The Homer Spit
Happy Father’s Day and Juneteenth, Everyone! It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been busy winding up my work contract in Alaska. I will return home to Atlanta at the end of the month, and I am looking forward to it.
At the same time, I have been feverishly writing my newest novel, Leaving Henry. I am writing chapter twenty-seven and have eight more chapters to go. However, I took a break this weekend and drove to Homer, a scenic coastal town in Alaska. Simply a true paradise. Whereas, yesterday, early morning, around seven-thirty, I left Anchorage. It was a bright, sunny day, the temperature in the mid-sixties, a welcome delight after enduring dreary days of cold and rain.
The Drive
Despite the long five-hour drive, I enjoyed the breathtaking mountain terrain. Stopping along the way to take pictures. I even saw a Momma moose and her calf leisurely crossing the road, amazed at how big these animals can get. By noon, I arrived in Homer. A coastal paradise nestled against the majestic Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet. One can also get there from Anchorage on a 45-minute flight. Hungry, I stopped at Flat Olives Restaurant. A lively spot set in a former garage on Ohlson Lane. My friend and colleague, Julie, an Alaskan native, recommended the place. The eatery serves wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, seafood, and steaks. I ordered a 12-inch Roman pizza with pepperoni, Alaskan style, which was quite delicious. I ate three pieces and took the rest to go. https://koolstorytellerbooks.com
The Homer Spit
Because Homer is a scenic, coastal town, it has plenty of rustic log cabins, cozy bed and breakfasts, and hotels to suit every traveler’s lodging taste. The Homer Spit, a 4.5-mile-long piece of land jutting into the Kachemak Bay, has numerous local-owned restaurants with fresh seafood. Colorful shops with native wares make for an intriguing shopping experience. Next, I drove down the Homer Spit, parked, and walked the busy road along the beach. People walked on the road and the beach, and bikers rode the spit.
Furthermore, patrons crowd the shops on both sides of the strip. Visitors, who preferred to rough it, parked campers in designated lots along the coastal strip. Some folks pitched tents on the beach instead of paying for lodging. The locals referred to these campers as Spit Rats. Needless to say, the beach proved to be a pretty lively place!
Shopping
Sometime later, I stopped in a shop called Lamp Work Beads. A sucker for earrings, I bought two pairs. The owner told me the earrings were made by Paula Rourke, the only lamp bead earring maker in the United States. I left that shop, pleased I had a little national treasure. Lastly, I stopped by the Bear Creek Winery on Bear Creek Drive. I participated in a wine tasting and loved the winery’s Rhubarb Wine. A delicious, sweet, crisp dessert wine made from rhubarb fruit. I bought two bottles and a chardonnay setting me back $80. I learned the winery’s owner was also from the South. A North Carolina Native who came to Homer years ago after she married.
Afterward, I sat on the deck and enjoyed a glass of Rhubarb wine at the Cozy Cove Inn, where I am staying. Watching the sun set over Homer’s majestic snow-capped mountains. Immersed in the view, I looked forward to another day in Homer. There’s plenty to do. I will be brave, dance when sunrise, and hike in the wildlife parks. Oh, wait a minute! These parks have moose and Kodiak bears—with no bear spray and cowbells to speak of to scare them away. I’ll play it safe and stick with shopping! Lol! As always, Thank you for reading. Until Next Time!
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