My apologies to those of you that had a calendar ready to ship this week. Unfortunately my bulk order arrived mangled and water damaged thanks to UPS. As a result I am going to have to have them reprinted and reshipped. This delays everything by a week unfortunately.

Needless to say what “Brown can do for me” right now is they can go suck it.

I’m a wee bit perturbed.

I’m not usually one that finds myself lamenting those days of the past. But lately I’ve seen a division within this country that frightens me. Perhaps its cause is that of the upcoming election. Perhaps its cause is continual struggles within our foreign policy. Out of respect I tend to not air my political or religious views here. After all, that is not what this blog is about. And the reality is there are plenty of others out in the blogosphere that focus on this issues more than I could.

But this morning I find myself with memories of that fateful day some seven years ago. That of September 11th. At that moment in time I worked at a local telecommunications company in contracting. I remember that day quite clearly and watching in horror as the twin towers fell.

What continues to come to mind is watching the country become the most united I have seen it in the days following. Despite the tragedy. Despite the heartache. Which we all suffered much during those days. But that is perhaps the last time I have seen this country come together as one. Or as near as can be. Tragedy can be a strange bed fellow to us. And no doubt we have seen that in our own lives this year.

I was blogging back even then. Of course under a different online name. In those days following I of course wrote about my feelings as did many others. There is still one particular entry that comes to mind. I still think of this little girl mentioned in this post. She would of course be older today. No doubt off in school somewhere. Perhaps like me she struggles with the hate and riff I still see constantly in this world.

But I remember. Oh yes, I remember.

“Out of compassion I destroy the darkness of their ignorance.
From within them I light the lamp of wisdom and dispel all darkness from their lives.”

September 13, 2001

Darkness had just started to descend over the confines of the realm. I had continued to watch the lights in surrounding offices go dark as people left and began their journey home. Entering my 14th hour of work, I chanced a glance to look up from my computer for the first time in hours and quickly glance out the window. Out of the corner of my eye I saw industrious glow of lights flashing in the distance, as if beckoning to come ever closer. Curious, I stood up and wandered across the floor to the corner office to see what activity was amiss. I noticed the 8 or so hook and ladder trucks sitting in the center of the Barnes and Noble parking lot just down the street. All were parked in a circular nature with their ladders extended, adjoining to form a single circle. Hanging from that circle was the largest American flag I have ever seen.

Feeling a warm and comforting presence wash over me, I thought it was time to leave for the evening and be one of those taking that journey home. Something told me I should drive by the trucks on the way hope. Perhaps offer a word of encouragement and see exactly was happening. As I passed through the stoplight only a few hundred feet from the store, I caught my bank out of the corner of my eye. I whipped into the parking lot and ran up to the ATM. I ended up withdrawing everything that was in my account. After all, I had already met my monthly obligations in terms of bills and was being paid tomorrow. I secretly began to hope they were collecting money, so I could give them the money that had become fisted in my hand.

As I left and drove up to the site, I was astounded by what I saw. At least 150 people were milling around in the local intersections collecting money for the families of the firefighters killed in after this week’s tragic events. Horns were honking everywhere, people were cheering, sirens were flashing. As I pulled ever closer, I saw her. Standing out on the corner waving stood a little girl about 4 years old. Wearing her fathers fireman’s jacket it draped down over her ankles. On her head stood his helmet, which she wore proudly.

It draped down over the confines of her face, shadowing everything but the tip of her nose and her perky mouth. In her hands she grasped a little red plastic fireman’s hat that I remembered from youth. As I pulled up next to her, I rolled down my window and beckoned her forth. I just knew I had found the person I must give it to. I scooped up the money sitting on the passenger seat next to me and put it in her little hat. Her mom looked down, I saw her eyes widen a bit and a rather quick, “Tell her God Bless You” escaped softly from her lips.

As the light changed and cleared for me to drive forth, the last words I heard was the high squeal of “God Bless You” emerge from this girls lips. I knew whatever darkness that had overshadowed my thoughts of the morn had disappeared into that bright light I felt emerging gloriously within my heart now.

Whatever you are doing today — whether it be work, school or simply nothing at all. I hope we as a nation can remember that day. Just as a nation I hope we can somehow unite more in the future.

What shall I be doing? I shall simply step from that curb and look at my neighbors and smile — and remember the spirit of that little girl. Perhaps that unknown smile shall just make someone’s day a little brighter.

Perhaps.

As much as I use photography as my reason to travel in the two years I have been keeping this journal and this site updated I have used it for a variety of different reasons.  Mostly though writing to me has always been a great outlet when it comes to clearing my mind. 

Plus I admit I just enjoy the interaction with people.  Just like some enjoy hearing where I’m from and what I’m doing in life, I enjoy hearing a little about the people that visit here.

However, there are times I think about stepping down from writing here and letting this site lapse.  But then the interest picks up and the need to write surfaces once more. 

But I’m curious to those that make their way here.  I know by my referral stats that the numbers can average from the few to the mighty.  The heftier numbers are usually those days that Alaska is in the news or Jill from Juneau has participated in yet another race.  *grin*

So tell me dear readers.  Who are you?  Where are you from.  How did you make your way here.  Pull up a seat and let me hear from you.

I’m listening.

With the Chugach Mountains here in Anchorage are peppered with the yellows and reds of the coming fall, some would say we’re at the end of summer. An ending of barbeques and foraging through Alaska’s backwoods and roads. And indeed for me it is a time to get back to reality. A time when my vacation season has ended and my trips out of town shall be few and far between.

