Friday 30 May 2014

Skagway Alaska

 
 
In this last instalment of our Skagway Alaska visit I wanted to show you the location of the dock where all of the cruise ships that arrive port.
The dock is located just a few blocks from Skagway's downtown area.
 

You can tell from this map that Skagway is at the very end of the Inside Passage.
 
 
If you do ever visit Skagway the train ride on The White Pass Railroad is a must!
It offers gorgeous scenery.
You will actually see trails that were used during the Gold Rush.
And often times one can spot a herd of sheep grazing on the mountains side.
 
They offer a short ride (which we usually take), or the extended ride all the way to Carcross Yukon.
 
 
What do you think of this for a snow blower?
I might have thought that during the winter months the trains would not be in use, but my son tells me that they have a Santa train.
Elijah said there are many visitors from the Yukon that bring their children down for this event.
 
From Nov.20th-Dec.31st the city waives it's sales tax charge for shoppers also!
 
 
Here is the beautiful boat dock.
It is on the rear side of the Skagway Fish Company where we ate while visiting.
 
 
This restaurant is also located along the docks.
It is owned by a friend of my sons and I highly recommend the breakfast there!
 
 
In 1997 The Centennial Statue was erected to commemorate Skagway's 100th year.
S-K-A-Q-U-A in Tlingit means 'windy place'.
For more details of Skaways history click here.
 
 
You need never fear of getting lost in Skagway, just follow the sign!
*******************************************************
This concludes my Skagway Alaska tour.
It is only a drop in the bucket of all the wonders of this beautiful little village.
Because our son lives here, we have visited Skagway at least six times, so I try not to take repeat photos.
Later I may do a post with photos from our former visits.
I hope you've enjoyed the small tour!
Blessings-Kimberly
 

 

 
 


 
 
 

 
 
 
 



 
 
 

 


Thursday 29 May 2014

Skagway Alaska

 

 
After leaving the village of Carcross Yukon we headed south through the mountains to Skagway Alaska where our youngest son and his wife live.
 
This photo was taken at the White Pass Summit.
If you look directly down the centre of the picture you can see part of the highway were we will eventually pass through.
 
In all of my travels I have to say that this is the most beautiful drive of any that I have ever experienced.
I never tire of it no matter how many times we make this trip.
And I always wish I had stopped to take more pictures.
 
 
 
Once we were settled in our room at Sergeant Preston's we connected with Elijah and Laura.
 
 
Laura had heard that at high tide Orca Whales
were being spotted at The Yakutania Point.
 
Well it didn't take any arm pulling to persuade Tim and I that this would be well worth the hike to the Point at the chance of seeing a whale!
 
 
 
The Yakutania Trail is an easy walk.
There are no scary drop offs!
The trail is located well within the trees, so that you don't feel like you are up as high as you actually are.
 
 
made ask everyone to climb down ahead of me so I could take this photo of them first and get a shot that would give you a good perspective of the height of where we were.
 
The mossy looking stone you see at the bottom left is surrounded with sand when the tide is out!
 
 
Look how brave my DIL is!
I'm sure Laura had a fabulous view from her high perch.
 



 Queen of the Mountain
 
Here's a photo of two handsome hikers I couldn't resist taking a picture of!
 
 
 
Unfortunately we didn't spot any Orca Whales, but we still enjoyed our hike together and the beautiful view of the Chilkat Mountains and the Lynn Canal.
 
I have one more post of our mini vacation to share.
I'm warning you just in case you think this travel series is never going to end....
 
Blessing to all of you!
Kimberly
 


 

 
 

 


Monday 26 May 2014

Yukon Canada Travels 3

 
Carcross  Yukon
 

This is my third instalment for my Yukon Canada Travels series.
 
From here Tim and I will travel on to Skagway Alaska to visit our son and daughter in-law.
 
The picture above is a photo of  two historical buildings located in downtown Carcross.
The Pink building is Matthew Watson's General Store, which is a gift shop and ice cream parlour.
The Blue building is being renovated. It will be a restaurant and motel.
 
Carcross is truly a picturesque Yukon village. It is  surrounded by mountains and two lakes; Lake Bennett and Nares Lake.
 
