Saturday, November 2, 2024

Saturday's Critters # 568

 Welcome to Saturday's Critters! Hello and Happy Saturday!


 If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!


These photos are from our trip to Alaska, after we left Denali NP we drove to Glacier View Alaska. Our next two nights were at the Majestic Valley Wilderness Lodge. 


1. Views from the lodge's balcony. At the end of our day sightseeing, the evening included a glass of wine while enjoying the view. We talked a bit with the chef and his dog sat nearby, the gardens and flowers were beautiful along with the mountain views.




The fireweed in Alaska and at the lodge looked beautiful.




2. The gardens and flowers were beautiful.





3. The Majestic Valley Wilderness Lodge. 




During the winter, people who love to ski can fly right to this lodge, they use a helicopter to drop off skiers on the mountain top to do some extreme skiing. 






4. There was a nice fire pit in the garden area. 





5. We enjoyed a breakfast buffet one morning, below are some photos of the dining room and lodge. 





6. The Gray Jay or is it called the Canada Jay now? We saw a few of these birds in the trees close to the lodge. 





7. We took a morning walk before breakfast, below it seemed like mostly Sparrows were being seen. The top left possible Lincoln Sparrow and the middle and top right are the White-crowned Sparrows. My one lifer that I saw but could not get a photo of was the Boreal Chickadee. 




Below is a view of the Matanuska Glacier, this view was right off the Glenn Hwy and close to our lodge.






8. Off the highway we saw a small pond with lots of ducks. It looked like most were the female and young Greater Scaup.







There were a few young Scaup, I assume they are also the Greater Scaup.

 



Hubby and I did some skywatching in the evening on the lodge's balcony. 






I am linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday  I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday post.




Thanks to all my visitors and for your past and present comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves and respects wildlife. Thank you for linking up a critter post.






Here is my linky:




Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

116 comments:

Mae Travels said...

Alaska looks fabulous. Too bad you didn’t get photos of the life bird.
Thanks for hosting Critters… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Shiju Sugunan said...

Wow! Absolutely breathtaking views.

Cloudia said...

How beautiful!

Cloudia said...

Wonderful place and post, Eileen!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
I looked up the Boreal Chickadee and it's a lovely wee bird... So glad you got to see it! These photos are super and show a place of immense beauty. What a trip... A treasure! YAM xx

EricaSta said...


Good morning, dear Eileen. The lodge seems to me to be a true vacation paradise. Enjoy your vacation there to the fullest. I
Myself, meaning of course my husband and I, would also love it there. The silence and the surrounding nature are breathtakingly beautiful.

Best regards and thanks for hosting,
Heidrun

Irma said...

Hello Eileen,
A beautiful series of photos from your trip to Alaska.
What a beautiful view you have of the mountains from the balcony.
I enjoyed the photos.
I wish you a good weekend.
Greetings Irma

roentare said...

The balcony view is gorgeous. So is Grey Jay!

Iris Flavia said...

This sounds like a great trip. Such wonderful views! Have a great Saturday.

chica said...

Eileen, fiquei encantada com tantas belezas em casa mosaico! Adorei e na certa, foii um lindo passeio e deves ter ficado muito feliz ao ver de perto tudo isso! Maravilha! beijos, feliz novembro! chica

Marit said...

Hello Eileen,
Your photos from Alaska is so beautiful! I love to see the nature, the mountains, the birds and the flowers. The view of the glacier is awesome! Take care, and enjoy your weekend!

William Kendall said...

Beautiful landscapes!

Alexandra said...

That looks like the perfect place to stay for a few days and to have such gorgeous weather, what more could you ask for! In addition to the Gray Jay being known as the Canada Jay, we also call it the "food robber"! I have seen a Boreal Chickadee a few times, they are the sweetest looking little bird. There were no critters to photograph in my recent outing so will not get to participate in your Saturday's Critter link.

Jenn Jilks said...

That must have been an epic trip! What a location.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Mae, for your critter link and your comment.
Alaska is a beautiful state to visit.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Shiju, for your critter link and your comment.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Cloudia, for your critter link and your comment.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thanks Cloudia! Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you YAM, for your critter link and your comment.
The Boreal Chickadee was a cute, I am just sorry I missed getting a photo. Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Heidrun, for your critter link and your comment.
The lodge was a great place for us to stay, it was in a beautiful location. Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Irma, for your link and your comment.
Alaska is beautiful, I loved the mountain views.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your critter link and your comment.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Iris, for your critter link and your comment.
It was a great trip! Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Chica, for your comment and your visit.
We did enjoy our trip to Alaska. Happy November to you!
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Marit, for your comment and your visit.
Alaska is a beautiful place to visit, so much to see.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you William, for your comment and your visit.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your comment and your visit. The Jay is beautiful and I loved seeing the Boreal Chickadee. Take care, have a great weekend.

