It's Halloween!

Wildlife Wonders of Alaska - Lesser Yellowlegs

I certainly didn’t expect to take a photo of a cute lesser yellowlegs while we were in Alaska. But it really begged for a portrait! While we were standing on the Lower Platform at Brooks Lodge, patiently waiting for brown bears to appear, we heard a loud tweeting in the adjacent treetops. After a bit of a search, we found the source of the racket: a lesser yellowlegs. The sky was heavily overcast and bright. So I had to adjust my camera settings to take the sky into account. If I had taken the photo in fully automatic mode, the image of the bird would have been rendered much darker. It is funny that the bird quieted down once it had our attention! 

This long-legged shorebird is found in Alaska during the summer breeding season. Its habitat is an open boreal forest with scatter shallow wetlands. The yellowlegs forage in the water, sometimes using their bill to stir and search for food. Their diet consists mainly of insects, small fish, and crustaceans.

Wildlife Wonders of Alaska - Bald Eagle

This is one of my most memorable and cherished photos from our Alaskan adventure this past summer. We actually saw very few bald eagles during our three-week stay. The only opportunity that I had to record one was at Brooks Falls. Shortly after we arrived by floatplane, we hiked out to the famous falls area where most of the bear fishing activity is located. I was on the Riffles Platform, located about 100 meters south of Brooks Falls. I hadn’t yet been allowed up to the Falls Platform. (Because of space limitations, you have to take turns and are limited on the length of your stay.) There were just a couple of bears downriver, and I had already photographed them extensively. 

As I was looking through my viewfinder, I heard the seagulls making a big racket of noise. Looking up, I soon saw that an eagle was swooping in to grab a fish from the river. I was only able to fire off a couple of shots and they all turned out too blurry. I underestimated his speed, and I wasn’t panning at the same rate. I missed a good photo, but I got a second chance because the eagle missed the fish! He quickly swooped back down and I clicked the shutter as fast as I could, praying that at least one shot would turn out clear. This time, the eagle and I were both successful! (Be sure to click the photo to see it bigger.)

Here are a few tidbits about the eagle’s legendary eyesight. Like all birds, they have color vision. Their eyes are almost as big as ours, but sharpness is almost four times greater. Thanks to two different centers of focus, eagles can see both forward and to the sides at the same time. What a cool trick! Their eyesight is so keen that they can spot fish while soaring several hundred feet above the water. And eagles are also capable of identifying ground prey moving almost a mile away. So if they are flying at 1000 feet, they can spot prey over an area of almost three square miles. 

Marty says that it was a good thing that he stayed home!

600th Post Celebration and Giveaway!

It’s my 600th blog post celebration! Hip, hip, Hooray! And what’s a celebration without a giveaway, right? Marty helped me gather up a few goodies to raffle off to a lucky blogging friend. The winner could be YOU!

What’s up for grabs? The main prize is a Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter Set! With this assortment, you can glitter up your world with 24 delicious jewel colors. And the set’s arrival in your mailbox will be just in time for your Christmas crafting projects. The prizes also include three Prince Edward Island souvenirs featuring Anne of Green Gables: a magnetic note pad, pin, and post card. Last in the mix is a set of four of handmade photo note cards. I recently created a new batch featuring some of my favorite Alaskan scenes. 

Here’s how to get your name in the proverbial hat to win these lovely prizes: 

1. Leave a comment on this post to get one entry. 
2. If you follow my blog, leave another comment to get a second entry. 
3. If you publish a post about this giveaway or put a picture link on your blog’s sidebar, leave another comment for a third entry.  (Yes, snag the picture shown above!}
4. Participants outside the U.S. are welcomed. However, only entries from bloggers with active web sites will be eligible for the drawing. 

The last day to enter is Wednesday, November 2. So please help me celebrate my chatty milestone of 600 posts!


P.S. Marty is deleting comments from those who are not following the rules.  It's not fair to the others.

Not So Newsy News

Wow, this old image is so NOT me that it is truly frightening. Holy cow. But there is one thing we have in common: the thumb is out of the picture. 

