Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Fall in the Air

I just came in from the pre-bedtime Chico walk and you feel that nip in the air . . . the salmonberries are gone by and there is only another week or two of good blueberry picking . . . the pink salmon have spawned out and died so that dog walk along the river smells like every salmon stream does this time of year - not nasty especially, just that earthy, loamy smell. The silver salmon are entering the streams now - much smaller number than the pinks but more flash and splash. The eagles are mostly somewhere else this time of year, off on eagle business, no doubt exploiting a phase of the island ecosystem I haven't seen yet. When my sister was visiting the herring were running so it was a time of whales and porpoises and seals aplenty, fattening up. Every time of year has its moods and smells and sounds, a book waiting to be read everytime you walk out the door. I love all the seasons out here - summers with all the impossibly lush greenery and winters with all the violence the Bering Sea can bring to bear on a treeless rock. Life is good . . . .

6 comments:

Lori said...

OK, I've just got to ask - what are salmonberries? Thanks for the pic and post - wish I could smell the fall coming....not quite yet here in FL!

Bren said...

It seems with my short week visit, you can not really qualify your island in seasons. Each bay has it's own ecosystem, each day different adventure, a different group of animal or flower passing through a phase with such speed that to not get our to enjoy it would mean missing all of spring. Quite beautiful and awe inspiring.
love ya

Alaska Steve said...

Lori, salmonberries are sort of like rasberries, very similar but with a little different flavor.

Sis, great post, I loved how you embraced every day out here with a great attitude - lova ya - little bro

Anonymous said...

I've been following your blog for awhile and finally saw you in person. On Wednesday, my husband and I were walking down Ballyhoo and saw you heading up on your bike. Thanks for the excellent writing/photos of Dutch and Unalaska.

Alaska Steve said...

Megan - ahhhhh, fellow berry pickers, looks like you had pails with you! I was on my way up the hill to meet Goldfish and Chico - she gets out of work earlier and always gets a head start on me. I hope you and your husband enjoy the island like I do, stop me and say hi next time, okay?

Anonymous said...

Yep, we picked some berries, but hubby Brandon ate most of them before we got home. We do enjoy the island...Brandon dives all year round. I didn't stop you because I didn't recognize you at first...I just had a twinge of memory saying I knew you then put it together a minute later.