Spring Break Day 7

Friday Slept in for a second day then went birding nearby. First up to the ridge above Arbon valley then lunch at Pizza Hut, we called Shanna again then waited for her at home then we all drove out to American Falls. The birding wasn’t spectacular anywhere, but we got a couple of new species on the overall list.  Played games and ate nachos before calling it a night early.

Caribou National Forest, Pocatello, Idaho

Mink Creek area

March 29, 2013

Near Cherry Springs 

1. Crows
2. Starlings
3. California Gulls
4. Rock Doves
5. Canada Geese on the cliffs
6. Magpie
7. Robins
8. Townsend's Solitaire
9. Black Crowned Chickadee
10. Ruby Crowned Kinglet
11. "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco
12. Sage Thrasher
13. Mountain Bluebird
14. Red Shafted Flicker
15. Heard Yellow Warblers
16. Song Sparrow

American Falls

Me

1. Double Crested Cormorants
2. Turkey Vulture
3. Coots
4. Mallards
5. Tons of Red Breasted Mergansers
6. White Pelican
7. Bald Eagle (Shanna saw)
8. Canvasbacks
9. Ring Necked Pheasant
10. Eurasian Collared Doves
11. Mourning Doves

Spring Break Day 6

Thursday Stayed home and slept in. Got Shanna to come home and we went shopping...TJmaxx, and Ross, then home to play ‘move that painting.’  Matt and Carrie came over for pot roast and for the first time in a long time my gravy came out stunning.  

Spring Break Day 5

Wednesday Cheryl, Min and I load into the car and drive to/bird to Menan. Load into Suzy’s vehicle and visit the other side of the butte, Market Lake, Camas wildlife refuge, and Mud Lake. (lunch of peanut butter & honey sandwiches, Doritos, carrots, celery, strawberries and banana bread at Camas).  Stopped at Freeman park on the way home, but no birds. Got home very tired at 5:30 and just sat for awhile. Shanna got us to go to Puerta Vallarta for dinner and then to bed early.

Trumpeter Swans

Camas Wildlife Refuge

1. American Crow
2. California Gull
3. Rock Doves
4. Red-tailed Hawk
5. Starlings
6. Red-winged Blackbirds
7. Canada Geese
8. Black-billed Magpie
9. Eurasian Collared-dove
10. Mourning Dove
11. American Robin
12. House Sparrow
13. Belted Kingfisher
14. Mallards
15. Bald Eagle
16. Mountain Bluebird
17. Dark-eyed Junco
18. Rough-legged Hawk
19. Ring-necked Pheasant
20. Meadowlarks
21. American Coots
22. Red-Breasted Mergansers
23. Trumpeter Swans
24. Ring-necked Ducks
25. Canvasbacks
26. Yellow-headed Blackbirds
27. Common Goldeneye
28. Buffleheads
29. Killdeer
30. Northern Hrariers
31. Wigeon
32. Tundra Swans
33. Sandhill Cranes
34. Marsh Wren
35. Pintails
36. Snow Geese
37. Redheads
38. Lesser Scaup
39. Northern Flicker (Mud Lake)

Spring Break Day 4

Tuesday birding north along 91 to Swan Lake, then in Pocatello and over to the mountain above Arbon valley, on the return discovered gas gauge not only on empty but flashing, coasted to nearest station -TBox. Pausing to admire the wild turkeys in display mode on the road. Grocery shopping with Shanna. Made chili for dinner and banana bread for tomorrow’s lunch along with prepping celery and strawberries.

Sadly all of the pictures taken over the first few days were erased by my camera. This includes the mountain bluebirds in Arbon valley posed on aspen in the snow and the wild turkeys.

Mountain Bluebird

1. California Gull
2. Eurasian Collard-Dove
3. American Robin
4. Staring
5. Mallard
6. Canada Geese
7. Black-billed Magpie
8. Red-winged Black Bird
9. House Sparrow
10. Mourning Dove
11. Sandhill Cranes
12. Red-tailed Hawk
13. American Kestral
14. Meadow Larks
15. Northern Harrier
16. Common Ravens
17. American Crows
18. Trumpeter Swans
19. Wigeons
20. Canvasbacks

    

    Wild Turkeys

21. Scaup (Lesser)
22. Coot
23. Tundra Swans
24. Pintails
25. Franklin Gull
26. Rock Doe
27. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
28. *Yellow-bellied Marmot*
29. Mountain Bluebird
30. *Townsend Squirrel*
31. Dark-eyed Junco
32. Black-capped Chickadee
33. Turkeys Displaying
34. Red Shafted Flicker
35. Great-horned Owl Fledgling

Yellow Bellied Marmot

Spring Break Day 3

Monday birding, tried for Gower ponds, ended up at Antelope Island instead, then Bear River Refuge, then over to Daves to visit his family

Chukar

Bison

View from Antelope Island 

1. House Sparrow
2. Canada Geese
3. Red-tailed Hawk
4. Rock Doves
5. Black-billed Magpies
6. Eurasian Collard-Doves
7. Starlings
8. Mallards
9. Northern Harrier
10. Ring-necked Pheasant
11. Killdeer
12. Common Raven
13. California Gulls
14. Ring-billed Gulls
15. Franklin Gull
16. American Coots
17. Northern Shovelers
18. Blue Winged Teal
19. Redheads
20. Wigeons
21. Eared Grebes
22. Common Merganser
23. Commn Gldenyes
24. Meadowlarks
25. *Bison
26. Grasshopper Sparrow
27. Horned Lark
28. Chukar
29. *Antelope*
30. Willow Flycatcher
31. Dark-eyed Juncos
32. House Finches
33. Pintails
34. Violet green Swallows
35. Double Crested Cormorants
36. Rd-winged Black Birds
37. Great Blue Herons
38. American White Pelicans
39. Cinnamon Teals
40. *Muskrat*
41. Sandhill Cranes
42. Marsh Wren
43. Trumpeter Swns
44. Tundra Swans
45. Horned Grebes
46. Pied Billed Grebe
47. Gadwall
48. Lesser Scaup
49. Ring-neecked Duck
50. *Mule Deer*
51. Rough-Legged Hawk
52. *Long-Tailed Weasel*
53. Western Grebes

Spring Break Day 2

Sunday birding out by the pond by the hotel, then Springville (hunt for Lewis woodpeckers), Utah lake, and Saltair. Dinner at Jessica’s.