Some of you have been asking how my right thumb is doing since the surgery Tuesday last week. I was doing pretty well until I accidentally bent it too far over the weekend while picking up a laundry basket, of all things. I pulled a stitch. Yee-OUCH! It’s now buried deep. The pulled stitch results in a constantly annoying sting, and the joint remains swollen. So now I have to really baby the digit until I can get the sutures removed next Tuesday. Otherwise, I am on the mend. It has slowed down my typing a bit, particularly when the huge bandage was still on. Writing by hand has been a challenge. And there are a lot of other things that are extremely difficult with a thumb out of commission. Like getting dressed. I get impatient when it comes to healing time. But the end is in sight, and it’s just a silly, small thing. So please ignore my grumbling, okay?  I sure do appreciate all of your get-well wishes! 

We finally got the gutter helmet installed today on the back of our home. Gosh, we were just talking during lunchtime about how we need to verbally blast away at the company for dragging their feet. We put down a deposit over 6 weeks ago! A couple of hours later, the workers magically showed up. They got the job done in no time at all. Cleaning gutters is one less thing we will have on our maintenance to–do list, thank goodness! Now, if we an only get a company to give us a bid for a block retaining wall for the landscaping bed on the left-hand side of our home. All we can figure out is that landscaping companies must be raking in the business because we can’t get anybody to even give us a bid, let alone do the job. 

And, did you know that my very next post will be number 600? That means Marty and I are putting together a bloggy giveaway to celebrate! You won’t want to miss it!


P.S. I purchased a new desk chair, and it is working out great.

Wildlife Wonders of Alaska - Sandhill Cranes

A sandhill crane is not the type of bird that one normally associates with Alaska, but they make regular appearances in locations such as Fairbanks. These are large migratory birds that are predominately found in North America. In fact, they are Alaska’s largest game bird, favoring grasslands, meadows, and wetlands. Sandhill cranes begin to flock at Creamers Field in May and then stay for several months. 

Creamers Field is a former dairy in Fairbanks and now an 1800-acre wildlife refuge managed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This was one of the places where we headed after getting into Fairbanks a couple of days early. Upon arrival, we spotted a flock of sandhill cranes in the distant fields. We bolted out of the rental car and started to photograph them immediately. As expected, they quickly moved away the crazy people with cameras. This was one of my initial images before the flock commenced to be a mere speck in our viewfinders.

Wildlife Wonders of Alaska - Musk Ox

The musk ox is an ancient animal that is unfamiliar to most people. We got to see these incredible creatures at the Large Animal Research Station in Fairbanks and also the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. They hail from the Pleistocene period, when they walked the earth with the wooly mammoth, saber-toothed cat, and giant ground sloth. Numbering about 150,000 worldwide, the largest population of musk ox can now be found in Canada. They became extinct in Alaska by the late 1800s and were reintroduced in the 1930s from wild herds in Greenland. Musk ox currently number about 3000 in Alaska. 

adult male musk ox at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

An adult male stands about six feet at the shoulder and weighs up to 1000 pounds. Despite their name, they are not oxen and do not have musk glands. The Inuit peoples of the far north call them Oomingmak, meaning “one with skin like a beard”. Based on appearance, it is frequently assumed that they are a close relative of the bison, buffalo, or yak. But they are actually more closely related to sheep and goats. 

juvenile musk ox 

taking a mid-day nap at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

These animals have adapted to frigid temperatures with a layer of downy underwool called qiviut (pronounced kiv-ee-ute). The fibers are extremely fine, soft, and warm, thus protecting the musk ox in temperatures less than minus 40 degrees. The qivuit is shed each spring to keep the animals cool in the summer and collected to support a thriving cottage industry. Thanks to a cooperative of native Alaskan knitters, you can buy hand knit products made from 100% qivuit. The items are pricey, but take into consideration the rarity of the raw material, its superior warmth characteristics, and crafting by skilled artisans. Qiviut is eight times warmer than wool, incredibly soft, light in weight, and easy to clean. You might want to consider adding a qivuit clothing article to your Christmas wish list!

Ups and Downs

I took off my HUGE bandage this morning and was able to take a shower without a plastic bag over my hand. Progress! The incision looks pretty good, and I’ve got it covered with some gauze and tape. 

