The Park By Safeway

When I first the saw the job that I now have (advertised back in September), I did some preliminary research and quickly discovered that two senior managers for the same employer were also from Tennessee.

I sent them both emails asking about Juneau, about the company, about the people.

One sent me a very friendly and encouraging email. 

And one, who was in the hospital at the time down in Seattle, exchanged a good number of emails with me, and spoke glowingly about all the things I questioned.

Yesterday LC and I attended his going-away party. 

He has secured a wonderful position in West Virginia and he and his wife will be catching the ferry at 2am tomorrow morning, heading to Prince Rupert before driving the rest of the way across country to start their new life.

For all of the benefits that there were of living in Juneau Alaska, ultimately a better job and closer proximity to family were stronger draws for this couple after being here for less than two years.

They were good and decent people, I wish them well, and I will miss them........

It has been raining for about three weeks now and temperatures have ranged from the low-40's to around 50 degrees.

Although it would be very nice to see the sun and some blue sky, ultimately the weather does not bother me.

It does bother my Mountain Boy more though, and for his sake I wish that it would stop raining.

But this is fall in Juneau, and fall in Juneau is all about rain............

This week, aside from a running theme of rain and a running color of grey, was filled with nothing exciting.  Meetings and more meetings. 

Still catching up on work that should have been done months ago. 

Still trying to get into some kind of rhythm with my life when everything about it feels so off-balance right now.

There were brief occasions throughout the week when the rain took a short break, and these random pictures were taken during those times...........

This moose is stencilled on the outside of the Moose Lodge building located in the Valley.

I stopped there one day last week to ask about the place, what kinds of events it held, membership fees etc.

Not certain if it is a place for us...........

The only wind turbine in Juneau - located at the Coast Guard offices close to downtown...........

There is no snow down at sea level yet, and I guess it will be another short while before we see snow up close and personal and close to home.

I play various games in my travels around the area.

Every day when I drive back and forth to work, I look out over the channel that is visible from the overlooks on the way to Auke Bay, curious what the water is doing, what the cloud and fog banks look like, and curious to see if the mountains are "out" that day. 

I am always sure to catch a glimpse of Statter boat harbor in Auke Bay - curious to see if there are any "super yachts" or huge sail boats in, how busy the harbor is, if the whale watching boats are loading......

I always check to see if the lake is quiet and still at Auke Lake, because when it is the mountains behind it reflect back perfectly into the lake.

I always check the park close to the Safeway grocery store (that one with the very native Alaskan, long and unpronouncable name) to see if the Mendenhall Glacier is visible.

I always check out the Wetlands and always the mountains over on Douglas.

This past summer I was always curious to see how many cruiseships were in port.

And at this time of year I am constantly watching the mountain tops to see what new snow has fallen up there.

Every day there is new snow fall...........

This picture was taken through the window of the downtown public library as I was making my way to a late-day meeting there.

Office buildings in the background. 

The big blue building in the center of the picture is The Wharf - a commercial place that is popular with both tourists and locals.  It contains primarily art and craft stores and restaurants (The Hangar is a local favorite)

The pointed roof in front of the blue building is a large shelter located at Marine Park, which I have written about extensively over the past months. 

I spent a lot of time there this past summer reading, eating, visiting, listening to music, people watching, and enjoying the boats-ships-float-planes-vendors-flowers and more.

The long stretch along the water is both a paved walk-way and boardwalk.

Douglas mountains to the left.  Juneau mountains to the right.

The tourists are gone now, the city has returned ownership of the town to its citizens, and the city in return is continuing to slow down, shut down, and begin its own winter hibernation........

By the time my meeting at the library was done it was dark outside, and I took this picture at the round-about on the way back to my car.........

I snapped this colorful and whimsical weather vane on a short walk the other day.

It is located in the yard of a small home on a very crowded residential street downtown.

The kind of home that has 3 feet of yard in front and 3 feet of yard in back, and that is completely surrounded by a 10 foot high privacy fence.

The kind of home that I could not imagine that anyone would ever want to actually live in and call home.

The kind of home that many people in Juneau (particuarly young working families and young urban professionals) do indeed not only live in, but seem to greatly enjoy living in.........

I stopped on the way home from work one day in the middle of the week, because for the first time in a long time the sun actually came out for a few minutes.

I was at the park by Safeway, turned and snapped this picture directly into the sun.

I think this picture is beautiful.

My Mountain Boy thinks this picture is dark, cold and ominous.............

These pictures were taken at the same place as the one above, and also taken at the same time (just facing with the sun to my back), and so they are not as dark.  And OK........not as cold and ominous.........

Fall in Juneau is a world of yellow, brown and green.

It looks so different from the beautiful multi-colors of Tennesse, and at first I was disappointed.

But as I have become accustomed to the yellows and browns and greens, I have begun to find it quietly lovely........

There are no more tourist buses in the parking lot...........

Yes......this is the name of the park.

And that is why I have unofficially christened it "The Park By Safeway"...........

Behind City Hall there is a narrow lane that leads to a very popular place with the downtown business crowd called Heritage Coffee Shop.

Along that lane is one lone plantar box that seems so out of place among the greys and browns and yellows that now dominate Juneau.

I have no idea what this plant is, but niether the overnight cold nor the daily chill and drizzle seem to hamper its growth.

It is beautiful, out of place, and an unexpected sign of continued growth and life.

I don't know how long this plant will hold its own in this little window plantar box, but right now the sight of it pleases me............