Warning: this blog is not for the timid

If you are wondering how the bear on our recent blog got to be the Wal Mart greeter...... Well, it might have a story like the one in Tuesday's paper.

http://kodiakdailymirror.com/view/full_story/20578675/article-Bear-shot-to-death-while-raiding-chicken-coop?instance=home_most_popular1

It seems we are having a lot of bears around our neighborhoods this year. They have seen one at the beach at Fort Abercrombie State Park , one of our favorite spots for a walk. And they have even had to warn the students at Kodiak College to be careful about a bear around campus.

When they repeatedly get too close, homeowners get worried and take action to prevent human casualty. The first step is to scare him away with noise or ask the State Troopers to encourage him to leave with the use of rubber bullets. If they keep coming back, lead is used.

A few years ago they had to shoot one when it went into the playground at the elementary school across from the College.

This, unfortunately is what happened earlier this week.

A beautiful 8 foot tall specimen was put down for getting too close to our neighbor's house. Trying to catch someone' chickens, to fatten up before hibernation,  cost this fellow his life.

Life in Kodiak is probably a little different from your place, I would assume. 

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The lost bear

We were a little disappointed when we didn't see the "greeter" bear at the entrance to Wal Mart.

But we found him .......

next to the fitting rooms.

Do you think they were having a problem with theft ?

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As the rain falls.....

Recently we showed some close ups of rain drops after a strong Kodiak rain.

And we know you, in the lower 48, would certainly like a little rain.

So, today we thought we'd show some pictures, as you sit inside and look out our window.

You've seen this view many times on our blog.
Isn't it  relaxing to see the same scene through a rain-covered glass......kind-of-like a Renoir?


In the North Pacific, we don't let rain keep us form going outside and enjoying the view first hand . You just dress for it.

And, when it rains so hard that it obstructs your view, just watch the glass and enjoy the rain drops.

Cool !  Don't you agree?

To make that point, here are some pictures of the view from our trip on the ferry:

on a clear day,

as the clouds arrive,

as the fog blurs the meeting of the land and the sea,

and then gives a mysterious haze,

Till finally the rain comes, visibility drops, and we go inside,

and find that the drops on the glass have their own appeal.

Don't you not agree?

Hope a little rain brightens your day.

 

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Got to love the rain

You've heard that Country & Western song:
If you're going to live in Texas,
got to have a fiddle in the band.

Well, if you're going t live in Kodiak,
you're going to have to love the rain.

So while the wife was at the quilt show, I snuck out an took a few pics of what was outside St. Mary's.

 

So, just for discussion.
what does this look like to you?
 Butterflies ?


Hopefully, we can at least agree that this is just a bell.



But, don't you think........................

that Georgia O'keefe would have liked it here ?


Anyways....

these still look like butterflies to me!

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Kodiak's Fall Quilt Show

Every Fall they have a big quilt show at the High School.

This year it was held at St Mary's gym.
And we think it was even better
because you could go up and down the aisles to see and compare them all.

Lots of styles to see.

From the classical
to the modern,

to the natural

commemorating a patriotic holiday

or praising our Coast Guard



 

it is always fun to search for new ideas.....



that get you ready to stay home and start a long project,
now that the days are getting short.

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St. Mary's Fish Fry !

Don't get me wrong, we love eating our fish.
And, I'd dare say, that most families have more than one freezer to keep their catch till next summer.

But, here are times when you just don't want to cook.

And that is when you really appreciate this sign:

That's because in the Fall and the Spring, St Mary's school has several fish frys on Fridays.

Yes, perfectly cooked, unlimited amount of fish !

Halibut is the usual. It is great.

But, when they have our local cod, it is our favorite! So good that it is almost sweet!


.........Nothing like Momma used to make, back in the lower 48.
Did you get those small wooden boxes of frozen "cod" at the grocery store? Only 59 cents.
I remember: EVERY Thursday, the smell of thawing Atlantic cod. And every Friday: overcooked fish. Guess she thought it should have the texture of a meat steak!

Thank you, St Mary's, for a great night out of the kitchen!

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An Alaskan size steak!

What do you see here?

No, its not a buffalo steak form Burton's ranch at the southern end of the road system in Kodiak.

The astute Texan, of course, noticed the flag of the second largest state.
It's a pirated picture I took from the web site of the Big Texan Steakhouse.

You know that place; you've seen it advertised for miles and miles outside of Amarillo.....
where they give you that 72 ounce steak free, if you eat the whole thing (including the grissel, I've heard).

This is the steak we like locally:

A nice King salmon steak!

When we get one so nice and big, we don't eat it all ourselves.
We invite friends over and have enough for 4 people to be totally satisfied!

(Sometimes we eat our fish sashimi style.
But, for a steak like this: on the grill is the best ! )

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Don't let Fall fool you !

...or seeing snow on the hills.


There is still a lot of green in Kodiak.

And perhaps even a pot of gold under last weekend's rainbow!

Can you see it? To the left of the tall house?
Move your screen a little.

If not, just appreciate the gold in the trees.

 

 

Not the Alaska you expected ?

 

That's the wonder of living along the Japanese current.......

we have green grass almost till winter!

Sprouting Fireweed

The paper says we had a freeze,
and it was a record for the date: 27 degrees.

All I noticed was a little frost on the grass....and that I was fully awake
after having that cool breeze on my face as I peddled to work.

Seems to me like the fireweed noticed it too.
Because, along the bike path,
over night, they seemed to have sprouted their cottony tops !

 

 

 

If you want to see more fireweed pictures, got to http://www.lifeinkodiak.blogspot.com/2011/11/alaskas-weed.html

The longest Otter

Saturday's snow/rain melted and left a great Sunday with plenty of sunshine.

So, it was time to kayak out and see how the seals did out by the rocks on Mill May.

Unfortunately, the tide was coming in and the wind was a little brisk just outside the Spruce Cape. So I chickened out. There is a definite risk, that when the wave from the rising tide passes, you are likely to be balancing on top of a rock. You certainly don't want to topple over on all those those sharp edges.

So, I took a picture of the prior day's snow on the mountain behind the houses.

And off to the leeward side of the bay I went, expecting to see nothing exciting.
As is usual in Kodiak, though, that is when you see the most of nature.

Suddenly, I spotted a little motion and paddled in a little closer.
There was an otter.
It's not the same one we saw in the last few years.
It was the longest and skinniest otter!  It looked like a weasel!

Over and over it did the same thing. It would look  180 degrees around him,then dive into the water. But, never towards me. And it didn't always come up at the same spot. But it was not hard to know where he was. All you had to do was listen.

He'd come up, bang his clam on his chest for about 7 repetitive bangs, making  really loud sounds. Then he'd carry it to his mouth with his tiny hands, spinning it really, really fast, as he bit to crack it further.

Once successful, he'd look around to make sure all was safe, and dive for another clam.
Over and over he did the same thing.

Paddling very slowly and quietly every time he dove,
I was finally ready for my great picture.

Yes, you guessed it. I got inside his comfort  zone... and didn't get to see him again!

(Guess I should have known.....
he wasn't looking straight at me because he knew exactly where I was)

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