Oh my, I can now type, hit the spacebar with my thumb, and not hit about half of the entire keyboard! Life is good if I can use a keyboard, LOL. So I got online this afternoon and commenced to do some consulting work. Ah, I was doing really well until my chair decided to roll out from under me. Ker-PLOP, I fell to the floor! OK, it was louder than a standard, run-of-the-mill ker-PLOP. It was probably more like a ker-BOOM. And I added some verbal commentary for good measure and emphasis.  Of course. 

Thankfully, I fell cleanly on my ample backside and didn’t mess up my bionic knee or any other appendage while I was ker-PLOPping. Dear hubby helped me get back up and quickly loaned me his office chair (which is not possessed with an unsettling mean streak). The offending chair is my sewing chair, with no arms and a small base with rollers. It was never meant to serve as an office chair. But I put it into temporary use while I’ve had the extra desk and work computer set up. 

The stupid chair is going to be replaced. Now I’m sore all over!

Thumb-Bunny Is Sore

I’m not doing any hand puppets right now, that’s for sure! The surgery on my right thumb went well today. I had a clean removal of a ganglion cyst that has been growing for the past couple of months on the top of the knuckle and causing me some discomfort. I wanted to have it taken care of before it caused further trouble. 

My thumb is currently wrapped up tight and looks like a mummified watermelon! I’ll be able to take the dressing off and put on a band-aid on Thursday. The stitches will remain in for two weeks. I’ll be spending a little less time on the computer and a little more time with my Kindle as I mend. 

Thank you for all of your get well wishes wishes!

Wildlife Wonders of Alaska - Caribou

We saw only a few of caribou while we visited Denali National Park, and they were all at a considerable distance. We found the one grazing below while we were traveling on the park road. We watched him eat for a while and took several profile shots. Briefly, he turned and looked at us, as if he wanted to ask, “what are YOU looking at?” I thought it was a cute pose. By the way, the disturbed dirt shown in the background was the result of digging by some brown bears! 

Here are come tidbits about these handsome creatures, also known as a reindeer. Both the males and females have antlers and grow them each year. They are herbivores, eating up to 12 pounds a day of lichens, mosses, grasses, and plants. The low-bush cranberry shrub is one of their favorites! Caribou have concave shaped hooves that hold them up like snowshoes on deep snow. They make a characteristic clicking sound when they move, the result of tendons slipping over the bones in their feet. Finally, caribou are famously known for their long migrations, with their summer and winter ranges located hundreds of miles apart. Some herds have been observed to travel up to an incredible 3000 miles per year!

Autumn Glory

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

~ Albert Camus ~

fall colors at the Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado

Wildlife Wonders of Alaska - Moose!

My Alaska photos aren’t over, so dry those tears. Now I’m going to start sharing some of my wildlife photos! And first up is an animal that you immediately associate with Alaska: the stately moose. 

These creatures are the largest of the deer family. Weighing in from 800 -1600 pounds, they stand about 5-6.5 feet at the shoulder. They are BIG! As vegetarians, they eat massive amounts of twigs, leaves, shrubs, and other plants – up to 44 pounds a day.

Of course, their most recognizable feature of the males is the pair of antlers. Bull moose antlers are grown and cast off each year. The size of the palms, antler spread, and number of tines increase each year until the bulls reach about six years old. Antler development starts in April or May and they are covered with a dark brown, velvety skin. They drop their antlers from late November through February. 

Isn’t this a handsome fellow? He resides at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which takes care of injured or orphaned animals. I really enjoyed the aerial perspective. No, I wasn’t hanging out over a pond from the upper branches of a tree! I was able to observe this moose from the safety of an observation tower. 

We spotted this momma moose and calf just as we were leaving Denali National Park. While they wandered through the tall brush, we were able to take a few photos from the transport bus. Isn’t this sweet?

Grand Scenics of Alaska - Denali (aka, Mount McKinley)

This post brings to a close the Grand Scenics of Alaska series of posts. What better way to end it than with something REALLY grand – the famed Denali peak and its neighboring mountains! 

