Here's another Russia view from Alaska, this from Wales.

That's Big Diomede Island, in Russia, on the other side of the dateline. Little Diomede, in the U.S., is nested in front, toward the camera.

Never been to Little Diomede but it'd be cool to go someday. Team nickname is the Dateliners.

Again, this is to back up our governor, who's now at a Bass Pro Shops in Grand Forks. 

In a recent column, Anchorage Daily News outdoors columnist Craig Medred wrote how it's almost impossible to see Russia from Alaska. 

Here, I come to the defense of our governor, who's now at a bake sale in Des Moines. Took this photo from Gambell, Alaska. Russia is the blue mountains in the background, about 50 miles away . . . 

These swans, either trumpeters or tundras, flew over yesterday, riding each others' slipstream to warmer places.

They've spent their summer on tundra, probably in western Alaska, maybe near the broad, flat, wet mouth of the Kobuk River, floating regally in ponds. These birds are headed to Colorado, or Nevada, or California, or somewhere else in the west where water flows all winter. They are the last migrant birds to leave us up here, and a sign that the quiet season is here again. 

is snow. 

  A few inches on the ground here, which changes everything in early October. Once we get it, we never seem to rise above freezing again–except for Chinook winds. 

So, this is the time of baseball on the radio, and walking the dog through the snow. One of my favorite times of year, until baseball deserts us.  

And thanks to those four people out there, you know who you are (and I don't), who have purchased my new book:  www.amazon.com/Alaska-Tracks-Footprints-Country-Ambler/dp/1438232233/ref