Snow Day

PhotoShop works wonders on an otherwise white day out there. There rest are realistic colors, honest, mostly white. Hey, it was one of those kinda days here in Wasilla.

Got snow?

After spending way too much time snow blowing the yard one winter, I invested in some driveway markers.

Looking south out the road. Normally you could see mountains in the distance. As you can tell, the snow plow hadn't gone yet. It still hasn't made a pass by here, actually.

Looking north, toward where the Talkeetnas are. Nope, they're hiding today, too.

A Not So Manic Monday

Something tells me I'll never get tired of taking photos of hoar frost. It's just plain beautiful in a simple, stark way, especially against a gorgeous blue sky.

Check out how bright the hoar frost was as the sun began to beat down on it.

Sparkling snow on the spruce

Meanwhile, or later, really, down at Wasilla Lake the shadows are lengthening on the mountains across the way.

Sniffing the plaque marking the entrance to the lakeside park, some dogs came out with their owner to play. Somehow, I wasn't surprised when this was their next move.

Two of the five that were there running across the lake.

Looking out toward the mountains from Idita-Park. Clouds are beginning to set in as the sun sinks lower.

Taken at the corner where I turn off onto my street, a beautiful afternoon.

Life in the Not-So-Fast Lane

Despite the seemingly unending threat that Redoubt is going to erupt and ruin our days (at least for awhile), it's still difficult to ignore the beauty all around me here in Wasilla. This was the view across Wasilla Lake today as I was making my way home from Freds.
I absolutelylove it when we get that big ol' moon up there against a blue sky.

And then the power went out.....

This was how I was getting my light for about six hours overnight on Wednesday. I'd just gone to bed when, blam, there went the power. Now, true, had it been summer and I didn't have to worry about freezing water pipes, I'd have probably just rolled over and gone to sleep. As it was, tho', with the temperature a balmy +8 outside, figured I'd better get up and build a fire after calling in the cavalry, MEA's repair crew. Little did I know at the time, tho', it'd take the cavalry six hours to do their magic and resume the flow of power to my neighborhood.

The first shot is of the candle, a gift from Bonnie, with the flash. For a cooler version, check this non-flash one out. In the dark, it projects the silhouette of a moose and some spruce trees on the side as if lighted from within.











Fortunately, I already had in a nice supply of firewood for the fireplace courtesy of my "be prepared" motto over the possibility of Redoubt blowing and shutting off power for awhile. So, for six loonnnggggg hours, I amused myself by watching the flames dance around, getting up fairly often to poke a piece of wood as much to keep me awake as to really do anything for the fire. Needless to say, I was already "anticipating" having to replace all that wood I'd hoped never to have to use, too! Ha