"We spill over into the world and the world spills over into us. The earth, that first among good mothers, gives us the gift that we cannot provide ourselves.'Thanks,' I whispered, 'for all of this.'" ~ Robin Wall Kimmerer
Summer may not be officially over according to the Gregorian calendar, but it sure is starting to feel like it here in Alaska. With the tourist season coming to an end, the dropping temperatures, fading colors, and overall easing of sensory overload, I can once again reflect and slow down more easily and naturally.
After my first trip to Alaska in the summer of 2013, the thing that struck me the most was the sheer size of Mother Earth's creation in comparison to wo/man's. The land's infinite power and beauty are inescapable in Alaska, that one can't help but get out of their own head and stand awe-struck in gratitude.
And as far as I can tell after 11 months here, summer is Alaska's biggest show. Life is at its most extroverted self. The snow melts as the rivers get deeper, wider and faster. Mother Earth nourishes an ever expanding array of plants, animals, and insects. The mountains sing in bright shades of lupine, paintbrush, columbine, and daisies, uplifting birdsong, expectant bear encounters, and excited human exploration.
It is a time when Mother Earth's wonders come out in full view, showing off in so many ways that it's hard for human beings to keep up or not feel overwhelmed. The best way to absorb everything was to simply accept the sensory overload, let it wash over you and become a reverent witness.
It is a time when Mother Earth's wonders come out in full view, showing off in so many ways that it's hard for human beings to keep up or not feel overwhelmed. The best way to absorb everything was to simply accept the sensory overload, let it wash over you and become a reverent witness.
Here are some of Alaska's summer wonders that my partner and I are grateful to have enjoyed, although there were many others that we didn't capture in photos:
a bittersweet symphony
'it's a berry world'
oh, Alaska
the salmon run
the perfect place to rest
an exercise in reciprocity
sun-struck serenades
village life
time for fishing
peaks like these
wild bonsai
delicate symmetry
bikes and beaches
family walks
Seward in July
wild woman in training
tandem bike rides among mountains
falling in love
kayaking on Resurrection Bay
ice field dreams
endless vistas
secret doorways
whale wonders
where the wind blows
And then August rains come rolling in, as the salmon spawn and life starts to close in on itself.
life, death, life
Happy summer reflections!
~Modern Akhmatova
