Michelle's Musings: Alaska

Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts

05 May 2020

The mountains are calling and I must go

Anyone that knows me knows that I would rather be near the mountains than anything in this world. That my soul longs to live amongest the snow capped peaks of a mountain range. I have come to realize that I will visit them many times, but I will never be able to live there so when we moved and got this extra space I decided I had to make a room that would be called "The mountains are calling and I must go" from my favorite John Muir quote. I thought about doing all 4 walls of an 8x8 room but decided I had better go with just two walls with the possibility of adding on in the future. The focal point would be Denali and it would also serve as the headboard in this guest room. You would make your way around the room to the left of Denali would be the National Park area. To the right of Denali you would travel through Fairbanks and then down to the Stephen's Passage, to Glacier Bay National Park & Reserve, my absolute favorite place on the whole planet. I worked on this room after work for about 2 weeks and I think, even though it is the smallest room in the house, it is my favorite. I go in there every single day, even for just a few minutes. I wish it was large enough to add a chair so I could read in there, but for now, I just sit on the bed and play with the cats. The cats think this is their napping room and the bed is covered in cat hair (black comforter, white cat).

The little places near Wasilla, I saw a flag there in a yard of a shopping plaza, no shopping plaza will be on the wall, but I put in the flag. There is a surprise in the sky, a close up will be provided below.

Glacier Bay National Park and a tidewater glacier. I did Michelle's version of the Muir, which is shrinking terribly.

Denali over the bed with the Northern Lights

My version of the Ruth Glacier Denali National Park

the flag in Wasilla

A surprise over Glacier Bay

Stephens Passage has a surprise on the tree

A surprise over Wasilla

My version of the Grand Pacific Glacier

14 July 2019

So in love with you, my love am I

The more I think about you, the more I love you. The more I long to stare into your face. You are carved completely out of a cold substance and I hate to be cold. Why then do I love you? I love to read about you, to view photos of you, and I long to climb on your crevices.

For those that don't know what you are, you are a glacier. A massive piece of ice that moves. Yeah, it moves...it leaves in its path moraine and a U shaped valley. When you start down a fjord (an inlet of water that was formed by a melting glacier) the vegetation will be larger more lush, as you travel down the fjord closer to the glacier face it will appear smaller and in most cases, you will see NO vegetation. Instead what you will see is a large sheet of ice with crevices indentations and possibly icebergs. You will experience colors that may be indescribable....a topaz blue, granite gray, pure white, ice blue, azure, black, teal blue or teal green...and the list goes on and on.

the John Hopkins Glacier

The Mendenhall Glacier 2008

Glacier Bay National Park and Reserve....the Majorie Glacier

The Sawyer Glacier (North) Tracy Arm Fjord

Tracy Arm Fjord and the granite walls

the Mendenhall, see it before it's gone. Receding at an alarming rate.

The lovely Majorie Glacier (GBNP&R)

all that is left of a glacier

the mendenhall 2010

The Majorie and the Grand Pacific (the GP once filled glacier bay

Moraine

20 January 2012

Weather and the SS Princess Sophia

This latest ship sinking takes me back to yet another sinking that I like to read about. I remember the first time I heard about the SS Princess Sophia. I was on my first sailing to Alaska (very close to where the ship sank).

Our lecturer (this was a lecture on the Alaskan Inside Passage and moments in its history) was mentioning that this was one of the greatest disasters, but of course, it is overshadowed by the Titanic.

This great ship ran aground between Skagway and Juneau in the most beautiful waters along the Lynn Canal (which is actually the deepest fjord in North America---and simply gorgeous). It had just a little less than 350 people on board. Weather played a MASSIVE part in the story of Princess Sophia. The weather may be the major cause of the ships doom. The weather in Alaska is wild and unpredictable. I have experienced that first hand, but we had modern equipment. The ships mentioned in this terrible story had none of that, just their basic Alaskan weather history and their brains.

