Sunday Sideways~

And today the snow b l o w s 

sideways..

 It is a full-fledged blizzard! 

Because it has warmed into the 30's the snow shouldn't stick too long.

I am so GLAD to be watching it through the window

with a bright fire keeping us warm!!

And..on a side-note~

Whoever gifted me with a bread-making class in Wasilla,

ThAnK YoU!!

It was a fun surprise when the instructor called to tell me 

that since I missed the last class,

I could come to one next week...in Wasilla

(1.25 hr by jet to Anchorage + 1 hr car ride from there),

or in Anchorage on a different date!

I have already checked their schedule for future opportunities.

She had my name and home phone number,

but didn't know who had paid for the class.

Thanks for your kind thought ;0) .....

New Records Being Set~

Some records don't need to be broken.

Having the latest recorded snow fall EvEr should be one of them!

The state of Alaska set records for the coldest (arctic region) last winter,

most snowfall (central and southeast regions) in the same winter,

and now we are setting a state-wide record for the LaTeSt snow fall..

and it just keeps falling!!

Our Saturday morning view~

The stairs to the yard~

My bench is really hoping for summer sittin'~

The dog was sleeping inside~

By evening the winds had kick in and most of the snow was blown off the deck.

This is the last week of school and most classes plan trips to the beach,

bonfires and hikes.

They will just wear more clothes this year!

Tis spring, tis spring......

In the Morning Light~

I thought these looked so cool.  

The icicles were in an even line across the entire edge of the building,

with their distinctive shapes 

reflecting on the building in the early morning swirl.....

Do I Have an 'H'~

The wind is howling,

the snow is horizontal,

and it is half way through May.

Hmmmm.....

Mother's Day Drive~

After a surprise conference call

(ThAnKs KiDs, you made my day!!)

I expressed my desire to be outside.

From the window it looked sunny with blue skies,

but windy, so we decided to go for a drive.

At the Dexter intersection the Pilot Man turned right.

The road was in pretty good shape for springtime.

We stopped here to take pictures~

clouds building in front of us..

blue skies behind us.

a weighted tripod beside us.

They get a lot of wind through here!

The ravens were loving the wind and doing some amazing aerobatics

with fantastic rolls and dives as they played.

We didn't enjoy the wind and snow flakes as much as the birds,

so decided it was time to turn around towards home

when we reached the falling snow.

DOT had opened up the road and shoved the snow aside a while back.

It packed the snow creating ice prisms.  

As they melted they fell in these cool columns. 

In a few places the road was 4-wheel drive only...

with water flowing.

There wasn't any wind in this section, and that sun sure felt good!

The ditch along the side of the road should help divert the run-off

if it warms up and melts fast.

The water level has dropped beneath this ice,

but it has been so cold the ice on top stayed.

It is good to watch where you are going!

Yay!!  Things are melting in the arctic!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mothers' Day,

also known as May 12, 2013,

in your part of the world.....

Muskox Sightings~

The muskox have returned to feed closer to our driving route.

I haven't seen any babies yet,

but it should be about calving time.

One day I drove by and they were lower on the hill.

Maybe they were trying to get out of the weather,

because they were laying on the ground under a rocky ledge.

As they rested the snow covered their backs,

making them look like lumpy, white rocks.

Usually they are more like this--up and feeding.....

A Fine April Day ~

Spring time!

The most wonderful time of the year in the arctic!

On days like this, it is easy to appreciate the season.

But, as we go into another day of overcast skies,

and little white flakes,

we are looking for a little bit of inspiration.

It might be a good time to sit back and enjoy past pictures

to remind us of those endless blue skies

and happy trails .....