Sweltering in Seattle

On our way home from Southeast Alaska and Canada, we spent Labor Day weekend in Seattle with our son and daughter-in-law in their charming Quisenbnb. It was great to see them in their home, and to meet the newest member of the family – Mako, an Alaskan Husky (our first Granddog). He's sweet, mature (middle aged), and loves to go on outings, chomp on his squeaky toys, and eat healthy treats.

Mako (our Granddog)

In contrast with our cool, misty, drizzly weather to the north, Seattle was sweltering! Mako had started to put on his winter coat, so he was hot right along with the rest of us. Lots of panting, and lounging, and licking doggy popsicles.

Drink and Draw at The Conservatory

We experienced our first Drink and Draw at The Conservatory coffee shop in Georgetown. A model dressed and posed as Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service, while our son, and other artists, sketched. The rest of us enjoyed our drinks, the ambiance, and the talent around us.

Downtown Seattle

On the way to Bainbridge Island via ferry

Family portrait

Our big outing was to explore Bainbridge Island. My husband and I are on the lookout for a good retirement community (someday), and the Puget Sound area is in the running. Each trip to Seattle we try to visit someplace new (Eden on the Sound has a nice ring to it, don't you think)?

Mora Iced Creamery in Poulsbo

Refugees (and dogs) welcome at Perihelion Brewery

We loaded up two cars, including Mako, and headed for the ferry terminal in downtown Seattle. The ferry ride is short, with lots of great views of downtown Seattle and the surrounding area. We ate lunch in Bainbridge at Restaurant Marche (a dog friendly place), then drove to Poulsbo for ice cream on the patio at Mora Iced Creamery. The drive gave us a chance to explore, and evaluate the pros and cons of island living. We stopped at one of the State Parks for a stretch, and then headed for the ferry back to Seattle. We ended the day at Perihelion Brewery on Beacon Hill for dinner on the patio (Mako enjoyed working on the bone from the bone marrow appetizer).

Draw bridge over the Duwamish River in South Park

Walking the dog in South Park

Our son and daughter-in-law are both foodies, so we always enjoy the best meals while we visit (including some places that are dog friendly, with outdoor seating). Favorites include Loretta's Northwesterner (great hamburgers), The Pie Bar in the Ballard district (both sweet and savory, and followed by a visit to Ballard Consignment to consider treasures form across time), and Pomodoro Ristorante in the East Lake district (a new favorite for its delicious Italian food, and gracious owner-chef, Antolin Blanco). We also enjoyed tasty home cooked meals, and Chinese Hotpot with the neighbors on Labor Day. And it was fun to take walks, when the temperature finally cooled off.

Cooling off in the evening (Mako in the lower right)

Now we're back home and in the thick of living, with lots of great memories of our time in Alaska, Canada, and Seattle.

Container Gardens of the North

Did you notice that almost every picture from our trip to Alaska and Canada includes dark skies, clouds, misty fog, rain, or some combination of the same? The sun punched its way through from time to time, casting brilliant light all around, but the overarching weather was drizzly rain.

Traffic circle in downtown Juneau, Alaska

Pansies and asters in the Haines Junction picnic area

Enter container gardens of the north! We saw them everywhere - containers of all shapes and sizes filled with bright cheerful annuals. Here are a few examples that you might enjoy.

Giorgio's in Whitehorse, Yukon

Alpine Bakery in Whitehorse

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Raised bed in Haines Junction

Hanging baskets at the Raven	Innovative container
Pocket garden with dahlias	Welcome to Kluane Inn

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The containers come in all shapes and sizes, and serve as raised beds, ensuring drainage to protect the roots, and air flow to reduce mold. The combinations of colors, shapes, and textures are so creative! Seeing these miniature gardens brightens the day for anyone slogging through the rain, or viewing dramatic scenery shrouded in mist.

Rain barrel container in Juneau

Rain barrel in Haines

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Closely related is the pocket garden - a small space where someone has planted a tiny garden. We saw a few of them as well.

Pocket garden in Juneau

Another pocket garden in Juneau

The garden season is short and intense in the north, so gardeners must make the most of it. Planting cheerful containers or pocket gardens of bright flowers is a great solution!

Bottom of the porch pocket garden

Container of pinks in Juneau

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Beautiful Juneau

Juneau, Alaska is a small capital city with a big dramatic setting. During the summer, there can be as many as four cruise ships in the tiny port, and the place is hopping! My husband and I enjoy spending time downtown with fellow tourists, but we also like to go with my folks to see the beautiful local spots where tourists don't go. Despite the rain, we're always up for an outing!

Intrepid hiker on Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach Recreational Area

One day we spent the afternoon out by Eagle Beach. The tide was out so we hiked out to the sand bars, and saw flocks of Canadian geese and sea gulls, and tons of dead fish, spent from spawning (in one dried slough, we counted over 80). My husband had a chance to fly his drone, and practiced maneuvering, and tracking us from the air. He got some great shots of the area, and our little group.

Something's going on!

A young bear eating a salmon

Then we headed over to the Eagle River State Park and watched a two-year-old bear delicately eat a salmon by the river side. A woman at the Park who studies bears reported that the bear was on her own, and had stood her ground when a bigger bear approached her. We took a few snapshots before she disappeared into the woods.

New end of the road (a.k.a, "out the road")

Twin islands at Sunshine Cove (and some sun)!

