The Governor, a Picnic, and Rainbows

When I was growing up in Alabama, one wouldn't dream of an open-to-the-public picnic with the Governor and the First Lady.  It just didn't happen.  But up here in Alaska, the Governor has a family-style picnic not just in the capital city, but throughout many locations across our great state.  The 2013 Governor's Family Picnic in Juneau at Sandy Beach was hosted by lots of volunteers and proved that Alaskans can have fun - rain or shine!

Members of the Governor's Cabinet were on hand to serve the public scrumptious Alaska WILD salmon. 

With Governor Sean Parnell

Double rainbows over Gastineau Channel. 

With Department of Public Safety Commissioner Joseph A. Masters

A woman... at the end of her rainbow. 

This very artistic photo was created by my awesome friend, Deb Quinn.  Thanks, Deb! 

And my - oh my - how time flies... here's an old photo of me and Governor Parnell at the 2009 picnic - right after he became governor.  2009 was also my first year in Alaska (and I was about 60 pounds heavier).  What a difference four years makes!

 

Oysterfest!

Raw, roasted, steamed.  Fried, scalloped, stewed.  Baked, stuffed, boiled.  Marinated, poached, sautéed. 

No matter how you cook them, oysters are delicious.  And oysters from Alaska - well, they're primo.

Haa Aani (HAH AH'-nee) and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute recently hosted the Second Annual OysterFest in Juneau.  Alaska-grown oysters were featured, and executive chef Sandy Ingber from the Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant in New York City was on hand for the festivities. 

As if all of that wasn't entertainment enough, a beer garden sponsored by Alaska Brewing Company provided the perfect backdrop, and the evening included an Oyster Crawl to local restaurants.   Oh, and there was sunshine.  Lots and lots o' sunshine!

Downtown at the Sealaska Corporation parking lot. 

Fresh seafood, practically from our backyard.

Chef Ingber preparing oyster shooters.

The barbequed oysters were my favorite! 

After filling my belly with yummy oysters, I strolled downtown with my friends, Mary and Chris, and we found a sunny spot at the Flight Deck to sit, nosh, and watch the floatplanes return to the Gastineau Channel.  It was a terrific seafood-filled Saturday.

King crab cones.  

Creamy decadent goodness. 

Surprise in the Summer Night Sky

I've seen my fair share of the aurora borealis (northern lights).  Sometimes I've even chronicled my aurora experiences on this website, like here and here.  I love hunting the great Alaska aurora.  Witnessing the ribbons of light bring me peace and fill me with hope.  Plus, the displays bring so much excitement!

Well, folks - I'm here to report: spotting the northern lights never gets old.  Especially when it lights up the night sky when you're least expecting it.  Like in the summer.

All the way up here in Alaska, some parts of the state experience 24 hours of daylight for most of the summer.  That's right, no sunset or no sunrise, just full time brightness.  Since the sky should be relatively dark in order to spot the northern lights with the naked eye, you can imagine how rare it is to spot the aurora in the summer.  For instance, it would be difficult to see the lights in Barrow, the northern most city in America, because the sun just doesn't set in the summer!

I admit the unfocused photos below don't do the aurora justice.  But I think the shots were decent enough, considering the facts: I was completely caught off guard with news of the aurora at 12:15am; I assembled my tripod in the dark; AND the view from Mother Nature was competing with another awesome view I had - on FaceTime - which frankly captured more of my attention.

Looking north, a dusky sky.

Aurora over Mount Roberts.

It was a terrific evening, full of surprises.  And hope.