A Walk Around the Lake-lots of photos.

I really should have an account for these photos, there are so many. I kept the better ones for this!!! It was super fun to walk around the lake. I haven't done that in decades. AND I also found it neat to see things from shore, rather than from the kayak. Most of the lake shore in the summer months is not good for walking. Today, this uncertain day before Easter in 2017, it was lovely. 

I took several photos of objects melted into the snow and ice. The snow around most of the lake was sturdy enough to walk on. I only sunk into a few spots and about a third of the way around, I was wishing I had worn my winter boots and not mud boots! 

 I saw a dragon shape in this---

A serene bowl of ice and snow.

 Cool spot I wanted to sit in for a bit, but the log really was a bit too unstable.

 These photos are fun because I have many pictures of this log from the water. It was cool to see it from above and beside.

 Shattered shapes in the ice!!!

 
 Here, I was VERY glad to have my spring boots on. This spot moved as I bounced on it. I didn't bounce long and I was very careful. As you can tell, it is close to shore.

 Ice coming off the water on the edge of the lake. Look how much is embedded in it!

I was sad when I reached this spot. This is my lake phone booth. But, the branch has broken off and is in the water. I can still 'park' here to talk, but it won't be as hidden. 

 More fun ice shapes!

 I ran across a bit of trouble and had to figure out how to circumvent this really wet patch. I tried to go under the trees, but what little hair I have left ended up tangling in the branches! So, I found a different way.

 I went around the little grove of trees. You can really tell how hard the ground is when you walk in the moss and there is not a smidge of give in it. But, at least I didn't get wet!

I found my favorite kind of diamond! One made of ice and snow! 

 I was seriously annoyed. I had hoped the dogs were not out, they always are, but I could still hope! They didn't discover me until I was almost to the nursery part of the lake. Silly dogs started barking like crazy!!!

 Crevasses in the ice. Small and deep.

 Looking up the lake from the 'nursery' portion where all the lily pads are in the summer. The ducks often raise their babies in this area because it is safer than the other end of the lake.

 A shadow selfie! I was back where I started. Thankful and very impressed I could walk on the ice and snow as easily as it if was normal ground. I saw things I would not see in the summer and got a bit of exercise.

A Few Days in Breakup

All shots taken with my Samsung cell phone, because I forgot where I had put my camera! (I found it now, so I'll use both next time!) 

The walks to the paperbox in the morning are usually frosty. Jack makes lovely designs as well as ones of a more bizarre nature! 

 I made halibut like mom did for supper one night. But, not really. I followed the directions on the box of crumbs, dipping it in egg and flour and crumb. Mum skips the flour step. I was pretty impressed with how they turned out, I really am not fond of spattering oils!

 This is today, Tuesday. Spring as far as your eye can see!!!

 I was sitting on a root and noticed the neat shapes in this tree. I usually see it from a different angle and had not noticed the artistic bends.

 Mum was out today. She walked in the drive to look at her garden next to the house and then she filled a bird feeder. She was pleased to see hyacinth were coming up. I think mine, in Oregon, are almost done. I was especially impressed to see bulbs. This part of the yard near the house is about the only part which has not been dug up in the last few years!

 As you can see, sitting in the spring sunshine is still a bit chilly and damp!

I wore my sweatshirt for much of the day, but finally took it off and vied the snow for whitest expanse. I also noticed my hair matches the silvery birch bark! (NOTE: I am not from Kenai, but I wasn't wearing my Nikiski sweatshirt today!) 

Breakup is for the Birds!

The silver white winter of the previous post, only days ago, has changed into not spring, but a true breakup. When I took the photo below, I could hear what sounded like shots or thunder. I imagine the lake across the way is starting to weaken. Am pretty sure the noise wasn't ours. 

Easter/Thanksgiving, it doesn't matter. Bloom whenever you can! 

 I am in definite need of something other than tennies. It is getting a bit gicky out there. Breakup has not ever been one of my favorite times. The only good part is the lengthening of the day.

