A Day on Kakwik in Whittier, AK

We started off fairly early and made a day of it today, heading for Whittier by 9:30 am.  By the time we got through the tunnel, on the boat, and filled up the gas gussler, it was heading for noon as we headed for Blackstone Bay.

After checking the shrimp pots, (and we got about 5 lbs of shrimp!), we got ourselves a little out of the wind and stopped to grill chicken sausages for lunch.  What a beautiful day!  It was in the 70s, sunny, and except for a little wind out on the water, very warm and inviting!

After lunch we took turns in the kayaks exploring some little nooks and crannies in Shotgun Cove.  There is still snow right down to the water and tons of waterfalls pouring down the mountains!  Beautiful to be out there.  And a good place up on deck (above) for me to read David Sedaris while waiting my turn (and napping in the sun!)

Once we were underway, it was chilly enough to bundle up, but still a good place to read on the back deck of Kakwik.


Back at the dock, we finished up and stopped for a cup of chowder (which for some reason was cheaper if you bought it with beer - the special, chowder and beer!), then headed back home - 8:30 but still broad daylight - it won't get dark til about midnight now, maybe later.  Time to go back to work tomorrow - it's been such a nice weekend.  It was 76 degrees when we got home, nearly unheard of in Anchorage, and the forecast is 70s for the next 3 days - I don't think that's ever, ever happened!

Back in Anchorage -- spring and maybe even summer arrived!

We've gone from late season - unseasonable-snow to sunny, sunny skies and 60s to 70s weather in one week!  Memorial Day weekend has been spent with two good biking days so far, and today is scheduled for Whittier and taking Kakwik out on Prince William Sound.  Looking forward to a lazy day before gearing up for the next work week -- only 4 days but lots to catch up on!

Brian and Carl went out on Kakwik for the "shakedown cruise" Thursday - Friday and came back with oysters (purchased) and shrimp from our pots.

We had the oysters Friday night, and I also found scallops at the Spenard Farmer's Market after yoga Saturday morning that we had Saturday night -- boy, do we love Alaska seafood!  I loved being back at yoga after a few weeks away, and this is the first chance I've gotten for the farmer's market again - it opened last week, but I was teaching.  Not much fresh grown yet - some spring greens, sprouts, but also my favorite piroshki stand (they can't be that good for you, but they surely do taste good!)  We went for a later afternoon bike on the "Bird to Gird" trail along Turnagain Arm - the trail was in good shape except for some caution through 3 avalanche areas from this winter - some debris and water on the path.  So fun to bike along the water with the mountains right there . . . it's just gorgeous!

Sunday was an errand day initially - Brian's sister and her husband will be here on Wednesday. We also recently bought a little grill, and we got a small table and 2 more chairs for outside along with our great "CHAIRity Auction" bench that we brought to Alaska with us!  Mid-afternoon we decided to go for another bike ride, along the Coastal Trail this time toward Kincaid Park and with Mary and Lance, our landlords. 

Mary, Judy & Brian taking a break at Earthquake Park

That was a fun ride and another 2 hours, then a late afternoon/early evening glass of wine outside on our new chairs then dinner together with a very good risotto with scallops and spinach and a great salad that Mary brought up.

You've got to love holiday weekends.  Off to Kakwik early today with a stop for scones and coffee at our favorite, Fire Island Bakery.  I'm too lazy to put pictures in right now, but maybe I'll add them later -- and we'll have pictures from today! 

A Side Trip to Ojai

We couldn't be in Santa Monica without a trip up to see Judy's sister Christine and her husband Michael, Justin and Marica and their children, and Piper and James -- we drove up Monday morning, and it was only 102 degrees in Ojai!  We spent a few hours at the pool, a stop at Christine and Michael's to clean up and have a glass of wine (in the air-conditioning), and then it had cooled off enough to reconnoiter at Justin and Marica's home for dinner on their big patio that could hold "the whole family!"

Marica and Justin made a wonderful dinner, Sonia brought salad, and Christine brought a chocolate cheesecake with berries - yum!  Great food, great wine, and great company!  We stayed overnight and had breakfast at Lake Cassitas before driving back to LA.  Then it was one last lunch on the beachfront, in Venice this time, before saying goodbye to Jessica at the airport and getting back on theplane.

To add insult to injury, we got home late Wednesday night, and Friday afternoon as I sat in my office, it started snowing furiously!  We had snow all of Friday night, and it was up to 6 inches up on the hillside.  For us closer to downtown, it was all gone by today.  I had to teach a graduate social work course all day Saturday and Sunday, but it was beautiful and sunny today (still a bit cool!)
We're still waiting for summer here in Anchorage, but we have about 18 hours of daylight -- it's light til about 11:30 pm now.

Mother's Day in Santa Monica

Brian and I went to Santa Monica for a few days for Mother's Day to see Jessica, and it was lovely to be in the sun and be warm.  Santa Monica was a nice temperature but could be on the coolish side with a breeze, 68-70 degrees.  It was great to see Jess, and she has a nice apt. just a few blocks from the beach.  Saturday we rented bikes, the 3 of us (cruisers) and rode for a couple of hours on the bike trail that runs right through the beach.  We rode one way and walked out onto the Santa Monica pier, then the other til we ended in a place with fruit popsicles!

Lots of dodging other bikes and, in some places, pedestrians, but it was fun!

It's about a 5 hour flight each way but a direct flight at least!  We went to the Getty Museum on Sunday for Mother's Day and took a picnic with us - Jessica made a kale salad and a tomato & cucumber salad with mint, and we added brie cheese and a sourdough baguette - great picnic under a shade tree.  The grounds are beautiful with some very unique gardens and pretty interesting architecture too, even besides the indoor exhibits.

We came back to the beachfront and went to the Georgian Hotel, which I didn't end up with a picture of - must have been on Jessica's phone.  Wonderful little porch over looking the water with a nice ceviche and cheese tray to with my wine and their beer!

And then back to the beach in time for the sunset - we had a good one, as you can see in the picture!  Santa Monica is beautiful, and Brian commented on how many people are out walking, biking, doing yoga, generally just enjoying the outdoors.  He even said, "I could live here!"  We're not ready to give up Alaska yet though (even after it snowed when we got home and they said it was the 232nd day with snow this year!)

Too soon, it was time to go back, but first we had a trip to Ojai - next entry!