A Saturday story

Today was a sunny day in Juneau - I'm sitting here this morning watching eagles, herons, and hummingbirds outside my window waiting for the 80+ temperature that is predicted.  The sky is perfectly blue and the snow still on the mountains is reflecting the sun.  On the way home each night we see lots of fishing boats.  They are anchored in the harbor in small groups and I hope they are catching something - I haven't found a good source of freshly-caught fish yet, but I'm still looking!  There is a ban on King Salmon fishing in parts of Alaska.  The State Dept of Fish & Game say that dwindling salmon numbers are due to fewer fish reaching spawning grounds and that over-fishing is to blame.  Fishermen in the small coastal towns say that salmon is the main-stay of their diet and if they can't catch enough to last through the winter, they will have to rely on government hand-outs for help.  Sport fishing in Alaska is a huge industry and some say the ban is only to save bigger King's for the pay-to-play fisherman.  However, without that income, whole communities will have to relocate so it is a conundrum for sure. Since it was sunny today, we spent the morning on Douglas Island (a separate distinct part of the City and Borough of Juneau) taking in Gold Rush Days, a tribute to the mining and logging history of this part of the state.  Today was the mining competitions include spike driving (five long spikes that had to be driven into a beam using the flat head of an ax - three straight down and two in the overhead beam), jack leg drilling (using a water-cooled drill to drive a long rod into a solid wall of concrete; each competitor has to drill two holes) and hand mucking (shoveling gravel into a small wheeled cart until full and then pushing the cart on a track to the finish line).  After one miner did the hand mucking, he jumped into the log-rolling water pit - it was that hot!  The venue was Sandy Beach - albeit without lifeguard chairs, inflatables and beer coolers, this beach still had it's share of families cooling off in the cold water.  Gold Rush Days is advertised as a "family" event so there wasn't any beer tent, but there was plenty of BBQ (pulled pork and beef brisket) and other food and I thought it was cool to see the families (mostly young men/women with babies or toddlers), so proud of their "miner". While we watched the competition, we saw the mountains, a float plane (there are LOTS of them in Juneau) and a cruise ship sail up the Channel to it's dock downtown.  I love Juneau!

A "local" story

Summer has arrived, and with the warmer (highs in the 60's) weather and late night sun comes the cruise ships.  My office at Alaska Vision looks out over the Gastineau Channel which is also home to the cruise shop docks.  At times, five ships can be docked at once, with the largest holding over 1900 passengers.

Juneau will see 1 million passengers this season

They float silently up the channel, nestling against the dock while their passengers crowd the rails for their first look at Juneau.  What they see is a city that is snug against the mountain, with houses fighting gravity as they climb up the hillside.  The downtown area is crowded with tourist shops selling t-shirts, moose droppings (really), postcards and other memorabilia and a handful of bars and restaurants.  Float planes land and take off from the

A float plane leaving Hangar on the Wharf

Hangar on the Wharf, which is a nice place to have a fine Alaskan Amber and a sandwich or a pricey meal of locally caught halibut.  There is Marine Park which is where most of the local celebrations are held including the recent 'Celebration' which is a tribute to Alaskan natives.  Just this week, there was a large crowd at Auke Recreational Area (by our house) to greet the arrival of  ceremonial oar boats complete with tribal dignitaries in native dress.  They held a parade downtown on Thursday afternoon and this weekend saw  Alaskan food, music and crafts at Centennial Hall.  Along with the three ships in port today, downtown must have been busy - we didn't go.  We have become true Juneau-ites, using our precious weekends for errands, chores and some much-deserved down time.  This morning we went to the recycling center (no pick up in our neighborhood), then to a local farmer's market (which was more market than farmer), to the local auto/marine dealer where we

A view of Mendenhall Glacier today when I was at the grocery store

looked for some planters for our deck and lastly to the Alaska Brewery for a souvenir, but mostly for the free 6oz "tasters" that can be had for free.  You get up to six per visit - Bill had two, I had one.  We didn't buy the souvenir.  Last night, I spent two hours at church with fellow crafters working on my scrapbook.  The others did a counted cross-stitch, some lap quilting and some card stamping.  Tomorrow is church, then Bill has planned to go shooting with a friend and I will plan some meals that will be easy to heat up during the week. 

