Whether sifting through sand, or scrambling over a rocky shore, it's about finding treasures in every day. 

Sunshine in the Rain

This place runs on rain.

 We live surrounded by a thousand shades of green, and also covered for long stretches of time by heavy overcast. This morning dawned soft and gray with gentle misting rain. Mist pulls itself out of the mountainside trees, lifting into the clouds, only to drizzle down and again replenish this temperate rainforest.

The weather is back to what we in Southeast Alaska call “normal” after weeks of amazing sunshine. We need the rain, though. Moss in the muskeg had become crispy. Fish tried to find deep pools in dwindling streams. Reservoirs for hydroelectric power plants had become low enough to require supplemental diesel power generation. Everybody needs the water.

With an annual average of only ninety sunny days, we have a shortage-enhanced appreciation of sunshine. Wildflowers do too, and they pushed hard in the recent good weather to beautify our world...and to make more wildflowers of course.

So, for all of you Southeast Alaskans, here are some in-your-face flowers to brighten up your day. For all of you around the world who check in on this website, enjoy seeing some of our springtime wildflowers!

Alaska Violet (Viola langsdorfii)

Yellow Lady Slipper Orchid

Bog Laurel (Kalmia microphylla)

Deer cabbage (Fauria crista-galli)

Skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanum)

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

Buttercups...yes, they're everywhere.

Shooting stars

Another variety of shooting stars.

More bog laurel. The buds are so cool that I had to throw this one in.

Yellow marsh marigold (Caltha palustris ssp. asarifolia)

Yellow pond lily (Nuphar polysepalum)

Chocolate Lily (Frittillaria camschatcensis)

Click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Blueberry blossoms

Thimbleberry blossom (Rubus parviflorus)

Lady slipper orchid. Prince of Wales Island is the only place that I have found lady slipper orchids here in Southeast Alaska.

Columbine bud

Wild red columbine (Aquilegia formosa)

Dandelion seed puff.

Grins,

Alaska Beachcomber

Other nice coffee break posts:

More photo postcards of Southeast Alaska:

...and you might like this one: She's 112 Years Old