Selling Mushrooms and Solid Concrete...?

Mule Deer

1. Mallards
2. Black-billed Magpies
3. Canada Geese
4. Common Raven
5. Rock Doves
6. Mourning Dove
7. American Robin
8. Starlings
9. Red-tailed Hawk
10. Eurasian collared-dove
11. California Gulls
12. Ring-billed Gull
13. American Coots
14. Red-breasted Merganser
15. Cinnamon Teeals
16. Killdeer
17. American Kestral
18. Sandhill Cranes
19. White Crowned Sparrow
20. American Wigeons
21. American White Pelican
22. Common Merganser
23. Scaups (Lesser)
24. Northern Shovelers
25. Pied Billed Grebe
26. Ring-necked Pheasant
27. *Mule Deer
28. Red Shafted Flicker
29. Canvasbacks
30. Buffleheads
31. Common Goldeneye
32. Domestic Geese
33. Domestic Chickens
34. Manky Mallards

Heading to Saltair

Spring Break Day 1

Saturday I drove to SLC, finished listening to Good Omens a truly funny book.  Flight delays and three gates later Melinda arrives and I pick her up at 12:30 a.m.

Fire and Ice Festival

Every year Lava has a Fire and Ice Festival  This year I finally attended one day's worth of activities.  Cheryl, Regina, Katrina and Shanna came along for the fun.  We started with a rendez-vous at my house, loading up in the jeep and driving down.  We were so chatty that we missed our exit.  I was able to follow another vehicle (who also missed the exit) across the median and back to our off ramp.  The world was cloaked in a misty haze that made missing the exit very easy.  But, I'm sure it was the fact that we were just talking and having a good time that was the real culprit.

I dropped everyone off at the Chuck Wagon cafe and then parked up at the hot spring pools.  I figured we'd want the vehicle close to where we'd be leaving.  The food at the Chuck Wagon is outstanding western diner fare with yummy scones.   We were able to buy penguins for the afternoon Penguin Race in the cafe and we even scored a plastic penguin for Katrina.

Next a bit of shopping to kill some time before the Penguin Race.  Purple Moon, Positive Space, and Dempsey Creek Trading.

While at the Purple Moon the Running of the Bulls race started.  We all went out to watch.  These crazy people run in their swimming suits from the big pool to the hot pools. Anyone running gets into the hot pools free.  It was fun to watch, perhaps because the Superbowl was on the same day the crowd running and watching was much smaller than I would have expected.  Many of those running were kids.  So in some ways it was more a running of the calves than the bulls.

Much shopping was done and many treasures were found.  I was so proud of my ability to not buy anything till near the end when a pink agate Peruvian ring stopped me.  Alas.  But it IS gorgeous.  Big pink glass 'diamonds' were chosen for Katrina and Mira (Cheryl's granddaughter in absentia) and other items.

Stopping at the Aura Soma Lava store Shanna tried on many a kooky hat.

We then walked on down to the bridge area where the Penguin Race would begin.  The world was quite frost covered though the weather was good enough by now not to feel too cold.

Apparently only ~150  penguin/ducks (the penguins really were kinda duck shaped) were sold.  So a cardboard box was all that was needed to carry them down to the bridge and dump them in the water.

It was awesome to watch how quickly the current carried many of them away, while another batch got caught in the eddies.  Poor sad penguin last and truly stuck.  I'm sure it was one of ours.  We then walked on down to the other end of the race course.

I was very slow. Something about slick surfaces still makes me nervous.  In any case, I still beat a few penguins.  People with nets and waders were waiting for the penguins and catching them so they wouldn't truly float away.

Another hike and we were back at the jeep getting our swim gear and then going to the hot pools to soak and laugh and rest.  That was lovely.  I really like the new pool with it's lower temperature.  Although I still always start with the big one that has the rocks on the bottom.  Always good for one's feet.

Finally, rested, soaked, and tired we loaded up and drove to the Sweet Shop for ice cream.  They make their own, as in homemade, waffle cones.  AND they serve huckleberry ice cream.  It was a match made in heaven.  Finally we headed back home.

I had an empty road when I slammed on the breaks and turned the jeep around so that everyone got a look at a  ring-necked pheasant also called a Chinese pheasant or Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).

From http://www.allaboutbirds.org

Where I don't know about anyone else, but I took a much needed and very peaceful nap when I got home.
Next year, I think I'll go again, but maybe start with Saturday's activities...
P.S. Thanks Regina for taking all of these photos!

On the road I need...

I love to travel and have acquired both a Shuffle and a Nano to support my drives.  Nothing like tunes or books to listen to while on the road.  Only problem was keeping track of them in the tote bag that I keep in my front seat.  Then I added a Kindle to my life and it's cord was also running loose. AND then there's another camera card and...   This is my solution:

Now they're safe in my bag and I can always feel around (keeping my eyes on the road like a good girl) and find the one I need.

As for the tote bag.  I keep the following in it when I'm off on a road trip:

• iPods, spare camera card, & Kindle cord
• Lyrics for songs I'm trying to memorize
• Spare beverage (though I usually travel with a gallon of water in the trunk)
• Snacks such as raisins, cashews, granola bar...
• The batfolders for the places I'm going (I'll be writing a batfolder entry one of these days)
• Sunscreen
• Extra book in paper in case the Kindle runs out of power.  I like to stop and get out of the car for food breaks and other breaks and sit and read.

In the pockets in my car I keep:

• Tums
• Sunglasses
• Binoculars (2 pairs, the spotting scope rides in the trunk with a couple of spare blankets and a neck pillow)
• Bird identification book
• Kleenex
• Transmitter cord to broadcast the signal of my iPods
• Recharge cord for phone that plugs into the lighter
• Transducer to allow recharging or use of other devices
• Dental floss
• Book light
• Flash light

If I'm on a big road trip (more than 3 days) I'll add a first aid kit, a plastic tarp, duct tape and spare toilet paper to the box in my trunk.