View of the Chugach Mountain range behind my house

That is because two nights a week I attend an "aqua zumba" class at the local high school pool and Bill has started going with me and doing some lap swim.  We sit in the sauna for five minutes or so afterwards.  The point of this story?  Twice now, while shopping and again today at the Brewery, we were asked questions because they assumed we were "locals'.  The shop clerk even stated "I can ask you guys the question because you are locals".  Both times we were in decidedly tourist areas, surrounded by actual tourists.  That said, I drive around almost everyday with my head swiveling from window to window, drinking in the gorgeous sights, especially now that it is brighter out most days.  The mountains are awe-inspiring, the harbors are full of boats of all shapes and sizes, the eagles are flying around readying their nests for the arrival of their young (any day now!) and the friendly people of Juneau are now our friends. 

The reflection on Auke Lake (on my drive to work)

Enjoy your hometown, whether new or old, taking joy in the everyday sites and looking for new ones to make you smile! 

There's no place like home ...

We had a whirlwind weekend recently - spending four days with the entire family and a multitude of friends in Greenfield, Wisconsin.  Planning the busy weekend took some time, since the kids were coming in from all over (except for Brian, who was keeping the homestead fires burning - literally!), and there were a number of things happening during the long weekend.  First and foremost, I need to thank my kids for doing so much to keeps things moving - you guys are the best!  From "cinderella" in the kitchen, to the pre-party grocery shopping to the liquor store run late in the afternoon and everything in between, this bittersweet visit home would not have been possible without your help.  And it WAS bittersweet - driving up the driveway seemed so familiar but strange - it looked the same and felt the same but I felt the undercurrent of "lasts" that were to come.  Of course, walking into a house that had changed since we left (three men living there had meant some "redecorating"), most noticeably the pool being gone.  Was our backyard really that big?  And I had forgotten how green things were in the late Spring in Wisconsin.  Even though the kids are now adults, in the house I envisioned them as youngsters, running up the hallway, having "movie night" on the big blanket on the floor, but especially playing outside.  Now, our grandkids were playing there, whiffle ball, bottles of bubbles and running through the sprinkler reminded me of 30+ years at the house.   Driving to familiar stores down streets I could probably do blind-folded felt good but I found myself looking at things with "last time" running through my head.  The cemetery sign with the potted geraniums, the four-way stop on the way to the Pick n Save, and the familiar turn on "I" going to our "bed and breakfast" at our friends house were so much more meaningful when I thought I might not be there again.  We will visit, but it won't be the same - of course, that was our choice.  We felt so lucky that we got to see so many of our old friends, and spending time with family is always the best.  Next time, maybe we'll get together in Louisville, or Roanoke, or New York City - or even Juneau.  We look forward to it!

