Hey guess what?  This photo won the Wildlife category of the Homer Photo Contest, an annual amateur photo contest run by the Homer Chamber of Commerce.  At least, I think it was this photo – the man from the CoC said it was an eagle landing on the beach and I think this was the only one I submitted that fits that description.

Honestly, I entered the contest several months ago and don’t remember which photos I entered, or exactly what the “prize” is – but I believe they use the winning photos in the tourist magazine for the following season.  So it looks like one of my eagles will make it into real, live, bona fide PRINT.

I’ll add more detail when I talk to the man from the Chamber of Commerce, which should be sometime next week.

“Kaelin, do you remember the day Koren was born?”
“No.  I think I blocked it.”

“Papa, how old are you today?”
“I’m 57.”
“Oh.  Is that, like, when you die?”

“Koren, are you happy?”
“No.  I’m Koren James.”

“Koren, you know what’s really funny about you?  When you say NO, you always don’t usually mean no.  And that really bothers me.”

“What happened to your toe, Koren?”
“I got an owie.  I fell down down like THIS!” …at which point, he suddenly sprawls on the floor with gusto.

“Koren, where is your sock?”
“I put it on floor like THIS!”  … at which point, he retrieves the sock off the floor and promptly throws it again.

Last night the kids were in the bath tub, when Kaelin starts calling,

“DAAAAAAAADDO!  DAAAAADDO!  DAAAAADDO!”
“WHAT, KAELIN?”
“Koren has something to tell you.”

Jens made his way into the bathroom, where both kids are sitting on opposite ends of the bath tub.  Koren is holding a plastic fishing rod and looking down quietly as though he’s just been sternly reprimanded.  Kaelin is pouting.

“Koren, did you have something to tell me?”
“Umm… yes.  Umm… Daddo, I have to tell Kaelin I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“Because I hit her on the head with my fishing rod like THIS!”  **WHOMP**
“OOOOOWWWWW!!! DADDO HE DID IT AGAIN!”

And thus ended bath time.

Fog Cloud

There has been a low-hanging cloud covering Kachemak Bay.  It seems to move back and forth quite a bit but never actually dissipates.  It has tried several times to creep up into our yard but so far has never made it to that altitude.  We can see it just beyond the treeline in the back yard, which slopes downward.  Yet it remains sunny and clear and perfectly beautiful within the boundaries of our property, as though there’s some kind of force-field keeping the fog away.

As we descend the hill, it’s really something to see nothing but a cloud blanket where the ocean is supposed to be.  Then all of a sudden we are in it, and can hardly see the trees on the side of the road.  It’s rather disorienting.  I drop the kids off at school in the dark, foggy mist, and then climb the hill back up and into the beautiful sunshine where I can see for miles and miles in any direction.

Aside from the strange ground-cloud, the weather in September has been wonderful.  We’ve had more sun this month than in the previous 3 months put together.  Though it’s obvious that Autumn is here, as the temperatures have begun to drop at night.  When you walk outside, sometimes you can actually hear the leaves drying out and turning crispy.  It’s usually in the mid to low 40’s when I drive the kids to school.

The fireweed is all gone as well – another marker to signal the end of summer.  It was beautiful while it lasted though.

Fireweed

We have enjoyed the clear nights recently.  It’s amazing how many stars, galaxies and everything else you can see in the night sky here.  A couple of nights ago, we were out for about 10 minutes and I counted 7 shooting stars and 2 satellites.  And every star in the galaxy.

Night Sky

(The blank space at the top is the roof)

I think September has been the most enjoyable month that we’ve lived here, weather-wise.  I hope it lasts.  It’s a nice little “last hurrah” before we dive into winter and we have all enjoyed being outside at lot in the last few weeks.

“Daddo, I tell you a story?”
“Sure, tell me a story.”
“Ok.  One time… I had juicy poopies.”
“One time you had juicy poopies?  Is that your story?”
“Yes.  It is.”
“Ok… Then what happened?”
“Then… One time… I pooped in the bath tub.”
“Yes.  I remember this story.”