Winter in Alaska

Sure you might think cold and dark when you hear winter in Alaska but you can also add the word "unpredictable" in there too. You never know what the weather is going to be like. One day it's snowing and two days later we're having a melt down and it's plus 40˚. Then perhaps 4 days later the wind begins to blow and blow and blow until the snow that was left on the ground is gone or buried under dirt from surrounding fields.

This is our forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight...Clear. Lows zero to 5 below. Northeast wind 40 to 55 mph. Gusts to 65 mph increasing to 80 mph during the evening. Wind chills to 25 below.

Saturday...Sunny. Temperatures steady around zero to 5 below. Northeast wind 10 to 25 mph. Wind chills to 25 below.

Saturday Night...Clear. Lows 10 below to 15 below. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Wind chills to 35 below.
As I'm writing this our house is being buffeted by the wind and things are hitting the windows. What things? Well I really don't know but best guess is sand, dirt and any snow bits, hopefully nothing bigger and crunchier.

I love this picture:

This was taken last week during the warm spell, all of our house gnomes moved outside. Why? I don't really know but they did and the boys were quite happy to play in the mud and the muck of my dry riverbed garden that "flows" under the front dock/deck. Now all the gnome and fairy homes are frozen in the ground, but the boys have been happily flying in supplies of wool roving and blankets to insulate the gnomes.

I'm grateful for boys who take life in stride, a warm house, a loving husband and wild inclement weather.

Peace and Love--