“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
Change is hard but necessary. This summer is going to be filled with many changes for me. While it’s hard to say goodbye to some things, the next step is always necessary. Taking that step isn’t easy, but it can be done. I don’t know what the next part of my journey will look like exactly. There are some parts that are known, but many that are not. Many of my routines are going to need to change for next year, but I should be able to figure it out. I might not be working this summer, but there will never be a dull moment. It’s like when we visited Icy Strait Point in Alaska last summer. We took a gondola ride to the top of the mountain. We couldn’t see the top because the clouds were so thick. We knew where we were going, but we couldn’t see the final destination. That is what my journey will be like this summer. I know where I am going, but what it’s exactly like is a mystery.
I captured these photos and many more when we visited Icy Strait Point. When we planned the trip, I didn’t realize I would be visiting a rainforest. Alaska is home to the largest temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass National Forest. This vast rainforest stretches along the coast of Southeast and Southcentral Alaska. It receives significant rainfall and boasts a unique, mild climate compared to other parts of the state. On average, the area gets around 200 inches of rain per year. Compare that to where I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, which gets 42 inches of rain a year. This area is home to the Sitka spruce trees that can grow over 200 feet tall. The rainforest supports a wide array of wildlife. These include brown bears, wolves, salmon, and bald eagles.
Through Griffin's Lens 