But in the meantime I shall of course end this season with a bang by taking an extended weekend and driving up to Denali National Park on Friday for 3 days in the park for its annual fall road lottery. Through a series of inherited actions I have managed to obtain two more road lottery passes in addition to my own. Thus giving me the opportunity to experience the park on Saturday, Sunday and Monday

I am told the Toklat wolf pack has once more become active and in fact have taken down a Dahl Sheep ram within 1/2 mile of the Toklat stop. And if one is willing to walk 1/2 mile and wait, perhaps we too can experience watching their pups playful antics. One can only hope. Indeed this is my favorite season in Alaska. I love the continuous color that graces our eyes. The chill in the air.

While I’m not quite content with the notion that winter will visit us in the coming months. I am content in all this summer has entailed for me. Indeed next summer shall be no different. For I’m beginning my planning for potential trips to Round Island to photograph the walruses, back to Anan Creek for more bear photography. And perhaps if I’m so lucky a trip to Kaktovik / Barter Island for polar bear photography.

Tis the season for adventure after all.

In between the full time job and managing this thing we call life I often find myself wondering “what do I want to do when I grow up.” Even at my age. The thoughts are there on do I want to open my own business but with so many interests and hobbies it can be a difficult thing to make a decision on.

And then of course there is the ever ending question of would I still love it if it became work. Last year I took a few steps to see how my photography was viewed by the general public by publishing a few calendars and greeting cards. I was pleasantly surprised by the feedback I received but due to a rigorous schedule, haven’t really began to market that.

There is still the age old question on whether I am truly good enough with photography to compete with others. After all, it is a saturated market and competition can be fierce. Especially among Alaska photographers. And each time I turn there is yet another business popping up.

I know this isn’t a topic that will come to fruitition today or even tomorrow. Honestly my biggest decision right now is whether I want to publish a calendar again for 2009 and see how that goes.

Sometimes this adult thing is just no fun. I’d rather be outside just exploring and taking pictures.

With the Independence holiday approaching here in the US like most I find myself looking forward to the long weekend and at this moment find myself writing out my list of groceries I need to buy tonight for before packing and heading off bright and early tomorrow morning with my friend C to head up to Denali National Park once again for a long weekend of camping and hiking / shuttling in the park. If the weather turns out as predicted we are in for a definite treat.

In between these random thoughts comes also finalizing my trip to Southeast Alaska in the next few weeks where I will head down to Juneau, Wrangell and Anan Creek. The Juneau leg (little over 24 hours there) was a bit unexpected but when reserving my airline ticket I found it was actually cheaper to overnight in Juneau than it was to fly direct to Wrangell. So instead I shall enjoy that little bit of schedule change as well.

Summer is definitely here and times are busy. And in between working full time, trips, planning and moving - I have a much overdue journal entry coming up about my trip around Alaska just a few weeks ago.

It’s just about finding time in this whirlwind called summer.

Last September when I was scheduled to take my typical solo round trip around Alaska, I was two days into it and I had to cut it short to return to Anchorage where I was diagnosed with a case of strep throat with a double ear infection. In that time I haven’t had more than two days off until last week.

Three days into THAT vacation I came down with - you guessed it. Strep throat and a double ear infection. I have been laid up the last 5 days expending as little energy as possible This is not a sense of Deja Vu I wish to repeat.

This has just not been my year thus far. I want a do-over.

Despite Mother Nature’s unnecessarily cruel joke of handing us an additional 6 inches of snow yesterday on top of the 8 inches we received on Saturday, that hasn’t stopped the rhythmic pitch of spring fever and wanderlust from building within me. I’ve attempted to satiate this unending thirst by finalizing my trip to Southeast Alaska next month. A trip which will fly me into Juneau and take me on a ferry journey through Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell and then on to Ketchikan before I fly home.

Yet the beat still echoes within. So much so that even though the Denali Park Road is not yet open to Teklanika I may just head up to the park anyway this weekend to drive the road to Savage River. For those of us that live for summer in this great state getting through this transitional season known as April can just be some of the most difficult times to endure.

Now if I can only make a sacrifice to the weather gods to throw some warmer weather and sun our way.

Melt snow, melt! Work with me here.

Mother Nature is a little late with her April Fools joke this year. But alas she did toss one at us to the appearance of a fresh cover of new snow. And not just a few inches of it but up to a foot of new snow that has fallen in Anchorage since early yesterday morning. Any visions of spring dancing in my head has very obviously been delayed.

Here I was looking forward to hitting the pavement this weekend for a nice long walk only to have those plans scratched. That’s right folks, Mother Nature has been added to my “s-list”. I don’t know what’s worse - the fact that I have a gray whale watch cruise and get away weekend scheduled for Seward on the 19th and they are predicting that s-n-o-w word or because I’m now forced to go rearrange my plans and go and join a (gag) gym!

She sure has some explaining to do.

As we here in South-central Alaska begin the very slow and gradual descent into spring, many would probably agree with the fact that spring deemed “breakup” in these northern regions is perhaps a time when Alaska is at its ugliest. A time when snow is beginning to melt and the ground cover resembles a patched quilt between the signs of winter that remains and the beginnings of the promised season ahead. Where mud becomes the common word in these parts and automotive windshield washer fluid is a necessity in driving.

I often find these times between breakup and the first buds of spring as a prime opportunity to engage in indoor projects. And as gray overcast skies continually plagued us this weekend I found it the perfect time to catch up on some web work - including updating the galleries on this sight from pictures since the beginning of the year. And as I found my way sorting through the wildlife section and paused when its number reached 250, I found myself shaking my head and knowing that it has reached the point where I will have to break it up into smaller sections.

There is no doubt that eagles will need their own album, as will bears — especially with all the bear photography trips I have planned for this summer. I was also finally able to get through the mass of eagle photos from last weekend and create its own smaller album. Let me tell you it was very difficult narrowing it down to under 100 when I came home with a stock of over 1200 photos.

In the end the quiet time brought productivity. Which is not always such a bad thing.