Somewhere someone is playing football (soccer) or American baseball. The sun is shining there, encouraging the locals to leave their winter coats hanging up in the front closet. No sun shines on Southeast Alaska today. Large chunks of snow fall from the ski only to melt when striking our roads or trails. That’s how it’s been for much of the winter. None of this discourages our poodle-mix, Aki, who squirms and even screams while standing at our front door.

            We head out to North Douglas Island to use a very icy trail that leads through an old growth spruce forest to a crisp beach. Aki would love to fly down the trail but decides, instead, to wait for me to as I take photos or search for noisy birds. She wants to set a quick trot down the beach but stops to let me appreciate the sudden appearance of our nearby glacial mountains. Yesterday she refused to go on a proper walk. Maybe, today, she is trying to make amends.