 
 
This is an abandoned building I photographed on the dock on the village side of Lake Bennett.
 
As I said before, the Yukon has no shortage of abandoned buildings! 
 
 
Since the White Pass Railway began again to bring passengers from Skagway to visit the Carcross village, the Carcross/Tagish First Nations has invested in the development of  the downtown community.
 
 
The buildings consist of gift shops, a coffee shop, and a fish restaurant so far.
The beautiful buildings are representative of the craftsmanship and artistic talent of Carcross local residents.
 
 
The Tagish Clan heavily intermarried with the Tlingit Clan, adopting the Tlingit language.
There are very few remaining First Nations people who speak Tagish any longer. 
And I just recently learned that the Klondike Gold rush began after a member of the Tagish Clan first discovered gold those many years ago!
I can certainly see the influence of the Northern Pacific Tlingit in their art work and carvings. 
 
 
*******************************************************
I hope you've enjoyed my short series of my Yukon Travels. This is just a small taste of what the Yukon has to offer. If you have the opportunity to visit the Territory you must!!
******************************************************************************
If you missed Part #1 of my series, please click here.
 
For Part#2, click here.

 

 
 
 
 




 


Friday 23 May 2014

Yukon Canada Travels Part 2


I'm continuing our Yukon Canada Travels...
 
The photos today were taken at the Carcross Desert.
With one square mile of sand, it is said to be the worlds smallest desert!
The truth is that it is actually Northern sand dunes.
The climate here in the Yukon is too humid for it to be labeled as true desert.
 
 
Like Emerald Lake I lived near the Carcross Desert (within two miles), but I never allowed myself the time to really explore the whole area.
I never knew  until this day what I had been missing!
 
I'm so glad that on this trip we were taking our time with no pressures to hurry.
 
 
As I was walking through the desert I found myself being very reflective of life.
 
You know, thinking about why I had left the area, where I was at in my walk of life now, and just where I wanted to see myself in my future walk....
 
It probably sounds crazy, but I felt that it was important for me to climb to the top of this sand dune.
I needed to feel like I could accomplish something that I knew was going to be a challenge to me...
And truthfully, I also wanted to get to as high a point as I could, sit my behind in the sand and just talk to the Lord for a while.
 
This probably doesn't look too steep, but for someone who hasn't been walking all winter long, it was a challenge!
I found it easier at times to turn around and walk backwards when going forward got too wearying for me.
 

 
Look at the beautiful view we were rewarded with when we reached the top and the end of the Carcross Desert!
 
Tim, bless his heart, was a trooper and walked to the top with me.
I doubt that I'll be here again soon.
 
 I'm glad I have this special memory now to go with my photos.
And the time to sit silently and soak in all the beauty and the majesty of our Lord.
 
 
 

 
 



Thursday 22 May 2014

Yukon Canada Travels

 
 
Hello Friends
I'm back with more of my Yukon Travels.
Tim and I made a couple of stops on our way down to visit our son and daughter in-law in Skagway Alaska that I would like to share with you.
Believe me, it was all a wonderful trip of R&R.
 
 
After spending a night in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon,  the first stop of our Yukon Travels was Emerald Lake.
 
Emerald Lake is located not far from Carcross Yukon and south of Whitehorse.
I'm sure you can see why it was named after the beautiful green stone!
It's colour is actually derived from light reflecting off of white deposits of clay and calcium carbonate that lay at the bottom of it's shallow waters.
The calcium carbonate in the water comes from the limestone gravel that has eroded off of the nearby mountains.
 
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but there are mountains and lakes everywhere in the Yukon!
 
When Tim and I lived in this area we would drive past Emerald Lake at least once a week to go to Whitehorse to do our banking and shopping.
 
It was such fun visiting our old stomping grounds again....
 
Now please stay tuned though because I'm just getting started!
Tomorrow  I'll be back to share more Yukon travels.
 
Here's a hint: What is small and sandy, yet humid?
 
BTW, the white marbling of the water is from the ice atop the water.
 It is only partially thawed in this photo.
It will be completely green once the ice has melted.
 
