I love this time of year. Everything about it. The crisp, clear mornings. The crackly leaves. The bright colors everywhere - in the trees, the last of the summer flowers, apples and pumpkins and gourds. Oh my. I love the onset of the Holiday season. The calm before the storm so to speak. The first few weeks of October are stress-free, blissfully so, and the future lies open and wide in front of me. Well, for the next seven months anyway. But for those seven months, I can do pretty much anything I want. And believe me, I want. My list is long and I can't wait to dive in.
September 23 was the last say of our 2011 tourist season and this is what greeted me as I drove up the pass to our Fraser depot:Can you believe this? I think it's so exciting! Granted, it was gone in a few hours, but for that brief morning, the summit was white. The tourists eat this stuff up. They love it when it snows. I mean, come on, who doesn't come to Alaska and expect to see snow and igloos? Well, contrary to popular belief, we don't live in igloos, but we can definitely do snow.
And while we're on the subject of tourists....I know I often refer to the tourist season as hectic and chaotic. It is. But please know that I'm not saying that with disdain. Any time four cruise ships unload 12,000 people in an area as small as Skagway, it's bound to get hectic. And chaotic. But it's the good kind. Like the crowds at Disneyland. Well, I think the crowds at Disneyland are fun; most probably don't. But I just wanted to clarify to anyone who's been here or to anyone who is coming here, that I love the visitors we get all summer. Sure, it's a wild ride, but I enjoy every minute of it. I am very fortunate to experience this every summer, to meet people from all over the globe. I have no complaints.
This afternoon I was perusing some quilty sites and decorating blogs and found this little pumpkin trio on Crafty Vegas Mom's blog.
I love this! How cute is that? Now, we don't have house numbers here in Skagway, but for this, I'll make some up. Hah. I have this old wooden chair that I bought at a garage sale this summer for a buck. Keith's eyes popped out of his head at the thought of me paying ANY amount of money for it, and he stared at me in disbelief (or was it disgust?) as I struggled to shove it in the backseat of the car. (Note to self: Acuras were never meant to HAUL things. Well, for that matter, I'm pretty sure they were never meant to live in Alaska either.) Back to my abandoned old chair. I was thinking of painting it red and sitting it out on my back porch with a summer quilt folded over the back. But now, I'm totally painting it black and sitting some fat pumpkins on it with my made-up house numbers. Or maybe I'll skip the numbers and spell out B-O-O. Oh yes, let's.
You will never find pumpkins that pretty at the Fairway. Nice pictures btw.
Posted by: Erin (your Skagway friend) | 10/02/2011 at 08:50 PM
Yes, what a marvelous idea! And since you're painting B-O-O on them, they don't have to be perfectly shaped pumpkins - odd shapes might be more fun. You'll have to post a photo of them...
Posted by: Donna | 10/03/2011 at 05:50 AM
I look forward to seeing your "Boo" idea come to life.
Posted by: Robin Booth | 10/03/2011 at 11:20 AM
Your autumn color pictures are BEAUTIFUL!!!
Maybe an order of pumpkins from Costco is in your future! I like your idea...I'll be looking forward to a picture posted on your blog.
Love and hugs from Sitka...jane
Posted by: Jane Seesz | 10/03/2011 at 01:36 PM
BOO would be great! Please share a picture when you're done. Snow??? Here in Florida that is just hard to imagine......but I wish I could see it.
Posted by: Michele | 10/05/2011 at 03:03 PM
Fall - oh, how lovely! Especially because it means you come to visit!!!! I love your pics and want to do that pumpkin house number for Oct and Nov...come for Thanksgiving...miss you!
Posted by: Chamaine | 10/06/2011 at 01:34 PM