!st free day in Homer--July 17

We slept in a little and Bob washed the front window of the coach. Marvin went to breakfast alone because Dee was still recuperating. She must have had a 24 hr stomach virus which might have been what Marvin had also instead of seasickness. They took it a little easier all day. She did laundry and they took a drive.

Bob and I left about 10:30 for the street fair we heard about. We walked down thru it looking at all the items made by the people here in Homer and Alaska be it jewelry, photographs, paintings, clothing etc. and of course some food--we were forced to buy some kettle corn and they also had musicians. It was not large but it was nice and the items were lovely. Then we found the post office and stopped at the Visitor's Center and went on to the local Farmer's Market. They had a lot of green lettuces, rhubarb, herbs, plants to sell, jams and preserves made with local berries and all the local hand crafts and musicians. It was also very nice.

We left there to find a particular jewelry store which we did. This guy makes things out of spoons, forks and knives. He had made 2 large bicycles out of them and the paintings and carvings and sculptures were just beautiful.

We then went down to The Spit which is a mile long piece of land that they think might have been a moraine created by a retreating glacier and there are all kinds of businesses on this outcropping:charter boat and plane companies, gift shops galore, restaurants, marina(very protected) and large boat harbor. The Hickory, a Coast Guard cutter, was docked there. It's charged with covering the whole state of Alaska. There were wall to wall cars and campers and some motorhomes parked and camping everywhere. Every larger restaurant is serving fresh salmon and halibut and you pay dearly for it. At one restaurant they were filleting and cutting the salmon right in front of the store. There was also a nice Seafarer's Memorial on The Spit.

On the way to The Spit there was a tall tree next to the road and an eagle had built a large nest and there were chicks in the nest. It would have been a good day to have done birdwatching but I didn't want to boar Bob. We then drove up to the Bear Creek Winery which was a nice drive and I did some tasting but I decided not to buy since I still have some at home. We drove home and called it quits until we all go out to dinner later. We went to Don Jose's Mexican Restaurant and it was good. Larry bought a birthday cake for his wife Ada--the 17th and me--the 16th and everyone had some. It was nice. Marvin and Dee drove their car and we rode with them and afterwards we all went back to the mountain drive overlooking the water. No animals but a lovely view and drive. Did I tell you that the evening before Marvin sighted something in the water down from where we are camped? I took out the spotting scope and it was a whole raft of sea otters just floating in the water. There must have been 30 or 40 of them. They were so cute. That was our day.