Melbourne Australia Photos said...

Hello, Eileen. What a wonderful place with beautiful views and critters. It looks quite idyllic! Thanks for hosting and have a great new week.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

The lodge looks like a fabulous place to stay - quite idyllic. A glass of wine on the deck at the end of the day sounds perfect to me. And a dog to keep me company is a fine addition to the day.

Jeanie said...

Happy Week, Eileen! No critters today (though I probably could post my English robin!) but I LOVED seeing yours and your beautiful lodge. That's a remarkable place to stay. Happy week!

Bill said...

Beautiful photos and scenery.

Tom said...

...the vast Alaskan landscape dwarfs the many critters. The fireweed attracted my attention. Thanks Eileen for hosting today, have a wonderful week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jenn, for your critter link and your comment.
It was a great trip, a long time coming and we were so happy to be able to visit more of Alaska.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Nick, for your critter link and your comment.
Alaska is a beautiful, so many scenic views.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you David, for your critter link and your comment.
The view from the deck, was beautiful. A great way to end our day. Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jeanie, for your comment and your visit.
I loved seeing the cute Eurasian Robin, it is adorable.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Bill, for your critter link and your comment.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Tom, for your critter link and your comment.
The fireweed look beautiful at the lodge and all along the roads we traveled. Take care, have a great weekend.

magiceye said...

Beautiful photos of flowering nature and birds!
Happy weekend!

Angie's Recipes said...

What an amazing place! I would love to live there forever.

MadSnapper said...

the first thing I noticed about the Jay is the beautiful Christmas tree it is perched on. bet that was a gorgeous tree. I like the lodge, my kind of place to stay and the long skinny tall people is how I want to look. ha ha.. even with bell bottom trousers on. I love fire pits and am in the wrong place for those

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your critter link and your comment.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Angie, for your comment and your visit.
It is a beautiful place with lovely views.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Sandra, the Jays were plentiful at this spot. They loved that tree. Take care, have a great weekend.

Barbara Rogers said...

Thanks for sharing from your trip. What glorious settings you saw!

Penelope Notes said...

What a great holiday. The large and sweeping field of flowers must be breathtaking to see in person!

rupam sarma said...

Amazing photos from Alaska, Trip looks great, Thanks a lot for hosting. Happy Weekend.

Red said...

Awesome scenery in Alaska.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Barb, for your critter link and your comment.
The views in Alaska were beautiful.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Maria, for your critter link and your comment.
The field of fireweed was beautiful to see.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your critter link and your comment.
It was a great trip!
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Red, for your comment and your visit.
Alaska is a beautiful place.
Take care, have a great weekend.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

That lodge looks deluxe. I love nice places like that to stay with nice views and things to do and I bet the food was good as well. I love that you found lots of birds.
Thank you for hosting.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Yogi, for your link and comment.
It was a nice place to stay, the views were gorgeous. The food was good too. Take care, have a great weekend.

Marco Luijken said...

Hello Eileen,
What a great pictures. Amazing to see on shot 2 that field with wonderful flowers and the rocks at the back, So amazing.
And what a wonderful houses. So very nice. Funny to see the small ducks. Nice post Eileen.

Many greetings,
Marco

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

Wow! I never get tired of seeing that scenery. Could you imagine what it would be like to helicopter to the top of one of those mountains and skiing down?

RedPat said...

That lodge looks wonderful, Eileen. Too bad you missed the pic of your lifer.

italiafinlandia said...

Hello, the Lodge where you stayed looks comfortable and nice.
Sure it was a happy stay. Thanks for sharing the critters there, some new to me, as always. 😊
Wishing you a happy weekend and sunny weather!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Marco, for your comment and your visit.
The mountain views are beautiful.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jim, for your comment and your visit.
The scenic views in Alaska are gorgeous. I could never stand up on skiis, I would be down on the ground.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you RedPat, for your critter link and your comment.
Yes, I would have like to have a photo of my lifer.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Luisella, for your comment and your visit.
The lodge was nice and the views were fabulous.
Take care, have a great weekend.

