Our internet has been so bad of late that for the last two weeks we have been given free shipboard internet (which, when we've had it, has been faster than our normal expensive internet - which is weird). I'm worried that this may be coming to an end, so I'm posting as many photos as I can before we return to slow, bad, expensive, internet.

This Wednesday we made our weekly stop at my favorite botanical garden. I was caught up on sleep and the morning was quiet so I put on my favorite blue dress, grabbed my camera and a mug of iced coffee, and spent the morning in a world of green.

This Venezuelan Rose is actually the height of an apple tree.  The flower is the size of a hat.  I would actually like to wear this flower as a hat. I shall have to learn to make hats. — This Venezuelan Rose is actually the height of an apple tree. The flower is the size of a hat. I would actually like to wear this flower as a hat. I shall have to learn to make hats.

A decorative pineapple.  I never realized that the body of the pineapple had blossoms, though in retrospect it makes sense. — A decorative pineapple. I never realized that the body of the pineapple had blossoms, though in retrospect it makes sense.

True to the name, there were orchids.  I love how alien this one looks. — True to the name, there were orchids. I love how alien this one looks.

And I love this very frilly frill.  Before this garden I was never all that fond of orchids, but seeing them in their native setting has won me over. — And I love this very frilly frill. Before this garden I was never all that fond of orchids, but seeing them in their native setting has won me over.

And also slime molds (or maybe sill mushrooms?).  This is one of the many little bamboo bridges that dot the garden. — And also slime molds (or maybe sill mushrooms?). This is one of the many little bamboo bridges that dot the garden.

And several wild toucans.  I sat on a conveniently placed bench and watched this one for a while.  There are usually scarlet macaws around the place as well, though there were apparently elsewhere that morning. — And several wild toucans. I sat on a conveniently placed bench and watched this one for a while. There are usually scarlet macaws around the place as well, though there were apparently elsewhere that morning.

And then (far too soon) it was time to head back to the boat and to start my workday.

Another summer is over and like many creatures the Sea Lion has begun her long migration south for the winter. I met the boat a little over two weeks ago in Sitka and over the course of a two week trip with guests we worked our way down to Seattle. The weather was generally proper Alaska late summer, which is to say cold and always somewhere between fog and rain.

Going though my photos just now I am amazed by how many of them I took (or rather, “made” according to the current lingo of our photo instructors, nothing has been “taken” when one “makes” a photo - I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that usage) though I do remember feeling like every time I poked my head up on deck I was struck by the need to photograph something. I am still relying on our ship’s slow and expensive internet system, so I can only post a few at the moment, but here are some of my favorites.

Steller Sea Lions