Fall is in the air.

Yes, it is coming down to one thing......winter is within sight. One of the distinguishing things that we have taken notice to in Alaska is that when Fall arrives, it is typically short and there is no turning back. The temps will progressively drop both day and especially night, the trees turn...as they do everywhere in Fall! The temps are the real deal though. There is not any fluctuation as we often would see in California. You know, you think Fall is there and then the temps shoot up in the middle of September. They just keep dropping off here, and my nipples are definitely getting stiff in the night time air these days. Moose season has come to a close, or will in the next few days, so all of the float planes are especially active picking up the poor die hard hunters that were left out in the bush in search of the Bullwinkle, just flat getting soaked by the over abundance of rain we have had lately. This is not our lake, but a float plane lake nearby that I have been working on and have had the opportunity to watch them take off and land through the day. In fact this has been the wettest summer on record since they began keeping records. It has felt much more like Seattle, or down in the panhandle of Alaska than the peninsula we so much adored with it's mild and sunny summers. Nonetheless, short of changing shirts many times a day I/we have managed. Today was beautiful To illustrate today's beauty I have enclosed a pic of today. As you can see it is blatantly "blue"! There is no other way to describe the beauty....but blue! And considering we aint seen much blue, it was a damned fine sight. We were out loving up the vitamin D like no other this day! Even the dogs were in their glory. Who or what wouldn't be that has had more rain in the past 2 weeks that anyone or thing has a right to have. It has literally been anything from consistent downpours to drizzle for about 2 weeks straight now, and we just pray that this kind of deal sticks around for a little while longer. All in all we are looking forward to our second winter here, and at least now have a general idea on what to expect. The sun is coming up around 7:10 AM and setting around 9:00 PM now. Outside of that we are all well and between work, school and just getting the compound in order for the coming cold event, there is little time for relaxing...although we do find time to keep our nourishment! The early morning panty raids we were experiencing with our little bat creatures, you know, the ones that are supposedly our friends, are all but over for good. They are on their way back to Mexico for the winter, and with their migratory exodus, we are hot on getting all the bat holes and exterior cracks in the eves sealed with expanding foam, caulking, and shutting them out. Oh sure, they will be in for a surprise when they arrive next year to find their summer lodge all boarded up. Remember what it was like when you were a kid on a roadtrip with mom and pop and you had to potty so bad your eyes were floating, only to arrive at the only service station on the interstate for another 50 miles to find it closed.... Imagine..... Unfortunately there were several casualties with the little creatures over the summer. We will just leave it at that, but we are glad to see them off and gone and know that those holes in the house down the road will be up for grabs come summer 2009....whoo-hoo!! So hoping all is well in your world and wishing you a happy Fall. Take care for now.