There’s been a lot of controversy about the mountain’s name over the years. Mister Jim still calls it Mount McKinley, from the time that he used to work there as a young whippersnapper. This national park saw the start of his photographic career. He started working at the park as a park naturalist and shuttle bus driver. When Lady Bird Johnson started the “Keep America Beautiful” campaign, they needed someone to take photographs. Jim volunteered! The rest, as they famously say, is history. In the 1970s, he moved from Alaska down to the lower 48 states. So our journey this summer was a bit of a homecoming for him.

The Denali peak is hidden behind clouds the majority of the time. It is a gamble whether it will show itself during a brief vacation visit. We were so grateful that the mountain came out to say hello to Mister Jim once again and hello to me for the first time. It was an incredible sight that will forever be remembered in our hearts.

What Alaska photo series is next? Wildlife Wonders!

Grand Scenics of Alaska - Seward Highway

I still have a few more scenic photos of Alaska to share! These are examples of the dazzling landscape found along the Seward Highway.

Even with overcast skies, the views are still spectacular.

Making Photographic Lemonade

Scenario: It’s rainy and there is heavy fog. Visibility is dismal. You are trapped on a tour bus, zooming down one of the most scenic roads in North America. You are sitting in the front seat with a camera in your hands. 

Question: What do you do? 

Answer: You set the ISO up high and dial the aperture number down low, ensuring a high shutter speed. You crank the zoom lens out and aim through the bus window located about four feet away, dodging the windshield wiper. Click. Back on the computer, you tweak the image with some simple editing, add a graduated filter for a wee bit of moody color punch, and top it off with a distressed texture layer. Then you sit back and call it art. 

Well, at least that’s what I do!

Cape Breton foggy silhouettes

October - A Look Ahead

This “look ahead” post is a bit late this month because of our trip. Better late than never! The fall colors are starting to appear in East Tennessee. Hooray! And the temperatures are blessedly moderate. We’re ready to settle in and enjoy the seasonal transition. 

We are still in the midst of playing “catch up” since we came back from our travels on Thursday. But we have some semblance of order emerging now. It is always surprising how much energy and time is required to get back on track with normal, everyday routines. 

We had a good trip, but it wasn’t spectacular. The photo opportunities were slim compared to what we expected and wanted. We saw some mighty nice scenery zipping by the bus windows! We have concluded that traditional, large group tours are just not our thing. This tour’s itinerary was constantly filled and required a lot of sitting time on the bus. As a result, explorations on our own were limited. I’ll be going through my photos in the next month or so and show you some of the highlights. We found the charming countryside similar to New England and the residents quite friendly. It was too early for the fall colors, but we saw some pretty vistas. We were also delighted to find our traveling companions to be the most congenial of large group tours that we have taken, so that was a bonus! 

I will have some minor surgery in a few weeks to remove a cyst on my right thumb knuckle. Before our trip, I noticed that my thumb was starting to hurt whenever I bent it. I initially ignored it, thinking that the source was arthritis. But I then noticed a lump on top of the joint. A quick visit to an orthopedic surgeon (specializing in hands) confirmed it is a cyst. Over a decade ago, I had a cyst removed from my right-hand pinkie finger. It took three tries. A dermatologist removed it twice, and a hand surgeon removed it once and for all. So this time I am not messing around! 

On the home front, we will have gutter guard installed along the back of our home. With our sloped lot, the back portion of the house is effectively 3 stories tall. We are both very allergic to ladders, and standing on a ladder at that height is sheer insanity. And the woods in our backyard will contribute to an annual accumulation of leaves in the gutters if we don’t take action now. This will be one less thing we have to worry about for long-term maintenance! 

I will soon resume posts that feature my Alaska photos. After just a few more “grand scenic”, you will be treated to “wildlife wonders” and “Katmai bears”. It’s a bit surprising to see from my blogger statistics that I am closing in on another milestone: 600 posts. Holey moley! Marty and I need to quickly make some plans for an anniversary giveaway! I also will be catching up with my blogging friends to discover what is happening in their world.

Back Home!

dancing clouds at a Prince Edward Island beach

We got back home safely yesterday. There are a multitude of things that need my attention at the moment. I will resume blogging as soon as I catch my breath!