Thursday, December 22, 2011

I'd spot home anywhere!

HA!  I knew I wasn't the only one!  There is another "local!" 

Upon my walking to a friends house....and after walking by it once without noticing I might add, I spotted them.  Locals, Oregonians, transplants.  There were more of us!   

And then I did some research.  You know, looked at the plate, 2007.  Great.  We'll, they've been here awhile.  Then dug some more, they live in Washington.  All alone again.

It was a great moment, while it lasted.

Fire and Ice 2

It's been very interesting here over the past month.  We've had some extreme freezing weather, the rain, the wind, the snow and then some nothingness.  I've watched the river freeze about halfway out, only to melt again.  The experiences with the different weather have been exciting for me.  I hope that the students have been able to experience the excitement of their world all over again through the eyes of this "outsider" as I enjoy every moment of the winter weather!
Snow beginning to slide off the roof with ice dripping off. 

When the river melts after freezing, some larger chunks are left behind on sandbars.
I made Mom wait one day on Skype because I saw this sunset as it started down.  We had a little bit of snow earlier in the day and the clouds just created a "could not miss" picture and I knew I only had seconds.  Turns out...about a minute before it was gone.  So pretty.  It's truly something you only see up here.

Monday, December 12, 2011

My new friend

Recently I received a box in the mail that was quite large and oddly light.  My family had been checking in to see if it had arrived for a few days so I knew something had to be up.  When I brought it across the street to my apartment, my mind started to wonder what could be in such a large box but still be so light?  Clothing would be heavy, yarn would still weigh much more than what I was feeling but I couldn't put my finger on it.

To my surprise, I opened it up to find a great deal of fluff!  They sent me snow?  I have plenty of that here. Fluff, you know, filling to stuff a home-made animal with, stuff to pretend is snow on the mantel above the fireplace. (and hope it doesn't catch fire!)  Like a little kid on Christmas, out from the box, and onto the floor it went.  Digging through the fluff, I find a balloon.  What?  You packed a balloon from Oregon to Alaska in fluff?  Are you kidding me?!

It had been quite cold up here and I'm sure he was very full when he left, he's not quite as rotund now.  I guess you could call it the freezer diet.  He still stays afloat and hangs out on my windowsill.  He came with a note much like a newborn left on a doorstep.  It says his name is Mylar and since I've been targeted as missing my puppies, the previous owners figured I'd take him in.  Well, I guess they were right... he's found a good home.
He's pretty easy to keep.  He came potty trained, he doesn't bark at strangers anymore and he doesn't shed either.  He enjoys his leash and from what I've heard, when he goes for walks he does a good job.  He doesn't get out much anymore, it's a tad cold for him.

Mylar enjoys his new home.  He's got a front row seat for all the weather watchings he can handle.  He's seen the snow, the rain, the wind and the sun.  He got a great view of a total lunar eclipse the other night too!  For the most part though he keeps an eye out for the little kids and over my attempt at growing some plants.  It's a little sad though, as he ages, you can see him slim down.  For now though he's still holding strong.  
I heard of Mylar's past when contacting his previous owners.  I guess he had a few run-in's with some people that passed by the car he was riding in after his walk through a grocery store.  He started barking out the window and he didn't even know he knew the guy.  It was a shame, but I'm glad he made it this way.

Last night though something strange happened... Mylar started misbehaving.  He started writing all over the windows trying to communicate.  I'm not sure what's going on, but I think he's trying to communicate to the kids.  For goodness sake, the word bubble says, "Hey kids!  My name is Mylar!"

What do I do if this continues?

Friday, December 9, 2011

Fire and Ice

Sunset with a streak of ice

The frigid air that settles in along the bay here brings with it the ice, the snow and the fire in the sunsets. Living in the lower 48, in a place where it doesn't completely freeze unless there is a big cold snap, you don't experience such things as a river having a sheet of ice over the top of it, a pond freezing over so that you can drive on it or watching and listening to ice cracking while the tide comes in beneath the frozen layer.

31 years.  I'm still learning and experiencing new things.  I know the world is about learning, about doing and about changing the lives of others along the way.  I just don't think I ever thought that the feelings of the new experiences would feel so powerful when I experienced them.  Feeling like a child again who hears a new sound.  To know that you are hearing something for the first time, at 31!  To have the knowledge that this is what your brain is processing and that joy that you feel is pure, clean and uncensored.  How many of us can say that we experience that in our adult lives?  Is it only when our children cry for the first time?  *I don't know yet as I don't have children.  I look forward to comparing the two feelings someday!