MELODY JACOB said...

What a delightful invitation to celebrate the beauty of nature and its creatures! This post radiates warmth and joy, perfectly capturing the spirit of a community that cherishes critters of all kinds. The description of the trip to Alaska, with its stunning views and the charm of the Majestic Valley Wilderness Lodge, paints a vivid picture of a peaceful escape. The personal touches—like enjoying a glass of wine with the chef’s dog nearby—add a lovely, intimate feel to the experience. It's a wonderful reminder of how nature connects us all, whether through real animals or artistic representations.

I just shared a new post; you are invited to read. Happy weekend!

Debbie said...

wow, alaska is so beautiful for so many reasons. i always think of the wildlife but you have shown us so much more. the flowers, mountains and lodging are so pretty, it really makes me want to visit!! awesome pictures of the ducks as well!! have a great weekend and many thanks for hosting!!

John's Island said...

Hi Eileen, Happy Saturday to you. I am in total admiration of your Alaska trip. Immediately after reviewing your post, I clicked over to the Majestic Valley Wilderness Lodge website and checked out their accommodations and rates. What a wonderful place with reasonable rates and, at this moment, plenty of space available in the summer of ’25. Wondering about a dream trip … Seattle to Anchorage via cruise ship, a few days at the Lodge, and then fly home. Would you recommend it? Otherwise, I sure enjoyed all the photos in today’s Saturday’s Critters, and thank you, as always, for sharing. John

carol l mckenna said...

Awesome photos of your unique travels ~ Wow! thanks, hugs

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

HappyK said...

Gorgeous scenery!!!
Happy November. :)

This N That said...

It's been a long time since I was in Alaska..I guess it's time to go back!!.That's probably not going to happen..Beautiful pictures Eileen..

21 Wits said...

Hello Eileen, I'm back from the longest vacation I've had so far in Alabama and it's good and also almost hard to get back into the swing of things. Your header photo for some reason really stands out to me today, not sure maybe you changed it. A lovely view as are your all your other photos, True beauty in the great nature of outdoors! Enjoy the rest of your weekend and an extra hour of sleep! Daylight savings time again. Take care.

Rose said...

What a beautiful place to stay! The flowers are beautiful. And I so would have loved to see that sky in person and to watch it change.

Linda said...

Gorgeous photos! Thank you for sharing.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

WOW! What a fabulous trip to Alaska Eileen You certainly packed in a lot and your photographs are wonderful I have never been to it is great to see through your photographs. Thanks for hosting and commenting Have a great week ahead

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Melody, for your comment and your visit.
Alaska is beautiful, filled with stunning views!
Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Debbie, for your critter link and your comment.
Hubby and I loved this Alaska trip, the scenic views are just stunning. Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you John, for your comment and your visit.
Hubby and I enjoyed our stay at the lodge, stunning views from the lodge and down the road a bit we could see the glacier. The drive from Anchorage was beautiful, a few areas of road work along the way. It was a dream trip for us, a trip that has been on our bucket list for a long time. We did a cruise from Seattle , stopping at Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan and in the Glacier Bay. I highly recommend a land tour of Alaska. Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Carol, for your critter link and your comment.
Hubby and I do love to travel!
Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Karen, for your comment and your visit.
Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Missy, for your comment and your visit.
Hubby and I loved Alaska, there are so many places we would like to visit. Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Karen, for your critter link and your comment.
Your visit to Alabama, sounds wonderful. It is always great to spend time with the family. Our trips are usually planned on how much nature with can see and enjoy.
Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Rose, for your comment and your visit.
We were happy to see the flowers in bloom, the scenic views were gorgeous. Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Linda, for your critter link and your comment.
Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Margaret, for your critter link and your comment.
We loved Alaska and all it's beautiful scenic views.
Take care, have a great week.

ellen b. said...

What a beautiful time to be at that lodge in Alaska. Loved all the photos. Happy November to you!

Tanza Erlambang said...

such a wonderful view from your balcony...
thank you for sharing your beautiful photos

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Ellen, for the comment and visit. It was a beautiful time to visit Alaska. Take care, have a wonderful week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Tanza, for your link and comment. The scenic views in Alaska are beautiful. Take care, have a wonderful week!

Marie Smith said...

