Talkeetna, Alaska

The day we visited Talkeetna,  Tonya first wanted to show us one of their favorite camping spots.  To get there, we had to take our favorite kind of road...no lines.  And look where it ends!



Tonya got some alone time with Uncle Butch (Boone) and her Dad.




One more detour before heading to Talkeetna...we had to see Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, the highest mountain peak in North America at 20,310 feet above sea level. The upper half of Denali is permanently covered with snow.  It has its own weather system and more tourists than not never get a glimpse of it as it is so often cloud covered.  We were blessed to get a glimpse of part of Denali.

Denali is that very bright white thing at the edge of the clouds.





NEXT STOP: TALKEETNA, population about 876. The town is only a few blocks long so exploring the shops and restaurants is very doable.




There is lots to explore here, but we had to eat first.  The food is delicious at Mountain High Pizza Pie.  There weather was perfect for outdoor seating.



Everything in Talkeetna is old.  The Fairview Inn is a lot of fun to explore.

You must visit Aurora Dora's Gallery.  Dora Miller is fun to talk to and knows all there is to know about what it takes to get photos of the Aurora Borealis.  I bought this photo printed on metal.

After a very fun day, we back home with Tonya and John for a fabulous dinner on their back deck.


I have had some mighty good food in my day, but this dinner was well at the top.  Thanks to Tonya's daughter for making her grandmother's recipe for lasagna.

….and a wine named after me!  Hello!!!  To top it all off, this was a late night dinner...the photo below was taken at 12:30 AM!  That's summer time in Alaska for ya.


This is what it looked like every night all night...except for a little over an hour, which we never witnessed.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY DRIVE

I never tire of the Shenandoah Valley where I am so fortunate to live.  I never tire of the drives I take with Boone on the many county roads moments outside my door.  We often laugh that it seems it is the first time we have driven these roads no matter how many times we drive them.  The scenes Mother Nature offers are always beautiful, always changing. Today farmers were busy with modern day equipment doing what they do this time of year as fall and winter approach.

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

When the drive is over, there is home.  Luckily, home is another piece of heaven in the Shenandoah Valley.  Lucky me.  This is how I end so many days...sitting in the front yard. I never get enough of this.

Dolly appreciates this as much as we do.