Did you miss me and my emails?! 

 We’ve been enjoying the scenery, wildlife – and cool weather –  in Alaska and Canada the last half of August. We differently weren’t in Kansas anymore!

 We flew into Anchorage, took a train down to Seward to board a cruise ship. Stops included Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan where we got off the ship to explore the towns and surrounding areas. (Look at the links to follow our trip.)

 It was fun to compare the difference in everything. Evergreens filled the landscape down to the water’s edge of the sea. The spray of the whale’s blowholes could be seen in the distance before they flipped their tail in the air for their next dive into the ocean. We saw eagles, seals and all kinds of sea birds that we weren’t familiar – with along with glaciers and icebergs.

 The salmon were swimming back to their origin to spawn now. We toured a fish hatchery to see the stages of their life. It was interesting that they hatch in fresh water streams, can swim out to a thousand miles into the salt waters of the ocean, and when mature (age three to nine depending on the variety of salmon) they will swim back to their original stream to spawn and finish their life cycle. They have better navigation than us even when we use GPS!

 Because of my love of flowers, Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island was my big highlight. It was fifty-five acres of blooming wonder!

 Weather was 55-60 degrees, partly cloudy with occasional light rain on our trip. I’ve worn shorts all summer, so it was different to wear jeans and a jacket in August. The heat and humidity really hit us when stepping off the plane in Kansas on our return.

 Now we’re back in Kansas and I’m enjoying the routine of home and work again. It’s always good to get away to see and explore new things- so you appreciate what you have back home.