Saturday, July 30, 2011
72+ Degrees!!!
It turned out to be the warmest day so far this summer here in Kodiak, which automatically translates into a day when being outside is a necessity. Therefore, I slept all day. Actually, I didn't have a clue how nice it was until after I woke up mid-afternoon. After grabbing some grub, Scott and I drove out the road, berry bucket, camera, and fishing pole in hand, to see what we could see. If I wasn't an Alaskan girl before, I've certainly adapted and am now. Over 70 degrees, and I was melting! Standing in the sun picking gallons of berries was a bit hot. After a few minutes, we had a panful of salmonberries, and headed out to our fishing hole. I relaxed on the riverbank while Scott pulled in a Jack King and a good sized Dolly. We decided we would be smoking and then canning this batch, since the ones we did the other day turned out so well.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Summertime...and Kodiak bears
Oh, the joys of the Emerald Isle! Friends, it's that time of year. The time for salmonberry picking...boat rides...fishing...picnics...hiking...camping...the list is endless! This summer has been gorgeous. We've had beautiful weather, with several days hitting the upper 60's and low 70's! Several gallons of salmonberries are already in the freezer, with many more to come. A king salmon was caught and is ready to be smoked tomorrow. The boat has been put to good use for picnics on Long Island and fishing for halibut, though only dogfish, cod, and uglies took the bait that day. I've seen 4 bears (all on different rivers), several deer, whales, sea lions, otters, ducks, buffalo, rabbits, and even a fox with a rabbit in it's mouth. The sunsets and sunrises are incredible, and the landscape breathtaking! So much color, so much variety, and so much fun.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
GF, OT, and AK Girl Photography
It's been a long, stressful, exhausting, difficult, and exciting few weeks! Yep, all of the above. Due to a variety of challenging situations I've been faced with, I'm ready for a break, at least emotionally.
About a month ago I started noticing a variety of health related stuff going on that needed checked out. After several doctor appointments and a bunch of testing, I was given a very definite diagnosis of Celiac. Due to the fact that several family members have had it for years, it wasn't a big surprise. However, it was an unwanted surprise, and one I had thought I'd escaped. In addition to the necessity of an entire lifestyle change, it's now hitting home how expensive this is going to be. Alaska is not a cheap place to buy food in the first place, and particularly GF foods. But I'm determined to make it work, and am slowly but surely gathering what I need to survive on this particular diet.
My job is also keeping me busy. Because so many people are on vacation, calling in sick, and taking time away for training, our schedules have been a little mixed up, and we've all put in some extra overtime. My time off will come though, and I'll be grateful!
One thing about living here is that for any specialty appt, you have to fly to Anchorage. This has its pros and cons. You get off the island and get a chance to go shopping, but the expenses for the trip are rather high. So I'm going to make the best of my shoulder appt, and hopefully enjoy the time surrounding it up there. :-)
The other major change in my life has been the decision to take my passion for photography to a higher level. We've had gorgeous weather, so I've spent many, many hours of my 'spare' time out and about the island taking pictures. This place is just so incredible and beautiful! The rest has been used up experimenting with lighting, editing, and researching everything from printers to copyrights to cameras. I decided to see how well some of my favorites looked blown up, and whether or not they would hold their quality, so I ordered a variety of 11x14" prints. They arrived a couple days ago, and I couldn't be happier! A few weren't quite the quality I'd hoped (they'll still work great as 8x11" prints or as cards), but most of them came out looking spectacular (in my opinion)! I'm so excited to be able to share what I see here with others who want a taste of Alaska! So, my business is going to be Alaska Girl Photography. Check out my blog at http://akgirlphotography.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think. Honest opinions, please! Any tips or suggestions, feel free to email me at akgirlphotography@gmail.com.
That would be my life in a nutshell. Hope you are enjoying the summer, and finding those little things in life that make the day so much brighter!
About a month ago I started noticing a variety of health related stuff going on that needed checked out. After several doctor appointments and a bunch of testing, I was given a very definite diagnosis of Celiac. Due to the fact that several family members have had it for years, it wasn't a big surprise. However, it was an unwanted surprise, and one I had thought I'd escaped. In addition to the necessity of an entire lifestyle change, it's now hitting home how expensive this is going to be. Alaska is not a cheap place to buy food in the first place, and particularly GF foods. But I'm determined to make it work, and am slowly but surely gathering what I need to survive on this particular diet.
My job is also keeping me busy. Because so many people are on vacation, calling in sick, and taking time away for training, our schedules have been a little mixed up, and we've all put in some extra overtime. My time off will come though, and I'll be grateful!
One thing about living here is that for any specialty appt, you have to fly to Anchorage. This has its pros and cons. You get off the island and get a chance to go shopping, but the expenses for the trip are rather high. So I'm going to make the best of my shoulder appt, and hopefully enjoy the time surrounding it up there. :-)
The other major change in my life has been the decision to take my passion for photography to a higher level. We've had gorgeous weather, so I've spent many, many hours of my 'spare' time out and about the island taking pictures. This place is just so incredible and beautiful! The rest has been used up experimenting with lighting, editing, and researching everything from printers to copyrights to cameras. I decided to see how well some of my favorites looked blown up, and whether or not they would hold their quality, so I ordered a variety of 11x14" prints. They arrived a couple days ago, and I couldn't be happier! A few weren't quite the quality I'd hoped (they'll still work great as 8x11" prints or as cards), but most of them came out looking spectacular (in my opinion)! I'm so excited to be able to share what I see here with others who want a taste of Alaska! So, my business is going to be Alaska Girl Photography. Check out my blog at http://akgirlphotography.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think. Honest opinions, please! Any tips or suggestions, feel free to email me at akgirlphotography@gmail.com.
That would be my life in a nutshell. Hope you are enjoying the summer, and finding those little things in life that make the day so much brighter!
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