I grew up in Juneau, AK. We moved there when I was 11. It was heartbreaking because in 1985, I was on the cusp of becoming a bonofied, teenage valley-girl. It was the title I had waited my whole life for. It was cool.
When we moved to Alaska (from Clearwater, FL) nothing about Juneau or Seattle or any of the Northwest seemed cool. Where was the Neon-mesh? Where was WHAM!? In those days Starbucks was not yet king, Nirvana was not yet the voice of my generation and I didn’t not understand the beauty of rain.
By the time I left Juneau to go to college all that had changed and as it goes, so had I.
Nathan and I hope to someday be able to take our kids there for the summers and say “this is what life is like at a different pace -soak it up boys.” Also I want them to know where I come from, to know the other point of reference for why I am who I am.
Today I woke up to a rainy, dreary day and it is beautiful and it made me think of home. This picture was taken on the last day of our trip to Juneau for Tracy’s wedding. Every other day was sunny and crisp and postcard perfect. On this day, Nathan saw the real Juneau.
Reading this makes me homesick ~ and I live in Juneau! Thank you for keeping such a warm spot in your heart for beautiful, rainy Juneau ~ it misses you, too 🙂
I was actually looking down at some bits of salmon carcass that an eagle had left behind.
yes, that would be the “real” Juneau 😉 miss you both!
that picture is beautiful, it looks like one of those places that i could only take in small amounts, the grandeur of creation blowing away all of our homemade handicrafts, the myths we build our lives around… i swear, the rain is making me all Patty Griffinish today.
well as much as i know you loved it i am glad you are a weee bit closer.
man i wish i could see you and yours more often. i’m gonna link you on my blog if that’s ok.