A Reminder to Be Thankful

Today is a hard day for Americans.  Twenty five years ago, the US was attacked.  Many people died.  Planes crashed.  Everything changed.  Nine Eleven.  Where were you?  It was one of those moments when you will always remember where you were.  I had just returned from a trip to Rome with my older daughter Deb (Rocket Scientist Girl) and was planning to fly home to Portland, Oregon from Los Angeles.  Obviously, my flight was canceled and I had to make other arrangements.  Two days later, I boarded a bus and rode it north on a twenty-four hour trip.  Thankfully, I arrived in Portland safely.  Where were you?

1.  I began this Friday Fave Fives with remembering September Eleventh Two Thousand One-- 9/11-- because I am reminded that I am so blessed to live in a safe country protected by a strong military.

2.  Deb's birthday was in August and we were in Alaska, so we celebrated her birthday on Saturday night with dinner at Olive Garden.  Presents.  Conversations.  Even a few extra guests.  It was a great way to celebrate her.

3.  How did you spend Labor Day?  We didn't do much during the day, and then at the last minute, we decided to have a bonfire and invite the family to join us.  The weather was perfect.  And we didn't cook anything (except s'mores) as we chose BYOD (bring your own dinner).  The Professor and I ran to the pizza shop but it was closed, so our second choice was P*nda Express.  An added benefit is that we managed to eke out THREE meals for each of us over the next few days.  I love sitting on our patio in the evening and watching the embers in the firepit.

4.  Tuesday evenings are always Trail Life.  The Professor is a leader and our grandson Liam is part of our local troop (Older grandson Nathan has aged out now that he is eighteen).  The troop met at Dillon Lake State Park which is near our city to play disc golf.  I joined them, not to play with them but to walk around the campgrounds and enjoy the beauty of this lovely park.

5.  Medical appointments.  Our dentist appointments went well.  Good news!  Also, I had an appointment with my dermatologist and she is happy with the progress I've made in managing all my allergies.  I am thankful for good health and for the excellent health care we have. 

Alaska, Day Five

On Day Five, we didn't have plans to drive anywhere.  We decided to stay in downtown Juneau, so we walked down the steep hills from our Air-BnB and grabbed our morning coffee at Heritage Coffee. 

Our view as we left the Air-BnB

Every morning we walked past the city museum where this totem pole is displayed.

Then we wandered down to the pier where ALL the cruise ships were showing up.  Even though we tended to avoid that busy area, there was something we wanted to do there.  Kooteeyaa Deiyi, the Totem Pole Trail.  There are twelve large (tall) totem poles erected along the wharf and park.  Each one was carved by an artist from an Alaskan Native clan, including the Tlingit, Haid and Tsimshian clans.  At each totem there is a plaque that gives information on the meanings of the symbols and the name of the artist.

There is an Alaska Native Community Center in Juneau.  And of course, there are totem poles .  And at the Sealaska Heritage Institute.

In the park at the end of the Totem Pole Trail, there is more art.

A boat

It's not a whale breaching in the bay.

It's a fountain.

I love this sign!  This is exactly what we were experiencing in Alaska.

September Has Arrived!

Friday.  First week of September.  Life is beginning to be back to normal.  Every week seems to surprise us with routines changed and unexpected happenings.  That's ok.  It means we are human and alive.  What's important is that we are thankful to be alive and be blessed in so many ways.  Friday Fave Fives helps me with that.

1.  The local brewing company where we sometimes played Trivia Night with other locals sadly shut down.  The couple who we had started playing with on their team and with our older daughter Deb who is the aero-space engineer (she really is a rocket scientist!) found another local spot that plays Trivia on Thursday evenings.  So we have started joining them there.  It's fun!

2.  Weather this week has been scorching hot and humid.  Several days, we were under a severe heat advisory.  Today is slightly cooler and we have had rain (and thunder and lightning).  I am thankful for AC and for a safe place to live.  I know that it may be boring to read this fave many times during the summer months, but a cool safe place to live is truly a blessing.

