Bear Lake

Yesterday the sun came out and a bunch of us climbed to a glacier-formed lake up in the mountains. It was a great adventure; one of the last I will have here in Sitka. I got really bad sunburn all over my arms and face; a consequence of the sun reflecting off the snow, or something like that. As you can see, winter never ends someplaces.

Wild Astuteness

"Don't just bang down the trail thinking about your girlfriend or stock portfolio. Go like another animal. All of a sudden you're part of an ancient system again: You stop, listen more often, scent the wind. And after four or five days, something happens. You're part of the original landscape, a far older, more faded world."

"If you're comfortable with yourself, go solo. Solitude is the deepest well I know, and it's your right to drink from it. Forget all the risk-free literature you read from the BLM or the Park Service or anybody else...And no GPS devices; the opportunity to get lost on today's planet is a privilege."

-Doug Peacock

Morning

I am sitting in a little cafe, about a block from the water, with 10 minutes to spare. My eyes dart from left to right across the placid screen of my laptop; my mind soaks up the news of the day - currently courtesy of The Asheville Citizen-Times. It's 8:15 in the morning. 12 ounces of the Longliner blend rest warmly in my mug. The sun shines brightly outside, the air is fresh and smells like spring. 3 little red-robins dance in the parking lot; each one steps with graceful ease and cloaked precaution. Class starts at 8:50; I'm teaching something-or-another at the high school. It's going to be a good day.

Dusk

I took this picture last night around 9:30. I was on my way home from an evening of babysitting and the night sky faded westward in an mesmerizing shade of blue. I stood awestruck by the water for a good long while. Creation is a beautiful thing.

Also, I got the call from the wildfire folks...I'm going to be fighting fire after all. I will officially be on the North Star crew out of Ft. Wainwright in Fairbanks. I report on May 14th.

I've got to buy some boots, and a plane ticket.

Bare Essentials

There was the sharp scent of salt in the air as I walked into town today. It is the first time I have smelled the Pacific. I really don't know what I'm talking about when I say this, but all the same, I have this hunch that if you can smell the saltwater the air temperature must be getting warmer. The reason I say this is because yesterday it was nearly 50 degrees, and today I smelled salt. Makes sense right?

Let me tell you, I was excited about the sun being out yesterday - "blazing" it's rays proudly. After I got home from teaching I grabbed this green plastic lawn chair we have, stripped down to my skivvies, and plopped down in our front yard. Naturally, I still had my boots on, cause of all the snow, but, otherwise it was just me and Alaska. I would have taken a picture of the scene and posted it, but, other than Uncle Barney and maybe the boys at school, I don't think anyone would have appreciated it.

It really is getting warmer though. The past week has been much different from the past four months; three days in the 40's, with precipitation coming in the form of rain instead of snow. Swan Lake is beginning to thaw a bit. The snow around town is starting to thin. It still is Alaska, and in most places our recent weather would be considered appropriate for the thick of winter, but, spring (relatively speaking) is on it's way.

On a closing note, I received word that I am the first alternate for the firefighting job. Meaning that, unless someone drops and I get a call from the fire folks, I'll be here in Sitka for the summer. I am very happy about this though, as I'm really enjoying my time here. I got a job at this little garden center down the road - "Garden Ventures" - and will be one of two employees at the shop. My summer will be spent doing pretty much whatever; ranging from basic carpentry to sales to landscape instillation. I hope that everyone realizes the fantastic irony of this turn of events...I have come to Alaska to do no other than work at a garden center. Weird (at this point I want to go off on some spiel about destiny, but, I'll refrain).

I am happy

Day 90

Late Nights