I am not going to type the story for you, you need to google it or click on the links I have provided. I am just going to show you some pictures that I saved after I got home from that Alaskan cruise in 2008. I just found them on the internet.

And if you want to purchase a book about the sinking:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/739967.The_Sinking_of_the_Princess_Sophia

29 April 2011

Dreaming of Alaska

This was a fun challenge with neat colors. The colors took me back to Skagway, Alaska while I was onboard the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway. It made me think of how much I wanted some paints and a brush while I was looking out the windows. All I did was DREAM the whole trip!

Get the stuff:
Red paper--open stock Hobby Lobby
Aqua paper--Magnolia by My Mind's Eye
White paper--open stock Hobby Lobby
Dream font-ME
Clouds--ME
flowers--prima
flower centers- Distress Stickles Broken china
Swirl--grunge board swirl by Tim Holtz (my hero)
Floss by DMC
Stitching--ME
Red pattern paper---Magnolia by My Mind's Eye
Aqua polka dotted paper---Magnolia by My Mind's Eye
pen by Sharpie
Subject of photos by God

28 April 2011

John Muir

Who exactly is John Muir? And why does he interest me so? He was a Scottish man that fell in love with the beauty of America. He was instrumental in getting the president and Congress to create the National Park system…hence his nickname “Father of the National Parks”.

He was also very interested in botany, which I admit is the part about him I care nothing about. He could glance at any plant and tell you exactly what it was…a neat talent, but that is not what thrills me.

His journey (after an injury he was convinced God had given him) began in Yosemite Valley and here is where he changed how America viewed its lands. He referred to Yosemite as a “temple” and even wrote a book while there….he was here many years.

That part was interesting because Yosemite is on my list of things to do, but I read his book about the visit to Wrangel Island, his climb up Mt Rainier and his great visits to Glacier Bay. George Vancouver discovered the bay, but it was closed with gigantic glacier…by the time Muir sailed to the bay in a canoe, the glacier had retreated creating Tarr Inlet. A place I have been blessed to see and without a doubt the most beautiful place that I have ever been blessed enough to see.

I first read Muir’s book “Travels in Alaska” as I was approaching my first visit to the bay and then began it again right after I left. At first read, I could not envision the ice, the fjord, the blues, the moraine….they were just words. After visiting it all made sense, and it hit me hard. I sat in a chair for almost 12 hours admiring with shock the beauty, the moaning and the loveliness of the fjord. I have read the book about 6 times since 2008. There is another book that describes the trips Muir made to Glacier Bay, “Alaska Days with John Muir”. It is written by Samuel H Young, who happened to be a minister that traveled to Wrangel Island to minister to the natives and traveled to the glaciers with Muir. This book is just as good as Muir’s book and is enjoyable reading.

Both books are available all over the place as both are out of copyright. Here is a link to Travels in Alaska… www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/travels_in_alaska/ It has the photos from the book, the very book I bought at Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center...a glacier that is briefly mentioned in the book.

Oh, one thing I forgot, in case you collect the statehood quarters, John Muir is the man depicted on the California state quarter...so even if you never heard of him, I am sure you have held his name in your hands.

26 March 2011

my favorite cruise tips

There are many things that "they" don't tell you when you book a cruise. There are also many things that this seasoned cruiser has picked up over the years that end up being my life savers for the week in a 156 square foot cabin.

1. Duct tape--will fix ANYTHING that is broken (hems, suitcases, shoes...etc..)

2. An extension cord or a power strip-the cabin will come with ONE maybe two if you are lucky outlets...this is a must do for cell phones, laptops, alarm clocks, electric razors, hair dryers...

3. Alarm clock-your room won't come with this and if you have an inside cabin, you will LONG to know the time.

4. Night light-again for inside cabins. You can't leave the bathroom door open, as you are sailing it will rock back and forth making noise. If you need light at all you had better take a light.

5. Ziploc bags-perfect for anything that might leak, wet bathing suits on the way home and I keep one in my camera bag. I cut a hole big enough for my camera lens and I have semi water resist way to still take pictures. Especially handy on a whale watching excursion.

