Alaska, Day Eight-D

 And Blogtober, Day 16.

We arrived in Bennett, British Columbia just after we ate our complimentary lunch.

A bit of history about the town of Bennett, which is located on the shores of Lake Bennett.  Today it is a ghost town.  But during the Klondike Gold Rush (1897-1899) there were more than a thousand buildings there.  In 1900, the White Pass and Yukon Railroad was built and passed directly by Bennett.

Not my photo.  Credit to Nils Oberg.

The railway station is still there and a few other buildings.  But that's all.  We had about a half hour to wander around and hike to a few places.

Lake Bennett and an old boat

Always totem poles

Hiking up to St. Andrews Church

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is one of the few remaining buildings in Bennett.  This church wasn't just a place for worship services.  It also was the gathering place for almost all of the social events.

I don't know if you can read the sign.  It gives more information.

We made it back to the train in time for departure (just barely).

Eleanor was ready to keep going to our next destination-- Carcross!

Friday Fave Fives, Mid October

It's Friday and I am one day behind on Blogtober as I missed yesterday (it was a crazy busy day).  So I will be posting a second time later tonight.  But for now, I want to focus on being thankful.  Friday Fave Fives with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.  Every week.  It really helps me remain grateful in my life.

1.  I have a very quiet house this evening.  The Professor and grandson Liam are at Daniel Boone Campout Weekend with all the Trail Life guys from several states!  I am so thankful for Trail Life and how it has kept The Professor involved in his grandsons' lives through the years.  Here's hoping the weather doesn't get too cold and wet.

2.  PAL's birthday party was a blast.  She chose Rick Riordan's Camp Half Blood as the theme.  Then she asked the adults attending to dress up as Olympic gods and goddesses.  The Professor was Zeus and I was Hera.  So of course we had to find props.  No luck in thrift stores.  So we made our own.  I posted the photos HERE.  One of the photos... Hera and Zeus wearing their crowns and their Camp Half Blood shirts.

3.  I finished another baby blanket.  This one is for a little girl who is expected in the next couple of months.  Her parents are our neighbors and attend the same church as we do.  I just delivered it to them and they love it.

4.  Reading time.  I am thankful that I am able to carve out time to read from our busy schedule!  I just finished So Big and I really enjoyed it.

5.  Because I know that many areas around North America and other places are experiencing drought conditions, I have to adjust my attitude and be thankful for the rain we are getting.  More than we expected.  But I am thankful for rain.  And that I don't have to water the plants this week.

How has your week been?  Have you seen the blessings?

Blogtober, October 14

No photos today.  Just a comment.

I have been a coin collector since I was six years old and my uncle introduced my brother and me to it.  We began with pennies and moved up to dimes.  Somewhere along the way, in my high school and college years, I lost interest.

But now I'm back into it.  And I'm having fun!

Do you have a hobby like coin collecting or stamp collecting?

Alaska, Day Eight-C

 Alaska and Canada are places for reflection.

Alaska, Day Eight-B

 We spent more than four hours on the Skagway White Pass train.

How many photos can one take in this amazing and awesome landscape?  It turns out that one hundred and seventy pictures is not that unusual.  Are you ready to be overwhelmed? Or bored?

We traveled high above the river and crossed ravines on rail bridges.

Not this bridge...

Wait!  Are there three flags there?

Yes.

One of them is the Canadian flag.

We crossed the border from Alaska into British Columbia!  We had to provide our passports.  Even Eleanor had to show her US citizenship.

Good-bye Alaska!  See you later today!

Our next stop will be Bennett, British Columbia...

Alaska, Day Eight

Alaska, Day 8

 Blogtober Day 11

One of the two main events we planned in Alaska!

A train trip up the White Pass and into Yukon Territory.

The train route follows the trail of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896-1899.

We boarded the train and off we went on our own adventure!

I am still in the throes of organizing and choosing photos from the literally hundreds of pictures I snapped during the day.   The beauty was completely overwhelming. 

Here are just a few photos of the views from the back of the train during the few couple of hours of the trip.  More to come later...

Eleanor is ready to ride!

the views!

Looking down into the river's ravine

Crossing the river.

Can you imagine carrying all your digging tools and food and possession navigating this terrain?

 

Hopefully, I will have more photos ready to share tomorrow.

Blogtober Day Ten

October 10.  What do you do when your granddaughter has a birthday party with a Percy Jackson Camp Half Blood theme?

You make crowns from leaves and flowers

create scepters and lightning bolts and wear CHB tee shirts.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAL!!

October Days, Friday Fave Fives

 A new Day.  A new Friday.  And a new Friday Fave Fives (follow the link).  Last night, as I pondered what to post today for my five faves, I easily chose two things for which I am thankful.  The other three...well, I couldn't think of anything 'special'.  Then I realized, Blessings are often simply basic parts of my day.  A good reminder.

1.  I am thankful for Friday Fave Fives because this weekly 'exercise' helps me stay grounded.

2.  I am thankful that I can be out in my garden doing weeding and other jobs to care for my plants.  Currently, I am doing a big job of digging out more grape hyacinths from the bed in front of the house.  Weeds and bulbs and debris.  Even if it doesn't get all done this fall, I still enjoy having my hands in the dirt.  And no photos.  You really don't want to see what it looks like...

3.  My daughter-in-law's sister and a niece are here visiting from Arizona.  The main reason is PAL'S upcoming birthday party.  While they are here, they are doing many fun things.  I joined them on Wednesday for part of a 'coffee shop crawl' that they made up themselves.  It was so fun!

4.  I am thankful for reading time.  Currently, I am reading So Big by Edna Ferber.  This is a book that my book group Well Read Mom chose.  At first, I was not excited.  But as I read more, the more I have enjoyed it.  Set in Chicago area, centered around a young woman who ends up marrying a farmer and learning to love farming, it is so much more than that.  I won't give any spoilers, just that I am enjoying this book very much.

5.  I am loving the cool mornings and mild days of autumn.  The leaves are turning beautiful colors.  My favorite season!  I scrolled through my October photos from other years and remembered how I have loved October in Ohio for the past six years.

I hope you are finding beauty, rest and blessings in this autumn season, too.