flyout

After the blur of Fall, I was able to get out of the village for a few days.

I left just as the sun was beginning to peak over the hills.

I was reminded of the many, many waterways crisscrossing the area.

As we reached a neighboring village, for more passengers, the sun was up.

At the local hub we boarded this twin prop and headed for Anchorage.

The next morning snow-laden trees and my dear Stacy Lane made for one sweet morning welcome.  I am so grateful she collected me from the airport.  It was so special to spend the drive together.

A sweet lunch date with Katherine and Max, coffee with Kelli, chatting with Grandma and Grandpa, non-stop party with Zachary, dinner and quilt talk with Jude [no photo, unfortunately], an entire day with Mom to myself, visiting with Eli & Sue, and actual green food with Ashley made for some amazing afternoons.  I am so lucky to have so many great people in my life.  

This scene of the garden glowing in the garage apartment lights always reminds me of a woodblock print Grandma Lillian had.  It is night scene of snowfall in Kyoto and has always lingered in my mind since I first saw it in her attic years ago.

Once all the family arrived, the baking began.  Dad's iced ginger cookies are a holiday staple and a must-have.  He bakes dozens just because he know how much everyone loves them.  He's such a gem.

The brothers all pitched in for the icing.

Following tradition, it was full crew at the I'm Thankful Four.  I am so very thankful for such a great family and to have gotten to see them all.

After the feast, Comino cousins played their repertoire on the piano for the family.

Laura, Sam and I, always a pleasure with these two.

In no time at all I was back preparing to fly before sunrise.  Little did I know just how much more flying I would have to go.

Constant mountains in the distance is one of my favorite things about Anchorage.

I had a great view of the flight crew during the flight to Aniak.

Those mountains.

I was lucky enough to have a great tour of Aniak during my layover and a wonderful visit with Heather.  She moved to Aniak at the beginning of October and is really enjoying her surroundings.  She said standing in the above spot one day she nearly was run-down by a moose because it is their usual thoroughfare.  Fortunately, a little girl pulled her aside just in time. 

I fell asleep on our way flight to Bethel, a woke up to wonder why we were still in the air.

It is only a twenty-five minute flight.  As I felt the whole plane turn around I knew something was up.  We circled for about twenty minutes before turning back to Aniak.  Visibility was too low due to fog that no planes were getting in or out.  

Back in Aniak we were all ushered back into the airport and after about fifteen minutes were back on the plane and headed to Bethel once again.  By some miracle we were able to make it in that night, one plane had to fly back to Anchorage.  After a days worth of delays my flight back to Marshall was cancelled.  I got on the list for the next flight and began making calls.  I had heard word of a good place to stay when stuck in Bethel, they were full so I asked for a recommendation.

As fate would have it the woman, a teacher, who ran the bed and breakfast was not only as nice as can be but from Elkhart, Indiana.  To add just one more insane coincidence, the other teacher that was staying that night was also from Elkhart.  We all went to neighboring high schools and graduated within a few years of one another.  We joked that the Indiana teacher shortage was due to all of us moving to Alaska.

Once again the sun was just peaking over the mountains as we neared the Marshall airport.  Full circle.