Catch up from the north

I hadn't realised how far behind I was in keeping pictures of the north on the blog. This first one is probably a sunset. I'm not sure, since I forgot to update the time portion on my camera! I believe it is the 9th. Probably. 

 On the 13th (Steve's Bday), I went to the beach with my friend, Christy. The oddest thing we saw was a waterbird paddling along straight on the edge of the shoreline.

 I love Cook Inlet sunsets!

 The gulls were strutting on the beach late, too. We were there well after 1030 pm.

 On the 16th, one of our friends came to help load up yard debris. It was wonderful to get rid of stuff lying around outside!

 I've not seen much larger than a duck. The moose that was in the yard with a friend was photographed, but it was too dark for good pictures. The golden eye are my favorite ducks, but the teen mallards are hilarious. They are definitely not very coordinated yet! This was on July 18, I think. When two bumped into each other while rootling around in the muck, I had to laugh!

 Eventually their mom took them off into the lily pads where they were camouflaged from most predators.

 Lots of flowers are racing to bloom. Mom's got a thorny rosebush in front that is thick with blossoms. And some odd cute little red flowered grass.

 The fireweed isn't very tall this summer. These blooms are also racing to the top. In less than a week the spent blossoms are more than halfway up the stalk!

The 20th, the three golden eye young were on this side of the lake hanging out on the pallets and tires I'd put down there for a 'docking area'. They are getting so big! That evening, my sister's family came to visit to relocate grandma's piano. Janice came out earlier to get stuff for a Hospice sale.

Kari visits Mondays to help take away boxes of things and Grant came down to look at what he'll need to collect the juke boxes. The house  is slowly starting to empty! 

 The golden eye don't seem to hang out together often.  I'm not sure how many there are now. These photos were on July 22 and only two were in proximity of the camera.

The last few days the neighbors have had kids and dogs on the lake no matter what the weather or temps. It is nice to see young people out playing in the water. Although, I've not seen many ducks, but they must be around. They are too little to fly yet! I did spy a couple of  babies the 24th.

Saturday, the 25th, we got a torrential Minnesota like downpour here. The dimples on the lake were huge and I fully expected hail. Mrs. C, from across the way, was hoping for thunder. Neither one happened.

 The sun eventually returned and the mama golden eye took two young into the pads. I'm not sure where she was keeping them. She was somewhere else! I do hope there are still three, I really hope at least one grows up to fly away. Not that I've ever seen it happen here on this lake, but it could.

I will try to be more consistent in posts from the north! 

catch up!!!

A bunch of catch up photos from the last couple of weeks. Lots of odd pictures of this and that and whatever else I might think could catch someone's fancy! Or at least mine. :o) 

I had gone to Kenai for the first go around to get my tooth mended. When I got back to the house, I found Rose had brought me a gift! It made my jaw feel a bit better, too- I love my new black hooded AK sweatshirt. 

 These two photos are a bit of the fixed damage and after--Yup, numbed that whole side! The assistant dentist person said the root had a sort of Betty Boop kick to it and that on a scale of 1-10, it the difficulty was about a 9.5.

 I did feel better by Solstice. So, I went off to the Inlet and watched the sun set in my new sweatshirt!.

While I was waiting, I sat in the car and killed one of the mosquitoes who had joined me.

I've never climbed up the hill overlooking this area. It was VERY steep. Unfortunately, most of the photos I took were washed out a bit. I needed Jonathan! 

And in a blaze, the season changed. 

July is full of blooms! The lilacs in Soldotna started first, but the ones in Kenai and out north are following quickly. 

 Mom's carpal tunnel surgery was in the hospital this time. She came thru with flying colors, as usual.

The rain stopped and the sun came out and with the blooming flowers are lush grasses. Which need cut! So, I did. This is the not steep part... 

Ducks are such amusing bizarre creatures. This is a Goldeneye. She is only supposed to have eggs numbering 4-9. I'm pretty sure she found a few more babies somewhere as they all didn't get in the camera frame! 

 This is the plane I watched on Tony's birthday. It isn't a very good photo, but at least this shot has it right side up! This is just before it went straight into the sky again.

Another fun photo that didn't get focused properly. This lady has only two babies under her wing. She was super brave and while I was reading in the kayak, she and her pair swam past a couple of times. 

Roses, twin flowers, everything is racing to bloom! (I don't have photos of the roses or twin flowers...) 

Life and death out north-

It has been really pretty the last few days. I was super glad I shared that family of green winged teal in the last post, the mom has no one left. The last one was taken out by the loon on Saturday afternoon. The loon who is just here on our lake as a decoy for his own family which is elsewhere! The wigeon is below, he's been seen, but I also learned his mate isn't around. Many of the males tend to leave the mom after incubation. (the teal is another one of those) So, if the brood is all destroyed, unless the female finds a new male, her season of babies is done for the year. 

Below is Miss Kitty. She lives at the North Kenai feed store and is an absolute love! Unless you are a rodent and then you are history. 

This bleached carcass of wood intrigued me. I'm pretty sure this was a 'log' which had washed up nearer Arness dock. Now, it is a cut up root end not as close to the dock! Very cool looking, even with most of it gone. 

It was a gorgeous day out north on Saturday. I had gone to take trash to the dump and out by the pool wisps of fog were coiling in the trees. It was crazy. When  I reached the Spur, on the right towards town the road was obscured. On the left, out north, it was blue skies and sunshine!!!!!! 

 I was amused to see mom's sunflower seeds are growing. I always laugh when I read the seeds are sterile. This one won't get very large (maybe I should pull it up and try to grow it!), but it is growing!

There is a mallard creche on the lake. Or was until Saturday. As mentioned above, the loon has been taking out babies one by one. I went out in the kayak and the loon was on the lake and circling in the sky above were a full grown and an immature eagle. I don't recall which blog it was, but the author mentioned how bittersweet it was to see babies on the lake she lived on. Because she knew most of them would never grow up. I absolutely understand. I know it is the cycle of life, but the last years we've had few babies reach adulthood. 

I have yet to go out on Sunday and see how many she has left in her creche. I'm betting she's down to at least a normal nest size. Thankfully, mallards are ones who brood more than once in a season. We also don't have any golden eye babies yet. Although, to be honest, those moms are terrible! At least the teal and mallards tend to keep their babies to the shallow parts of the lake. The golden eye seem to let their go anywhere they might want to paddle!