Early summer foilage

Fiddle head fern

Not sure what this is in my front yard, but it's pretty!

Closeup on a fiddle head

Sunset around summer solstice

These were taken from Sandy Beach at 10:00 pm last week when we only had an hour or so of true darkness at night.

Doughnut Burgers

While walking through the booths at the Gold Rush Days last weekend, I ran across something I have never seen before - Doughnut Burgers.  I googled them and apparently these are pretty popular in certain places.  Who knew?  And no, I did not have one or even want one  :)  

Gold Rush Days

Remember June 22, 23 and 24th.  That was summer in Juneau.  The last three days the high temperatures have been in the high 70s and low 80s, really sunny and warm.  Sunbathers lined the beach, and kids and adults alike played in the surf.  Pepper, Pookie and Maggie played in the water for almost an hour and were completely worn out.  It was so much fun!

It was perfect weather for the Gold Rush Days on Douglas. For details see http://juneauempire.com/local/2012-06-24/gold-rush-days-are-here-last#.T-i_utTCtWU

 

Summer solstice

 

 These are pictures from the first full day of summer, 6/22/12.  It has been sunny and warm. A beautiful time to be in Juneau.

Bears

 From a friend of a friend:

"Attached are pics of the black bear that has been hanging out next to the road just past Tee Harbor for over a month.  I took a drive out the road yesterday and was lucky enough to spot the guy along with everyone else who was pulled over taking pictures.  We call him the "Dandelion Bear".  He’s a 'ham' with the cameras and videos."

 Pictures courtesy of BL Nelson

Summer Solstice

June Solstice (Summer Solstice) is on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 3:08 PM in Juneau. Today (June 19) we'll gain 15 seconds of daylight, tomorrow only 5 seconds, then on Thursday we start losing a little daylight everyday.  Fine with me.  It's a little strange to get up in the middle of the night to let the dogs out at 2:30 am to find the sky lightening and the birds singing!  Crazy!

			Length of day		Solar noon
Date	Sunrise	Sunset	This day	Difference	Time	Altitude	Distance
							(106 km)
Jun 19, 2012	3:51 AM	10:07 PM	18h 16m 29s	+ 15s	12:59 PM	55.1°	152.017
Jun 20, 2012	3:51 AM	10:08 PM	18h 16m 34s	+ 05s	12:59 PM	55.1°	152.027
Jun 21, 2012	3:51 AM	10:08 PM	18h 16m 30s	− 04s	1:00 PM	55.1°	152.037
Jun 22, 2012	3:52 AM	10:08 PM	18h 16m 16s	− 13s	1:00 PM	55.1°	152.045
Jun 23, 2012	3:52 AM	10:08 PM	18h 15m 54s	− 22s	1:00 PM	55.1°	152.052
Jun 24, 2012	3:52 AM	10:08 PM	18h 15m 22s	− 31s	1:00 PM	55.1°	152.059
Jun 25, 2012	3:53 AM	10:08 PM	18h 14m 41s	− 41s	1:00 PM	55.1°	152.06

Here's the current weather forecast for Juneau:
 Weather for Juneau, AK

55°F | °C

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Overcast

Wind: N at 0 mph

Humidity: 74%

59°

46°

59°

46°

64°

50°

73°

54°

May was the 4th coldest May in recorded history.  However, Saturday's forecast calls for 80 degrees!  Looks like it's going to be a beautiful weekend...

Ferry from Skagway to Juneau

ANOTHER OLD ONE, BUT A GOOD ONE!

Here are some pictures from the ferry ride to Juneau from Skagway, Alaska on 8/31/11.  The weather, though a little overcast, was pretty decent - no winds and not too cold.  It was a beautiful trip!

Ferry port in Skagway at 5 something in the morning - yawn...

I can imagine there is a bit more snow here now :)

A glacier as seen from the ferry.

This is the Eldred Rock Lighthouse, as seen from the ferry on the way to Juneau from Skagway. 

http://www.sheldonmuseum.org/eldredrock.htm

Sucker hole

THIS IS AN OLD POST FROM THE WINTER THAT NEVER POSTED.  THOUGHT I MIGHT AS WELL POST IT NOW.

This is an example of what they call up here a "sucker hole", where the sun peeks out and you think it might, just maybe, clear up.  Not.  This picture was taken Sunday morning and by Sunday evening it was cold, rainy and really windy. 

Due to the wind, the power went out for about 4,000 AEL&P (Alaska Electric Light and Power) customers for about 2 hours (6-8 Sunday evering).  Earlier in the week, I had purchased a wind up lantern and flashlight, so that came in very handy.

More Celebration Parade Videos - 2

Beautiful mountain shot

This picture was taken from the road to UAS (University of Alaska Southeast) - so pretty!!

Lena Beach

Saturday was a nice day to get outside.  The dogs and I drove out the road to Lena Beach for a little run. 

Entrance to the picnic area

Beach to the left, forest to the right.

