"Let's go."
I was in a deep sleep. I was back in Texas and the sun was shining. I was dreaming in technicolor and it was so hot I could feel the sun's rays penetrating my clothes, warm upon my back. I was planting a rose garden and the smell of the roses, fresh dirt, and fertilizer was intertwined into a perfume only gardeners understand. It was heaven and I didn't want to leave.
"Bill called. Wake up. They're dancing!"
My horticultural heaven was quickly replaced with the glare of the bedroom light as Joe was racing around as only my Type A+ husband can do. I grabbed my glasses, pulled on my Walmart knock-off Uggs to compliment the Oklahoma sweatshirt I had thrown over my pajamas and grabbed my parka. I looked like a true Alaskan. My camera bag is always handy so I grabbed it, too, telling myself "just in case."
I threw the dog in the backseat of the car and strapped myself in next to Joe who was anxious to head out before we missed our window of opportunity.
We have been chasing the Northern Lights since we came to Alaska. Our area is on the southern edge of the activity so viewing them is a gamble at best. All the locals have provided us with their hints for experiencing this natural phenomenon. According the them, the best time to see the lights is on the way home from an all night party. After several middle of the night and early morning attempts, I had begun to believe the aurora was the Alaska version of a good old Texas snipe hunt.
Honestly believing we were being used as fodder for the local coffee shop gossip, I subscribed to an "Aurora Alert" service. Some scientist sitting in an office in Anchorage sends you an e-mail if the activity in your area was deemed to be "high". I had received one alert several days ago for the following 12 hour period and after using the formula provided and carefully calculating to determine the optimal viewing time for our location, I was now convinced it was a state-wide conspiracy. I'm not a scientist but even I know that the best viewing of the aurora borealis is not at 1:27 p.m.
Using the less scientific method, Joe had asked some of the men at the plant to call him if the lights appear over Kenai. This is why Joe was interrupting my dream and dashing around like a mad man at 3:30 a.m. He had received a call and had been told "they are really dancing."
We had been told that the best viewing would be on the beach looking to the north towards the town of Kenai. We raced to the beach to secure our spot. Of course, we were the only people on the beach at that time of the morning so we had a prime viewing spot.
We shut off all the lights, even covering the interior lights with a jacket and looked up. We could see a white band of what looked like fog stretching across the horizon. We watched for about 15 minutes waiting to see it move or change colors. There wasn't a lot of activity.
We thought perhaps it was the tinting on the car windows that was hampering our experience so we stepped out of the car into the 4 degree weather. Only in Alaska would I find myself standing on a snow-covered beach at 3:45 a.m. in my pajamas. The band of "fog" didn't look any different outside the car. "Snipe hunt" once again came to mind.
Because we were both freezing at this point, we decided we should return home. I was still unclear whether what we had seen was the Aurora Borealis or just some fog high above the Inlet. We pulled into the garage and I went inside to warm up. Joe said he was going to walk to the end of the driveway to see if he could see anything different. I was pulling off my parka when my phone rang. "Hurry! You've got to come out here!"
Repeating my earlier dash to bundle up sufficiently, I shuffled down the icy driveway towards my husband. Joe was standing transfixed on the sky above him. I looked up and directly above us, across the entire sky as far as you could see, were dancing lights. We had found the Aurora Borealis! It was amazing! We stood out there as long as the single-digit temperature would allow. As we came back inside to warm up and to make coffee I off-handedly laughed, "I'm going to be upset if we are able to see these from our bedroom."
As I was returning my camera bag, I glanced out our bedroom window. Framed by the picture window, the northern skies were alive. It was as if God had decided to light a fire in Heaven. Had we simply turned off our bedroom lights and looked up instead of dashing around like crazy people, we would have been able to enjoy the aurora from the comfort of a warm house. We sat on the floor mesmerized by what we were witnessing. We sat there until the lights played out as dawn approached.
I took pictures but I'm not able to post them so I'll provide an illustration of what my photography captured. If you'll close you eyes and imagine complete darkness, you will see exactly what my pictures of this morning look like. My plan today is to research the best settings for photographing the "dancers" and hopefully one day I'll be able to share.
For now, though, I think I'm going to pull the covers over my head and see if I can't recreate that rose garden and sunshine......
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Little Chapel in the Woods
Just when I think I've encountered most everything in the Last Frontier, I learn something that completely causes me to stop and reflect on the adaptations Alaskans have made throughout their history in order to survive and prosper.
I learned that once I become an "official" Alaskan resident (July 2011); not only do I get drastically reduced fees on my hunting and fishing licenses, as well as the benefit of sustenance hunting and fishing to my freezer's content, I am also allowed to perform a marriage ceremony for one lucky couple over the course of my lifetime.
