When the sun finally comes out again

There are some legitimate reasons for my lack of posts lately. Besides the fact that I was trying desperately to prepare for my big exam, the weather has been--to put it mildly--uninspiring. The sun came out briefly on Wednesday, four days ago, for the first time in about two weeks, and it didn't stay for long. So when the sun came up today--that was around 9:15 this morning--and revealed relatively clear skies, we knew we had to get out for a bit.

It felt luxurious to go on a hike without rain gear on. 

 

Anywhere you go on a hike, there are bunkers. Always bunkers.

Our walking destination was, as usual, a beach. 

While T and Rainbow were busy playing tag with the waves, I noticed something tiny and pure white hop-running from the beach to beneath a tree. My brain simply couldn't process what my eyes had just seen--until I noticed a little white head peaking curiously at me from under the tree. An ermine! What a delightful and unexpected wildlife sighting.

We needed a day like this. Kodiak is still beautiful, but I'm not yet used to so much rain. Additionally, we're losing about five minutes of daylight each day now, and the upcoming holiday of Thanksgiving, while a lovely holiday, is also a time to reflect on the distance between us and many family members and friends. 

Walking on a trail we'd never taken before, and seeing a little creature I didn't expect to see, helped me remember why we're here, and that even though the town of Kodiak is small, there will always be new things to see on the island. I just have to get out there and look for them.