ShabbyBlogs.com

I've been playing around with the blog background- had this one for 2 months and think it is time for a new one. I emailed Megan at ShabbyBlogs.com with a question about putting a picture in the header of my blog and this is the response from her....

Hi Debbie! YES! You can absolutely customize my headers. In fact, I hope you do! Half the fun of adding cute stuff to your blog is making it your own. I just took a peek at your blog and saw that you are way ahead of me though. I just love what you did! I am so excited to follow your blog! It brings back so many memories for me. When I was in high school, my parents took me and my siblings out of school for six months so we could travel around the country in a giant trailer. We visited most of our National Parks and ended our trip with a month long visit to Alaska. It was incredible! Seeing your photos makes me feel like I am right back there. I bet I've even stayed at a lot of the same campgrounds you have. So neat! Thanks for sharing that! Take care, Debbie! MeganShabbyBlogs.com

I am so impressed that she actually took the time to email me back. I've recommended her site to my friends that are now "blog addicts also." I am so happy with everything I've picked to use from her and ShabbyBlogs. Thanks Megan.

View From Airplane

Still on the runway - just before take off- Fields of fireweed along the runway.

Left land and are heading home

Some of the small islands.

I sat right in front of this.

Pristine snow and mountain tops and then we are in the clouds.

Mendenhall Glacier

Woke up this morning to lots of fog and drizzle. Headed to work and thought it would be a busy day but the first patient decided not to stay and have her surgery....so Lisa and I went to see the glacier. I was surprised at how close and wide this glacier is. There were several bus loads of visitors here at 10:30.It reminded me of Portage Glacier 25 years ago.

Wish you could see how blue it really is. Glad we had the chance to check this out.

Downtown Juneau

Lisa and I have been exploring tonight. We drove up and down some of the streets in downtown Juneau. It is a MINI SAN FRANCISCO with narrow up-hill side streets with cars parked all along one side making it almost impossible to stop and take any pictures. The houses are way cool, some old, some new, most have little if any yard, no places for parking and are placed one on top of another on every available inch of land. Two times around the Governor's Mansion street (Sarah's Former House) and decided it wasn't worth risking a ticket to stop for a picture. We found a part of Alaska we couldn't believe we've never seen. But then again our comfy little world involves the hotel, dental office and back to the hotel most weekends we are here.... "boring"
The first picture in the business district looking towards the docked cruise ships, three are in town today. Couldn't be in Juneau without RAIN and this view of city center shows it is coming. We felt a few sprinkles and smelled dinner cooking at the Twisted Fish. Delicious halibut for both of us.

Dessert was a hot fudge sundae from McDonald's and back to the hotel room. We postponed the Glacier tour -hoping for another non-rainy day.

Juneau Weekend

Waiting to leave Anchorage for the hour and a half flight to Juneau. We've been working three days a month in Juneau for the last fourteen years. This is one of the few times I've brought my camera! Mendenhall Glacier is twelves miles from town and much bluer than shows up in this picture. We plan on "playing tourist" tomorrow after work and go Downtown and to the Glacier. Usually we have dinner and go back to the room and read. Big Outing!!!

The sun came out today and temp is reported to be in the 80's by Tuesday. I think we should stay another day just to be sure it gets that hot.

This is about the time she says prepare for landing so I had to put the camera away.

Who Feels Lucky?

New York City here we come....well as soon as one of us wins this trip...after all we are the inventors of the GIRLFRIENDS GETAWAY. I saw this page in Rachael Ray's August issue of her Everyday Magazine and immediately thought of us. So we all need to: Enter now at chatandchew.rachaelraymag.com/comfort

Can you imagine if we did win????????????????????????????????????

Our "Granddogs"

We "lost" Belle and found her on our bed. She was tired out from the four dogs and John playing chase the ball. Shortest legs of all but she kept up with them -running up and down the hallway.No reason the bed should be empty...they must love coming to Grandmomma Deb's. The kennel beside the bed was unused this visit. Spoiled? Never.

Bear misses Becky and will wait by the door the whole time unless we take him for a walk or make him play. He is very vocal and starts telling me it is bedtime around 8pm.

Look at those feet...and ears.....she is all basset hound. They went home on Tuesday and we miss them so much.

Fireweed

This patch of fireweed is in neighbor's backyard so I get to look at it from the kitchen window. It is a pretty sight but I know what is coming......

.....winter. need i say more?

Saturday Morning at Market

Some of the vendors at the local market. Is Gingham "back" in style?

Fresh lettuce, herbs, vegetables, honey, plants, flowers, bread and fish... it is all here...

