A busy month …

It's been one thing after another this month. The annual Spay-ghetti fund-raiser for the SPCA, the bike show at the Ben Boeke Arena. 

This was one of the more unique bikes at the show ... with lots of extras that had  been manufactured just for this motorcycle.

A very precious young lady, Katie, allowed me to photograph her on my bike.  What a charmer this one is.  Her mom, Darlis, rides, and we had some great chatting going on at the bike show. 

Add looking at Christmas party space for the Harley Owners Group, Building-a-Bear for foster care children, taking dogs to the vet for various reasons, painting ceramics, attending the APD search team meeting, playing bunco, refinancing, finalizing home ownership for a friend. There's so much to do all the time. I think retired people need more vacation time.

Stephen, Victoria and Chelsea.  Final count ... 42 bears for foster children in the area. 

Our very own Princess Shelby made two bears, one of which was a princess with its very own shoes, purse and sunglasses.

These two bears have Hobbs' name all over them ... a Marine (I named him Semper Fi ... thanks, Jim), and a hockey player named Jagomir. 

There was another event that was way different from the others … seeing a Golden Eagle released back into the wild. It had been brought to the Bird TLC, very skinny, a young bird that must not have learned to hunt very well. Bird TLC volunteers nursed it to good health, too good a health. It gained a bit too much weight and then really couldn't fly to catch food. It knew a good thing when it had it. So, the Golden had to be put on a bit of a diet. Finally, it flight tested perfectly and the day came to release it.

I asked a couple of friends, Flounder and Jaz, if they'd like to go to Palmer to watch the release at the hayflats. Yep. So, the day of we piled in Flounder's car and off we went.

We were early since we'd not been exactly sure where we were going. We were on paved roads, then dirt, then narrow, and ice-covered. It seemed like we were going to the edge of somewhere, but where? Around corners, down a hill, and into a parking lot, dirt, or rather, partly mud due to melting action.

It was a beautiful spring day, blue sky that went on forever, snow-covered mountains that rose to meet the blue, and a temperature made for walking. And we did … it was a lovely walk, crunching over the snow that covered the marshland, sinking in here and there due to the softness from thawing.

There is nothing like the splendor of the mountains in Alaska.

As we walked, cars started coming around the corner, heading down the hill, arriving and parking in the lot. The release was going to happen around 12:30 p.m. More and more vehicles arrived. Wow, this was a big deal. There must have been 40 people or more.

Typical Alaskan dress ... shorts and bunny boots.

Not only that, there was also a young eagle sitting up in a tree, watching everything. Yep, the term eagle eye fit perfectly. It wasn't at all nervous with the goings on, and never left the entire time we were there.

Then the bird arrived with his chauffer, Dave. It was in a large box, carried out into a clear area and set on a table. Attendees were able to put their name into a drawing. The winning name would open the box and let the eagle fly free. There was a feeling of carnival in the air … fun, mystery, and the wonder of nature about to be unleashed for all of us.

Setting up the bird in the box for the release.

Then it was time. Two people stood on either side of the box. The box opens from the top, and each top door had to be opened at exactly the same time … on the count of 3. 1, 2, 3. The doors opened, and the eagle lifted up majestically, both wings flapping, reaching its maximum wingspan extending out, then wings battering the air up, down.

A successful release.

Flying free ... as it should be.

The eagle's feet tapered behind, its head stretched forward. Up, up and away. It flew a ways, then banked sharply to the right, then back to the left and landed on the side of the hill. Of course, it could be that since its flight testing area is only 70 feet in length, it was resting. Or perhaps it was testing the area to determine if it really had no boundaries.

An eagle in flight is a beautiful sight ... even if the photo is not in focus.

Eventually it took off again, flying straight and never looking back at those who had cared for it, and then released it. It was a beautiful sight, and a privilege to see, to be a participant.