Alaska looks lovely! Thank you for sharing your travels!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Marie, I appreciate your visit and comment.
Yes, Alaska is beautiful. Have a great day and happy week ahead.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Eileen
I did enjoy seeing your lovely photographs from your trip to Alaska.
The lodge looks excellent and what a great view you had of the mountains from the balcony.

Wishing you a good week ahead.

All the best Jan

Alexandra said...

After leaving my comment yesterday on your post, today I can now join your critter party after a successful outing!

Hena Tayeb said...

Such a beautiful place.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jan, for your visit and comment.
We enjoyed this lodge and the stunning views.
Take care, have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Alexandra, for your link and comment.
I loved your Eagle post and photos.
Take care, have a great day and happy week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your comment! Yes, it is a beautiful place.
Take care, have a great week!

Laura. M said...

Muchas Gracias por tus deseos Eileen.Y sí, nunca es tarde para empezar de nuevo.
Buena semana.
Un abrazo.

Majo Dutra said...

I stay amazed by your beautiful photographs...
I love mountain landscapes... thank you for sharing them... they are beautiful!
It seems that the birds photographed do well in the cold...
Eileen have a mild, pleasant and cozy November.
~~~~~

Veronica Lee said...

Happy Saturday! Your Alaska trip looks incredible—what a dreamy spot to stay! Those mountain views, cozy fire pit, and the gardens around the lodge all look amazing. The bird sightings are so cool too, especially the Gray Jay and Boreal Chickadee! And that glacier view—wow! Thanks for sharing these beautiful moments!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Veronica, or your critter link and your comment.
Alaska was a great trip, we enjoyed the lodge and the views. Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your comment. Happy November to you!
Take care, have a great day and happy week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Laura, thank you for your comment.
Take care, have a great day and happy week ahead.

Teresa said...

Los paisajes se ven preciosos, tanto como las flores y pájaros. Me encanta tu viaja a Alaska, me gustaría ir. Un abrazo y feliz tarde.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Teresa, for your nice comment
I did enjoy seeing the mountain views and all the lovely flowers. Take care, have a great day!

Rainbow Evening said...

lovely place to stay.....
Have a great day

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your comment. Take care, have a great day!

Rostrose said...

Dear Eileen, I'm glad that you found my post, even though it was "frozen" in your blogroll. I've now tried to update mine, maybe it will work for you now too? But anyway, next Saturday I'll link the animals from the NYC post to your Critters and you would have noticed it then at the latest 😊
But now I've landed here on your lovely Alaska post and have also learned that these extremely pretty pink flowers are called fireweed. (Because I've seen them in various Canada photos and was really impressed by them!) In general, it looks like a wonderful time in Alaska! Thank you for sharing this great time with us!
All the best from Austria, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/11/weltreise-2024-8-station-new-york-new.html

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Traude for your comment. I thought the fireweed was gorgeous. I enjoy visiting NYC with you. Take care, have a great day!

Little Wandering Wren said...

Alaska is somewhere I'd love to go, it looks beautiful, with cheery pink blooms and interesting birdlife and peaceful! Have a great week.
Wren x

DeniseinVA said...

Sorry I am so late Eileen, I seem to take forever to catch up these days. Gorgeous photos as always. I'd also like to say how much I enjoyed your latest photo above this one. Equally gorgeous and perfect timing on capturing the flowers. And before I forget yet again, I love the quotes also. Have a great end of the week and weekend ahead.

Ana Mínguez Corella said...

So beautiful!! Happy weekend

baili said...

such an outstanding place dear Eileen !
thanks for sharing stunning glimpse from your stay ,i really enjoyed the series of images here .the lodge looks so appealing in sunshine
area seems very calm ,beautiful and tranquil
the jay on the top of the tree is captured awesomely

loved the all ducks and birds as well
blessings

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Wren, for your comment and visit.
Alaska is beautiful!
Take care, have a happy day!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Denise, for your visit and comment. The flowers were looking beautiful during our trip. Take care, happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Ana! Take care, happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Baili, I appreciate your visit and comment.
Take care, happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

EricaSta said...

Another wonderful contribution to MosaicMonday, dear Eileen. Thank you very much for your participation.

There is so much to discover every time and I like to read through the posts at my leisure to appreciate the pictures and text.
Greetings from Heidurn

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Heidrun, for hosting MM and for your comment.
I tend to share more photos than words. Take care, happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "Whatever your beliefs, spread love not hate." East Paden Twin Bridge, Fishing...