September in Anchorage

Hello Everyone. It has been busy and fun having family visiting.  I haven't had a moment to post my blog with family visiting.  It was fabulous having my sister and brother in law and then my Aunt Sharon.  It was such a beautifuly time in Anchorage for a visit.   I forgot to edit my HTML so the pictures are stacked again.  Oh well.  My brilliance lasted only a week!!!  So let's start on the bottom.  Here is the Russian Cemetary in Eklutna, AK.  Go ahead and practice your Russian.  This dialect is very gutteral and it takes a lot of practice.  You will notice that the burial areas are very colorful.  The colors represent the family linage, village, and hobbies.  The church was recently renovated and it looks fabulous.  They have services there during the Holy days.Then Nancy, Bob and I hiked to Thunderbird Falls.  It is a nice easy mile hike in to the falls and then a nice easy mile back to the car.  We saw wonderful fauna on our trip into the fall.  Bob was so kind to stand by the wonderful signs.  Don't you love the "DANGER  STEEP CLIFF". Bob thought he would demonstrate what happens when you leave the trail.  "Oh no, don't fall Bob."  The sunsets are from my porch.  We have spectacular sunsets.  Can you see the rolling clouds in the sky.  They were so close we could almost touch them.  Sunsets are the one thing I greatly appreciate up here.  My visitors often remark how beautiful the sunsets are.  One photographer says AK sunsets are prettier than Hawaii or any Southern country.  I agree.  About twice a week we hike up another mountain trail.  We usually work with our trainers and then go hiking since our sun sets about 8:45 pm.  This is a photo of me on Mile High Trail.  It is one mile straight up.  I mean straight up a hill side using tree roots and branches to get footing.  That is our shopping area of Eagle River in the back ground.  We were careful and brought our bear spray since there are daily bear sightings in our trails.  One night Nancy, Bob and I went downtown to meet up with David's niece, Laura.  Laura is a lawyer and has many great trail tales to keep us entertained.  So we walked down to Elderberry Park to view another sunset.  That is Sheryl and Whale.  Isn't that a cute metal whale?  The whale looks out over Cook's Inlet.  Speaking of Cook, yes it is named after Captain Cook.  He is a very important part of AK history.  So of course you see the magnificant statue of Captain Cook as he keeps watch on Cook's Inlet.  We discovered the AK Victims Memorial while we were walking around the park.  In case I haven't told you, Alaska ranks #1 in the US in the following categories:  domestic violence, assults on Natives, sexual abuse, alcoholism and just recently passed Mississippi for the most obese state in the country. Alaska has a lot to offer if you are willing to get out an enjoy AK.While we were at the Elderberry Park the Alaska Train was pulling tinto Anchorage for the evening.  It was about 20 feet from us. The mountain range is the Illiama mountains and that is Susitna mountains. The ledgend is Susitna's fiance went to fight off a waring tribe that was coming to attach his village. All the other village men returned but not Susitna's fiance.  So she layed down to rest until he returned.  After many  If you look closely at the range, you can see her laying on her side with her hair flowing into the ocean.  Then the Alaska Trainwas making it's last stop for the evening in AK train terminal. The train was about 20 feet from us so you could everyone inside. So I thought I would be a bit artisic so I took a picture of Susitna through the train window.  It came through but you have to know what you are looking at for it make any sense.  So that is a bit of some of my "family" adventures.  I have set time aside this weekend to share more pictures.  I hope you are all doing well in your hot and humid weather.  I have vowed not to wear long pants until October 1.  My shorts were a bit cold this morning but by noon it had warmed up and very sunny. More to come about my glacier trips, sea life cruise, moose rutting adventure, bear viewing and many other fun things to do in AK. 

Sheryl the Nanuq of the North.