OT: A Magical Recruiting Season Heralded

[Alaskawildkat]

Sorry, no added moose sightings to report, but perhaps something even better on the karma front. This past weekend we attended a Piano Guys concert here in Alaska that had been originally scheduled for 2020 and then due to COVID rescheduled to 2021 and then on the eve of its performance rescheduled once again due to Piano Guys cellist Steve Sharp Nelson testing positive. The third time was the charm.

During the concert performer Nelson admonished all to look for "Magical Moments" in our individual lives after recounting how it was such a moment that inspired him to appreciate music. (As an aside he spent significant time in motivating the youth in the audience and described as a child with a learning disability he knew he was "broken" but it took years later to learn that those challenges actually equated to a "Super Power" that enabled him to excel in other areas.)

As we left the concert we encountered a spectacular Alaska sunset. As I stopped the car to photograph it unexpectedly an Alaska Railroad train entered my view with the resulting "Magical Moment." Hopefully it is a prelude to a Magical Recruiting Season for our Wildcats.

Included is the setting sun adjacent to Mount Susitna (a/k/a Sleeping Lady) and at the end the silhouette of Denali (f/k/a Mt. McKinley) can be seen on the horizon in the sunset's red glow.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I saw one of those black squirrels in the park last Friday. I think that was a mojo squirrel.

 

[stpaulcat]

I saw one of those black squirrels in the park last Friday. I think that was a mojo squirrel.

The true mojo is moose mojo. Squirrel mojo, seriously?

 

[stpaulcat]

Sorry, no added moose reporting to report, but perhaps something even better on the karma front. This past weekend we attended a Piano Guys concert here in Alaska that had been originally scheduled for 2020 and then due to COVID rescheduled to 2021 and then on the eve of its performance rescheduled once again due to Piano Guys cellist Steve Sharp Nelson testing positive. The third time was the charm.

During the concert performer Nelson admonished all to look for "Magical Moments" in our individual lives after recounting how it was such a moment that inspired him to appreciate music. (As an aside he spent significant time in motivating the youth in the audience and described as a child with a learning disability he knew he was "broken" but it took years later to learn that those challenges actually equated to a "Super Power" that enabled him to excel in other areas.)

As we left the concert we encountered a spectacular Alaska sunset. As I stopped the car to photograph it unexpectedly an Alaska Railroad train entered my view with the resulting "Magical Moment." Hopefully it is a prelude to a Magical Recruiting Season for our Wildcats.

Included is the setting sun adjacent to Mount Susitna (a/k/a Sleeping Lady) and at the end the silhouette of Denali (f/k/a Mt. McKinley) can be seen on the horizon in the sunset's red glow.

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Alaska has passenger trains? God bless you. You have left the rest of America behind.

 

[Smolmania]

Anyone else see the moose photos posted by Mark Schlereth on twitter from his trip to Alaska last week? Just sayin...

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Anyone else see the moose photos posted by Mark Schlereth on twitter from his trip to Alaska last week? Just sayin...

Also on the Moose Front, this intruder showed up exiting from my raspberry patch at 6:33 AM this morning. (Yes, that is how light it is here in the Northland at 6:33 AM.)

Thankfully the partial chicken wire placement preserved our just emerging tulips from becoming Moose fodder.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Also on the Moose Front, this intruder showed up exiting from my raspberry patch at 6:33 AM this morning. (Yes, that is how light it is here in the Northland at 6:33 AM.)

Thankfully the partial chicken wire placement preserved our just emerging tulips from becoming Moose fodder.

The angle of the pic makes it look like the moose is wearing a basketball hoop

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Something has to be up on the NU karma front. This was yesterday evening's appearance as viewed from my backyard:

And this was the view looking the opposite direction:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

OK, today's sighting is a stretch.

I captured Air Force One as it departed Alaska this afternoon and veered upward over Mount Denali enroute to Korea and Japan. Somewhere out in that wilderness surrounding Denali are multiple moose.

Of course I did capture on "film" an Alaska Seagull as I awaited the aerial appearance of Air Force One which hopefully counts for something on the karma front.

And here is the President as his plane approaches Mount Denali seen as a snow capped mountain on the horizon. It was impressive to see how much altitude the pilot was able to garnish in a short period of time as the plane all but rocketed upward to avoid being an easy target.

The departure of Air Force One was followed by its backup plane following it:

And fourthly, the seagull's appearance in the same skies:

Ironically, in the FWIW Department, this was my second encounter with Air Force One in a several week time span. At the end of last month as I was returning to Alaska our plane got grounded on the tarmac at Sea-Tac Airport for three hours as a bomb threat was being investigated. Looking out the window we could see Air Force One with the President aboard parked across from us. Adding to the drama was a fleet of Osprey heli-planes that flew in to provide back-up. In the end it turned out that the incendiary device was a rice cooker that had been left on the front seat of a truck at the airport.

Here are my photos from that encounter:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

I guess I should add that while I was at work today and photographing Air Force One from the office, my spouse was at home working in the garden when she heard a galloping sound. She turned around to see a moose running straight toward her with only the fence separating them. As she backed up the animal came to a stop, stared back at her, and then thankfully turned and headed off in the opposite direction. (That is the first time I have heard of someone staring down a moose Davy Crockett style.)

 

[Arlcatsfan]

Be careful up there Alaska.First you had your close encounter a week or two ago when you were pruning your bushes.Probably just wanted an easy snack,and your wife today.The second one imitating our coaches on the recruiting trail.Fortunately the moose backed off while our coaches don’t stop until they get their man.PS nice backyard.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Be careful up there Alaska.First you had your close encounter a week or two ago when you were pruning your bushes.Probably just wanted an easy snack,and your wife today.The second one imitating our coaches on the recruiting trail.Fortunately the moose backed off while our coaches don’t stop until they get their man.PS nice backyard.

Will do. We had bears in that same area last season so perhaps it is time to pick up some bear spray as well.

Here is an attempt to repost the initial Air Force One Photo that (at least on my screen) is x'd out.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Be careful up there Alaska.First you had your close encounter a week or two ago when you were pruning your bushes.Probably just wanted an easy snack,and your wife today.The second one imitating our coaches on the recruiting trail.Fortunately the moose backed off while our coaches don’t stop until they get their man.PS nice backyard.

Will do. We had bears in that same area last season so perhaps it is time to pick up some bear spray as well.

Here is an attempt to repost the initial Air Force One Photo that (at least on my screen) is x'd out.

OK, just got back from Costco and went ahead and picked up the bear spray. It even comes with a holster. Wonder if it also works on Moose?

 

[Arlcatsfan]

OK, just got back from Costco and went ahead and picked up the bear spray. It even comes with a holster. Wonder if it also works on Moose?

Hope you don't get close enough to find out.Shoot first and ask questions later.Take care.

 

[StreamCat]

OK, just got back from Costco and went ahead and picked up the bear spray. It even comes with a holster. Wonder if it also works on Moose?

When we were in Alaska, my wife refused to go on a hike with me because of bear warning signs. Went by myself without bear spray. Our Costco in Illinois doesn’t carry it.