 


Monday 12 May 2014

Time For A Break

 

Hello Friends!
After working 18 days straight I've found I'm exhausted and need to take a break.
Tim and I are driving down to Skagway to visit our son and his wife for a few day.
I'm sure I'll be refreshed and have many photos to share after a few days of R&R!
Until then.....
Kimberly


Thursday 8 May 2014

Yukon Moutain View

 
 
Today I'm sharing a Yukon Mountain view.
This is were Tim and I go to park each day to have our devotions.
 
 
If you live where you are working as we do, you need a quiet place to escape!
 
 
 
Even though we have had beautiful weather here, in the 60's and sunny most days, you can see that we still don't have a lot of green peeking through the ground yet.
I have noticed several birds have began to return though.
 
 
Now on a sunny note, here is my latest brag post!
This is our youngest grandson Brigam as he is learning to walk.
I notice my son planted a little bribe incentive for Brigs efforts.
I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 



Wednesday 7 May 2014

A Converted Barn

 
I wanted to share this beautiful  barn conversion with you.
I subscribe to Small House Swoon and receive via e-mail featured small homes.
 
 
This home belongs to Kevin and Nadia.
It is situated on 100 acres in Vermont.
 
 
This is their beautiful, rustic kitchen.
 
 
Okay, the home is gorgeous, but this is the kicker for me!
It appears that you are living above the mountains and the clouds.
So dreamy......
 I could wake up to this view every morning.
How about you?
 
I am wondering how that road might be in the snowy Winter.
Yikes!
 
All photos are by Nadia Dole.

 
 


 
 


Tuesday 6 May 2014

A Cottage Bedroom Reveal

~~~Hello Friends~~~
Do you by chance remember my bedroom re-do I was working on many months ago?
 
To be exact it was November 22nd that I gave you a sneak peak here.
 
 
 
 
The Master Bedroom re-decorating is finished.
(Was a long time ago....)
I'd like to share what I've done with you......
I hope you agree it's better late than never.
 




 




 

 

 



I had many other good photos but realised that they are lost. I'm wondering if this didn't happen when my laptop was in the shop all those months last Fall!


Here is the before photo from the previous owner's listing.
I am joining the party at:

Share Your Cup Thursday
*********************************************************
 
Happy Birthday to our youngest son, Elijah!
We can't wait to see you soon.
 
 

 
 


Monday 5 May 2014

The Facts of Life

  The Facts of Life According to Kimberly

This is an old post from the early months of my blogging.
I thought it might be fun to replay again....

 
 
You must know ladies that it all starts out pretty innocently!
It's just that innate curiosity that begins when we are little
to understand the differences between boys and girls, right?
 


Then before you know it, there we are stealing kisses at school.
He was just so cute, and such a gentleman, I had to let him.
"I sure hope the teacher doesn't tell my Mother!"
 
 
As we grew older, we attended the school dances together.
Oh, how exciting and fun it was to kick up our heels together!
However, I had to sneak out for these because the Baptist didn't
believe in dancing. Please don't tell anyone!!
 
 
Then I converted to Methodism and we sang in the church choir
together.
 
 
Next came the marriage proposal. Did I ever tell you my husband
is an accordion player? No, well he is. So instead of the typical
down on your knees proposal, I was proposed to by song!
How romantic it all was!
 
 
Now I don't want you to think it happened right away, but as in all marriages,
a few years down the road we had a fight. Yes, a screaming, hollering, "I'm
not speaking to you" kind of fight!
I don't think you even have to ask why, do you? You can see how shabby
my dress has become. I wanted a new dress, and I wanted it now.
 
 
He agreed, of course, that a new dress was in order. But we
both knew we needed to get on our knees and ask forgiveness
before all would really be right in our hearts again.
 

The years have come and gone. We have settled into a sort of comfy coziness together.
We enjoy watching the g'children grow, sharing our books together, laughing at our own
silly jokes; in general, growing old together.
 

                                 Ah oh! Well we all know life is just full of surprises!
Kimberly

*All shakers are for sale on Etsy*

I'm partying today with:
Cowgirl Up! at The Farmhouse Porch