In Ketchikan, Alaska, we boarded a speedboat and sped off to Betton Island which is part of a temperate rainforest. We hiked through the forest and saw various plants (lots of mosses, lichens, and fungi) as well as the native trees. The tour was really interesting and we even saw whales on the trip home….

Early one morning of the cruise, the ship traveled up a narrow channel to see Dawe’s Glacier which was at the end of the channel. The glacier is an ancient accumulation of compacted ice. As glaciers slowly flow, they carve out valleys and also carry huge boulders with them. We passed chunks of deep blue…

I wanted to get ONE shot of the two of us starting out on this cruise. I am not very good at selfies and refuse to buy one of those selfie sticks. Here we are in the main parlor of the ship. There is a nice chandelier behind us. Off we go.

I am always impressed with cities that take some time and effort to provide art throughout the city. Seattle seems like a really cool city anyway (Starbucks, for one thing). This giant eraser is part of MY past when we did all of our typing on typewriters. Most of my students would use white-out tape…

We are in Seattle to board a cruise ship to Alaska and Canada. Of course, we had to explore early in the morning… for exercise, for sightseeing, and especially to catch some Pokemons. This is a great picture of the Space Needle seen behind the EMP Museum (the Experience Music Project Museum). It is a…

Just passing through the mountains gives glimpses of mountains set off by clouds. The sights are wonderful.

Looking out my train compartment window, the blue sky and the white clouds made a very interesting combination of shapes and color. Sitting on the train for hours really gives me a chance to practice being quiet and being in the moment. I am so used to doing things constantly and being bombarded by information….

Ron and I are off on an adventure to Seattle as our first leg of an Alaskan Cruise. The train is a great way to travel… very relaxing. School has started for most, so there are very few children on the train. PokéNote: the train travels too quickly to hatch eggs and for some of…

The flames of the Sand Fire light up the smoke coming over the hill behind our home. It looks really close, but is actually a large hill away. Bags are packed and we are waiting for an evacuation order. None so far.

When we woke up today, the sunlight was an eerie orange. At Oakridge Mobile Home Park, we had all seen this before when the park burned down in 2008. By the afternoon, the residents were getting pretty edgy. Many of us packed bags and prepared for an evacuation order. Luckily, by the evening, the sky…