BEAR WITH ME ONCE MORE

"When all the dangerous cliffs are fenced off, all the trees that might fall on people are cut down, all of the insects that bite have been poisoned ... and all of the grizzlies are dead because they are occasionally dangerous, the wilderness will not be made safe. Rather, the safety will have destroyed the wilderness."

- R. Yorke Edwards (Canadian environmentalist)

These are some of the best photos of bears which I have been able to capture.
The grizzly bear was taken on my trip inside Denali National park.

The black bear (below) was finally able, after repeated attempts, to catch his dinner of salmon at Mendenhall Glacier in Junea, Alaska.

ON THE WINGS OF THE WINDS...

But you never were made, as I,
On the wings of the winds to fly!
The eagle said.
Will Carleton

High o'er the watery uproar, silent seen,
Sailing sedate in majesty serene,
Now midst the pillared spray sublimely lost,
And now, emerging, down the rapids tossed,
Glides the Bald Eagle, gazing, calm and slow
Alexander Wilson

All of the above photos were taken in Ketchikan, Alaska

I SWAM IN CURRENTS DEEP.....

Once upon a whale’s tale, I swam in currents deeper,

more solitary; fulfilling my destiny, searching

to remember who I was. Still, you swim and I am here.


Dive to depths beyond the depths we know,

Share your knowledge with those who wish to know it,

Cherish the memories you may have yet to lose.



The depths rise deeper, but still you rise to breathe.

Bubbles blown from hope spout unfathomable ideas.

Your existence, drenched in joy, seeks the perfect oblivion.


Lose the past in deep twirls of blue, and dive

towards the depths of eternity; forgetting yourself

in the depths of reflection, of ocean, of wisdom, of spirit, of dreams.


Once upon a whale’s tale, I swam in currents deeper

And dived to depths beyond the deepest depths.

I share your knowledge and cherish your memories.


Bubbles blown spout hope for tomorrow – eternity lives in the oceans of time.
F. Ceska


The photos above- as well as the glacier photos -were all taken by little ol' me on my recent trip to Alaska. I hope you like them and stay tuned for more.

STUPENDOUS GLACIERS

Mendenhall Glacier- Juneau, Alaska

“Glaciers are delicate and individual things, like humans. Instability is built into them.”
Will Harrison


Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska




“Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes - every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impress upon the soul of man.”
Orison Swett Marden

PHOTOHUNTERS

Today's PHOTOHUNTERS theme is TWO

Having just returned from a TWO week trip to Alaska- with a TWO of day stay in Vancouver, BC- I am including TWO shots that I took this week.
(Get it? two)

These were taken at the Vancouver aquarium in Stanley Park.


Stay tuned for more wildlife photos to come.

The Adventure Begins

The Adventure Begins- Today is the day that we leave for parts Northwest.



We begin in Vancouver, B.C. with a 2-night stay. A gorgeous, gorgeous city- even the rain doesn't dampen ones mood.


Then off to Anchorage, Alaska- for a 5-day stay, where we will take a drive up to Denali to see Mt. McKinley. Possibly do some fishing (salmon, maybe?)

Then we take one of these-

Leaving from Whittier, Alaska. 7-days of cruising through the fjords of the Inside Passage- with various excursions thrown in. One tour that I am hoping to take is the flightseeing tour over 5 glaciers. In the photo at top you see a shot of Glacier Bay, one of the stops on our trip.

I say I am hoping to take it because last week one of the planes slammed into a mountain and killed all the tour passengers on board. There's a possiblity that they may be grounded.
The way I see it, though, is that I would rather take my chances and die doing something like this than on the Baltimore beltway on my way to work.

Here are some shots of the sights that I am HOPING to see.
Soaring Bald Eagles


Breaching Whales- both killer and humpback


Lumbering Moose


Bears- it is salmon spawning season- so bears should be all over the streams.

I'll try to post something here and there over the next 2 weeks.

“To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world.”
John Muir