A look around the neighborhood

 Neighborhood has several definitions. The one I am leaning toward in this particular post is "the area surrounding a particular place, person, or object." (I believe this is from Merriman-Webster) I am fortunate to be in Kenai AND North Kenai these last months. There are truly feasts for the soul in this neighborhood! 

African violets and one of mom's amaryllis stalks. This showy red plant has 4 blossoms, the other plant seems to have less. Although, it might have two stems. We are still waiting for it to finally burst out of the pot into bloom.

 Early in the morning, ok! NOT early. It is about 8 or 9, and I get to move snow. I am fortunate the area I need to shovel is small. The optical illusion sidewalk is odd, but we work it. The walk starts out really wide and then at the end, the sidewalk is not quite 2 and a half feet. By the time mom gets her walker to that portion, she's out in the grassy area!

 I was struck by how haunting this scene was. The playground has changed dramatically. The school walls have not. I was positive I heard echoes of whistles and shouts from the 70's as I stood next to the security fence on this snowy afternoon.

 The Scout Park is always one of my favorite places. The snow has been removed from the parking area (and other areas, too, from the looks of this particular mound!) and I thought it was funny how the bank almost obscured the building behind it!

 The snow has NOT been removed from the park itself. I waded thru the glittery powder to the edge of the bluff and back. It was cold and sparkly! I chose to not sit on dad's bench to watch winter on the inlet.

 The Scout in Erik's park is a bit under dressed for the weather today!

I wanted a photo of how much snow we've gotten. This one struck my fancy. The weight of the world atop a newspaper box! 

 Mum's  house was covered with powder, too! She had asked me to feed the birds. I crinkled my nose and decided to wait.

 I need to remember to wade thru to the vinyl structure and knock it free of snow the next time I am out there.

 The drive had not been plowed yet, that guy came on Sunday afternoon.

 However, a good friend came out and SHOVELED a space in the drive for cars.

 Max was put out someone was home and not dropping any bread treats. I did find paw prints on the front step!

 Not too bad, 20 is a nice temp!

 The boys created this lovely little wood shed (Nana's hut??? It isn't quite as posh as Grandpa's--Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!) and it appears no one will be getting anything out of it unless we shovel it clear!

 The tires are pretty much covered, The moose don't seem to mind. Go over is logical when your legs are a million miles long!

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I'll share more of the world I am in today as I'm able to. Getting out isn't as easy as it is in the summer! 

A day in June

Dad's bench at Erik Hansen's Scout Park. (you can google the park in Kenai and reach a pdf file from the city) 

It is a very pretty park with a couple of lovely flower beds and a statue of a Boy Scout. There are several benches, all with names on them, overlooking the inlet. I was particularly taken with the stunning white columbine. The bees were impressed, too!

After getting back home from our town excursion, I went back out on the lake. (we watched the Mariners win and had dinner, first!) I was going to just paddle around and got distracted. We had some terns visiting. I can't tell if they are Caspian or Arctic, I need to get a better look at their legs! I watched them slice between the air currents, dart to the surface of the lake, kiss their reflections (OK, they were catching bugs or getting a drink!), and look incredibly endearing! I also found my elusive water creature. Mum calls it a zoomer, she thinks it may be an otter. I am getting more certain it is a muskrat. Whatever it is, it is fast and definitely a mammal. As I look at this particular photo--am pretty sure this is actually a stick (shades of 'Father Goose'??). The next one I'll post is of the creature.

If you have a pretty good imagination and squint while dancing on your left foot, the brown shape is sort of life like....

This last photo was actually one of my first ones. I got to visit with Reese and Aliro and this little truck came thru the neighborhood. Playing, of all things, Music Box Dancer. It was beautiful and nostalgic, but I kinda expected something more along the lines of summer..like The Beach Boys. 

Alaska-Homer outing

I am so sorry this took longer than I thought it would. It appears the blog didn't recognize me and considered me suspicious. However, I'm in now! Hooray. We will see for how long.....

After getting to the Kenai, my first 'outing' was a fast trip to Homer, Alaska. It was pretty chilly. The sunshine was lovely, but the wind had a definite bite to it.  

 However, it didn't seem to deter the fisherfolk. This man got the best catch of the day! Sea Stars on a double hook.

 It was a little hazy across the Inlet. I think the birds floating on the surface of the tide are common murre, but am not entirely sure!

 The best bookstore in Homer is 'The Homer Boookstore'. It has an ocean theme to it as well as these cute log and stick people reading out front.

 I liked how the octopus was reflected in the bathroom mirror, but I am not too sure about the grin I think I see on the face. Octopus are interesting creatures.

 Later in the evening, we stopped to visit Dad's bench in the Erik Hansen Scout Park. We don't have his name on it yet, but we will! The last picture is the view straight out from the bench. I think dad would like it.