Juneau Appreciation Day

Today was Juneau Appreciation Day - a day when the residents of Juneau are thanked for their support of the travel/tourism trade.  It was also the first Saturday in May and, traditionally, the "Blessing of the Fleet".  We woke to a rainy day, cloudy and cool.  However, we decided to drive downtown and and I was most looking forward to a discounted "tram" ride and possibly a free hot dog at DIPAC (the local salmon hatchery).  What I wasn't expecting was the emotions I felt during the ceremony.  In downtown Juneau, there is a small area on the waterfront that is home to the Alaska Commercial Fisherman's Memorial.  The Memorial was dedicated in 1991 and was built with dollars raised by the family and friends of those whose lives were lost in commercial fishing accidents in Alaska.  This year, five names were added to the granite memorial. Gov. Sean Parnell spoke, theJuneau Pipe Band played (I love a good bagpipe!), a young girl sang the Alaska state song, and a girl scout troop led the national anthem.  At an appointed time the commercial fishing vessel, the Kaia, dropped a flower wreath in the water. A number of commercial fishing vessels were in the water, and as the boats slowly passed by in front of the memorial, one by one, a local pastor mentioned each boat by name and intoned a blessing on the captain, crew and passengers.  Some in the crowd waved to the captains as the boats passed by, others dropped flowers in the water.  I watched a small family in front of me hug each other with sad faces and I wondered what their story was - did they lose a father or husband?  Or, were they part of the larger commercial fishing "family" that honors those that have passed?  As someone read all of the names that were inscribed on the walls of the memorial, the crowd was quiet - only the rain was noticeable.  I didn't stay after the ceremony - those that needed to be there should have the space to themselves.  I will return on another day to look at the names on the memorial and maybe on a sunny day, the emotions won't be as close to the surface.

What I miss most

So many good things in Juneau - and I know that you must be bored with my posts about the scenery, the wildlife and new acquaintances.  So this post will be about what I miss - and there are plenty of things!  Just this morning, with my window opened, I realized that I missed song birds.  Yes we have birds here that make noise - the ravens (a nasty-sounding cross between a crow "caw' and a mockingbird rattle) make plenty of noise but none of it attractive or "song"-like in any stretch of the imagination.  Eagles make noise, too - a wild scream, really.  Again, not too attractive.  There are lots of seagulls with their distinctive sound and ducks and geese, of course.  What I miss are the robins that signal "spring", the cardinal that "lived" at grandma's house before relocating to mine for the last year or so, and the other song birds that made such pretty music.  What I don't miss is that one bird that used to sit in the poplar tree outside my bedroom window in Greenfield that started singing just before dawn.  I figure it was a "he" because a "she" wouldn't be so disrespectful to a "sleeping beauty" (me). 

I also miss thunder storms.  Here, we get rain and clouds, but no storms.  Even snow storms aren't blizzards - no raging winds blowing the snow sideways, with drifts piling up against the window, followed by three days of extreme cold.  OK, maybe I don't miss that, either.  But thunderstorms were awesome in Wisconsin - watching the clouds roll in after an nice day was a weekend treat in the Spring.  Even the air smelled different and whatever child was home would sit on the front steps with me watching the blackening sky over the cemetery and seeing the lightening in the distance.  Sometimes we would sit outside until the rain got too hard and we would run indoors to shut the windows.  If it was night time, I would lie awake listening and counting the seconds between thunder and lightening, hoping the kids didn't wake up.  In Juneau, there is no thunder or lightening (insert giant :( here!)

I miss alternate driving routes to familiar places.  There is only one road here that goes "inbound" or "outbound" (using the downtown area as the starting point).  To go anywhere, you must go at least part of the way on the Eagan/Glacier Hwy, and turn off at various spots which will take you directly to where you need to go.  Although all roads are "scenic", you can't choose the fast way or the round-about way.  Or, in my mother-in-laws case - only taking right turns.  I don't miss the freeway system necessarily, and I certainly don't miss trying to remember which freeway was numbered 41 or 45 or 43.

The Meier Compound

I miss yard work - go ahead and laugh!  I miss walking out on grass and pulling a few weeds, watching the daffodils pop up and the hostas fill the side of the driveway (usually only after I rake out all the leaves).  I really miss my lilacs - I miss the color and the smell, and the fact that they grew no matter what I did.  The lilacs we had came courtesy of the Propp's when they were doing some landscaping at there home a long, long time ago.  They grew to great heights and I really, really miss them!  Bill misses mowing the lawn even after years of complaining about mowing the Meier Compound (funny story - the church is having their "spring cleaning" on Saturday and Bill is thrilled to be part of the "grounds crew".  He will even be able to sign up to help with summer mowing the seven acres on which the church sits).  We have a small deck and will be able to plant a tub of flowers (which, by the way, will grow CRAZY big in the long summer days), but we don't have a yard to walk on, a driveway to sweep, or trees to trim.  Oh well.  More time to take a hike (literally!).

