a visitor

It's that time of year when we are "allowed" to feed the birds. I say "allowed" because we're discouraged from putting bird feed in our feeders during the summer months for fear that it will entice the bear population into our back yards. And it does. We've had bear feed on our birdseed in year's past. But now the Fish and Wildlife people encourage us to not put food out during certain months of the year.... or when the bear are out. Now that they're in hibernation, we can, once again, feed the birds. And mine get a real smorgasbord of food throughout the winter months!

I've never been very good at identifying birds. Maybe it's because they don't stand still long enough for me to study them, or maybe it's because there are often more than one than could fit the bill. I am confident in identifying my Chickadees, Juncos, Pine Siskins, Stellar Jays, and a few others that are constant visitors.

But yesterday we had a visitor. A Northern Pygmy Owl! I think.... (I'm waiting to hear back from the Audubon Society to see if they can identify it for me.) I just happened to walk into the back room to watch the birds feeding, and, there, on the deck I saw two birds fighting. Or I thought they were fighting. After that first glance, I noticed that they weren't fighting, but that one bird had the other one in it's claws. As I looked closer (and he was only about 6' away), I noticed a baby owl with a Junco in his grips! I couldn't believe my eyes! But regardless of how rare or how cute he was, he wasn't going to come onto my property for his meals! As I opened the door to "shooo" him away, he flew up onto a bird post--with the Junco in his talons! That, in itself, was a feat because the owl wasn't much bigger than the Junco. I ran out to shoo him again, and he flew off with the Junco! Somehow the Junco managed to get loose and fly away, and I can only hope that he was okay.

I followed the owl to where he was perched in a tree. He was only about 4-5' above me, perched so cute on this branch. Watching me. Staring at me. Probably really pissed that I made him lose his dinner! I was able to get some pictures; not very good, but you can see how cute he was. He just sat there, watching me. I couldn't believe I was watching an owl. In the day time!

I did my best in looking him up in the Guide to the Birds of Alaska and believe he was a Northern Pygmy-Owl. I think..... See what I mean about not being so good at identifying birds. It LOOKS like one.... but it's RARE to see one in SE Alaska..... Okay, so this was a rare siting.... He was only about 7" big, had no ear tufts, and a yellowish beak. The reason I picked him over another small owl is because the bird guide says that daytime activity is a diagnostic feature of this particular owl. So there you have it.

I stayed on guard at the back door, watching him for quite awhile yesterday, as he stayed perched on one of the pruned branches of the spruce tree. It just happened to be in the middle of the bird feeders, where he had a birds-eye view of what was going on. His presence didn't seem to stop the Chickadees and Juncos from coming back to eat.... At least he didn't nab another poor bird on my watch! At least not that I saw....

He's welcome to come visit anytime.... And he's even welcome to nibble on any mice he can find... But he's not welcome to nab my birds, in plain site, off my deck!

Cheers! Nancy

friends

We took the grandbabies for a ride to Eaglecrest yesterday.

Things got awfully quiet in the back seat....

You think, "maybe they fell asleep...."

So you turn your head to see what they're doing.

And they're holding hands.


Just sitting there, in their car seats, miles apart, holding hands.


Watching the world go by.

Content to be best friends.


How precious is that?

being spontaneous

My hubby and I love to experience the greatness that is Alaska. The trails. The glaciers. The rivers. The fishing. Okay, so that's partially a true statement. We love to experience it from the car!
We go for a lot of rides. Every week we go in a different direction. Then on the third week, we start over again....

Juneau doesn't have a lot of roads. We're land locked, meaning the only way you can get in or out of the area is by boat, ferry, or plane. There are no roads to take us from Juneau.

Some times it's hard to live such a limited and confined life. There are those days that you wake up and want nothing more than to pack a picnic lunch and head down the road; just keep driving until you're ready to return. Or explore a different area or attraction. We don't have that option.

Being spontaneous takes on a whole different meaning living here. It all pretty much requires advanced planning and a ferry or airline ticket. So much for being spontaneous. Oh, you could wake up in the early morning and decide to go to Seattle for the weekend. That would definitely be spontaneous! But you'd have to be out of your friggin mind to do it! Or rich.

You see, Juneau has only one airline that comes into town. Alaska Airlines. And since they're our only form of commercial transportation, they can pretty much charge us whatever they want. So when people in the Lower 48 are experiencing price wars and low prices, we are not. When people down south decide to travel at the last minute, chances are good you will be able to find a very cheap fare because the airlines want to fill seats. Not so here. As your travel date grows closer and closer, the price of the ticket will go up. If I wanted to fly to Seattle tomorrow or within the next few days, it would cost me well over $1,000 to get there versus the normal fare of $600. We pray that there won't be any deaths in the family without advance warning!

We do enjoy the beauty that is Alaska, from the roadside, from our car. It works for us. Our longest road is about 60 miles from one end to the other. It's a gorgeous drive. Along the mountains, through the groves of trees, along the water. There are many islands between us and the open ocean but we'll see boats of all sizes out fishing. Maybe a cruise ship or a ferry on their way North. Kayakers. Maybe a whale breaching. Or sea lions. I love when the dolphins (or is it porpoise?) follow us along the road.

Yes, Juneau has a lot to offer. So much beauty and we enjoy it every week.

And there's always something new to see at the glacier whether it be eagles and bear or icebergs in the lake from calving.

As winter approaches and the lake freezes, this area will become a playground for all ages. You'll see cross country skiers, sledders, hikers. People bundled up in their cold weather gear, holding a steaming hot cup of cocoa in their hands.

And the best part? You can experience it all from the warmth of your car!

Nancy .....

todays favorite blog

Have you visited Aina's blog yet? I've had it under my radar for a year now and find it to be the dreamiest of all things dreamy and wonderful!

Foto: Per Gunnarsson - Sköna HemModern Country.... don't have a clue what she's saying, but it doesn't matter. The pictures speak a million words. Google says this site is in Norwegian, and they offer to translate it to English. No! I love it just the way it is. It adds a certain charm to it. I love all the white.

But she offers a little for everyone from decorating, gardening, crafting, relaxing.
This is a site you just want to sit and drool over for a very long time.
And just enough English to give you a feel for who Aina is. I love this blog!

Nancy .....

killing frost

We had our first killing frost last Monday. It got down to 28 degrees. According to the weather man, we're a couple weeks early this year. I went outside and captured some pictures before the morning sun melted the dew away. I love this time of year.

Red-leaf rose.
Tor Spirea.
Astilbe.
Birdhouse with red Astilbe and Japanese Maple.
Siberian Iris and ornamental Grass.

autumn

I love the amber colors that are autumn.
The golds. Reds. Yellows. Browns.

Winter crops.
Crispy, juicy apples. Winter squash baked with brown sugar.
Baked goods.
Pumpkin bread. Pumpkin desserts.
A second cup of coffee on a dark and dreary day.
A potpourri of oranges, cinnamon, cloves,
simmering on the stove, filling the room with its sweetness.

Plaids. Sweaters.
Scarves wrapped loosely around your neck.
Gloves to keep your hands toasty warm with the colder temps.

The slight glimmer of a candle or amber light glowing in the dark.
Enjoying an evening with good friends or relaxing with a good book.
These are some of the things that make wrapping our arms around the upcoming winter just a little easier.

you have to wonder....

Oh, if you only knew what was behind that mischievous smile and sparkle in his eye!

This little guy is all boy. Never stops. Busy busy busy. Pushes all the buttons. But how can you resist when he smiles at you like that? Or comes over to plant a smooch on your face when he knows he did wrong? Yea, I'm thinking this is my son's payback....