High Time for a Stroll

I didn't know how much I needed a walk in the woods until I was immersed in the crisp, wintry air, peering up at the slits of blue sky through mossy, towering Sitka spruce trees.  Let's just say I was starting to grow roots out of my ass.  And they were attached to the couch.

It's not as easy to motivate for hikes when the temperatures dip below 35 or so.  At least in my case.

But, I managed to peel myself from the cozy confines of my living room and get out with the hubby and pooch to take a walk.  It was a little chilly, but once we got moving it wasn't uncomfortable.

Lake Gertrude

It was exactly what I needed!  A couple of long deep breaths of that brisk, clear air is nothing but invigorating.  My day was just about made when we came upon this magnificence hanging out in Lake Gertrude:

If you look closely, you can see that there's a noticeable amount of blood on his right talon.  I prefer to think that he just finished a tasty snack and didn't wipe his claws, but the reality is that he was probably injured.

We saw him at the beginning of our hike, and when we looped back around about an hour and half or so later, he was still there.  Bald Eagles tend to hang out for a while once they land, but an hour and half is a little out of the ordinary for any bird to stay in one spot.  Hopefully his injury wasn't too debilitating or life-threatening.

It really did make my day to get some pictures of him.  I love that when I zoom in with my camera, it's like I'm sitting on the branch right next to him.  They're so damn regal looking.

Cheety had a good old time rampaging around, too.  I think he likes napping and hiking equally.  Not unlike his owner.

So, I guess my goal for this last Alaskan winter will be to get myself outside and hiking on the weekends more often than I find myself growing roots into the couch.  We all need goals, right?

Ta-ta for now.

His highness at his post on the couch.  I think I see a nap coming on.