I look forward to having more of these types of experiences as they are truly good for the soul.  For now though, you'll have to enjoy the silent pictures along with me.
Salt water ice that falls off and forms large icicles 
Ice forming along the edge of the flats, top view



View from my bedroom window as the sun says goodbye for the night

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Gluten-Free Hubby Pt.1

Ah, the things we forget when we don't have them in our face.... a few nights ago, I asked my Gluten-Free husband if he liked banana bread. (in all seriousness)
His reply: "Really?"
me: "Ya really."
him: "Really? Seriously?"
me: "Oh, (giggle) crap! I totally forgot."
him: "I USED to like banana bread but I can't have it anymore."

I had packed a loaf of it in a box I sent home and I couldn't remember if he liked it or if it was his little brother that did.  Man did I feel like a heel!

Well, now that I am much better at making bread and feel as though I might have some success with a Gluten-Free type when I get home, I know I have a project in store for me.  I think I owe him at least that much for getting his hopes up.

*Oh, and those that got to munch on the bread that I included in the box I sent home said it was good.  Hooray for my first loaf of it ever!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

FIrst came wind, then came snow

A nice big storm rolls into town without much warning.  It wasn't the storm that Nome got, not even close to that but the winds that we got caused a bit of a stir around here.  They say they only get worse as the winter progresses on but if it's going to do some damage, I figure that's enough for me.  

I didn't think to check the weather site to see just how hard the wind was gusting, I'll have to do that next time around.  I think I was too busy swaying with my end of the building, wondering if the Wicked Witch was going to come anytime soon to come and "get my little dog too" to worry about that honestly.    Holding on through the night, bashing and crashing was all I heard.  Metal on metal, screeching and grinding and the occasional bang.  I figured it was the storage doors whacking against the building with the gusts.  It wasn't.  When daylight broke, we found that a piece of the roof had been torn from the screws that held it in place.  Not just nails, screws!  As each pulled out, the metal had beat against the building and roof right over my bed.  No wonder it was a long, sleepless night!  The rest of the village woke to check their houses, see if things were where they had left them and look for missing pieces of metal.  Not much was heard of much damage so it wasn't too bad of a storm.  Tossed about around the school property were some bits of plastic and other odd things, I think I saw a rogue tote across the road in the bushes too.

The biggest part of the wind storm was when I looked out the other side of my apartment and saw something sitting a little off kilter.  Opps!  Just the day before it was upright.  Had to have been the wind that knocked it off it's blocks.  I knew I heard something in the middle of the night!  That big 55 gal. drum is crushed like a pop can!  I sure hope the owner has a good idea for how to deal with that later on.  I'm sure they do, it's probably something that's happened before out here.

Once the wind died down and we had a little bit of time to recoup, we got some snow!  Pretty, beautiful, quiet snow.  The world just dies right on down and is super quiet when it's covered in a nice blanket of the white stuff!  We got about 2 inches that morning and I couldn't have been happier!  Fresh tracks signal that a passerby or two have been out in the morning but all else is quiet.  I am guessing it might be someone's brother out to have a cup of morning coffee!



Thursday, December 1, 2011

Spinning on Early Ice

Early November, the ice on the ponds/lakes begins to freeze.  This really signals the beginning of winter and a very exciting time for the ATV riders in the village.  Not only are the benefits of the snow going to be exciting for the youth (and the teacher from Oregon) but it means that there are opportunities to drive their ATV's on the frozen lakes.

Let's get a few things straight.  It doesn't freeze all at once.  The shallowest points freeze first, creeping towards the center.  Layers form and as it stays cold, the pond/lake begins to freeze towards the bottom.  I watch with anticipation/horror as the experienced students who have lived their whole lives here do something they look forward to each year and wonder if I'd ever have the guts to put myself on a bike that weighs as much as it does, on ice.  You know, that stuff we put in our glasses to cool drinks down.

Here you'll see one of the members of the village come back from testing the edges of the lake (which weren't all frozen further out) to the corner that was frozen and spin like a little kid who'd found his favorite toy again!  Please notice the differences that you will be able to see in the surrounding areas change as the videos and pictures start to transition throughout this blog from early November into December.