3.  My veggie garden is beginning to come to its end of giving produce.  But we are still having kale and tomatoes every day.  And the sunflowers are still blooming.  I will always be thankful for my garden.

Even the bees are happy we are home.

4.  My lovely next door neighbor has been removing everything from her late parents' home and preparing to sell it.  She had some furniture that she needed to pass on.  Nearly new couch, chair and ottoman, and another chair.  The furniture is now in our house awaiting us to rearrange our living room and family room.  I am so thankful for her generosity in giving them to us.

5.  Fifty-four years ago today, at his parents' thirtieth anniversary celebration, The Professor and I announced our engagement!  I am thankful for all the years we have traveled the world together!  We don't look much like those two young ones anymore.

Alaska, Day Four-B

Before I share photos of our next stop, I want to explain something about Juneau. Although it is the capital of Alaska, there are NO ROADS in or out of the city/borough.  If you want to visit Juneau or if you live there, you need to fly in or out on an airplane or take a barge, ferry or cruise ship.  There are only about 200 miles of city maintained roads in the whole area.  Why?  I asked The Professor (he know everything). I assumed it was because of the mountains surrounding the city.  But he said that it is more likely the glaciers that isolate Juneau.  You can blast through mountains but not glaciers.  The fact that there are cars, trucks and trailers in Juneau means that every one of them arrived on a ferry or barge.

So... as we left Mendenhall Glacier National Park, we turned north away from the direction of the city and drove a few miles to the National Shrine of St. There's.  The road beyond this location goes only about ten more miles and then dead ends.

We did not think we could visit this place until the night before we drove to the glacier.  Since we had rented the car and had it for the whole day, we decided to drive up to the shrine.  It did not disappoint.

Located on the shore of Lynn Canal, the shrine's views of the sea were amazing!

The property was bought by the Catholic Church in the 1930s and the chapel which was built in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The interior of the chapel was quiet and calm.  Candles were lit so we knew there had been people visiting before we arrived.

A quote from St. Therese's autobiography The Story of a Soul.  "What really matters in life is not our great deeds but our great love."

After visiting the chapel, we walked the rather hilly path for the stations of the cross.

Eleanor wanted her photo taken at Station XV and asked me if Jesus died for bunnies, too.  I answered, "Of course, He did!"

After we walked back down the hill from the stations, we noticed a labyrinth near some of the other buildings nearer the parking lot.  Why not walk it, too?  So we did.  I will admit that we got a bit dizzy with all the 90 and 180 degree turns.

That was enough walking for us for the day.  We drove back to downtown Juneau and returned the car.  Of course, we still had to walk back down the several blocks of very steep streets to find a restaurant that served dinner.  Salmon fillet or fish and chips?

Alaska, Days Three and Four-A

Day Three. Sunday. Not many interesting photos. Because what we did was hop on a bus  and attend a local church in Juneau.  That sweet girl and her three boys we met in the Seattle airport? They attend that church. So we sat with them during the service and then they invited us to their home for lunch.  That is Alaska hospitality at its best.

In the late afternoon we did wander around downtown Juneau and mingled with the thousands of visitors coming from the cruise ships. Sometimes there were five cruise ships docked on the wharf!

Day Four. We rented a car for the day and drove up to Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls which is part of the Tongass National Forest. Now I will overwhelm you with photos.

Mendenhall Glacier!  It is a 1,500 square mile Glacier just twelve miles from Juneau. There is a trail that you can walk from the visitors center to a viewing area.

First view from the parking lot.

The Glacier flows into Mendenhall Lake. 

A creek along the trail.

Nugget Falls also empties into Mendenhall Lake.  377 feet!

Do you notice all the people standing at the foot of the falls? That's how high the falls are!  Actually the people are on a pile of rocks in front of a pool separating it from Mendenhall Lake, so they are safe from the rushing water.

This shows just how high the falls is.

Walking back to the car through the woods and past the streams was soothing and relaxing.

And the flowers

Our last view of the glacier and the waterfalls.

Then we climbed into the car and headed to another place...which I will share in the next post.