Yesterday was my last big adventure here in Alaska. And it was absolutely an adventure. The weather has changed dramatically in the short time I've gotten to spend here and after record breaking sunny days, the rainy season has found its way home. Apparently some summers here are days and days of incessant, non-thunderstorm rain. I was blessed to experience one of the most gorgeous Alaskan summers to date this year, with a record breaking stretch of sunny days and temperatures above 70 degrees. So, when the rain settled in this week, I didn't feel cheated at all. It is actually kind of enchanting to me. I've been in love with the clouds in this place since first arriving - they seem to sit teasingly, low as if we're somehow closer to the top of the world and maybe even Heaven. And when the rain comes, it casts wisps of misty clouds across the mountains and turns the world around us into a dreamlike wonderland. And thus was the setting of yesterday's adventure.
Imagine the land you dreamed up in any fantasy book you've ever read or in any Lord of the Rings type movie you've seen, and then place youreself in that world complete with the fuzzy borders that TV shows use when taking us inside someone's dream. That's what I felt was happening to me yesterday. The fuzzy borders were present as the misty clouds surrounding us. And it felt like they were the borders to this dream we'd been dropped into. The feeling was inhanced by the complete stillness around us. I was with two dear friends, the hike was 11 miles roundtrip, and for the first five miles, the only other sign of movement was in an occasional bird flying away after an ominous howl. The breeze was so subtle I'm not even sure it was there. Instead we had the steady companionionship of a light rain. The rain painted the grass and wildflowers aronnd us with a hint of sparkle so that their colors seemed to radiate with an unearthly glow. It was stunning. We walked through a gorgeous mountain valley, crossed a field of slippery boulders and ended up standing in an impossiblely perfect scene of two lakes - one with a greenish glow from the moutains surrounding it and the other a distinctly clear and reflective glacier lake.
And the most magical part? On the return trip, while discussing the magical nature of everything we'd seen, we decided the only thing missing was a rainbow. We turned the next corner and found the missing piece - a glorious, vibrant, shining rainbow. Low set and perfect in its colors. So low I felt like I could touch it. So distinct we could trace its source to the lake beside it. So perfect in color and timing and position its only source could have been our loving Heavenly Father. More than any place I've ever been, I've been in constant awe of the beauty of His ceation while here. And yesterday added a whole new dimension of awe for me. Without any other living soul around us, there's no question that rainbow was a gift just for us. From a loving Heavenly Father who knows and loves us perfectly and deserves more gratitude and love in return from us than I feel even partially capable of giving. I feel beyond blessed to be a daughter of this glorious creation!
Yesterday was my last big adventure here in Alaska. And it was absolutely an adventure. The weather has changed dramatically in the short time I've gotten to spend here and after record breaking sunny days, the rainy season has found its way home. Apparently some summers here are days and days of incessant, non-thunderstorm rain. I was blessed to experience one of the most gorgeous Alaskan summers to date this year, with a record breaking stretch of sunny days and temperatures above 70 degrees. So, when the rain settled in this week, I didn't feel cheated at all. It is actually kind of enchanting to me. I've been in love with the clouds in this place since first arriving - they seem to sit teasingly, low as if we're somehow closer to the top of the world and maybe even Heaven. And when the rain comes, it casts wisps of misty clouds across the mountains and turns the world around us into a dreamlike wonderland. And thus was the setting of yesterday's adventure.
Imagine the land you dreamed up in any fantasy book you've ever read or in any Lord of the Rings type movie you've seen, and then place youreself in that world complete with the fuzzy borders that TV shows use when taking us inside someone's dream. That's what I felt was happening to me yesterday. The fuzzy borders were present as the misty clouds surrounding us. And it felt like they were the borders to this dream we'd been dropped into. The feeling was inhanced by the complete stillness around us. I was with two dear friends, the hike was 11 miles roundtrip, and for the first five miles, the only other sign of movement was in an occasional bird flying away after an ominous howl. The breeze was so subtle I'm not even sure it was there. Instead we had the steady companionionship of a light rain. The rain painted the grass and wildflowers aronnd us with a hint of sparkle so that their colors seemed to radiate with an unearthly glow. It was stunning. We walked through a gorgeous mountain valley, crossed a field of slippery boulders and ended up standing in an impossiblely perfect scene of two lakes - one with a greenish glow from the moutains surrounding it and the other a distinctly clear and reflective glacier lake. 
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