Orcas!

Every year about this time, a pod of orcas returns to the harbor in Kodiak to feast on the many Steller sea lions that hang out there. It's all about the timing when catching a glimpse of these majestic animals- I've only seen them 3 times in as many years! Today, a friend of mine who works on the channel leading into the harbor phoned to let me know that they were out and about. Needless to say, The Husband and jumped in the car and raced down there... here is a glimpse of what we witnessed:

A calf. I got seriously choked up. I am not worthy of witnessing such profound beauty.

Life is a series of trade-offs

There are so many things that I LOVE about living in Kodiak. The wild natural beauty, the fishing, the wildflowers, the tidepooling, moments like this:

The dog and me- Pillar Mountain, 2/19/07.

This is my "intrepid explorer" pose.

That being said, there are a lot of sacrifices one must make when living in such a remote area. While I often welcome these minor inconveniences, in winter, they can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. However, I have learned to live without good produce, a Thai restaurant, decent live music on a consistent basis, etc... There is one thing, though, that has been driving me batshit. You see, everyone on the Interwebs is raving about the new issue of IK. We don't have it yet. For the most part, we get magazines 1-2 weeks after everyone else in America. I have learned to deal with this with my beloved Vanity Fair, but I'm dying to get my hands on that entrelac sock pattern- among other things. It seems like such a small thing, but it is a good example of some of the isolation I've been feeling this winter. This is my 4th winter here, and man, it has been a tough one. I don't think I have the S.A.D. or anything, but just a touch of the winter blues. So, I carded a batt the other day to help me overcome:

This has to work.