DAY 51: EXPLORING HOMER

Today dawned with a light rain and a temperature of 54 degrees.  However, by mid-morning the weather started to clear and the sun came out, and was a beautiful day after all.  This afternoon we took the jeep and explored the Homer area.  We found a small restaurant with mostly local patrons and had a real good lunch which included a homemade spinach clam chowder which was outstanding.    After lunch we visited the art gallery of Alaska Artist Norman Lowell who has painted Alaskan landscapes for 50 years.  Mr. Lowell was at his gallery and we got to meet him and had very pleasant conversation about his life and his art.  We also visited the studio of another local artist, Ben Firth who also paints, but is best known for his carvings which are the best I've ever seen.  We probably spent 1/2 hour talking with Mr. Firth about his work and the very detailed eagles he carves from antlers of deer, caribou and moose.  And speaking of eagles, as I type this we're watching two bald eagles soaring over the bay and then diving down to the water and catching fish.  It's now 11 p.m. and it is still as daylight as if it were 11 a.m.; folks are still walking the beach, setting around campfires and flying kites.  

YOU CAN SEE THE "HOMER SPIT" WHICH IS A SMALL STRIP OF LAND JUTTING OUT BETWEEN THE BAY AND OCEAN, WE'RE CAMPED NEAR THE (RIGHT) END OF THE SPIT FACING THE BAY (WE'RE LOOKING TOWARD THE CAMERA IN THIS PICTURE)