I miss being able to buy bananas and oranges due to their high cost.  Yesterday, I went to the store to buy groceries and needed some leeks (for an awesome leek, sweet potato and carrot blended soup).  They didn't have any - didn't know when they would get some.  They had lots of green peppers - at $2.99 a pound!  Bananas are consistently at 99 cents a pound which isn't bad, I guess, if you need bananas.  Oranges are $1.49 a pound, apples (the gala's that I like) are $1.99 a pound and pineapples are $4.99 each.  Fresh fruit is to be savored!  I absolutely miss Peapod (my grocery delivery service in Milwaukee) - I don't like the time (wasted) spent going up and down the aisles and especially the time in the check-out lines (can you say "price check"!!)  Check out this week's Fred Meyer ad:

http://fredmeyer.inserts2online.com/customer_Frame.jsp?divID=701&drpStoreID=00158

Finally, I miss my friends.  I've always said that you can have lots of acquaintances but not many friends.  Friends are those who have known you for long enough to disagree with you, be able to recite a scene from a favorite movie with you line for line, and know when you are sad or happy (and usually why!).  They know your "history" so you don't have to talk about the embarrassing parts (but they still laugh at it!) and they have seen you at your worst and your best (and don't care about either).  I can call my new acquaintances "friends" but not in the true sense of the word - yet.

While Juneau isn't true "utopia" due to the things listed here (rather shallow things, really!), it has enough good things to tip the balance - and I can live without bananas!

Spring is in the air!

I can smell Spring in the air - literally!  Life is starting to stir in the wetlands and bogs in town, and with the rain and snow we've had lately, you can smell that spring "wet dirt" smell everywhere.  I've heard that Juneau has the freshest air in the world, possibly due to the Taku winds that blow strongly here, chasing all of the bad air out.  And there is nothing like fresh salty ocean air - there truly is a difference.  Today as we were driving home from church, the sun was shining brightly through the holes in the clouds and the snow-capped mountains were so beautiful.  But you can also hear the rush of water that is pounding down the mountains as the snow melts - waterfalls are everywhere.  I can only imagine what it is like higher up as the water has no deterrent to the whatever path it wants to take as gravity does it's thing.  During high tide, the birds are especially active now and the "humans" are out, too.  We saw someone out in a small row boat, towing a kayak in our cove - in Auke Bay (near us) there is a kayak rental place that is quite popular in the summer with the tourists.  With daylight savings time just starting, it will stay light until after 7 p.m. and our cove should get very active with the late afternoon high tide.
With spring comes the cruise ships - generally, the first ship docks the first week of May.  A friend at church told me that the daily paper has a listing of what ships will dock in Juneau harbor each day, when they will depart and how many passengers are on board.  At the height of the season, as many as five super-large cruise ships may be in port at any one time.  The anticipation has already started with many tourist attractions posting ads for seasonal help, stores are starting to order inventory (remember how long it takes to get things here!) and restaurants are starting to plan for their summer menus (heavy on seafood for the many tourists that arrive!).  An editorial in the morning "Empire" newspaper was written by someone from Ketchikan (south of Juneau along the Inside Passage) suggesting that more than 900,000 cruise ship passengers will visit their small town in 2012 (May through September), a 7% increase over 2011.   Juneau will probably see over 1 million passengers during the 2012 season.  This is a good thing since many shop and small business owners rely on this income to tide them over during the "off season", but also makes life very different for the locals.  It will be interesting since I work downtown, within sight of the cruise ship docks, and will see daily how it affects life there, yet I live "out the road" just past the point (the ferry dock) where most visitors go.  I think I will enjoy the vitality of the summer season but look forward to the quiet of my little place.  I'll let you know what reality is when the season starts in about seven weeks!