Of course it goes without saying that there are usually suitcases, computer case, occasionally coolers, file boxes and more, cause of course I can't go anywhere without being over prepared.  I did finally stop having just one suitcase for accessories and shoes though.

Notice

After the divorce, I closed this blog.  I started another one and wrote a few items (~25), but that fizzled.  I've decided to merge the two and keep this one, since it has the largest archive.  I'm going to move those posts over here and date the entries to the correct date.

New Life, New Blog

And here we are settling in to our new blog space.  Wondering what to say and how to start.  Do I dig through the past or just focus on the future?  Do I put up organization ideas or travel notes or just random thoughts and questions?   Like almost everything else in my life I am starting at square one, rebuilding a life, reworking long term goals and short term realities.  All the cards got shuffled then tossed into the air.  What will my life look like now?  And the bigger question, what do I want it to look like.  Stay tuned for the ongoing adventures of me.

Once upon a time a friend gave me the personal motto "Audeo" meaning "I Dare" somehow while I have been married I lost some of that verve some of that fearlessness.  My own motto had been "If you don't risk you don't win."   I want more of that old me back, the fearless, the passionate, the vibrant and alive.  It took a bad fall, a damaged leg and two surgeries to crack the cocoon of fear. And then there was the thing that had scared me the most, a divorce.  It happened, and I have survived and perhaps even thrived as I have intentionally and with great care mourned and tried to be present in my recovery.   Hooray for therapy, yoga, meditation, prayer, good friends, sisters and most of all my daughter.

More to come soon.

Endings and Beginnings

Nick asked me for a divorce first part of August.  I was sitting in a restaurant in Boise on my way home from somewhere.  I still can't believe that instead of owning up and facing it and our troubles he just walked away from us.  My food arrived as I hung up the phone and I just had them box it up.  Applebees gave me my dinner for free. And I went back to my hotel to cry and wonder WTF.

Fast forward to now. Many people came forward once they heard I was getting a divorce with all kinds of stories about his past misdeeds and how I was "better off without him".   The saddest part is that I think those deeds contributed to his walking away.  He couldn't own up to what he had done.  I thought this marriage, our marriage could weather anything and was worth the efforts necessary to do so.  But apparently that was only my point of view and I still believe that in Aug if he had stood up for us we'd still be together. That's not to say it would be all sunshine and flowers, we had problems that needed serious work. But wouldn't it have been worth it?  16 years and it's over.

Another thing that has ended is this blog.  I just have no heart for anything called the Semenza Chronicle.  That's no longer who I am.  

I have a new life, new goals, new vistas to explore and people to meet.  If you know me and want to continue to follow my adventures drop me an email.  I am starting a new blog, elsewhere...

Homer and back to Anchorage

The highlights version because I have got to get ready to get on the plane.

Moose with twin babies
Beaches and walking
Birding (of course)
Great food
Shopping!
Alpine version of little bunny foo foo...

Lots of birds and a few mammals were spotted:

1. SNOWSHOE HARE
2. Northern crows
3. Bald eagles
4. Common ravens
5. Black legged kittiwakes
6. Glaucous gulls
7. Loons (probably pacific)
8. Mallards
9. Euarasian wigeon
10. American wigeon
11. Northern pintails
12. Savannah sparrows
13. Sandhill crane
14. Green winged teals
15. Belted kingfisher
16. Glaucous winged gulls
17. Bonaparts gulls
18. Common merganser
19. Northern Shoveler
20. MOOSE! (1 mama with twin babies +3 more along the road = 6)
21. Magpies
22. Arctic terns
23. Barrow's goldeneyes
24. American Robin
25. SQUIRREL (to go with moose)
26. Red necked grebes
27. Tree sparrows
28. Scaup

To Homer

On the road again, looking for birds and other cool things... We left a little later in the morning than we usually do, a side effect of arriving home after 11 p.m.

The drive to Homer is gorgeous. At the requisite Beluga Point stop we saw Dall Sheep a bit further on we saw our first Moose.  The birds were out but elusive. We could hear them in the trees when we stopped, but they are tiny tricksy things that do not want to be seen.  At one of our stops I spotted a snowshoe hare, complete with big white feet ducking under the wooden plank trail.  

As we got closer to Homer we spotted a few more moose. A stop at Deep Creek State Recreation Area found us the inlet and a few more birds. It is also where we found the field of Bald Eagles. They were everywhere, in the trees, on the ground, on stumps, rises, hollows, and even a juvenile delinquent in the river playing.   We decided there must be a conference/convention.  Why else would there be so many in one spot?  

More moose sightings and we were at Homer.  We checked into the hotel. I tried to get us a cruise for the next day, but that just didn't end up panning out. We drove around town and out on the spit. We saw birds and more birds, more than 20 of the cutest sea otters ever floating around, and a few more moose, bringing my total to 9 sightings for the day.   

Dinner at Fat Olives was interesting. Arlene recently read an article which talked about how people who eat organic food are more judgemental. I don't know how true that is but you should have seen the servers ire at us not taking the other halves of our dinners.  Seriously though, why not offer half portions to begin with?  

Tomorrow we are going to do a bit of walking and birding and drive back to Anchorage.  Alas, Melinda and I have planes to catch on Thursday.

1. Arctic tern
2. Mew gull
3. Canada geese
4. Scaup
5. Cliff swallows
6. Northern crows
7. Common ravens
8. Sandhill cranes
9. Bald eagles
10. Varied thrush (Melinda & Arlene)
11. DALL SHEEP
12. SNOWSHOE HARE (Jenny)
13. Magpies
14. Green winged teals
15. Greater yellowlegs
16. Lesser yellowlegs
17. Semipalmated sandpipers
18. MOOSE! (9)
19. Greater white fronted goose
20. OTTERS (20+)
21. Boneparte's gulls
22. Black legged kittiwakes
23. Herring gulls
24. Surf scoters
25. Glaucous winted gull
26. Black scoters
27. American wigeon
28. Mallards
29. Northern shoveler

Top of the World - Barrow

An outline of a day:

Breakfast at Sam & Lee's which Arlene kept calling Sam and Ella's which if you say aloud isn't a good thing.

