only people with me. i'm for sure not a person other people seek out to be with.  if i plan stuff with people then they may come and hang with me, if i don't, then they won't. sometimes i think my phone must be the most unused phone in all of the world.

 if it weren't for those political poll calls it would hardly ever ring at all.  i could so do without those calls though.  can't wait til this election is done, but once it's done, they just start working on the next one. no wonder stuff never gets accomplished in government.  if they took all the dang money they spent trying to get elected and spent it fixing the problems we all face...we'd be a perfect nation.  teachers and police would be paid what they should get paid.  kids would learn, walrus would be safe...

 the cairn guy was obviously out there again . love when i walk after he's been out there.  all those cool piles of delicately placed rocks for me to photograph and enjoy. he changes it up to keep himself interested i'd guess.

 this time he was using many of the tree branches and old drift wood pieces to pile on.

 some fine balance out there.  the guy must have some kind of patience.  i have met him at least once.  we must travel a few of the same places.  the paper did a write up about him one time.  i think he just enjoys doing this, it's creative and it's very relaxing for him.

 some of the rocks that he balances are quite impressive.  i was thinking i should make a few small cairns today and then there these were.  such a gift!!

 seeing all of his balance restores my own balance.

 Blossom goes and checks them out too.  she can tell that they aren't in a natural configuration.

 Rio stayed home and Blossom and i enjoyed our day out there.  it was beautiful. the clouds were awesome.  love clouds.  if it's just straight blue skies the light can be flat and the scenery just doesn't have that same punch as it does with clouds.

 i left as the sun was getting ready to set.  i'd been out awhile and it was getting chilly. didn't want to leave Rio too long at home.  probably was even more spectacular and in some ways i regret not just sticking around a bit longer.  it was very relaxing though and a good day.  needed to attempt to get a few things done and should get to bed at a reasonable hour.

 gotta get my TB test read tomorrow before the Monday walk.

 Pogi spent some time in this box while i loaded pictures last night.  he's so cute.

 quite a few people out there enjoying the day.  this is a loved locals spot.

 was hoping to see a few bull moose out there on the walk in/out.  no luck.  just saw a few mama's and calves in the distance.

 last night i watched, "happy, thank you , more please".  always enjoy the simple messages of some movies.  we don't all always feel worthy of love, but we are and if you are lucky you find someone who loves you for who you are.  if you don't find that i have always found it's best to walk away.

 "marley" is the movie for the night.  may not finish it tonight, paused it for now.  can't write and have a movie on at the same time.

 balancing rocks.

 roads are closing across Alaska for the winter.  never made it to Chicken this summer...the Taylor highway ends maintenance until spring.  i think Chicken pretty much shuts down.  further in Eagle does carry on through winter.  snowmachines and dog teams.

 this looks like a mini stonehenge

 many others were admiring the stones as well.  the tide will roll in and many may be gone by morning.

 thought this one kinda looked like a snowman

 loved this one with the light and the tiny waves...took more pictures of it than i knew what to do with.  sadly, had to delete several..how many does one need.

 this one above was probably the best .

 Blossom entertained all the walkers by swimming all afternoon.  she is so much more lab than poodle.

 kind of have wondered today if i have a bit of bug starting up.  so often working places like peds and ER you get exposed to stuff and often my body fights it off, but there is that time of battling where you feel a bit tired and out of sorts.  hopefully, it doesn't become more than that.

 the light is fabulous!!

 a few more selfies with my girl...besties!!

 she was more into the scenery than the selfies.

 always so much to see and smell when you are a dog i guess.

 this is probably the best one of me...still can't believe there are 50 years of me on this earth...it goes fast...enjoy what you can while you can.  the piles may build up in the house, but it's still better to get outside and take in the world we have been gifted with.

 while i ate dinner i turned on the tv...often tv is background noise.  nobody at the house can be quiet...i need to hear human voices even if i never get to be with other humans.

 always love the light through the trees...very pretty.

 anyway, there is this new silly reality show.  "90 day visa" i think it was called.  fiance visa's.  these people agree to marry people they have barely met or only know through the internet.  it's pretty pathetic.  this 40 something single mom of 3 teen girls falls for this 26 year old from Tunisia?  anyway...that seems a wee bit of a scan.  she's not some hot 40 something either...
another girl arrives from Columbia i think and climbs in bed with her fiance. in the morning she sees the piles of dishes and laundry and he's all there is the washer and dryer, i'm going to watch sports on tv. nice....

 suspect the majority of these visa marriages do not happen or do not end well.  what people will do for love...go buy a puppy instead!!  loyal and cute.

 marijuana has taken over the papers today.  will there be marijuana in candy for kids this year at trick or treat?  will Alaska legalize it?  i guess on this one i'd say wait a bit and let the other states that have already legalized it get the kinks out first and see what happens there.  no rush for this change.

 it is funny the pictures that went with the article show lots of workers in a marijuana grow site...they look to be dressed better for ebola than the Texas health care workers were.  i see a lawsuit on that one and deservedly so.  many who crossed path with the poor guy who passed away will be finishing their quarantine time and seem to have weathered this.  if we can just keep future cased out of the country except those that go right to the main infectious disease hubs...hopefully we can all breath a sigh of relief.

 the quarantine sounds like it has been tougher on some than others.  blame and anger directed at some.  the stigma will last way past the quarantine for a few.

 had to get the wide angle out and get a few photos with that...so beautiful.

 the sun goes down slow but early.  we have long sunrises and long sunsets up here.

 the grasses and sedge are lovely in their fall colors

 Blossom almost blends right in.

 those are my feet..first we sat for awhile on a log on the beach and then i moved up to the sandy dunes and perched there for a bit.

 was just tough to walk away.  had the hill to climb back up to the car though so it was time.

guess i shall try and get to sleep a bit earlier tonight and plan on loading pictures and working on WARIS tomorrow. must set my alarm and get moving in the morning.  good night...
grateful fors for today...1.  beautiful skies and the time to enjoy them 2.  my new lazy boy chair...quite comfy...and the cats like it too 3.  the sound of tiny waves lapping the land.  so relaxing.