Kachemak Bay

Drove around Homer today looking for wildlife, on the way to the Spit, I saw a Moose. I turned the truck around and went back to take a few shots. He was still there when I got back, so I drove past and got my camera all set, hopped out of the truck, quietly. Slowly, I walked back to the stand of trees where I had seen him, this has taken only about 15 seconds, he is gone, nowhere to be seen. Searched for about five minutes, no moose.

I continued out to the Spit, seeking more spots to observe the wildlife and scenery with different view points. 

These are a couple of the shots I took, there are more in the portfolio. I, also, took some bird pictures that I am still working on. I will post them later.

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Scenic Overlook on the road into Homer Alaska.

A View for the Homer Spit 
Kaia, heads out of the harbor for some fishing

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.

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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

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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:

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