Bald Eagles at the Spit

 I left the house and headed to the Homer Spit, in search of Eagles. I had a little time before having to open the store. There is a driftwood log that I have been driving by since I arrived. I look at it each time looking to capture a picture of it. Today, when I got out there, there was a Bald Eagle perched on the log.

I got out of the truck and slowly approached it so as not to scare it off. I was able to capture a number of shots of it.

As I was headed back to the truck another Eagle soared overhead. It was a good day.

I ran into a fellow photographer and had a quick chat about the birds that are in the area and where to spot them.

I then headed to the store for the day. Had a couple of good sales, early, then it died. Of course the weather played a factor, as it rained and snowed, off and on throughout the afternoon.

Ordered some Thai food for dinner, which was good. The dogs were glad to see me, more likely they were glad to be fed. 

Later I worked on the pictures and watched a movie.

ALASKA PORTFOLIO

Bald Eagle Landing on Driftwood
Homer Spit
Homer, Alaska

Bald Eagle Screeching on Driftwood
Homer Spit
Homer, Alaska

Under the Weather

 I spent the day with severe stomach cramps. I believe this was caused by my, inadvertently, consuming mushrooms, no, not the psychedelic kind. Just regular mushrooms in food, which I am highly allergic to. Think of swallowing a glass full of sharp chunks of glass and have it excruciatingly and slowly moving through your system.

Still no reaction from the vaccine, though the injection site has gotten a bit sore.

Hopefully, I will have a better day and be able to get out and take some pictures.

Back out at the Spit

Beautiful sunny day, well below freezing. 

Took a drive out to the airport to pickup the meal I had ordered. Guess they read last weeks review, that I had split the meal with my sister, as they included two hunks of bread and two desserts. Very nice of them. The serving was very large with four meatballs on top. The meal was good, though last weeks was better, perhaps a bit too much cheese over shadowed the flavor of the filling. I will be watching for this weeks offering.

Drove to the Spit to see if there was any wildlife, I think everything decided it was too cold. I did spot a Golden Eagle and walked down the beach to take a few shots. VERY COLD!!!

I then took a drive out on the Steward Highway to Anchor Point. I then drove back on the "OLD" highway. I, again, was hoping to spot some wildlife, all I saw was a cat crossing the road. Very nice drive through some snow covered meadows.

Golden Eagle at the Homer Spit

Homer Harbor at the Homer Spit

Golden Eagle at the Homer Spit

ALASKA PORTFOLIO

Captain's Toy Chest

 Had another exciting day at the store, started out by vacuuming the store. I attempted to remove all of the pebbles that have been left by the snow boots people are wearing.  Cleaned the entry rug of all the pebbles gathered on it, that were awaiting a ride into the store.

We received some snow last night and I had to clear the driveway and the porch before going to work. Came home to find it had snowed some more and had to clear everything again.

While I was at the store I was notified by the clinic that they had a vaccine available and could I come in on Friday at 1pm. I made the appointment, awhile later they called back and said they had a vaccine available, if I could get there in the next 45 minutes. I closed the store for a half hour and drove over, 1/2 mile very close, and received my shot. 

As a joke, I texted one of my sisters that I had received the vaccine. I stopped the post mid-sentence, I then texted asking if she was related to the person who owned the phone. (like I had reaction to the shot and passed out while texting). Two hours later she replies with "What?".  I text back again asking if she is related or knows a relative, no response at all. Fortunately, she is not one of my emergency contacts, I would have been dead long before she replied. 

I know I can rely on my sister, who I am housesitting for, she is listed as my emergency contact. If she had been contacted for a medical emergency I could count on her. She would direct them to euthanize me and put "her" out of her misery, for a hangnail.

I waited until this morning to post so I could relay my post shot experience, so far no reaction at all. Yeah.

No pictures for today, but I will leave your with a shot of the weather in Homer for today.

Stay warm and have a good day.

Day 1 at the Store

 Awoke to clear blue skies and a forecast of snow in the evening.

Went back to the Gear Shed to try on a pair of boots I tried yesterday. I brought different socks and gel inserts to see if I could adjust them to fit. Ended up with a size ten and my thicker socks. These will replace the North Face Boots that fell apart. They are good to -40 so I should be able to stand and take photos without my feet getting cold. Combine that with my Coyote Hat I and should stay very comfortable while here in Alaska and back home.
At the counter, the salesperson, who helped me was very nice and said he had many different boots over the years and when he bought a pair of these, they were the last he bought. Loves them, went on and on about them. Always, appreciate, an unsolicited review on a product I am buying, makes me feel I have selected the right item. 
Then he scanned them, BONUS, they are on sale.

