a peek at the approaching harvest...

Mother Nature turned a cold shoulder on Alaska this summer. Day after day of gray clouds, month and after month of lower than normal temperatures have us yearning for sunshine. This afternoon, on one of the rare days of blue sky and warm sun, a walk through my yard revealed that Mom Nature didn't forget her wild berries. Here's a peek at the ripening harvest.

Black currants.

Watermelon berries at left.

Lots of currants yet to ripen above.

Blueberries above and red currants, right.

Lowbush cranberries (or lingonberries). (left)

Crowberries (also known as mossberries), right.

In the meantime, it is the season of the fireweed. These are over six feet high.

On the mountain in the background, there but unseen in this photo, mountain goat kids graze with their herd, black bears and brown bears seach for edibles, and moose browse on willows and birch. In the cleft of a rock face, a golden eagle is almost fully fledged and yearning to soar.