Birding/driving around looking at things

Barrow Public Library

Birding/driving around looking at things

Inupiat Heritage Center

Birding/driving around looking at things

Return of vehicle

Arctic Pizza for lunch/dinner

Barrow Grocery Store

Hanging out in Hotel Lobby

Flying back to Anchorage

1. Dark eyed junco
2. Snow buntings
3. Glaucous gulls
4. Greater white fronted geese
5. Red necked phalerope
6. Lapland longspurs
7. Snowy owl
8. American robin
9. Northern pintails
10. Snow geese
11. Common raven
12. American golden plover
13. Semipalmated sandpiper
14. Tundra swans

On to Barrow

The morning came early and sadly I did not sleep well, I guess I was too excited about going to Barrow.  The cab picked us up at 4:30 and we were on the plane by 6:00 a.m.   The flight wasn't packed so we were able to spread out a little which was nice.  We landed in Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay and finally in Barrow.  I am hoping that my pics from the plane window work out.  

It is a whole different world up here. No mountains, no trees, just land, sky, snow, ice, and sea.  The sea ice is still hugging the shore but the open water is in the distance. Then add in the 24 hours of daylight and this is fascinating. Lunch at Pepe's a mexican place (chimichanga) and dinner at Arctic Pizza an everything place (chicken parmesan), both served decent if underflavored food, though the hot sauce at Pepe's was definitely hot.  But the best part of the day happened with Mike the garroulous guy we had show us around.

He was chatty and knew all kinds of things about the town and its people.  I think we taught him a bit more about birds.  And we did see birds, though not eiders. The eiders are out on the farther tundra and the polar bears are chasing the sea ice that is out to sea.  Be that as it may we did see some awesome birds including:

Snow buntings (the house sparrows in number of Barrow)

Greater white fronted geese

Glaucous gulls

Snowy owl (in all white plumage)

Lapland longspurs (in beautiful breeding plumage)

American wigeons

Northern pintails

Hoary redpoll (unfortunately I am the only one who spotted this one)

Ivory gulls

Tundra swans

American Golden plovers (in breeding plumage)

American robin (who isn't supposed to be here)

Common raven (who was hanging out on a huge satellite dish)

The list may be shorter than other days, but there are 6 bird species I've never seen and they birds are gorgeous. 

There is so much more that needs to be added to this entry including the stuff about airports and what they do for you when you can't climb stairs to small planes.  Igloos and airplanes what they really are. Bowhead whale hunting, debris in Barrow, honey buckets (though you might be fine not knowing), taking one's shoes off to be in a hotel, semi naked 60 year old stories, baleen palm trees, skin boats, ice houses, how to make money in Barrow, when seas collide...

Out and About in Anchorage

We (Daria, Melinda, Arlene and I) stuck around Anchorage going to various ponds and parks to look for birds.  It was lovely at the mudflats, windy at Potter Marsh and gorgeous up high in the park overlooking the city.  I did a lot more walking than I ever thought I would without getting winded or needing to stop and rest. Even walked up the big hill to view the city.  Go me!

Met Kayla, Hazel and Michael (Nick's cousin and her adorable family) at Snow City Cafe for Brunch.  Hazel is absolutely adorable and Kayla is a hoot.  I am going to definitely spend more time with them next time I am here. Eventually we had dinner at City Diner.

We did see a great number of birds which is awesome, and got a lot of talking in and even a bit of planning. Looks like the bird girls may go to Maine in 2014.

1. Robins
2. Rock doves
3. Greater scaups
4. Canada geese
5. Magpies
6. Dark eyed juncos
7. White crowned sparrows
8. Black capped chickadee
9. Lesser yellowlegs
10. Short billed dowitchers
11. Black bellied plover
12. Whimbrels
13. Downy woodpecker
14. Mallards
15. American wigeons
16. Herring gulls
17. Mew gulls
18. Red necked grebes
19. Arctic terns
20. Bonapart's gulls
21. Yellow rumped warblers
22. Ring necked ducks
23. Trumpeter swan
24. Sandhill crane
25. MOOSE (5 in the course of the day)
26. Tree swallow
27. Northern (red shafted) flicker (Daria only)
28. Green winged teals
29. Swainsons thrush (Daria, Melinda, Arlene)
30. Pacific loon

Valdez back to Anchorage

Morning began with a trip to the Magpie Bakery a fabulous place for breakfast in Valdez.  Nothing like a hot cinnamon roll for breakfast.  :)  They even had gluten free pumpkin muffins for Melinda.  Arlene got one of there amazing looking bear claws.  MMMMmmmmm.   Laid back atmosphere and amazing pastries.

First bird of the day was a Raven on the way to the bakery. YAY that's always a good thing.  First mammal of the day was a feral bunny on our way out of the bakery.  Hmmmmm

We did a little birding there in Valdez. This is when we finally spotted the elusive and much sought after (by us) American Dipper.  We were about to give up when one flew in (spotted by Arlene) and then watched by all of us.  Then there were two dippers fishing, swimming (I had no idea they knew how to swim) and catching itsy bitsy silver fish (I had no idea they ate fish either).  I sure hope my pictures turn out well.   Then we climbed back in the car and headed out.

1. Ravens
2. FERAL BUNNY
3. Northwestern crows
4. Gadwalls
5. Mallards
6. Pintails
7. American wigeon
8. White crowned sparrow (Jenny only)
9. Robins
10. American dippers
11. Herring gulls
12. Sandpipers (probably the pectoral ones again)
1. Tussock ducks

We then drove and drove and drove, over the mountains of Thompson Pass, and through the valleys on the Richardson Highway http://dot.alaska.gov/stwdplng/scenic/byways-richardsonsouth.shtml We stopped frequently, which was good for me. As long as I can get out of the car and take pictures or identify birds on a regular basis then I can stay awake, otherwise forget about it.  I became a human flycatcher, flitting away from my resting place (the car) out for something and then back.   We stopped for lunch at the Copper River Roadhouse at a restaurant called Nummy's, which I still think is a cute name.   We saw sections of the pipeline and many many mountains.   

