Day three in Ninilchik began with an early morning walk along a mist-enshrouded shoreline. It had looked chilly from inside my RV, but only warm, moist air met my face as we ventured out for Ronni’s morning ablutions.
Our morning had started earlier than I had hoped, not due to rowdy RVers this time, but raucous crows (or maybe really small ravens? 🐦⬛ I’m not sure) landing, cawing and tap-dancing on our roof for the second day in a row at 6:30 am.
The crows had obviously picked up some tasty breakfast morsels on the beach and our roof was handier than a picnic table for squabbling over it. Yikes.
The mountains remained hidden all day, and a couple of mild afternoon storm fronts blew through. The light patter of rain lulled me into an afternoon nap.
It was an excellent day to alternate knitting, reading and napping, with the background swoosh, swoosh of waves coming to shore. All was peaceful in my little world.
Towards evening, Ronni’s and I walked down towards the boat launch area to watch the fishing boats returning to shore, being towed from the surf one by one by tractors, while eagles patrolled the shoreline.
The next day started out foggy as well, but by noon, it was obvious the sun was fighting to break through. The forecast for the weekend was good, with ever-increasingly sunny skies and warm weather.
By early evening, the view over Cook Inlet began to transform.
Like a vast curtain opening horizontally, the fog over the water lowered as clouds overhead lifted. Mountains began to appear in the middle, as if suspended mid-air.
As the sun slowly set over the Inlet, the full, magnificent width of the mountain range across the water was revealed, with hints of what would come in following days.
“Take me to the beach”, my soul cried. I started packing.
Two days later, I found myself listening to the combination of a light breeze rustling through tall sea grass and the rhythmic thrum of Cook Inlet, as small but powerful waves caressed the sand in an endless dance.
Wet sand, rocks, sea-grass, shell-bits, driftwood. Rhonda’s playground.Mom says, just one more picture. Rhonda says, not til after DINNER! Guess who won?Where is miss Rhonda?
After setting up camp and taking Ronni for a long walk, I settled in for some serious relaxing. I was finally able to close my eyes, breathe in the soothing scent of salt water and know I was once again in my happy place.
Day Two: Deep Creek State Rec Area in Ninilchik is pretty much a fisherman’s paradise, where they can drop their boats and trailers near the launch facilities, then pull their RVs another quarter mile to designated beach-side campground.
They don’t all choose to, of course. It’s dry-camping (no hook-ups) down here, and those who bring family along sometimes opt to stay at the nearby full hook-up campground up the hill and just off the highway. It’s about three times the price, but hey, abundant running water and electricity.
Ronni and I prefer to be able to hear the waves and walk right on the beach. So far, I’ve been able to keep the girl from rolling in freshly-dead fish guts, but time will tell. It wouldn’t be the first time Ronni has suffered the indignity of an RV sink bath.
Several families of bald eagles 🦅 live on the cliffs overlooking Deep Creek (located at the end of our campground) and they’ve been actively scavenging the beach for fish parts (and whatever else they consider to be possible food). They are beautiful to watch, but I kept Ronni on a short leash.
Cook Inlet at morning’s low tide. Eagles everywhere!
On our second warm and peaceful afternoon, our quietude was rather jarringly interrupted. Two 31’ Great Alaska Holidays rental RVs pulled in, obviously together. Two couples in each RV, and they had already figured out to pull one RV in nose-first and back in the other so their RV doors faced each other – obviously, in hind-sight, for more efficient partying. Wanna bet they’ve done this before?
They were doing shots with beer and dancing like loons around the campfire (I swear; don’t ask, don’t tell) by 4:00 pm. I was easily four campsites away and could hear the screaming laughter, hooting and [really obnoxiously loud] merry-making with my windows closed and music playing.
Obviously, campground etiquette comes more naturally to some than others. These people just didn’t care who they were disturbing.
By 6:00 pm, loud music joined the overall ruckus and voices got louder (probably to be heard over the music). One of their closer neighbors packed up everything and moved to the far end of the campground. Another couple had taken refuge in their truck and headed into town – probably for a long, quiet dinner. With dessert.
I donned my Bose sound-canceling headphones and listened in peace and quiet to an Audible book while I cooked and ate dinner and enjoyed my evening. Love my Bose.
Thankfully, the partiers all stumbled back into their rental party-busses and departed quiet as church mice by check-out the following morning, much to the delight of every single person in the campground. I feel sorry for the folks at their next stop, but I do NOT feel sorry for hoping all eight of those party-hardy-til-you-drop people left here with miserable hangovers.
Day Three: We’ll, of course there’s a day three. Rhonda says see ya soon. But for now, it’s bedtime.
I was so relieved to see the first squadrons of long-awaited, iridescent-winged dragonflies descend upon our homestead two weeks ago. What a welcome sight.
This has been an unfortunately cool, wet summer so far, broken up by barely enough sunny afternoons to keep us Alaskans hoping for a few more.
Because of all the rain, alternating with just enough warm weather, there’s been plenty of damp, woodsy puddles, old discarded buckets, wheelbarrows, and drainage ditches holding stagnant water that would normally be long ago dried up.
Of course, this means the mosquitoes this year just kept hatching, long after they would normally be fading away. The pesky little buggers haven’t been quite as bad in our yard as some places, but only because we keep the entire area in front of our house mowed short.
I’ve even taken to parking Roada out in the middle of the yard to better keep the swarms away. Her normal parking spot is too close to the woods. 🦟
Still, the skeeters hover like tiny Draculas along the forested edges of our property – right where the dogs love to sniff and explore, and there’s enough of them to be irritating while we are outdoors.
Seriously, if you wanted to avoid mosquitoes this year, you needed to go to Seward’s waterfront or Homer Spit, where the sea breezes mostly keep them at bay.
