Perfect

My Mountain Boy at Lena Beach.....

LC called me this afternoon and asked me if I wanted to go to the beach and bar-b-que up some hot dogs after work.

It has rained hard for the past day and a half, and although it had finally stopped by this afternoon the weather still looked unsettled and the sky still threatened more rain. 

It was 53 degrees and cloudy - perfect bar-b-que weather at the beach on July 1 in Alaska. 

Knowing that more than likely we would have the beach to ourselves I eagerly accepted the invitation.......

When we arrived at Lena Beach we found what we hoped we would find on this cold afternoon. 

With the exception of this one female kayaker no-one was there. 

The three of us - me, my Mountain Boy, and "James the Dog" found a picnic shelter, table and view of the quiet cove with the quiet sky and the quiet water.  Perfect.....

If the water is calm one day this long weekend I want to take my kayak out......

We kept dinner simple - hot dogs, canned chilli, cans of diet coke and oatmeal cookies.

He cooked.  I took pictures.  Jamie wandered and eagerly paid attention to the progress of dinner.  We laughed and joked and talked.  Perfect......

I have spent so much time alone since I arrived in Juneau almost six months ago, that I still find it strange to be with someone else at all the places that I visited so often. 

Alone in thoughts.  Alone to walk.  Alone to ride my bike.  Alone taking pictures.  Alone coming home.  Alone some more in thoughts.

And now I am visiting these places with my non-stop babbling and joking guy and my energetic curious dog.  Perfect...... 

The tide was in.  The fish were jumping.  The ferries were passing each other off in the distance.  I could see and hear many eagles in the trees.  The water in this cove is almost always calm and clear, and today was no exception.  The wildflowers were visible everywhere.  There were multiple ripe salmonberries in bushes close to our picnic shelter, as well as across the gravel road and into the woods, and so we picked and ate salmonberries while waiting for the coals to heat up, and then for the hotdogs and chilli to heat.  Perfect.....

I take pictures of so many things......and then forgot to take pictures of chilli dogs.  Next time.......

I am very glad my Mountain Boy invited me for dinner.

My Tennessee friends would laugh.  53 degrees on July 1.  We were at the beach wearing two layers of clothing and a jacket.  Summer in Alaska.  Maybe it will get warm again before "summer" ends.  Maybe it won't

It was quiet and beautiful and nice.  I was with my Mountain Boy and my dog.  Perfect.......

We are going to visit Haines sometime later this month.  To see a new part of Alaska together.