Summer Solstice

Solstice is always a bittersweet time for me. I LOVE the long Alaskan summer days, so naturally I love summer solstice.  However, it makes me a little sad knowing the days will be getting shorter and the long dark winter is just around the corner. Seriously though, I can't think of the doom and gloom. Instead I am going to enjoy my pretties and give thanks for living in such an amazing and gorgeous state.

I took a walk around my yard late last night to enjoy the evening light and the
beauty surrounding me. Here are a few of the flowers I recently planted.

I was a little behind with yard work and planting because of our trip to Hawaii.

So I went to the local Nursery and treated myself to some color.

I don't exactly have a green thumb, but I'm trying my luck.

After all, what's life without color?



As I wandered around my yard, I stopped to enjoy the beautiful
view from my back deck while listening to the birds.

Then I went indoors and enjoyed the view from my dining room.



I never get sick of the scenery here. And I must say, I can't imagine
summer solstice being better anywhere else than in the land of the midnight sun.

Back Home

I haven't done anything too productive in the last month except soak up a lot of sun to bring my Vitamin D levels back up. Here are a few photos of our trip (click on each image to view a larger version).

We frequented this natural lagoon near the resort.  There's something about the sound of crashing waves that is so calming. It was a perfect spot to watch the sunsets.

According to the locals, you can see a flash of green when the sun sets and meets the horizon. We never saw it, nor have I researched it so who knows if there's any truth to it.

My beautiful girls. My oldest and youngest were often mistaken for being locals.

We enjoyed an en evening at the Paradise Cove Lu'au. It's a nice small one with many activities, good food and a wonderful assortment of yummy tropical drinks.  I definitely recommend this lu'au for anyone looking for more something more personal and less commercial.

We ventured down to Diamond Head and walked to the top. It was pretty hot for me. I can only imagine how miserable I would've been on a cloudless day.  The view from the top was worth going up 279 steps though.

One of my favorite days of our trip was when we went up to the North Shore to check out the sea turtles.  It's wonderful seeing wildlife in their natural habitat compared to seeing them in captivity.  It's estimated that this big guy was about 250 pounds!

I will miss the sound of the ocean and the beautiful swaying palm trees, but not for long! It looks like we're going back again soon!  Aloha!