Tossing Off the Winter Duvet

 Not long ago, I was lying in bed reading when I heard a loud roar.   That I heard something in this quite sound-proof house was amazing.  I figured it was one of the passenger jets flying over the mountains behind my house, on approach to the airport in Anchorage.

Or a bunch of Harleys.    Or a truck using its jake brake.   Or the beginning audio part of an earthquake.

Not once did I think of how the mountains throw off their winter snow mantles.   Not once.   So, when various neighbors asked me if I"d "HEARD THAT AVALANCHE!!! (delivered with the wide eyes of someone who'd experienced something awesome), it took me a while to put that loud noise together with their descriptions of how they were awakened by THAT AVALANCHE.

We're used to avalanches around here.   In the spring, especially, when warm temperatures and mountains touched by sunlight start shedding.  They are quite entertaining and leave amazing patterns in the discarded snow.

These three photos are of a mountain along the Hope Road.

Now that the mountains are greening-up with summer, the path of THAT AVALANCHE is even more impressive, because THAT AVALANCHE was not only snow.   It scraped vegetation off the rock body of the mountain, wrenched shrubs and trees out by their roots, and piled them all up at the mountain's base.  It essentially denuded the path it took.

No wonder it woke everyone up.

Gullible's Gazette

MUNDANE ITEMS
OF CASUAL INTEREST

 
YOU ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION:

I've been hearing about them so on a recent hot day in Anchorage , I stopped at McFastfood and ordered a McFlurry.

This is how it was presented to me:

The McMess looked like it was barfing.

MORNINGS AND EVENINGS:

Trail Lake in the morning

Summit Lake in the evening.  The camera can't quite capture the golden hue on the water.   That's a campground across the lake.

CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, INSTANT GRATIFICATION:

Speaking of lakes, I stopped one evening at the Tern Lake overlook and took this photo.

This is the smaller part of the lake.

Then I drove down to the pullout where a photographer asked me if the view was better up above.   He climbed the hill, took photos, then later came back down to the lake.

He has a camera on a tripod, a camera hanging from each shoulder, and he's taking photos with his smart phone.   Instant posting instant gratification.  I wonder if he uses the phone to video an explanation of where he is so he can identify his camera photos?

FORGET ME NOT:

I came across these Forget-Me-Nots while picking up litter.  In covering 50 miles of Seward Highway, this is the first time I have seen this flower along the highway.

Not quite in focus on macro, but a better representation of the true color.  One of the reasons it's the state flower is its color--blue and gold.   The state flag is also blue and gold--blue of the sky and gold for the Great North Star.  The Big Dipper and the North Star are represented on the flag against a field of blue.

This is where I found the flowers, right above where my yellow litter bag is sitting.  I think the seeds were placed there intentionally.

Beautimous:

 CHANGING OF THE SEASONS:

Dogs shed, moose shed, bears shed, and mountains shed their snow white duvets.   This occurred yesterday afternoon while I was assembling the mow deck on my John Deere tractor.

The mountain somewhat behind my home.

It started in the cornice at the top.

                        

LITTER PICKING SPONSORS:

This summer's litter picking brought to you by Carlene, who told me about lamb's wool, and Celiene, who picked up four rolls of paper tape in Anchorage for me.

Warning:   Graphic Photo.   Sensitive eyes might want to turn away now.   Hide your children.

Ready to go.