Here’s a selection of snapshots from my visit to my sister’s place near Fairbanks in Alaska. It’s a very different world than Kansas. As usual, click on the pictures to see them larger and with better color.
There are probably more trees in my sister’s yard than there are in the entire neighborhood where I live. These are mostly white spruce, black spruce, paper birch and quaking aspen.
Blue iris was everywhere.
When the buds at the top of the fireweed stem finally open, the first snow is six weeks away.
Although I did see a few short forests, I didn’t spot any toads.
Outside the cities, roads in Alaska are seldom flat, due to frost heaving. Travel is often like riding a roller coaster.
A few more plants at the Georgeson Botanical Garden.
There is an air force base nearby. Jets frequently flew quite low and loud over my sister’s place.
I was told before I set out north that the mosquitoes in Alaska were monstrous. In fact, in the Fairbanks area they were no worse than they are in Kansas.1 Once you’re away from civilization, though, they are ferocious.
The highs in Alaska during summer are lower than the lows in Kansas. Even though it never got dark, it was easier to sleep there than in hot, humid Kansas.
