This photo was also taken at the Eagle River Nature Center and is probably close to what Alaska looks like right now. It was taken on our Thanksgiving visit in 2016.
Alaska Week- Day 4
One of our favorite places to walk is the Nature Center in Eagle River- a gateway to Chugach State Park. I have posted many photos taken there in the last couple years. It’s always beautiful, and it’s about five minutes from our daughter’s house!.
Alaska Week- Day 3
Another view of the Portage Glacier
Alaska Week- Day 2
The Portage Glacier!
Alaska Week- Day 1
I’m posting photos of Beautiful Alaska all week. This is a bridge seen on the walk to Spencer Glacier.
A Big One
I don’t know if this was THE Big One, but Friday’s earthquake in Anchorage was certainly A Big One. The boys and their mom were at the school where she teaches and they are in second and fifth grade. Miles, the fifth grader was at his before school bell chime class, and Henry was playing in his mom’s classroom before school started. Their mom, Caitlin, was down the hall in another teacher’s room when the earthquake started. She remembers getting under the door frame and having trouble standing as she was bounced up and down by the quake. Ceiling tiles and other things were flying around, as her teacher friend dove under her desk. Caitlin remembers yelling down the hall to Henry to get under a table. The lights went out and the shaking continued. When it stopped, she found Henry under a table piled with debris in her classroom- and they all headed to the gym. Their emergency team sprung into action, gathering children and staff and accounting for everyone- but then a huge aftershock made everyone realize this was an ongoing event. The school was evacuated when a gas leak was discovered and the children were taken by bus to a street in the neighborhood- and eventually to another school in the area. Caitlin and the kids drove home to find a very scared Penny, the golden retriever, in a house filled with open cupboards, tipped over furniture, and broken glass and debris everywhere. The big screen TV was broken on the floor, and the wood stove had been moved forward out of the fireplace. Soon afterwards, Justin came home from his job in Anchorage. There was no power for several hours, and the boiler which heats the house was broken.
The children were pretty traumatized as the aftershocks continued and stayed close to their parents as they cleaned up and assessed damage. Eventually the power came back on, dinner was prepared, and the family bedded down (in their clothes and with backpacks full of emergency supplies)in the office downstairs close to the door for a quick escape if necessary. No one slept much.
Aftershocks are ongoing, but the boiler has been repaired, and the family was able to get some actual sleep last night. There will be no school for at least a few days, and life will slowly return to normal. Or a new normal.
And we grandparents are beginning to calm down as well- and are so grateful that everyone is unhurt!
Glorious Fall
Nothing beats Oak Creek Canyon in the Fall!
Big and Blue
The scene at Spencer Glacier- taken last summer on our visit to Alaska.
Disappearing
We walked down to the water’s edge in the morning, and I was captivated by the little footprints disappearing into the surf.
In a Row
The sun was setting, and most of the few people watching the waves, the surfers, and the sunset were leaving the beach. Now it was the life guard stations all in a row that caught my eye.
Haze
I suspect that smoke from the fires added to the haze at sunset last week at Huntington Beach. If you look closely you can see surfers in the waters.
HB Surfers
Multiple exposure play with surfers heading into the ocean
Surf City Sunset
We have just returned from a short but wonderful visit to Southern California, where we visited with our son’s family. We have developed a tradition of spending one night at the beach before heading over to see the family. This time it was Huntington Beach with its majestic waves and ever present surfers. We got there just in time for sunset and had a great time walking around- people-watching and soaking in the ocean views and sunset.
This is the Huntington Beach pier, which I have photographed many times- and that’s Ruby’s Diner at the end. I reduced clarity in post-processing to enhance the dreamy mood.
Unfortunately, I took so many photos I managed to wear out my shoulder again- when will I ever learn? My favorite way to shoot is to walk around with my (heavy) camera on my cross body strap- constantly bringing it up to my eye and snapping. I think it’s the repetitive motion (and the weight of the camera)that causes the pain. The next day, I just used my iPhone camera. This whole issue is weighing on my mind; I am definitely not ready to give up my big camera (or go to a lighter mirrorless camera), but am considering only using my iPhone for street/beach photography and camera on tripod for scenes like these. I hate having physical issues get in the way of doing what I love, so I am determined to find a work-around!
Before It Began
While waiting for the Veterans Day Parade to begin, I amused myself by doing some street photography. This is not an unusual street scene here- and I was taken by the contrast between the fellows in the old western wear and the woman busy with her phone.
Impermanence and Imperfection
The frayed edges of these old books illustrate imperfection and impermanence with the passage of time. Time and use have softened the edges, but their beauty remains.
melinda anderson photography 