AK Adventure Day 40: Homer

A full day of peony work at the Jones’ Farm.

The peony flower buds produce a sap that oozes down all over the leaves.  To prepare the blooms for harvest...since there has been no rain!!...we had to spray the leaves/buds with water and at the same time, we watered each plant.  The Canadian girl and I had a water tank in the back of a 4-wheeler and we went up and down the field...all day watering!!  PHEW!!...I was pooped!!

Some additional photos of the Jones’ Farm...the wedding venue...still finding cool things to look at there!!

Super cool hand made folding tables...there are a LOT of them!!

Unfortunately, in a few days...when the next wedding was scheduled...smoke from the Sterling Highway fire would be in Homer and COMPLETELY obstructing the VIEW!!

I could have just stayed at the Jones’ Farm for the night...but I felt like I needed some ALONE time!!...so I went back to the Homer Spit parking lot for a restful night’s sleep!!...hard to imagine that...being it is a public parking lot with people coming a going at all hours!! ...it is ALL a matter of perspective!!

AK Adventure Days 38-39: Homer

Heading back to the Peninsula...STILL HEAVY smoke from the forest fire!!

...Forestry service out in force...wetting down gravel roads and bulldozing dirt alongside highway for fire breaks.

BTW tidbit # 1: Summers on the peninsula in Alaska...have ALWAYS been a time to listen to “oldies/Classic Rock” on the radio.  It is because that is ALL there is!!...on the drive up the ALCAN...I was trying to psyche up for that again—having really been enjoying modern country!!

Well...the first couple of songs I listened to on KBAY radio...I was sort of cringing...thinking OMG...CAN I DO IT ANOTHER SUMMER!!...well...YES...the music just helps add even MORE ambiance and MAKES the old and new MEMORIES even BETTER!!  I HAVE been known to dance in my seat while I’m driving!!...so...I’M LOVING IT!!

For your listening pleasure!!

BTW tidbit # 2:  We started hearing this bird call way back in Canada.  I’ve asked everyone along the way what the heck kind of songbird it is!!...no one knew...or even really paid any attention to it!!  DUH!!...they hear it ALL of the TIME!!

FINALLY...at the Alaska Islands & Oceans Visitor Center...after one NOTE...the rangers there said MOST EMPHATICALLY—golden-crowned sparrow!!  WOOHOO!!...SHUCKS...they are NOT found in Texas...although I could have sworn I had heard them before!! (I couldn’t preview the two videos in this posting!!—SO...I hope they actually PLAY!!)

Another enjoyable sleep at the Homer Spit public beach parking lot...just a stone’s throw away from the famous Salty Dawg Saloon!!...what a thought!!...I can just have a beer and walk across the road to my van home!! ...I’ll DO that next time!!

...I decided to actually WALK along the beach!!...a FIRST!!...and it was very enjoyable!!  A bit weird that there is so much civilization just up the hill...but GIRL...JUST look out to sea at the beautiful mountains instead and pretend you are in Ninilchik!!...there’s a nice seafarer’s memorial there, too.

BTW tidbit # 3: a kitschy Alaskan yard decorating idea...I’D DO THIS in my Alaskan yard!!

...tried out another cafe...Cosmic Kitchen...DELICIOUS!!...SOMETIMES...I wish I didn’t LIVE to EAT!!

More Callahan’s farm and Jones’ peonies this week....

AK Adventure Day 37: Anchorage

STILL exhausted from the Prisoner of Whittier lack of sleep adventure...and the subsequent hikes...we decided to NOT do any hiking today!!

Well...although we didn’t HIKE...we DID get some exercise!!  We decided to check out the Anchorage Coastal Trail.  We opted to rent bicycles...and had a lovely ride along the shoreline.

We saw an arctic tern and a loon and 2 sand hill cranes.  Then we walked around a downtown park...LOTS of beautiful flowers!!

AK Adventure Day 36: Anchorage, Palmer/Wasilla Hiking

BTW...in case anyone wonders...YES...I am the girl who is COMPLETELY happy to wear an undershirt, turtleneck, vest AND a jacket...long underwear under my britches...wool socks over my toe socks...a bandana or scarf around my neck...and YES...even happy to put on a winter stocking cap!!...I AM the girl who would be SO HAPPY to NEVER again wear sandals, short sleeve shirts and capris...or a bathing suit!!  I don’t MIND working up a sweat wearing all of those clothes...at least I am covered UP...and I can peel off layers as needed!!...IMPOSSIBLE to DO when there are triple digit summer temperatures elsewhere in the lower 48!!...highs now on the Kenai Peninsula are in the mid 60’s and here in Anchorage in the mid 70’s!!...JUST my kind of temperatures!!!

Finally a BIT recup’d from our Whittier adventure...we headed out this day for the mid-town farmers’ market and then on to the Artisan Market.

Senator Lisa Murkowski was present to kick off the new Mid-Town Farmers’ Market.

...on to the Artisan Market...

...on to Hatcher Pass area (old gold mine location) hiking....there were even some hang gliders jumping off one place...we never saw where they actually glided to...but it was bound to have been a magnificent trip!!

We stopped at this Lodge outside of the park...and it was pretty junky, just check out that roofing!!—typical of some AK stuff!!..but also some quirky parts....

...a bear track!!

We were somewhere between Wasilla and Palmer....