I bought zucchini and cucumbers this time.

I will have more pictures of the weekend posted soon.

MY SIGN

My response to Brenda's posting.

She ask us to pick between two signs she has that describes her...Both did!

Mine needs no explanantion- does it?

Thanks Natalie for the finding this for us girls.

Saturday Morning Project

I decided to finish a couple of projects this morning. This is the first one on my list. Thanks to uppercase living the decorative lettering and images went on easily. Now we have a one-of-a-kind entryway. It's not centered very good- hard to stand in entryway and take a picture- but you get the idea with the birdhouse. Interested in the vinyl cling-type products? Check out their website: www.uppercaseliving.com

Project number two involves my craft room and it looks worse than when I started....hurricane came through I think!

HAPPY BIRHDAY, DI

I hope you are having the bestest Birthday today. Wish I was here to celebrate with you all but I can wait for the BIG PARTY in PA next year. HOORAY....

Soccer is "big deal" in Pennsylvania so you better start practicing!

Love and Miss You, Debbie

The Best Is Yet To Come

July 17, 1982......WOW!!!......27 years wonderful years......
Happy Anniversary.........Mr. and Mrs. Michael Barnett........

Captain Cook

A couple pictures from Captain Cook's Park. Didn't think I was in the flowers so far!Good view over the port area and the inlet.

FIRETAP Alehouse and Restaurant

John and I decided to check out the new place in South Anchorage last night. Went for dinner and brew at FIRETAP. They have quite the menu -salads, soups, sandwiches, pasta, calzones and pizza. Supposedly, the fire deck oven can produce over a 100 pizzas in an hour. There's also 36 tap handles - I sampled the Sleeping Lady Hefe and will definitely go back for more. Good addition for O'Malley & Old Seward area.

Friends and Family

I stayed in town for another busy weekend. It is still sunny and hot with less haze each day. Friday night we had a Mexican Fiesta at the Gerken's. Table full of good food especially Loretta's to-die-for-fresh salsa and Danielle's homemade chips. Can't wait to make my own. Some played the corn game but mostly we visited and enjoyed the 'ritas.Saturday I met Becky and her family that are here from Wisconsin for pizza and couple hours of doing the tourist thing downtown. We rode the trolley, visited the ULU gift shop and saw salmon in Ship Creek. They rode the train to Seward on Sunday and saw four bear. Spending this week in Soldotna with Chris and Becky.

Sunday started out with plans to go with the Gerken family and enjoy being in the sun and Gene's new toy-a Yamaha Wave Runner-

But John found a leak in the bathroom faucet that could not wait for repairing. After several trips to Home Depot he got it fixed but then it was too late to go to Big Lake. Luckily, we stayed here though because Pat and Kelley called and they are in town. We met them at the BrewHouse for dinner and a quick catching up visit. YUM! (Rats, I didn't take my camera)

Come Back Soon...PLEASE

Not the same pictures I "lost". John took some the next evening. A Huge glowing orange ball.

Miss You Today....PLEASE COME BACK..............

In Full Bloom

Peonies and lilies have popped! Unfortunately, so has the temperature. Both our thermometers show 60 degrees. It is much colder today. We are going to spend the afternoon with Becky and her family. They are visiting from Wisconsin.

Record Breaking Temperature!

John took this picture about 3:30 on Tuesday- it was hotter later that day! He is miserable! View of the haze and Chugach Mountains out our back door. Can't hardly see the mountains. We can smell smoke today and had fallen ash on the vehicles this morning. The winds are picking up this afternoon so hopefully it will blow everything out of town and we'll have blue skies this weekend.

I took a picture of the sun last night around 10pm- huge orange ball- BUT it is lost somewhere between Me, the camera and computer...

Plates, Posies and Porch

I knew I was collecting plates for a reason....wishing the cement blocks could be taken out but then the weed eater would hit the plates....so this is okay for now. The bleeding heart is in full bloom this week...love how they actually look like hearts.

The peony flowers will be blooming by the weekend. YAH!!!!!!!!!!

Finished painting the front porch just in time to sit out there and enjoy the 80 degree temperatures and flowers in bloom this week. It is unusually perfect weather - a bit hazy from the wildfires north and south of Anchorage but you will get NO COMPLAINTS FROM ME .... (you should hear John though!)

SASSY

I signed up for jessicasprague's on-line photography class and this is lesson number one...Completed. Thanks John for ALL your help. Think I have the general idea of frames and word art so will see what lesson two is tonight. I've been "patiently" waiting for digital scrap booking with Stampin'Up! (hint, hint) ... so this class is getting me ready for that.