Hijack Your Whole Shopping Mall

These red leaves make me feel like shit.

But this tree makes me feel alright.

These were so pretty, they looked fake.

Grandpa and Kiernan on a fair ride.

Constantly making faces.

I thought this was a pretty good action shot of the central hub of the fair.

Pioneer Peak overlooking the fair parking lot.

Today was the last day of the fair and we went again with the kids and had a pretty good time. The sun was hot and the sky stayed clear most of the day so that thousands packed the fair grounds. It was pretty okay. We ate hot dogs and burritos and ice cream and walked around watching the crowds.

I saw that tool Joe Miller too but by the time I decided to go get a picture with him he had gone. Seriously, that guy is the candidate that Alaska deserves. If I could find the link to the ADN article that totally demolished him as a sham I would post it, but apparently they didn't put the article online and it was only in the print edition. Just go to the Anchorage Daily News website and search for him and you'll see.

This Town Don't Feel Mine

I think these two photos say more about the people that live in Wasilla than anything I could ever write.

Another huge Amanita. The cap for this was 8 inches across.

The trees already know its time for winter.

Totally just went on a walk in the rain and got some more photos, forest related after we ate at a local cafe. It could have only been better if it was a real cafe and we had gotten some wine and maybe some oysters.

I have a powerful thirst for wine and oysters now.

My Eyes Burn

Out for an autumn walk

Jogging and shadow boxing

60 plus degrees is totally shirtless lake weather

A nice, solitary Amanita I found on the walk.

I've kind of been fascinated by forests lately.

This is why we deserve the coming extinction.

I walked to the goddamn lake yesterday, pushing the kids in the stroller down the hill and then back up. They are getting to be too fat for that shit.

So, yeah, I've been captivated by forests lately, like I've never really seen them before and now, suddenly they mean something but I don't know what. Something I can't put my finger on, something big. Maybe it's that they've been here for way longer than I can really grasp, or that they're alive and brutal on a level I'll never know, or that they're totally uncaring about me. I don't fucking know and it probably doesn't matter.

Yeah, I'm sure it doesn't matter.

It Starts Eyes Closed, Fingers Crossed

Flowers fucking rule.

Some views of the mountains up Archangel Trail.

A view of the valley below.

I'm goddamn proud of this kid.

Check this out. I've been silent about a bunch of shit, but fuck it, I'm just enough drunk to blog. The above pictures were taken of the oh so short summer here in Alaska. This one has been pretty sweet: High temperatures, clear skies, no hassle, etc. It is reminiscent of the first time I visited Alaska and decided, "Fuck, this place ain't so bad." Anyway, there are flowers and then the hiking trip.

We went up to Hatcher's Pass in the Mat-Su valley and hiked up this trail that I can't remember the real name but it was Archangel Pass or some shit, it was cool. We had this great idea to take the stroller for the kids but about a half mile up the trail the terrain is so fucked up we have to ditch the stroller so the kids have to walk/we carry them.Gavin, however, is up to the fucking challenge. He hikes way the fuck up this trail, up to this goddamn hill that is giving Felicia and I problems, and when we ask him if he wants to turn back, he answers, "No. I want to go up there."

Finally, we decide to turn back because he won't admit it, but the kid looks fatigued. Anyway, I forgot what the fuck I was going to say, but hey, I love my first born, especially since he's adopted a "can do" attitude. Fuck.

I only have children in order to ensure the survival of my DNA.

The Reason for the Season is Pleasin'!!!

You think this shit is all fun and games and then you have one of these.

A white Christmas and all that.

The haul

Well hung, heh.

O, Tannenbaum.

I can has presents?

Sometimes, they're not all bad.

Sometimes, we aren't either.

Happy Holidays. I hope no one is fiending during the glorious season and that all their shit is straight.

I am so ready for the semester to start again. This sitting around all the time is totally killing me. Idle hands spend time at the genitals, and we all know how the Lord hates that. Dude, how many straight up quotes are going into this?

Peace, my shnizzies.