Alaska, Day Seven-C

 During the afternoon after we recovered from our hike, we explored an area of Skagway that was off the beaten track where most cruise passengers were wandering around.

We happened upon this lovely building.  It used to be a college, then a US court house.  Now it is the city hall and museum. Unfortunately, it was closed, so we didn't get to visit it.

So we continued wandering along the quiet streets and discovered the Skagway Cultural Garden.  The garden is new and still not completed.  However, it was already filled with sculptures depicting various parts of the Native culture.

Inside the visitors center, a woman was weaving a traditional blanket.  Eleanor and I were very interested in hearing about the traditional styles and materials used to recreate an old piece of weaving.

It was very intricate.

Then it was time to find some dinner and retire to our hotel room because we had a very exciting and busy day planned for the next day:  A Train Ride up to White Pass following the trail of the 1898 Gold Rush!

Blogtober Day 6

 A break from the Alaska trip.  Just one photo for Blogtober today.

A grey barn

Alaska, Day Seven-B

 Fortified by our coffee and cinnamon rolls, we decided to take a hike.  The weather was amazingly clear and the sky was blue and cloudless (unusual for Alaska).

We crossed the Skagway River and hiked up and down the hills to Smugglers Cove.

Yes, the terrain was hilly and steep.

We hiked up and down and over rocks and roots.  Finally we arrived at Smugglers Cove.  Why is it called Smuggler's Cove?  Smugglers brought alcohol into the cove on boats during the American Prohibition era of the 1920s.  Today it is a lovely place to enjoy the quiet beach and maybe have a picnic and bonfire.

Even the ravens and the squirrels enjoy this little haven of a cove.

After a short rest and a snack, we hiked back to Skagway.

Alaska, Day Seven-A, Skagway

 

Before one goes exploring, one must have coffee.

Eureka!*  We found it!

And amazing cinnamon rolls.

* "No, Eleanor. We are not in Eureka.  That's in Northern California."  "Oh, I see.  You understand the meaning of the word eureka...

I FOUND IT!"

Infirmary Mound and Blogtober Day Three

 I didn't realize until yesterday, October 2nd that Blogtober was happening.  Coastal Ripples mentioned it.  So I decided I would give it a try again this year.

In comments on Friday Fave Fives,  a couple of people asked why Infirmary Mound used the word 'infirmary'.  I didn't know.  What did I do?  I looked it up.

Evidently, in 1850 a Poor House was established at that location. Later, the name was changed to The Infirmary.  Why was the word mound added to it?  It is also the site of an ancient burial mound built by an Ancient Native American culture.  There are many mounds all over the state of Ohio.  In fact, just 3.5 miles from Willow's Cottage there is a UNESCO World Heritage Site called Great Circle Earthworks and Museum.

So that's why the park is called Infirmary Mound Park.

A few photos from the years we have walked and hiked there. (The park is 316 acres!)

The actual burial mound is not very high any more due to centuries of erosion from farming and plowing done there.

The Fairy Trail is located there...

I could post dozens more photos of the fairy trail, but I don't want to bore you.  If you want to view more, THIS LINK will take you to a post I wrote in 2021 about the Infirmary Mound Fairy Trail.

First October Faves

 Now I'm convinced that Fall is truly here.  It's October!  And it's Friday.  It has been an active week and I have hardly even been on my computer much.  Time to hit a pause button and relax a bit and think about the blessings of this week.  Friday Faves Fives is my way to do that.

1.  I am thankful for sunrises and sunsets.  In a book that my Art Girls friends and I are reading, the author reminds us to notice how God shows us every day the beauty of His creation.  We have decided to share our sunrise and sunset photos with each other.  I sent them this one which I know I have posted here before.

2.  I am also thankful for rainy days.  Like today.  The rain replenishes our ground and garden so I don't have to water it.   There is something about rainy days that makes me feel it is okay to relax a bit.  Tea and a book and my knitting.

3.  I am thankful for my Art Girls friends.  Years ago, we all five lived in the same town in California and enjoyed our times together painting, knitting, discussing books, visiting art museums.  Then three of us moved away.  But we still maintain our friendships via texts and zoom meetings

4.  Two hikes this week with Mia and the dogs.  One of the hikes was at the county park Infirmary Mound.  The area is quite hilly and much is covered with forest.  There's a lake which we walked around.  Two or three miles here is definitely a workout.  This photo doesn't show just how high the hill was where we were standing.

5.  I am thankful that my daughter-in-law Jennifer  (PAL's mom) encouraged me to join Well Read Mom book club.  I am reading books that I would never have added to my list.  This month's read is So Big by Edna Ferber.  I am enjoying it and I don't think I would have ever read this book if the book club hadn't chosen it for the October read.

I hope you have found time this week to relax and remind yourself of the beauty around you.

Falling for Fall Faves!

 It's late Friday evening.  I'm late posting Friday Fave Fives.  (follow the link to join us!)  But it's still Friday...  we had another busy week here at Willow's Cottage.  Right now as I am writing this, the sun has set and we are sitting around our firepit enjoying our first autumn bonfire.

Here are my Fave Fives for this week:

1.  It's FALL!  AUTUMN is my favorite season of the year in Ohio.  What's better than a warm cup of coffee in a cup decorated for fall?

2.  I enjoyed a morning with Mia my nurse daughter at one of our favorite coffee shops.  Coffee and knitting.  That's the best way to spend a morning.  Eleanor joined us and convinced me to purchase her a yummy coffee cake.  I told her she had to take it home and share it with The Professor, which she did.

3.  Another wonderful way to spend a morning is to get  ourwalking exercise of three miles with Mia and our grandson Liam and the grand-dogs.  Liam had Monday off from high school and Mia wasn't working a twelve hour shift at the hospital.  And the weather wasn't raining.  And another morning, The Professor and I walked with Mia and the dogs.  All in all, the walks were great exercise and a great time with our daughter.  And a bonus was spotting a deer in the woods along the path.

4.  The house trim and facia painting is finished!  I really need to get a photo of the new blue shutters and front door.  We are very happy with the color we chose.  And our friend did a beautiful job.

5.  Last Sunday The Professor and I met our friend Thuy who flew in from Oregon to do the Walk for Sarcoma with other friends who have survived this horrid cancer although they have suffered the loss of one or both of their legs.  We know some of the women in the photo because they were members of the US Amputee Women's Soccer Team.  Our connection is that Thuy, who we have known for more than twenty years because she worked at the high school where Mia was a student, was one of the coaches for the team.  These women are heroes and we were honored to walk with them to help raise money for Sarcoma cancer research.  (Do you know what sarcoma cancer is?  If not, click this LINK to learn about it)

That's it for Willow's Week.  Was your week filled with blessings, too?