Funny River Fire - day 6 - morning pics

The smoke has settled in Kenai. The whole house smells like a campfire. I'll take that inconvenience though over the horror that's playing out on Funny River and Kasilof. Friends were evacuated from their homes last night, but told they could return around 1am today. They're still under evacuation advisory meaning that at a moment's notice they need to be ready to leave again.

The local power company shutdown one of their transmission stations when the fire got too close for comfort resulting in a short power outage - and the radio stations are still trying to get back up and running.

Last report has close to 79,000 acres burned with 20% containment. So the fire's progression has slowed considerably, but with the winds being unpredictable it made for an interesting night.

We still have NO rain in the forecast.

These photos were taken at 6:30am at my house. It's so gross outside.

Funny River Fire - Day 5 - in pictures

I spent most of the day working on Vacation Bible School decorations (we have about a week left for preparation), so I didn't get out to take pictures until later in the evening. The smoke clouds are back as the winds have shifted a bit. Because of the smoke cover they don't have updates on acreage, the last numbers were from this morning at 67,084 with 15% containment. The Pollard Subdivision in Kasilof is under evacuation awareness - meaning they need to be ready at a moments notice to get the heck outta there, but latest reports say they don't expect to have to give that warning soon. We'll see. With the shifty winds anything is possible. Praying they keep it under control. People's lives and homes are at stake.

30 Days of OUAT - Day 24: Favorite Quote

Day 24 - Favorite Quote

And storybooks are based on what, imagination? Where's that come from? It has to come from somewhere. You know what the issue is with this world? Everyone wants a magical solution for their problem, and everyone refuses to believe in magic.--Jefferson

Jefferson's quote has been my favorite since my first viewing of episode 17 of Season 1. To me it sums up how I view fairytales/Disney perfectly. It's also probably when I was for sure hooked on this show. It's the heart of the show - I know people say it's Hope, but, let's face it... that idea has been very controversial this season! Ha ha!



Sebastian Stan is great in the role of Jefferson/Mad Hatter. Still holding out hope that he'll make another appearance some day on Once Upon A Time. He doesn't need to just be Bucky Barnes forever, right?

Funny River Fire - Day 4 - in pictures

I didn't take many pictures today, with all of the haze caused by the smoke and the shifting wind there isn't as much to see. I'm sure if I was a fire chaser I could see it, but that's not going to happen. I don't need to be out there causing the people working the scene anymore worry than what they're already dealing with. Besides, I'm terrified of fire, so the last thing I want to do is actually go TOWARDS it.

I've been asked if I am in any danger where I live of these fires. I am not. Kenai is miles away from where it started and we're on the other side of the Kenai River from it to boot. IF it were to make it's way over here that would mean the City of Soldotna and all of Kenai would be destroyed and pretty much it would be the end of the Peninsula as we know it because it would be a herculean fire.

The fire has consumed just under 45,000 acres. Still hasn't claimed any structures or life (human or livestock anyway). Anchorage and the Valley are covered in the smoke now that winds have shifted. The crews have reported a 5% containment (when I went to bed last night it was at 0% so that's something). Canada sent a few water bomber planes, today was their first day on scene. Looks like they were just what we needed. Thanks Canucks!

30 Days of OUAT - Day 23: Cutest Character

Day 23 - Cutest Character

I screwed up, this was supposed to be yesterday's prompt. I apparently flipped them. Oh wells, it works out in the end.

Cutest probably meant for the "hottest/most attractive" but I'm not going to go there with this one. I'm going for actual cuteness, and that has to go to Robin Hood's adorable son Roland. We met the boy early in Season 3 - he helps Neal get from the Enchanted Forest to Neverland by calling in Pan's shadow. He became more and more adorable in the latter half of the season when we got to see him almost each week. He not only won the heart of Regina (who was on her way to becoming his stepmother - because THAT family tree wasn't convoluted enough - until the season finale), he's won the heart of every Oncer! His fandom is called "Team Dimples" and seriously, LOOK at those DIMPLES!

I'm really excited to see how they use Roland in Season 4. His mother is back (brought back to life by Emma, gee... we can save EVERYone from "dead is dead" but ONE? Come on! It better be found out that it was MRJ who wanted to be released or I'm never going to get over it - of course he said outright that that claim was false so... ugh!) so for at least a little while next season is going to be awkward for all parties involved. Way to go, Swan. Way to mess everything up! (Hook and Emma should NOT be let loose in the past EVER again.)



I may not agree with Neal's methods on summoning up the shadow, but I'm glad he did - because Roland is just stinkin' cute!


To play the game a little more the way I think the creator of the meme was thinking I'll cheat and list my favorite attractive male characters... with their "superlative" title in the caption... because I'm a dork.

Hottest - Captain Hook
Prince Charming - Prince Charming
Brooding - Jefferson (Mad Hatter)

Hottest guy who's gonna die.

Nuf Said - August Booth (seriously it's a good thing
he's cute or I'd hate him.)

AND just because I can I'll add a "most adorable" category... and that goes to the man who has the BEST puppy dog face EVER (yes that is a compliment). Dark brown eyes lookin' all sad, and the best worried expression ever... he's pretty cute when he's not playing tragic. His personality and energy is what's most attractive about him (actor/character, not sure which one I'm crushing on really right now...)

Seriously of all the guys in the show, I want an MRJ hug
most. I'm a dork, I know... but he's just so adorable.

And now that I've been creepy and superficial... I'm gonna go watch Big Bang Theory to feel better about myself...

Funny River Fire - Day 3 - Pictures

Taken around 1:30 - 2:00pm at the Kenai Beach and Kenai River Bridge... as well as a few of the smoke cloud hanging over my house. A smokey haze has fallen on Soldotna and Kenai, it doesn't smell too bad, but it's obviously in the air because my throat and nose are acting up. Bugs are swarming low and all over, it's crazy bad. All of Central Peninsula is affected and under smoke clouds so it's dark and cold... but it makes for some pretty cool pictures.

30 Days of OUAT - Day 22: Funniest Character

Day 22 - Funniest Character

Oh, Leroy. How I love his realism and sarcasm. I love everything about Storybrooke's Grumpiest member. He's got a heart of gold, he's just rough around the edges. I've been a fan of Grumpy forEVER (I first saw Snow White with my Grandma when I was either 11 or 12, I am not sure why it took so long), I just relate to him (no shock there). So when we meet Leroy in the Pilot episode and there's NO doubt who he was in Fairytaleland (I mean, could they have tried any harder to be obvious?!) I was super excited. That he's played by Lee Arenberg makes it that much sweeter. No one does "grump" like Lee!

What's funny is for the longest time I had no idea that I'd seen him in anything else. It wasn't until I was looking up the cast of OUAT that I realized that I'd seen and loved the actor in several movies (Pirates of the Caribbean 1-4) as well as a small part in an episode of Friends! I'm just glad several of my friends didn't recognize him either or I'd feel super stupid! Ha ha!

Lee's a hoot on Twitter, too - not shocking, all of the cast seem to be Twitter comedians! Not that it matters for his character, but it definitely adds to his charm.

Grumpy/Leroy has a lot of heart, and is very similar to the Disney version of the character... though he's a little darker and seedier in his Storybrooke persona. Still, Arenberg has perfected the character and you can't help but love him. And the writers are always good to give the town crier the funniest lines.