 I leave you with some eagle photos taken from my deck today - I know from traveling to Eagle River, Wisconsin, for years that eagles mate for life and that they could have up to three eaglets in the late spring/early summer.  Currently, there are four or five eagles that fly around daily and sit in the trees in our cove.  I will look closely to see when (or if!) little eagles start to take flight.  And, of course, I will post pictures as things change (baby eagles, tour boats and all things "summer" in Juneau!)  You should visit - really!!

The only thing "instant" in Juneau is oatmeal...

I wanted to touch on a few interesting observations about life in Juneau - especially since working now for four weeks.  I grew up in a small (REALLY small) town and then moved to a somewhat larger "metropolis".  After time, even that felt small - comfortable with travel, aware of where stores were, meeting people you knew at the grocery store (pre-Peapod!), that kind of thing.  Plus, you tried to consolidate trips out to maximize your time and gas costs.  In Greenfield, I knew many people who would not drive the few minutes from the east side to the west side to access programs or services - if it wasn't in their "back yard", they didn't go.  I, on the other hand, never minded driving up to Bayshore (north side of Milwaukee) to go shopping, or going west to Waukesha for restaurants or even south to Racine to Hobby Lobby (man, I miss Hobby Lobby!).  I find a similar "Greenfield" personality here in Juneau.  Stores and services are consolidated to physical areas (due to the mountains and ocean limiting land mass!) and once you reach our place "out the road", there are no grocers, gas stations, atm's or anything but beautiful, natural scenery.  Good for Sunday drives, but not so good when it is 8 pm. and you are out of half and half for your morning coffee.  Plus, there are only two main shopping/service areas in Juneau.  One is in the "valley" (where the Mendenhall River - melt-off from the glacier - runs to the ocean) and the other is downtown.  From the south end of the road to the north end of the road is 45 miles, and we live at mile marker 17.  That means, we are 17 miles from the very southern end of the road, and 28 miles to the northern end.  The valley is about mile marker 11, and downtown would be mile marker 3.   Bill and I work downtown, and we hit three stop lights on the way from our place and takes about 15 minutes with traffic (11 of we hit all the lights!).  However, many people who are true "Juneau-ites" that live in the Valley don't go downtown.  Too far, they say.  Sound familiar, Greenfield?

They other interesting thing, one I only understand now that I'm work with scheduling appointments most of the day, is that those of you who live in the lower 48 probably take getting to and fro for granted.  For example, I had someone call to set up an eye exam and mention that they would need an appointment on a very specific day since that is the day they are coming in by ferry (if the weather holds).  Those Southeast Alaskans that live in the small communities are dependent on the ferrys (or flights, if airfare is reasonable) to plan their lives.  Think about if you had to schedule a doctors appointment three or four months in advance to fit your travel schedule.  A $100 eye exam will end up costing $300-$400 with transportation costs (most bring their cars on the ferry) and hotel stays.  When in the "big city", people will shop at Walmart, the Home Depot and Costco as well as stopping at the hardware store to order light bulbs in bulk, wood and supplies for home repairs and 100 pound bags of charcoal for their grills.  They arrange for shipping home on the ferry (what they can't fit in their cars) and spend the rest of the few days in town eating out, visiting with family or friends or simply sight-seeing.  Here, you don't get your glasses in "one hour" - the prescription will be sent with the frames you've selected to labs in Anchorage or Seattle, and they will be returned in two or three weeks.  Better have some duct tape around in case you sit on your only pair of glasses!

Stop and think about what "instant" things you do that aren't possible in other areas of the country or world.   One-hour photos, drive-thru everything (other than the dozens of coffee shops, there is only one "drive-thru" here in Juneau, at the one-and-only McDonalds) and same-day appointments are not available here in Juneau (or other small towns, I suppose).  That makes life here a bit more scheduled (imperative to plan ahead!) but less hectic.  Taking time to "smell the roses" is what it is all about!