View from the road

Pepper always throws the ball back to me

State Office Building Organ

The 20th Century Theatre was built in 1939 by W.D. Gross. A Kimball organ, originally from Juneau's Coliseum Theatre (also owned by Mr. Gross), was moved to the 20th Century Theatre in the early 1940's.

In 1976-77, the organ was relocated to Juneau's State Office Building by Balcom & Vaughan.

The organ is played every Friday at Noon.  For more information, see http://www.pstos.org/instruments/ak/juneau/20thcentury.htm

More Celebration Parade Videos

From the opening parade.

Wildflowers

Roadside wildflowers

Since this is my first spring in Juneau, I didn't know what to expect in the way of post-winter foilage.  I noticed there were pretty yellow flowers popping up everywhere - along the road, in people's yard, the park.  Upon closer inspection, I noticed they were dandelions; big, strong, sturdy dandelions.  As a Texas girl, my first instinct was to yank them up by the roots, but here in Juneau they are allowed to live amongst the other flowers.  I like it. 

Dandelions

Buttercups are just starting to come out

Celebration Parade Videos

Here are few videos of the opening Celebration parade in Juneau on June 7.

Watch the Celebration dancing live on Saturday June 9 at

http://www.360north.org/watch-360-north-live/

 

Celebration

Celebration is a major dance-and-culture festival held every two years. First held in 1982, it has become the largest cultural event in the state, drawing thousands of people to the capital. Along with dance performances, it features associated events, including a Juried Art Show and Competition, Native Artist Market, Native Artist Gathering., seaweed and soapberry contests, a Toddler Regalia Review, workshops, lectures and a parade through downtown Juneau. Celebration 2012 will be led by the Xudzidaa Kwáan Dancers of Angoon.  http://www.sealaskaheritage.org/celebration/celebration_2012.htm

The pictures below were taken at the kickoff parade Thursday morning.  Stay tuned for videos of the different clans and dance groups in the parade once I get them uploaded.

All different kinds of costumes were worn

A young girl let me take her picture before she joined the parade

 Tlingit people and Haida people are born into their identity through a matrilineal clan system: One's identity is established through the mother's clan. All Haida and Tlingit clans are organized into two major moieties: Eagle and Raven. In Tlingit, Yeil is Raven and Ch'aak is Eagle (Wolf is sometimes used interchangeably with Eagle). Each clan is made up of clan houses.  For more information, http://www.snowwowl.com/peopletlingit1.html

Gathering for the start of the parade

Coed softball

Monday nights we play coed softball.  This is the first night it was not raining.  Usually we are playing Juneau "mudball".  And yes, sometimes you have to wear your boots when you play.  What a beautiful place to get out and play some sports!

View from the dugout

Glacier just above the middle building

That's the glacier behind the trees!

Thunder mountain, view from center field

Dutch Harbor Remembrance Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             No. 12-078
Governor Orders Flags Lowered for Dutch Harbor Remembrance Day

June 1, 2012, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell has ordered state flags to be lowered to half-staff on Sunday, June 3 to mark the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Dutch Harbor during World War II. On June 3, 1942, the Japanese bombed Dutch Harbor on Amaknak Island.

“Each year on June 3, we remember all who were affected by the bombing of Dutch Harbor and the events that followed, and pay our respects to the soldiers who died protecting our freedom and defending our nation,” Governor Parnell said. “I ask all Alaskans to join with the people of Dutch Harbor in honor and remembrance of all that was lost in defense of the Aleutian Islands during World War II.”

Governor Parnell has proclaimed June 3, 2012, as Dutch Harbor Remembrance Day in Alaska. State flags should be returned to full-staff on Monday, June 4.

A copy of the proclamation is available at:
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-proclamation.html?pr=6146

Alaska State Capitol Building

 Where is Dutch Harbor?

Unalaska is a city in the Aleutians West Census Area of the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. Unalaska is located on Unalaska Island and neighboring Amaknak Island in the Aleutian Islands off of mainland Alaska.

The population was 4,376 at the 2010 census, which is 79% of the entire Aleutian West Borough. Almost all of the community's port facilities are on Amaknak Island, better known as Dutch Harbor or just "Dutch". It is the largest fisheries port in the U.S. by volume caught. It includes Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base and Fort Mears, U.S. Army, a U.S. National Historic Landmark.

Dutch Harbor lies within the city limits of Unalaska and is connected to Unalaska by a bridge. Amaknak Island is home to almost 59 percent of the city's population, although it has less than 3 percent of its land area.

The Aleut or Unangan have lived on Unalaska Island for thousands of years.  The Russian fur trade reached Unalaska when Stepan Glotov and his crew arrived on August 1, 1759. The Unangan people, who were the first to inhabit the island of Unalaska, named it "Ounalashka" meaning ‘Near the Peninsula’. The regional native corporation has adopted this moniker, and is known as the Ounalashka Corporation.   Dutch Harbor was so named by the Russians because they believed that a Dutch vessel was the first European ship to enter the harbor.

From the back door at work

The snow is slowly receding!