Only Picture I have today.
My new boots.

I opened. Captain's Toy Chest, on time and then waited for customers to come. The eventually started to wander in. Since the store is out of the way, when people come they are buying. For a Wednesday and the amount of traffic the store had a pretty fair day. Even had one customer return and purchase another item. Ken, sold another of my books over the weekend, that leaves only four left, in the whole state of Alaska. You better hurry in.

Drove home under overcast skies. Fed the dogs and myself, then they all needed lots of loving and petting.

Looked out the window and the snow has started, time to curl up and veg for awhile. Back to the store tomorrow.

A Good Day for Eagles

 Started the day by packing all of my camera gear in the truck and headed out.

I took a drive out the Sterling Highway toward Anchorage, I turned off on Diamond Ridge Road. I headed up into the hills to seek wildlife. I did not find anything up there. I headed back toward Homer.

Decided that, as long as, I was passing Safeway I would purchase the few items I needed. Grabbed my camera and my canvas camera bag, okay, where is my camera bag. Back on the kitchen floor with my wallet. Drive back home, get camera bag, head back out. 

I stopped at a store to check out their products. Grabbed the camera and go to attach it to my, Cotton Carrier Vest. Left it at home when I took it off to use the bathroom, no, I am not making another trip to the house. Homer Truffle is across the street, need chocolate. Checked out a couple of stores, stopped at Safeway, then headed to the Spit.

I drove out to the end, there was no action. Drove back down the Spit and stopped when I spotted some eagles hanging out. I sat for there for about 2 hours. I was rewarded with some nice shots of a Golden Eagle. This was courtesy, unknowingly, of another photographer who was taking pictures at the water's edge. He got too close to a Golden Eagle and it flew off, headed in my direction. I aimed and held the shutter release until the cache was full. I hung out for awhile longer and then headed home.

Arrived home to find a couple of puddles on the floor. The roll of paper towels has two pieces left on it, text my sister "Where are the paper towels?" She writes back they are in the basement, though at the bottom she states the "garage" not the "basement". That part is not showing on my screen, so I head to the basement. this involves lifting a couple of plywood doors in the floor of the garage and then removing the slats the that keep the the floor secure when walking on the doors. On the way down you have to be careful or you will (ouch) bang your head, which is exactly what I did. Found them in the garage, after texting her they were not in the basement "why didn't I read her full text". Why didn't she delete the reference to the basement before sending the text????? I don't know.

I posted a number of photos to my site you can see them here:

ALASKA PORTFOLIO

Sunshine and Blue Skies

 Sunday was a total bust, cold, rain alternating with snow. I curled up and watched TV, read and ate chocolate.

Today, Monday, I awoke to sunny, blue skies and twenty-seven degrees with a bit of wind. Loaded, ALL, of my camera equipment in the truck with high hopes of spotting some wildlife.

Threw the trash in the back of the truck and headed to the dump, a good place for scavengers and foragers. I guess this was not their day to frequent the dump. Drove back to the scenic overlook, where I had passed a few Eagles soaring. They had scattered, probably to the dump.

I went back through town and drove out to the Homer Spit. Drove past numerous Eagles soaring down the beach. Of course, they were where I was unable to pull over to the side of the road.

I parked at the end of the Spit and walked around for a bit. The sun was hot, but the wind was finding its way through every layer of clothing. I was able to catch an Eagle posing and a shot from Land's End across Kachemak Bay. From, May 5-9 they will have the 29th annual Shorebird Festival. Looking forward to that and the return of the Sandhill Cranes, some flying in from New Mexico.

I ordered a sandwich from, Mike's, and went to pick it up. I went part way out the Spit to a picnic area, the closest I could park to the Eagles I saw earlier. They never came close to me.

I was debating whether to check out some of the shops in town, decided not to.

I drove down East End Road looking for wildlife, it was not my day. Took a couple of scenic shots and drove home.

Now, I am going to rest a bit and then watch the NCAA Final game. I will be rooting for Gonzaga.

Click here for More Picture of Alaska.

East End Road

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East End Road

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Homer Harbor on the Homer Spit

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