Great Land of Alaska

Nootka Lupines are found in dry slopes and fields of the Southeast, Southcentral, and Aleutian Chain. This member of the pea and bean family is commonly seen along the sides of many highways and roads in these areas. This plant, especially its seeds, is very poisonous.

Of all the large wildlife living in Alaska, the moose is the one you're most likely to see, especially in and around Anchorage since it's been estimated that there's approximately 1,000 moose living in the Anchorage bowl. Most other highly populated communities along the highway system commonly have moose wandering in and through town. These moose are used to the noise of people, dogs, and cars compared to moose in more sparsely populated areas.

This little guy showed up at work one day. He flew into the window and his beak became wedged in the screen. After my co-worker and I freed him from the screen, he sat stunned in my hand for a few minutes until I placed him on the ground among the trees and he flew off.

Weed Lake is one of the many small lakes dotting the flat areas of the Kenai Peninsula.

This small, probably unnamed pond is one of the many along the Swanson River Road.

The Swanson River is a small salmon stream flowing across the western edge of the Kenai Peninsula.

One of the new sites I saw on my most recent San Francisco trip was Alcatraz island viewed from within rather than from the distance.

A nice nighttime view of San Francisco from the top of Twin Peaks.

A small waterfall and pond in Golden Gate Park.

Downtown San Francisco cityscape as seen from a boat in the bay.

Nice view of the bay and nice houses at Land's End in northwestern San Francisco.

The rocky shoreline of China Beach in northwestern San Francisco.