Filtered sunlight in the forest at Sunshine Cove

Another day we drove out to the end of the road to see the three-mile section that was added (Juneau is landlocked except by plane or boat, so any addition to the highway is an exciting advent). We stopped at Echo Cove and walked around, and then at Sunshine Cove, where the sun broke through the clouds. My husband got another chance to fly the drone, and got some great shots of the twin islands and the cove. Mom and I hiked down to the beach, and enjoyed the forest, filtered light, and a stroll on the beach.

Juneau cemetery in the rain

Mist over Juneau

Cruise ships docked in Juneau

I spent a couple of hours exploring Juneau to see some of the sights that I remembered while growing up. It was pouring rain, but I was undaunted in my fleece jacket, hooded rain jacket, and sturdy walking shoes. I took a quick tour of the cemetery, and saw some old gravestones with historical names. Then I spent some time down town in the tourist shops, peeked into the Alaska State Capitol building (where I was briefly a documentation clerk for the legislature), walked by the Governor's Mansion and the Federal Building, and along Gold Creek. I loved seeing the small gardens and containers that folks tend in the brief, but intense summer season.

The Juneau library where locals, and folks from the cruise ships gather

Alaska State Capitol building

Federal building

My aunt arrived for her visit with my folks, with a couple of days overlapping with our visit. It was great fun to all be together again (we live only 20 minutes apart in the Bay Area, and is the aunt I love to go on outings with to places like Filoli, Fenton's Ice Cream, and the San Francisco Gardening Show). We enjoyed an evening in downtown Juneau, eating at The Hangar on the Wharf restaurant, walking on the new boardwalk, and seeing the partially installed breaching whale sculpture by Skip Wallen. We had wonderful views of Juneau and the cruise ships.

View toward The Hangar on the Wharf (the blue building)

Whale Sculpture during its installation

New board walk with great views

Four cruise ships docked in Juneau

The last night of our overlap, we all met up with my brother at the popular Canton Asian Bistro for a delicious dinner and great conversation. Afterward, we drove out to the Mendenhall Glacier to see how far it has receded, and to look for bears on the streams. No bears, but lots of beautiful scenery under the drippy, Southeast Alaskan skies. They say you can't go home, but I sure love it when I do!

Family portrait via drone

Mendenhall Glacier in the rain

The Golden Circle: Haines Junction to Haines

We arrived mid-afternoon in the small community of Haines Junction, Yukon located at the junction of the ALCAN highway and the Haines Highway. We checked into the Raven Hotel, and then headed up to Kluane National Park and Reserve to see how recent glacial activity had diverted water away from the Slims River. We found a dry river bed, where once had been the Slims River. The Thachäl Dhäl Visitor Centre was closed, but we found some information posted in one of the outhouses. Apparently, the water that once fed Kluane Lake via the Slims River is now diverted away from Kluane Lake, and Kluane Lake has already dropped by 8 feet without the water source all within the last year or so.

The Raven in Haines Junction, Yukon

Kluane Lake area in Yukon

What happened to the Slims River?

From the Visitor Center, we counted over 70 Dall sheep grazing high up on Sheep Mountain (now called Thachäl Dhäl), and enjoyed watching them via telescope. We continued our drive up through the beautiful high country to Destruction Bay, and then returned to Haines Junction for dinner at Kluane Park Inn. After dinner, my folks and I strolled around the streets of Haines Junction, enjoying the misty evening air, and the local gardens and containers filled with vibrant annuals.

Leaving Haines Junction

Along the Haines Highway

Drone Pilot

After breakfast at the Raven Hotel and some time spent investigating a slow leak in one of the tires, we headed for Haines. The Haines Highway cuts through some spectacular country - the big, sweeping, open vistas, the slate-gray St. Elias mountain range, the tapestry of green, orange, and red mosses and low plants, the dramatic cloudy skies sometimes opening for a peep of sun that sets the whole place ablaze with light. We stopped multiple times to take pictures, drink in the beauty, check out Million Dollar Falls, and fly the drone. We saw very few yellow leaves (too soon), but saw lots of red fireweed leaves.

Million Dollar Falls

High Country along the Haines Highway

Winter is Coming

We passed through U.S. customs, and descended into the tall, moist coastal forests, and then checked into the Aspen Suites hotel in Haines, Alaska. We dined at the historic Bamboo Room, a place that is frequented by locals, and then enjoyed rhubarb pie back at the hotel. Mom and I walked down Main Street in the misty dark, and remembered trips to Haines to visit good friends.

Weather Shift on the Haines Highway

Descending from the high country to coastal Southeast Alaska

Aspen Hotel in Haines, Alaska

The following day we explored Haines, and Port Chilkoot, and then drove out Mud Bay road, with its spectacular views. We hiked around in the Chilkat State Park with more beautiful views, and stopped at the fish weir on the Chilkoot River, and had the thrill of watching two young bears fishing for salmon. They rode the river down to continue their feeding, then disappeared (presumably into the woods). We caught the fast ferry from Haines to Auke Bay in Juneau, Alaska, and enjoyed reading, dozing, and looking at the scenery from the front lounge.

Two bears fishing for salmon near the fish weir on Chilkoot River

Picnic area at Chilkat State Park

The fast ferry coming into Haines, Alaska

I recommend the Golden Circle for anyone who wants to see some of the most beautiful country of Southeast Alaska and the Yukon in a short span of time. We did the Circle comfortably in five days, but could have easily spent ten, with all there is to see and experience! We really enjoyed seeing those sweeping views, and immersing ourselves in the natural and gold rush history.