Jerry and I took four days in Seward last week for our 26th anniversary, so I can tell you first-hand – not a mosquito in sight! Such relief!
Rhonda took full advantage of this warm, sunny day in Seward for sunbathing and napping in the grass. She was completely wet-noodled, out like a light in this shot. Happy dog!
We sat out by our campfires well into the cooler part of the evening, watching the fishing boats coming in for the night and then watching cruise ships departing for their next port of call. Bug-free. It was awesome.
Our great campsite along the waterfront in Seward!Yep, we finally had to pull a comfy blanket out for the old guys. 😉Watching the fishing boats returning to the harbor.
Short of taking a summer-long vacation at the sea shore, your best bet this year has been to sit in the middle of an asphalt Home Depot parking lot. Mosquitoes don’t seem overly fond of flat, unadorned pavement. Or, of course, stay indoors. But hey, it’s summer in Alaska. You really can’t stay indoors.
Anyway, that brings me back to dragonflies. I’ve always loved these magical, sparkling, fairy-like winged creatures. But never more so than this year. I knew as soon as the first ones arrived that help was finally at hand.
We applauded the aerial acrobatics as we watched our shimmering winged warriors loop-de-loop, dart and swoop all over the yard. We shouted for sheer joy as what initially seemed like masses of dragonflies decorated the air above and around the RV, zooming over our porch and diving amongst the shrubbery at the edges of the yard. The mosquito massacre had finally begun.
The mosquito population was halved within days. Now, nearly two weeks later, while a small but delightful, colorful presence of ever-diligent dragonflies continue to patrol, and although we keep our zapper-rackets handy for the occasional whining home-intruder, the worst is over.
Thank you, my beautiful friends! I smile every time one of you zips past my window. I just missed getting a shot today of a glossy greenish-blue dragonfly clinging briefly to the window screen of the RV. Some insects truly are welcome in our yard. Dragonflies top my list.
Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can find a mesmerizing new view, relax in your RV in a wonderfully peaceful, shady glen …
The “new” view out my RV window.
Without ever leaving your own driveway.
Yep, I’m boondocking midway down our long, shady driveway today. Admittedly, if I’m still here by evening, I’ll likely be put upon by mosquitoes, but that’s a concern for later.
For now, the bugs seem to be respecting the Natz bug spray I’ve liberally spritzed on my screen door.
OK, although I think it’s pretty cool that I can camp deep in the woods, feeling for all the world like I’m the only occupant in a very scenic, secluded campground – you are likely wondering why I’m camping 500’ from where I normally park the RV while I’m at home.
It’s because, after several days of off an on rain, it dawned lovely and clear today. Which means we needed to take full advantage of the opportunity and “mow” the already once again overgrown yard and parking area with our big walk-behind weed-eater.
The only way to do that is to move all three vehicles, especially the RV, completely out of reach of hard-flung stones. Our yard is, in places, as much gravel as grass. More so in our parking area.
The truck gets moved out by the barn. The Dodge is parked well down the driveway. Easy-peasy.
To move the RV, of course, I have to pretty much prepare it as if I’m going camping. Pull in the slide, store the steps and door mat, unplug from shore-power (the house), coil and store both electric cords and my surge protector and bring in my potted mosquito-plant.
Rather than drive away for the day (or longer), while Jerry tackles the yard work, I pulled the RV out the driveway to where it was bumper to bumper with the car. I know Jer’s leg is not up to doing this yard work my himself yet.
I sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the dappled shade as I listened to Jer start up the weed-whacker. It ran for about 15 minutes and then shut down.
We HAD made an agreement to take turns with the mowing, each doing as they were able, then resting while the other mowed for a while. I guessed it was my turn.
After doing a half-hour stint, I returned to the RV with Ronni, where it was cool and shady, with just enough breeze to help keep skeeters at bay.
As I made lunch, I decided, what the heck. This was actually a pretty awesome place to spend the night. With the windows and screen door open and letting in sunshine, bird song and fresh air, I had privacy, safety and that always longed for new view through my bedroom window.
My own personal drive-thru campsite.The view out the screen door.
Admittedly, I am totally blocking the driveway, but hey, the car is in front of me if either of us want to go anywhere. 👍
As I walked back later from yet another bout with the mower (it seems Jer and I are both wusses), I noticed the wild roses along the driveway were putting on a riotous show, and was happy to see another spruce-tree playing host to climbing rose vines. Time to stop and smell the roses.
Most of our yard was finally mowed, and encroaching brush, small, persistent saplings and yes, rose bushes either demolished or trimmed back within their assigned boundaries by the time I completed one last pass at about 8:00 pm. Probably the most appreciated thing about our robust walk-behind weed-whacker is its ability to pulverize up to a one inch tree sapling. 👍
I still need to mow the length of the yard/driveway leading to the wood shed and down to Jer’s shop, so my happy decision to leave Roada (RV) up in her driveway camping spot is actually a practical one. I’ll be able to get out early tomorrow and mow that section while it’s still cool – and not have to move the RV..
Oh, did I mention; the wild Alaskan geraniums have just started blooming! Soooo pretty! Right now, there’s only a few blossoms down at the turn of the driveway, but within the week, it’ll be a solid field of purple in this area that still looks deceptively green.
Well, I sure got plenty of exercise in today, along with plenty of sunshine, so I should sleep well. Ronni and I took a walk all the way out to the street and back, with numerous side-trips for possible critter sniffing, so she’s ready for bed too. Come to think of it, it’s well past her usual bedtime.
It’s time to close up for the night, draw my night shades to block out the still-bright sunshine (it’s 11:00 pm) and hit the sack.
De & the Dachsies - Our Rambles 