1. Common redpolls
2. Dark eyed juncos
3. Magpies
4. Trumpeter swan
5. Bald eagles
6. Barrows goldeneyes
1. Snow swans
7. Greater scaups
8. Green winged teals
9. Tree swallows
10. Gray jays
11. CARIBOU
12. Yellow warblers
13. Yellow rumped warblers
14. Belted kingfisher

I spotted the Gray jay while we were driving, I'm sitting in the back seat watching for stuff and there's this darn bird at the top of a tree flipping its tail at me.  It was definitely a gray jay so I holler out and Arlene slows and stops and turns around and we go back.  YAY!

I think both Melinda and I were dozing when suddenly Arlene starts yelling Caribou Caribou CARIBOU while slamming on her brakes.   It is a very good way to wake up.  She turns the car around and sure enough there are two huge caribou just off the road.  We took lots of pictures while they posed for us.

We arrived back in Anchorage around 5:00 hung out for awhile with Daria and then went to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant called La Mex, it was exactly what I needed.  Back home to Daria's and back upstairs to bed. Though I did take some time to balance my accounts...  All the goings and doings may mean fewer souvenirs for friends and family. Think I'll wait to buy anything till the last day.  :\    Sad sad, but I am definitely recovering from the overwork of the past year.  This is a much needed break.  

Clarity

I've lost this post once, I don't know what happened on blogspot, but if it happens again I will just chalk it up to the universe not wanting me to share this information with anyone but myself.   I've achieved a bit a clarity on this vacation.  One bit of clarity is on fear and how my life has been shaped by it.  Fear of doing, fear of speaking, fear of hurt and/or harm.  In January of 2011 I walked out my front door and slid down the concrete steps destroying my ankle in the process.  The cocoon of fear and paralysis that had limited my world shattered that day.  The most physically painful thing to have happened to me in my life thus far was walking out my door.  This truth, that pain happens anytime, anywhere and we really can't protect ourselves from it began my recovery.  Sure it is important to wear our seatbelts, eat right, work out and all the other good things we can do to prevent 'bad things', but in the end, bad things will happen and the better prepared we are mentally and emotionally to deal with them the happier we'll be overall.

It took me more than a year to recover from the injury, I still have twinges, but I am very grateful for it.  It has taken me more than a year to clear the shards of the cocoon that still trap me.  Everyone asks how I am losing weight (almost 40lbs as of this writing). Well, I've always worked out, and now I eat less.  But the biggest thing for me is the acknowledgement of my emotions and processing of them.  This isn't easy. It really isn't easy in light of continuing painful interactions or miscommunications. I am having to process a backlog of sadness, resentment, anger and a host of other emotions that I was suppressing by eating as well as the emotions I feel now.  I am doing it though.  I'd rather be angry or sad than numb any longer.  I'd rather misunderstand and feel something than to ignore and eat my pains away.

Once upon a time a long time ago, a friend of mine gave me the personal motto Audeo, meaning I dare.  At that time in my life I also used the phrase 'if you don't risk, you don't win' a lot.   I had very little money, no stable relationship and very few close friends.  In some ways that made the risks easier because it seemed I had nothing to lose.  Now I have a career, stability and a wide network of close caring friends.  I have wondered if my fear has used this against me.  I have stuff/relationships to lose and fear knows it.   Fear is an awesome tenacious beast that only has to be faced to be conquered.   I am going to face it.  I want to live a whole, real, meaningful, connected, interconnected, loving, intentional, happy life.  I am not going to let fear make my choices any longer.

One fear I am consciously working on is my fear of walking down stairs.  The fall has made my psyche and body react with fear to stairs.  It is taking work to make myself go down them. But down them I go. I now use the mantra 'I am a graceful mountain goat' in my head as I go down the stairs.  Thinking about the fear or focusing on the fall only makes me clumsy and more likely to fall.  There's a truth to the saying that 'what you focus on is what you will bring to pass.'   I am definitely more graceful going down stairs.  A real triumph occurred recently when I went down stairs that felt perilous and I didn't use the handrail.  :)   Go me.

Audeo. My personal motto refound here in Alaska.

Ferry to Valdez

An early morning (of course, what other time would birders get up?) and we're back on the road.  Gerhardt thinks that I need more sleep. Doesn't seem to matter what time of day I get in the back seat and bam I'm asleep.  We stopped at Beluga Point and saw more Dall's Sheep.

1. Ravens
2. Arctic terns
3. Canada geese
4. Mew gulls
5. Red necked grebes
6. DALL SHEEP
1. snow masquerading as dall sheep
7. Sandhill cranes
8. Magpies
9. Robins

Then drove (or rather Arlene drove) on down to Whittier via the long one way tunnel.  The tunnel is narrow and is used by cars and a train. Traffic goes one direction for a time then the other. Kinda cool, of course I don't use it every day.  Whittier is a funny little town with lots of boats, a ferry landing and a few shops.  http://www.whittieralaska.gov/   We had arrived early so we did a bit of birding in town. I finally broke out the spotting scope to start practicing using it. The parking lot had sparrows but the building by the bay where we were trying to see water birds had a boxer.  This doggie wanted to play fetch.  She was very patient and didn't want to be petted only played with.  Arlene finally gave in and tossed the rock. Yes, the boxer dog wanted to play fetch with a rock. Not just any rock but this one specific rock. She'd retrieve it and bring it to one or the other of us dropping it at our feet and then looking at us and/or the rock quite expectantly.  Silly mutt.

1. Stellar's jay (Melinda only)
2. Northwestern crows
3. Savannah sparrows
4. Song sparrows
5. Marbled murrlets
6. Greater scaups

In Whittier we drove onto an enormous ferry, parked the car and went upstairs. Apparently you don't have access to your car during the trip.  Instead you hang out in the spacious restaurant/hotel lounge area with lots of leg room, seating, and windows.  We saw lots and lots of sea life and birds from this ferry.  The water was very calm and the sun very bright and it was a gorgeous day.  To add to our fun, three other women, all who have been trained as guides for the ferry and/or work for the forest service were there to help us spot and identify birds.  I finally have learned how to tell a Kittlitz from a Marbled murrlet in flight and on the water.  WHEEEEE!  

