This is Aki’s second walk of the day. She is considerate enough to act excited when we enter the Treadwell ruins. But I have to stop often for her to catch up. She may be tired, or just really really interested in all the trail smells.

(Aki’s only burst of speed)

The local running group is staging a race through the ruins this afternoon. I’d like to be on the beach before they charge through the forest. Aki is not interested in working with me on this. Just before the race starts, the little dog drops finally agrees to drop down onto Sandy Beach where she resumes her idle ways.

Another high tide has reduced the normally broad beach to a sliver of itself. Resident ravens fly over us but the two eagles that usually perch on the old ventilation shaft are gone. After the ravens leave we have the place to ourselves. As if orchestrated by a house manager, a shaft of sunlight hits the ventilator shaft, giving it crisp lines. Then the light moves on, striking random portions of the mountain ridge across Gastineau Channel.

Wanting to adopt Aki’s lazy approach to the walk, I doddle in hopes that the lighting engineer will highlight a copse of balsam poplar trees that are in high fall color. But she keeps the spot on the flank of Sheep Mountain so I have to be content with the smaller beauty brought by reflected light.