Working from home and refraining from travel has made my world very Small, but sometimes the Small Things are the Truest Things. I have always loved living in the Tanana Valley, the region between two big mountain ranges, due to its comforting, sheltered feeling. We do not have any of the spectacular things that are shown in tourist brochures of Alaska--no towering mountains, no glaciers, no otters, no orcas, very few bears. We just have gentle landscapes, peaceful quiet, and golden light. We have deep cold, it is true. But the cold is still, quiet, hushed. There is very little violence from either the weather or animals. Being at home only amplifies the Little Things.
Like this little yellow songbird. How beautiful he is. Why did he just up and die in my yard? I can't say.
I buried him behind my garden and placed a heart-shaped rock over him.
And more of these tiny purple blossoms appeared in the yard. I even saw hoverflies and tiny wasps on them. See, everything contributes something, no matter how small.
My cilantro has bolted, but the flowers are attracting honeybees and hoverflies!
Honeybees are not naturally occurring in Alaska, but several of my neighbors keep bees. Aren't they a lovely sight?
So pretty! I think I will let some cilantro bolt every year from now on.
Everything looks glowy in the slanting light between storms, even this grass:
And of course the fireweed:
And these rose leaves:
The dogs seem comfy. Do you think they are comfy? I sure hope they are comfy.
3 comments:
I feel the best part of Fairbanks is it does not bring in summer fishing people like Anchorage and Sewer Peninsula.
Sewer Peninsula, LOL! Are you perhaps thinking of the town of Seward itself? The Seward Peninsula is up North and contains Nome. Not really a commercial fishing industry there.
Hahaha, Perhaps I meant Kenai Peninsula?
This town has been having heat wave 95--104, plus many wild fires all around.
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