1. OTTERS
2. DALL PORPOISES
3. Black legged kittiwakes
4. Surf scoters
5. Glaucous winged gulls
6. Herring gulls
7. STELLAR SEA LIONS
8. HUMPBACK WHALES
1. icebergs, dirty icebergs, ice chunks ...
9. Horned puffins
10. Pacific loons
11. White winged scoters
12. Bald eagles (lots and lots of these in Valdez)
13. Kittlitz murrlets

We drove off the boat and meandered around town checking things out and looking for birds.  I did see a couple of new ones, a flock of pectoral sandpipers and the merlin chasing them.  Dinner was at this posh place I ordered the halibut, and they brought me out this HUGE slab of fish, it was lovely but there was no way I could eat it all. Heck I could only eat about 1/4 of it.  I think Arlene is going to make chowder of the rest.

1. Yellow rumped warblers
2. Mallards
3. Northern pintails
4. Green winged teal
5. American pippet
6. Glaucous gulls
7. Pectoral sandpipers
8. Merlin
9. Northern shovelers
10. Gadwalls

Early to bed early to rise I guess that's partly cause I'm still on Idaho time...  Oh, and it was a busy sunny day.

Miscellany

I am going to be going back to all of these posts when I get back to Idaho.  Someone, with all of their lists and wisdom, forgot to pack the cord that takes the photos from the camera and puts them on the computer.  YAY go me.  I did use this as an excuse to buy another memory card for the camera. That way I'm not worried about running out of space on the camera.   I am  also going to  add more detail to some entries. But that may be a continuous edit.  Sorry if that messes you up. :)  I write as documentation for me for my life and to share my adventures with my friends and family.  I like making sure I get as much added as possible.

Puffins!

A very early morning began our day. Oh not that you can tell, it doesn't really get dark here anymore.  It's light when I go to bed and it is light when I wake up regardless of the hour. Because I am used to Idaho time I tend to wake up here sometime between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m.    We packed up Gerhardt (Arlene's Jetta) and headed out for Seward.  On the road we saw:

1. Magpies
2. Ravens
3. Mew gulls
4. Arctic terns
5. Sandhill cranes
6. DALL SHEEP!!
7. Bald eagles
8. Suicidal dark eyed juncos

And then came the surrealist sign "Do Not Park By Guardrail"   Why surrealistic?  Because there is no guardrail...

We went to the Seward Sea Life center first and checked out the birds (including eiders), fish, stellars sea lions and harbor seals.  Nothing like an aquarium to teach you what to look for on the ocean.  Then came the big boat ride.  It is awesome to be out on the ocean again.  We saw so many things it was astounding.  

1. American wigeons
2. Red necked grebes
3. Suicidal robins (seriously birds kept jumping in front of Gerhardt)
4. Heard a varied thrush but nobody saw him.
5. Trumpter swan
6. Barrow's goldeneye
7. MOOSE!
8. Harlequin ducks (lots of them, they became the common duck of the day)
9. Northwestern crows
10. Savannah sparrow
11. SEA OTTERS!
12. DALL PORPOISES
13. Pelagic cormorants
14. MOUNTAIN GOATS
15. Double crested cormorants
16. HUMPBACK WHALE
17. ORCAS
18. White winged scoters
19. Pigeon guillemots
20. HARBOR SEALS
21. Surf scoters
22. Marbled murrelet (my first new bird of the trip!)
23. BLACK BEARS
24. STELLAR SEA LIONS
25. Glaucous winged gulls
26. Glaucous gulls
27. Rhinocerous auklets (sooo adorable)
28. Tufted puffins
29. Horned puffins
30. FIN WHALE
31. Herring gulls
32. FERAL BUNNY

Dinner at the Apollo restaurant in Seward. Didn't try anything new, had their Halibut fish and chips because it is irresistible. Thought about trying the king crab pasta, but the halibut lure was to much to pass up.  I've been riding in the back seat of Gerhardt this trip. It's awesome, I can spread out all my stuff (books, electronics, binoculars...) and myself.  Eyup, I napped all the way home.  Some of it was deep sleep and some was lighter, but all of it was great.  I missed out on seeing 4 more moose apparently, but really, don't care sleep is something I've been needing for a long time.   

Tomorrow we head out for Whittier where we're going to catch a ferry over to Valdez.  We can then bird around the coastline of Valdez. We're staying overnight and then driving back the next day. The drive should be amazing. Though there could be quite a bit of snow. The snow dumps here in Anchorage are not expected to melt until sometime in August. There were piles of snow in Seward and the avalanche remains are huge. Of course this was a record breaking snowfall year for most of Alaska.   Sure glad I have wool socks. 

Out and About Anchorage

Upon landing I found Melinda and Arlene waiting, we loaded all my baggage (me included) into the car and began our adventure. Okay, really we just went over to Snow City Cafe for breakfast and started plotting our adventure.  I tried their bob breakfast (one egg benedict and one egg benedict florentine).  Still not a real fan of cooked spinach apparently, but at least I'm trying some new things.  After the strategy meeting we headed out to various parks, Fred Meyers and finally Moose's Tooth for dinner. Here I tried white pizza (really for the first time) complete with artichokes and a gluten free pizza, mainly I just had their spinach, nut, cranberry, grapefruit salad which was amazing.   Daria (our hostess) came to dinner with us.  We did see lots of birds in our gallivanting including:

1. Magpies
2. White crowned sparrow
3. Arctic terns
4. Bonaparte's gulls
5. Mew gulls
6. Greater scaups
7. Barrow's goldeneyes
8. Canada geese
9. Mallards
10. Rock dove
11. Dark eyed juncos
12. Yellow rumped warblers
13. American robins
14. MOOSE - not a bird, but...
15. Northern harrier
16. juvenile bald eagle
17. American wigeons
18. Red necked grebes
19. Horned grebe
20. Lesser scaup
21. Violet green swallows
22. Ravens

Went to bed early. I was exhausted.

