This week our host Patti has challenged us to capture a quiet moment.
My favorite thing to do on a hot summer day is hop in our 17 foot boat and go for a ride in the salt water creeks and rivers near our home. Getting out on the water is always soothing and sometimes we can enjoy some quiet moments as we go along.
This week we took a scenic ride through narrow, twisting creeks through the salt marsh.
Quiet boat ride through the salt marsh
We found some quiet moments as we slowly made our way through the twists and turns. Except for when we met a boat going the other way we were the only humans in the area. As we were treated to sightings of snowy egrets, herons, and wood storks the only sounds were those of nature and our quiet engine. Even the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins surfacing for a breath of air made little noise. I was too busy enjoying the moment to get any photos of the wildlife.
This week guest host Cee of Cee’s Photo Challenges has challenged us to show images of one single flower.
This is a fun challenge for me because I spend a lot of time in my butterfly garden and enjoy capturing images of the flowers.
This year the zinnias are growing like crazy. In addition to the seeds I planted there are volunteers coming up all over the place from the seeds spread naturally from last years flowers.
ZinniaZinniaZinnia
This gardenia is the only bloom from my three gardenia bushes in another flower bed.
This week Tina has chosen “The Long and Winding Road” as our challenge. During our travels we have driven on so many long and winding roads I wasn’t sure which ones to include.
As I thought about how to approach this challenge, my mind kept going back to our 2013 RV trip to Alaska. There were many long and winding roads during our journey but I decided to focus on just one.
Exactly seven years ago today we were in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada at the start of the Alaska Highway (also called the AlCan). Before returning home we would travel on every mile of this long and winding road.
The United States military began construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942 to provide an overland route to Alaska. The approximately 1400 mile road from Dawson Creek, BC to Delta Junction, Alaska was completed in 8 months and 12 days.
Mile Zero of the Alaska Highway! in Dawson Creek, BC
As you can see from the photo above, like many other travelers, we posed for a picture at the famous sign marking the beginning of the Alaska Highway. (The actual location of mile marker 0 is in downtown Dawson Creek, BC). There’s more about our stay in Dawson Creek at Mile Zero of the Alaska Highway.
Part of the road was paved, part was gravel, and part was under construction. There were frost heaves and pot holes, some marked with signs and some not. Sometimes we would go for miles without seeing another vehicle. We stopped at pull outs for breaks and never had a problem finding campgrounds or diesel fuel.
Gravel section of the Alaska Highway in the Yukon
The Alaska HIghway in the Yukon
We drove slowly and enjoyed the wildlife and magnificent views.
Moose on the Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
As I worked on this post I thought of how empty this road must be this summer with the U.S./Canadian border still closed. I remember the campgrounds, restaurants, and stores we stopped at along the way in Canada and Alaska. These businesses have a short season and depend on summer travelers to make it through the rest of the year. I hope that they will be able to make it until next year when hopefully people will be traveling again.
I am so grateful we made this trip when we did. I still dream of returning to Alaska. Next time we will not be towing our fifth wheel along the Alaska Highway. Instead, I see airplanes and ships in our future.
This week’s challenge comes from guest host Sue (Mac’s Girl) at The Nature of Things. She has asked us to feature hobbies or interests we have enjoyed over the years or something new we have discovered during this time of staying at home.
During this time of staying at home each day consists of a few of these activities: Reading, cooking, walking and photography. A major outing is an occasional grocery store run.
Reading
I’ve always loved to read and I have really enjoyed having the time to read more than usual. These days I get most of my books digitally from the local library and I often have four or five books on hold. My favorite recently read book is Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. As you can see from the next photo, I’ve just about worn out the cover for my IPad and my two favorite books have been read and reread many times.
Favorite reads
My favorite place to read
Cooking
I’ve had a lot of time to spend cooking and baking during the shutdown. I’ve enjoyed using fresh produce from my favorite produce stand whenever I can.
Fresh produce from my favorite produce stand
Walking
Before the shut down I walked on the days I wasn’t going to water aerobics or going to the gym at the local YMCA. During the shut down my main exercise is walking. For a while the beach was closed and most walks were in my neighborhood. Now that the beach is open, I walk on the beach at least once a week.
Early morning surfer
Horseshoe Crab
Photography
I’m always looking for things to photograph. Recently my garden has been full of birds, butterflies, and blooms.
Ruby Female Throated Hummingbird
The Tybee Island Lighthouse is across the street from the parking lot for the beach. I was excited when I saw the flag flying Friday morning in honor of Memorial Day Weekend.
Honoring America’s fallen heroes for Memorial Day weekend
Please take a moment this Memorial Day Weekend to remember all of our fallen military heroes who gave their lives for our country.
Wandering Dawgs 