Enjoying the vibrant yellows of fall

We chose this past Friday for an outing to take in the extraordinary autumn colors, but alas it was cloudy, dismal, and not good lighting for pictures of foliage. But we enjoyed our drive south to Girdwood along the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet taking in the different scenery of water and wind. Didn't see any beluga whales or sheep on the cliffs, it was not a day for that. It was a day for finding a new restaurant in Girdwood to go back to: Chair 5. Their deep dish pizza is worth a return. Before leaving Girdwood for home we had to make the requisite stop at the Bake Shop for their cinnamon rolls, which we have enjoyed with relish this weekend. 

Today is sunny with the colors at their prime. We couldn't resist logging the colors, as we do every year, they are so vibrant! I hope the pictures can paint a picture of what we see out the windows. 

Poplars standing guard at the end of the driveway.

Property bathed in sunlight.

High-bush cranberries going red.

Deck Plants and Baby Moose

Not the best photo of me... but, this has become an annual tradition to show the deck planting. Oh well. And I noticed in last year's picture that I was wearing a layer, fleece, this year I was perfectly comfortable. Greg tells me it's 80℉ outside right now-unusually warm. 

This is where it gets exciting! Greg noticed a cow moose emerge from the woods with a set of twins. 

So gangly-legged. 

It's still remarkably warm we think for this time of year and haven't felt that cool bite in the air that portends "fall" for certain. The trees and ground cover think differently. Fall is here.

A picture of the front yard...

it's a rainy day... and the leaves are piling up on the grass...

just another view of the trees from the deck.

Bloomin' Tulips

The tulips put in the ground last fall have come up and are in full bloom. The last blog post of tulips has them blooming one week later than this year. Our weather has been much warmer with more sun early on to spur on the plant growth, but the rain this past weekend gave the flowers and grass a needed boost. 

This is what they looked like when we got home yesterday.....

and this is what they looked like this afternoon.....

Beginning of Garden Season

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally a big gardening time for Alaskans. It is said to be the first days and nights that are potentially frost free. We plant in our deck baskets on this weekend every year. This year we got to watch a moose browse past while we were planting. Bob the dog was soundly scolded by a squirrel and both Greg and I were investigated by curious chickadees. The video is a fun moment we shared with Bob. 

Greg's the Photog This Time...

Another gorgeous day in the "last frontier" and while I was riding my bike around the loop Greg took a few pictures of Bob the dog and the property.

Well, this picture I took when we got back in the house... Kitty had found her favorite sunbeam. 

Around the House May 9 & 13

Last weekend we did some yard work...

a view of the yard...

the poplar trees are greening up...

the tulips are getting taller every day...

just an updated view of the yard... no snow... new leaf green. 

The weather has been unseasonably warm and dry. The Smoky bear (fire service) sign on the highway is posting a "extremely high" fire danger level lately. We hope it rains soon, we need the rain. But in the meantime it hasn't stopped the seasonal change. 

A Brisk Spring Sniff-about With Bob the Dog

It was a beautiful day outside, although a little breezy and brisk with the wind blowing off the snow. The snow and ice has melted off the road in front of the house so I was able to take Bob the dog on a little wheel up the street for the first time this year. It shouldn't be too long before I can do the whole loop without encountering ice along the way. 

Bob the dog LOVES snow... 

sniffing about in the front year...

the ditches at the end of the driveway are still full of snow... summer is still a long ways away.

Peace Pole Project - Post 3

Nailing on the copper top - cap Greg custom made

What a gorgeous day it was... look at all those leaves Greg has to deal with...

We are almost done with the Peace Pole Project. I finished the lettering and we painted it last weekend. Greg put several coats of stain on the pole every time he was down in the garage this past week. Yesterday he put the copper cap for the top that he fashioned. He had also done his own little creative twist and embossed some cool symbols onto a band of thin copper sheeting that he nailed on the pole below the wording. While I was biking yesterday he dug (post-holed) the hole for the pole. We just need to cement it in and we're officially done. Now for the ceremony. 

What a difference a week can make...

I looked at the pictures of fall that I posted last weekend and the pictures that I took yesterday... and it doesn't seem possible that just a week has past. The seasons change very quickly this far north I just hope there are still leaves on the trees when Mindi and Scott get here this week!

Front yard covered in leaves... Greg has raked and mowed 3 times already!

Bob the Dog catching some rays... for warmth on the old bones...

I do not know what the facial expression is about, but I had just done 4 loops around the "loop" or 4 miles so I was feeling pretty good. And it was a beautiful day to be out, cool, sunny. We will not have too many more days like this... we frankly haven't had many sunny summer days, so it was a nice day over all. 

Promised Pictures of Fall

House framed by signs of fall...

Jill out and about... I had just brushed Bob the dog

Front yard

We had a storm pass through, we had 50 mph winds on Thursday and then it rained all day yesterday. The leaves have not been able to stay on the trees in other words and... we woke up to official "termination dust" today. The mountain tops are covered with snow, it's now a matter of time for us to get our first dusting here... the snow will slowly climb down the mountainsides and it will be full on winter. These pictures were taken around the house I did not go far. The pictures of the trees... they grow right next to the house by the front door.