The Blue Jay Has Landed

It is interesting how sometimes life gives you what you need instead of what you want.  I had no idea that I needed THAT much thinking time, but apparently forces beyond my control decided I did.

I went to work for a couple hours on Monday, mainly so that I could catch my Dean up on what had happened during the two weeks she was on vacation.  I talked to several other people to make sure our projects were on track and then headed out.  I ran a couple of errands, gassed the car and hit the road.

Trip leg 1 driving to Boise.  I did some thinking and some singing (finally feeling that my voice may actually come back to me.)  I did a bunch of talking with my Mom and my friend Raven.  I got to the Boise airport early enough that I could park my car (no sky cap service) and take my two monster bags in and get them checked in.  Thank heavens.  There is no way I can manage the two monsters plus my carry on and purse at the same time.  This left me time to go visit a bit with Corinne who was kind enough to let me leave my car at her place.  She is so sweet and lovely.  She dropped me back at the airport in plenty of time to get through the tsa and onto my plane.

Trip leg 2 flying to Seattle. Duo's brother works for the tsa in Boise so I kept my eye out and wouldn't you know it, fate intervened and he ended up searching my computer bag.  It seems that the gold glittery jewelry bag that Arlene gave me is impenetrable by whatever method they use so they had to identify what the black spot was.  We talked a bit and joked and when we realized it was the jewelry bag he said women have too much jewelry to which I replied that it wasn't possible.  He clarified that his sister has too much.  I laughed.  Boy is he going to be in trouble for that comment.  I settled in with my Kindle for the waiting.  I've been reading "The 5 Love Languages" it's quite interesting/fascinating and had quite a few insights for me personally.  Anyway, time to board the plane rolls around and no, there's something the mechanics want to assess.  Uh Oh.

No problem still going to arrive in plenty of time to meet up with Min and the next flight.

But no, delayed even longer.  Flight was supposed to board at 7.  At 8:15 I got rebooked on a later flight.  At 8:30 I got rebooked and comped a hotel.  At 9:00 we finally left Boise.  Arriving in Seattle was entertaining.  I now had to find my way to the Red Lion.  But first was finding some parking island to get the shuttle.  I was about to choose sleeping in the airport when a guy who looked like he worked there strolled by.  He got me where I needed to go.  YAY.

Red Lion in Seattle has the best beds ever.  Sleep was awesome.  Waking up and putting my traveling clothes on from the last day, not so awesome.  Thinking and going slower, awesome.  Getting 4 hours of sleep, not so much.  Anyway, finally caught the plane out of Seattle at 6:00 a.m. So yes, you guessed it I was up and back at the airport at 4:00.  I arrived in Anchorage at 8:30 a.m., two time zones away from my normal one.

To add confusion to this expedition, Melinda had left her cell phone in her car.  More on that later.

MMMMmmm Crockpot Garlic Chicken

Experimented in cooking today....
4 lbs chicken breasts
1 large onion sliced
Bunch (10 very pungent) garlic cloves roughly chopped

Salt, pepper, olive oil

Put sliced onion on bottom of large crock pot
Rinse chicken, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic
Put chicken on onion, do not add any more liquid

Put crock pot on low heat for 7 or so hours

Garlic chicken just falls apart in yummy chunks.

Lucky - part 1

January 27, 2011

Lucky, that’s what I am.

The morning started per usual. I finished my sun salutations (yoga sequence) and then decided to do every pose/stretch that I am capable of doing to work my legs.  I then finished prepping for my day. Feeling good I stepped out my doorway in my sturdy Doc Marten shoes and headed out for the day.  Well, that was the plan. I stepped one stair down on my front staircase and ZOOOOOOM.  I tried to scream because of the pain, but only squawks emerged. I finally called Nick’s name. I knew he was, moments earlier closing the door behind me.  I then gently grasped my right leg and moved it so that it was parallel to my outstretched left leg.

Nick brought the little chair that I keep on the front porch to me and I propped my injured leg on it.  I had twisted it and could feel the bones clicking. Surprisingly the endorphins managed to keep me calm. Nick called 911 and we waited for the ambulance.  They arrived and awkwardly splinted my leg onto the challenge of getting me on the gurney. Luckily I have been doing yoga for awhile. I picked up my damaged right leg and set it over to the right on the gurney then the big guys helped me to stand on my left leg and voila, I was ambulance ready.

Two blocks later, I was at the hospital. They immediately brought me into the emergency room where the nurse/assistant looked at me and said, how are we going to do this…  They needed to move me to the other bed.  One of the paramedics beamed at the assistant and said, “watch this” and I redid the move the leg then the body maneuver.  Flexibility, it is my friend. I was promptly offered pain meds via IV. But I HATE needles so declined. The endorphins were still flowing and I get weirdly calm in a crisis.  I did accept a couple of pain pills though. 

Nick arrived just after I had transferred to the other bed. Luckily he was home with nowhere else to go. He stayed with me through the xray and diagnostic processes.  Several times I had to decline the liquid pain meds they wanted to IV me with.  I was then informed that the break in my fibula was up near my knee and a minor issue. The problem was with my ankle. Frankly, they seemed desperate to IV me but NO WAY. I was then told by the emergency room orthopedic doctor that I had ruined all the soft tissue and it had twisted over to the wrong side of my ankle. He was going to have to manually push it back into place.  I said okay and started my yoga breathing.

Several nurses and assistants stood around my bed.  I think they thought they would have to hold me down. In any case, I was lucky enough to know how to cope. He said ready, I breathed and he moved the ankle, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and tissues… Weirdly it felt kinda great like things were back where they belonged. I continued to breath and he continued to manipulate my ankle and voila it was over.  The doctor then said to the staff “I need to have her come in and work with my patients.” This was sweet of him to say. It was also the last time I allowed anyone to touch my ankle for weeks.

They then put a hard cast up the back of my leg and wrapped it in layers of ace bandage and sent me home. I had an appointment for several days hence with a new orthopedist who would manage my continued care.  Before leaving I was informed that I’d probably need surgery and wouldn’t be well for 10-14 weeks, lucky me (yes that one is sarcasm).