6. Sea sickness-if you get motion sickness to consider a midship cabin. Less rocking! If you like the waves book a forward cabin (I LOVE them!!!) Aft tend to feel the roar of the engines.

7. Post it- I leave NOTES on my cabin door and usually a balloon...this helps find your cabin in a long hall full of cabin doors and makes you unique.

8. Address cards-Handy to give out in case you find a tablemate or a crew member you want to stay in touch with...I use this tip A LOT!!!

9. Hand Sanitizer-I don't generally use the stuff, but in foreign countries, it is sometimes hard to find soap and water. Most of the ships will require you to use the stuff before you enter dining halls.

10. Hangers-I bring hangers to hang up our clothes. The closet will not have enough drawer space or hangers. Bring your own and you solve the not enough drawer space problems. I leave them at the end of the cruise for the next guest. Sometimes I have been lucky to be the recipient of another guest that left their hangers. LOVELY!

11. Travel journal-you may want to jot down things. If you are that type of person bring a notebook so you don't forget a thing.

12. Dollar bills-perfect for tipping room steward for room service (food is free but it is nice to tip), tipping a cab driver, or a porter

13. Highlighter-perfect for marking your daily map so that you won't miss the things you want to do. Also good for keeping up with shops you want to visit and grading trivia contest papers.

14. Don't be afraid to make friends-there are some great people on cruise ships, say hello. On the other hand, these people don't know you, you want to wear your speedo, ok go for it (I promise I will be snickering at you).

15. Insulated cup-get a cheap one...use it to fill with tea or water so you can take to the decks or to your room. Most cruise lines have them for sale if you forget to bring one....then you have a ship souvenir with the logo.

16. Ship map-I always at least glance at it before I leave. Find your room, the dining room and the main lobby. This will help make things easier on you. You probably will "get lost", but that is half the fun.

17. Don't forget to look for an abandoned bar/lounge/area during the daytime if you just want to read and watch the water out of the sun (or if it is raining). I like to draw and write in these areas.

18. Don't forget to shop on board. Specials last one day so if you see one you like and it is the special of the day, get it!!! Scarves, purses, and costume jewelry are usually $10 and a great deal. Some ships offer "outlet" days on a day at sea. Watch your ship newspaper for details. It is usually last seasons style but who at home will know?

19. If you drink alot of sodas purchase a soda card. A can of soda alone will cost you about $5.75, a soda card about $25 for a week. A much better deal. Coffee, water, tea, lemonade and sometimes fruit punch are free. You may bring sodas and water from home. I always do, just don't overdo it. I have seen people get on board with a 12pk of sodas with no issues.

20. Consider booking excursions before your cruise. The purser and excursion desks are nightmares. I avoid them whenever possible. Book before you go and you are guaranteed a spot. Alaska ones sell out.

For those interested, I don't mind sharing my packing list. Email me and I will send it out to you. Please let me know if you want Caribbean or Alaska, word or pdf. champion.am@gmail.com or werthechampions@bellsouth.net

12 September 2010

So in love with you, my love am I

The more I think about you, the more I love you. The more I long to stare into your face. You are carved completely out of a cold substance and I hate to be cold. Why then do I love you? Just look at you...you can see why I am in love with you...

I love to read about you, to view photos of you, and I long to climb on your crevices.

For those that don't know what you are, you are a glacier. A massive piece of ice that moves. Yeah, it moves...it leave in it's path moraine and a U shaped valley. When you start down a fjord (an inlet of water that was formed by a melting glacier) the vegetation will be larger more lush, as you travel down the fjord closer to the glacier face it will appear smaller and in most cases you will see NO vegetation. Instead what you will see is a large sheet of ice with crevices indentations and possibly icebergs. You will experience colors that may be indescribable....a topaz blue, granite gray, pure white, ice blue, azure, black, teal blue or teal green...and the list goes on and on.

the John Hopkins Glacier

The Mendenhall Glacier 2008