 I wanted just up over the ankle boots, but these will do. Cheap black boots from a store everyone ends up shopping at. I blinged them up with a silver permanent marker and stencils. They 'ran' when I added a spot of acrylic spray, but it isn't bad!

 BUT, the best part of being out on the evening of the 6th, was not using my new boots to get the paper (which came late due to the road closure on the Seward because of the loose crazy man who used to live in Kenai and was out shooting). It was the birds. I finally got chickadees to land in my palm to get their seed. (I think that animation from Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites) NOTE: I did try to 'move' the photos, but blogspot wasn't letting me. So, you get them in a column!

 More boots in breakup! The morning dance across the muck by jumping lightly from snow patch to snow patch was impossible. The sugar snow patches crushed with each step I took.

 You can see there is even MORE water after today. It was a really warm day. I didn't use my jacket at all. I did have on long sleeves for most of it, though-

 While I was doing errands, mum said she saw a snowmachine on the lake. It is 'fun' to ride across the water to make the spray. The lake is still pretty solid, but not even the neighbor dogs have ventured across. I don't think I'd want to attempt snowmachining on the water!

 I finally ventured back inside to watch baseball a bit after 8. It did get pretty cold overnight, but the sun will warm things back up once again, releasing the Alaskan world from the ice and snow. For now!

Silver white winters...

...that last through the spring. These are a few of my favorite things!!! 

April has started off where March ended. With melting and snow. 

I was finally able to get around the edges of the house where the sugar snow has melted to put up the new bird feeder. Mom said it was for Mittens, she was right. The feeder has some sort of  a barrier in the middle so the birds can't see Mittens, but oh my! Mittens can see the birds!!! 

 So far we've had chickadees and nuthatches visit. The feeder is not really built for the preferred  black sunflower seeds. Those mixed bags of seeds are ridiculous~ even if they are cheap. I will have to see how I can 'fix' it.

 She watches, attacks the window, gets disgusted, leaves, and then comes back. She cannot stay away!

 All throughout the day there were feathery flakes of snow lightly falling from the sky. Most of them melted. It was fairly warm out, almost 40 during some parts of the day. Debbie and Arnold came for a visit and we stayed outside. A lovely, somewhat chilly, scene for chatting!

 As darkness descended, temps dropped, and the snow started to stick. Mom had a bunch of those tiny yard lights out in the garden last October. I didn't put them away when I was home in November, so when the snows came, they vanished. The warm sunshine has melted things a bit and this light was glowing inside the berm made by the plow.

 HUGE snowflakes on flannel, more favorite things! God was shaking out the down blankets last night.

 This morning, the flocked look was the fashion. Incredible frozen beauty.

 The sparkles made from the rising sun on the fresh snow bring a smile to my face and joy to my soul. Yup, I love snow. And break up is pushed back just a tad longer! I reckon next weekend's Prom will most likely NOT have party goers playing on the bluffs and in the sand.

Tracks and More~

The last days of March have been white and blowy with intermittent sun breaks. We stayed put, except to pick up the newspaper! 

As I started down the drive, I noticed my tracks tended to stay in the center of the road. Obi's tracks went down one side and up the other! 

I texted this photo to Tony. He figured my bunny tracks guess was probably right.

 I snagged the paper (it is really icy under all this snow!) and looked towards the house where Obi was hanging out. It appeared today his tracks wandered in his own bunny trail!!! 

Mum wanted me to feed the birds-had to empty the feeder first!!!!

We had a visitor who drove over the tracks outside and provided a perfect perch for Mittens inside!!! Sharon does not like cats. She tolerates Mittens.

 The next day another friend stopped by and I was able to do a few chores while he visited with mom. He also brought me a jacket. Mum has a blue one like this, but smaller. In fact, there are a LOT of people around who have these sorts of jackets! They came from the winter games a few years back. Jim didn't use this one and asked if I wanted it. I was rather impressed with how it blocked the wind. I wore my blue Kenai polar fleece hoody under it and was warm and toasty!!! And green!!!! Friends are great people to have around.