Addendum. I was very lucky to have worked out that morning. The fall should have mangled more of my legs and groin but the stretching worked and I didn't suffer from other damage.   The Doc Martens were not my friend. They are good at sticking so instead of sliding with the rest of my body, that right foot stayed put and got mangled.

Andrew Weil, M.D. - Fat Facts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvcK6A-yEoQ This is a video about how fat is not in fact making us fat. Take a look.

Fortunately Vulnerable aka How to Be Happy

This video is very powerful, funny, and eye opening. Take a look!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o It's 20 minutes and well worth your time.

Plans for the New Year?

I try not to make any real resolutions though I do have some plans worked out. 

1. Try to read more books, more spread out instead of clumped together.  I missed my target of 2 books per week last year by 8 books.  In the end I decided I wanted to spend the holidays with friends and family (and writing) instead of just buried in a book, no matter how delightful.  Oh, 2 books at 52 weeks = 104 books, this year I'm going to make it.  I just need to find a balance between novel speed binges and nonfiction slowness. - READ/LEARN

2. Trite, I know, but relose the weight I've gained over the past 2 years. It crept up on me and the six weeks of broken foot didn't help.  Any weight lost beyond that is just gravy (*snicker*). I've been doing yoga in the morning for a few weeks and expect that to continue, and I'm back on my treadmill. - TAKE CARE OF BODY

3. Write more.  Maybe the writing raven fairy can inspire me.  - CREATE

4. Remember to breathe, remember that I like people and doing things, remember to let go of control ... - RELAX

Really, all 4 of these in one form or another are constant activities/goals and not just once a year things. 

As for other kinds of plans... 

I'll be going

• Boise in January to attend the ILA board meeting
• Boise in October for ILA conference
• Spokane in August, I'm hoping to present with Karen at the PNLA conference there
• Yellowstone a couple more times in order to make that parks pass worth it's while
• Rock hunting/camping in the Tahoe region for Summer Solstice
• ??? depending on where Nick is

I'm sure there are going to be other adventures. I can't help myself.

Christmas/Holiday Activities: Part 2

Image: Emailed Greeting card from my Alma Mater.  Though it was the College of Arts and Sciences when I graduated with my history degree.

23rd – Thursday - Christmas Eve Eve party in Utah

Bringing
• Cheeseballs & crackers
• Devilled eggs
• Mostacholi
• Presents for kids, Salt scrubs for women

I ended up not getting presents for the kids. I didn't know how old Glen's kids were so I just bagged the idea altogether. We left around noon and arrived right at 2:00. We'd have been early if the fog hadn't slowed us down. Dinner was great and it was good to talk to the fam. Sam may be leery of dogs, but Tom sure wasn't he followed Barkley around and around and around. Nick had bathed him the night before and had fluffed the poodle into one big puffball. He is irresistible. When Tom wasn't following the dog, the dog was following the kid. He knew Barkley sat for us on command, but his high pitched voice didn't register as a command with the dog, who ignored him. I read many chapters of the Harry Dresden book 'Small Favor' on the way down and back. The feasting was good, the conversation awesome. I'm hoping we can do this one again.
Attendees: Aunt Susan and Harry; Glen, Nicole, and their kids Zach and Abigail; David, Jen and their kids Amy, Aubrey, Sam, Tom and Jen's mom.

24th – Friday - Christmas at home with family
In the end Rebecca and Hannah went to Texas so it hardly seems like it counts for a social activity since it was just the three of us. We kept it low key but had a great time.

25th – Saturday- Christmas at home with family

Menus
BREAKFAST
• Homemade bread (machine)
NOT • Sourdough bread
NOT • Boiled eggs
NOT • Tomatoes
NOT • Cucumbers
NOT • Cheeses: Havarti, Swiss ...

Simplify, simplify, simplify became our motto so a simple breakfast of eggs and homemade bread worked great for brunch. We decided to SLEEP in.

LUNCH
NOT • Veggie tray

DINNER
• Persian chicken and rice stuffing
NOT • Dolmathes
NOT • Greek olives
• Pita bread
• Swiss chard ala Nick
• Greek Salad
NOT • Tiropitakia
NOT • Baklava

The simplify motto came into play for dinner too. We're going to bring the baklava and tiropitakia to New Year party instead. Christmas was awesome, we sat on the sofa's and opened presents and laughed and enjoyed each other's company. I got the cutest fairies EVER, and a movie I had been dying to see (The Expendables). Shanna snagged a cloak and Nick got a new GPS along with a stocking full of mini-bar items. We also received many other wonderful gifts such as the bird book from Melinda, hand crocheted scaves & hats, clothes, kitchen stuff...

26th – Sunday - Breakfast with Annie
Shanna and I met up with Annie at Elmer's where we had a great breakfast and talked and talked and talked. Nick had pain in his back so he stayed home and worked on thesis.

29th - Wednesday - Visit from Sarah & Lance Bitter
Weird. It was weird seeing Lance again after 30 some years. Seeing him in the context of him marrying my sister was even weirder. I'm sure it'll get more normal as we see each other more often, and I am very happy for her. He is a nice guy and she deserves nice, funny, kind. They're great together, it's just weird.

27th – 30th Mon-Thu (South Family xmas Party)
(NOT) The South family party never got off the ground. We're all just too busy at this time of year. I think that next year I may suggest moving it to November, cause after Xmas just didn't work.

31st – Friday New Years Eve party
Nick is making roast lamb and chicken with olives. Shanna and I are making baklava and tiropitakia. Dinner should be awesome...

And it was, other people brought greek salad, hummus and pita chips, stuffed saffron rice, rum soaked fruited couscous. We were joined by Nancy & Dan, Janet, Heather & Duo, and of course Maura & Jim - it was their house after all. We sat and ate and talked and laughed and talked and laughed and Jim shared some of his alcohol from foreign countries and we laughed and talked some more. We started toasting the new year at 10:00, it was the new year in New York, and then at 11 for Chicago ... I just wish we'd started the silly idea earlier in the evening. We never got to the movies though we did manage to stay up till midnight.