Happy Labor Day. I hope your labors are light today, whether you celebrate or not.
When I left Alaska, I was eager to get home and see my cats and return to my routine. My initial thoughts were that I was so happy to have had the opportunity for this Alaskan experience and that I didn’t see the need for a return visit. The sites were beautiful and so different from what I knew, but it is quite remote in SE Alaska, and I like my city pleasures.
But this week I’ve found myself longing for Alaska. I miss the glaciers, the mountains, the wildlife, and the sparse human population.
The gardener doesn’t understand at all. He still feels that it was a wonderful trip, but he’s “done.” He loves warm weather and sun, and while I do like warm, sunny days, I don’t need it the way he does.
I love the way the mist lingers between the mountains. And how a low hanging cloud can transform a hill into a strange shape, even an animal.
Look through the mountains below to see yet more variety of landscape.
The next photo interested me because the waterfall is not centered. That way it’s possible to see more variety of topography.
Look at the next. Why is the umbrella over the flowers? It can’t be because someone positioned their umbrella there when they went inside. The flower pot is far from the door of the bookstore in Petersburg.
A phenomenon that I noticed in Juneau was that many people decorate their mailboxes. Unfortunately, with a big rear view mirror sticking out in my passenger side view, I couldn’t take a pic of too many of them.
Maybe I’ll have stopped blabbing about Alaska by next week . . . .
One thing before I go: I finished Ellen Morris Prewitt’s fabulous new novel Tracking Happiness. I posted a review at Amazon and Goodreads. Here is my Goodreads review, although I stupidly posted it under the Kindle edition, and I read the paperback. It begins this way:
People sometimes ask me for fiction recommendations, and when they ask for a funny book, I remember that my list is very short. Sometimes they ask me for a feel good book, and that list is also pretty short. But since I just finished Ellen Morris Prewitt’s new novel Tracking Happiness: A Southern Chicken Adventure, I am putting it at the top of both lists.
The review is found here. It’s such a feel-good book you will thank me for recommending it :).
Make this week a good one!
I’m a lot like your husband. I enjoy seeing new stuff but prefer to live where I do (except for this summer when it rained almost constantly!). Sometimes I miss Hawaii. I had spent a month there and could live there if I could afford it. Mostly I miss the different food from other places. Especially if you are in a different country, you just can’t duplicate it.
That is so true about the food. You really can’t duplicate it. I can’t say I had anything truly Alaskan while I was there, except the salmon. After the cruise (rich food 3x day), we were craving Asian food and found a Korean-owned Japanese restaurant in Juneau. What a relief that was. We both prefer to eat Japanese and Korean food. Where in Hawaii were you? I’ve only been to Maui, and it was just one long crowded street around the island from what we could see (other than that gorgeous road to Hana). I know there must be amazing places in Hawaii we are missing.
I was on 4 islands. It was the 70s and a lot less crowded. I loved Maui and Kauai best. Maui was very beachy and Kauai was rural and beautiful at least where we were.
I’d love to see Kauai!
It was pretty perfect. The inner part is a rain forest. It rained every night between 10 and 3 a.m. Every day was perfect weather and the foliage was just gorgeous.
Oh, it sounds lovely. I’m sure the gardener would complain about the rain. He’s obsessed with watching for rain. As if it’s a big problem in AZ. 😉
Don’t apologize for yet another beautiful post, Luanne. I love it!
Aw, thanks, Anneli! Have a good week ahead!
It’s fun to see the photo and read your thoughts. I wonder if you’d think differently about being there in the winter. 🙂
Hahaha, you sound like the gardener! He said, “OK, you can go in January then.”
Great minds. 😉
Whatever.
😉 hahaha
Goodness! Do not apologize to me about showing me more Alaska! I love these pics. It’s beautiful! I’ve NEVER seen a glacier and must envy the ones you’ve seen. As you know, I can’t handle where you live and it might be one of the most ill-suited-to-Joeys regions I’ve ever been, so I would miss the glaciers, too!
That’s interesting about the mailboxes. Groovy.
The umbrella over the flowers fascinates me. Maybe it is a take on Environmental Art? I imagine Alaska in January would be very beautiful – but perhaps one wouldn’t get very far unless it was travel by sled and husky?
The photos are terrific, Luanne. I think the umbrella is to protect the flowers from the cold heavy rain. Can damage blossoms and turn them black.
I love the otherworldly and quirky pix! Great to come home to!
Thanks for the photographic journey, Luanne. Made me want to take another trip up the inland passage to Alaska (which I did years ago). Also thanks for the book recommendation, added it to my endless reading wish list. I actually placed in my age group in the Hearts for Honduras local race (the 5-k walk, not the run). That assured me that I really AM better!
I so enjoyed this post, Luanne. The photos are spectacular, almost humbling.
I don’t think we can ever get too many photos of Alaska 🙂 So much eye candy!
It’s so interesting to me how place can speak to us, get under our skin, and we would never know it if we didn’t visit there. I love how it manifested itself after you satisfied that longing for home. And thank you for the shout out on Lucinda and Tracking Happiness! <3 I am so glad you enjoyed her journey enough to recommend it to others. That means a lot to me. 🙂
Ellen, your book is fabulous. It’s so different and so much fun and all that love! Yes, re place. My other places that I have been: Pacific Grove, CA; Jamaica; Scotland. It’s not just about loving a place because I love plenty of places, but don’t feel like they are soul places.
“Soul places.” <3
Some wonderfully atmospheric photos here
So glad you had a great trip, Luanne! Everyone I know who has visited Alaska has loved it!
I can understand why you’re missing it Luanne – I’m sure I’d miss it too!
Wonderful photos! Yes, Alaska gets under one’s skin. It makes a person more alert, expecting the unexpected.
Breathtaking. That’s all I can say. Breathtaking.
Cheryl, I would say thank you, but it’s all Alaska 🙂
My husband and I started going to Alaska 6 years ago and can’t get enough of it. We go a couple times a year now. You should try going to other areas…we love Kodiak. 🙂
I am putting it on my bucket list! Thank you.