Because I don't plan to live out my golden years in this beautiful state, I'm offering my services to any engaged couple who wants to come to Alaska to get married this summer. Since it has been almost 25 years since I repeated the marriage vows myself; I'll brush up and make your wedding ceremony definitely memorable. I may not be able to find an Elvis impersonator but I can definitely supply as many Mountain Men as you'd like. And because Joe can also perform one ceremony in his lifetime; we'll make it a "2 for 1" special!
Any takers?
I learned that once I become an "official" Alaskan resident (July 2011); not only do I get drastically reduced fees on my hunting and fishing licenses, as well as the benefit of sustenance hunting and fishing to my freezer's content, I am also allowed to perform a marriage ceremony for one lucky couple over the course of my lifetime.
Because I don't plan to live out my golden years in this beautiful state, I'm offering my services to any engaged couple who wants to come to Alaska to get married this summer. Since it has been almost 25 years since I repeated the marriage vows myself; I'll brush up and make your wedding ceremony definitely memorable. I may not be able to find an Elvis impersonator but I can definitely supply as many Mountain Men as you'd like. And because Joe can also perform one ceremony in his lifetime; we'll make it a "2 for 1" special!
Any takers?
I wish I had watched "Sarah Palin's Alaska"
Like many, my family has been watching "Sarah Palin's Alaska" where Gov. Palin and her family give the rest of America a glimpse of this beautiful state and the Alaskan life. I really wish I had seen it before I moved up here because I was definitely unprepared for what awaited me!
I came to Alaska fully expecting the experience to be less civilized than Colorado...more along the lines of Wyoming or Montana. I was anxious to experience to experience first-hand the vast open spaces and wilderness and naively thought that while Joe was working, I would be able to grab my camera and take off in search of the perfect photo op. I've enjoyed solo drives in some pretty desolate areas and never felt I was putting myself in danger when I would strike out for the day with nothing but my camera bag and handgun of choice, a .38 Special. In my imagination, Alaska was going to be the ultimate opportunity to feed my need for adventure.
After almost 5 months here, I'm glad to say that I wasn't too far off in my view. I've never seen such beauty in one place. On a sunny day, your senses are almost overloaded trying to take it all in. The wildlife is so abundant it is as if we live in the middle of a wildlife park. Five miles in any direction will put so far from civilization that you have no running water or electricity and roads are non existent. What I failed to consider is that in Alaska, you have to multiply each one of these qualities by at least 10 or what I call the "Alaska Extreme".
As I said, the mountains here are incredibly beautiful. Kenai is completely surrounded by mountain ranges. However, these same mountains cause havoc in predicting the weather. To travel the 60 miles (as a crow flies) from Kenai to Anchorage is a little over three hours by car. In the summer, you drive along a two lane road between two mountain ranges traveling along the path of the beautiful Kenai River. During this three hour drive, you will pass through three distinctly different weather zones. In the summer, it causes no great concern other than the possibility of rain and bumper to bumper traffic due to the tourists. The winter is quite different all together.
In the winter, due to the diminished sunlight each day, at least half the trip to Anchorage is in pitch darkness. Cars must be provisioned with an emergency kit of coats and blankets, hiking boots, food and water, roadside flares, as well as a first aid kit in the event you hit one of the hundreds of moose along this route. Studded tires are necessary even on 4WD vehicles due to the ice that accumulates on the road. Although you may check the weather before you leave, there is no guarantee that you won't encounter blizzard conditions on the other side of the mountains and with no cell phone coverage and limited radio service and you could be driving into very dangerous conditions completely unaware. The area is also known for avalanches and several times throughout the winter, the road is closed until it can be safely cleared. You have to be prepared to spend at least 24 hours in your car should this happen. Alaska Extreme.
The wildlife here is abundant. I have seen moose, caribou, eagles, and more fish than I could have ever imagined. Joe has encountered bears on fishing trips competing with him for salmon. What I failed to realize is that because the wildlife is so abundant, you do not dare drive over 45 mph for fear of hitting a moose or a caribou. Last week, Joe was getting the oil changed and visited with a woman at the mechanic shop. She was there getting her truck repaired after hitting a moose in the middle of the downtown area across the street from the Dairy Queen. Alaska Extreme.
During her campaign, Sarah Palin got a lot of flack about shooting wolves from helicopters. Last March, a woman was killed by a pack of wolves when she was out jogging. In the paper last week, there was an article about the Wildlife Department granting approval to exterminate two packs of wolves who are terrorizing a village southeast of Anchorage. Over the past year, the wolves have killed numerous dogs and have begun entering garages and circling residents homes waiting on an opportunity to attack. One pack numbers 20 and the smaller pack is about 7. Alaska Extreme.
In our area, we don't have wolves but we have grizzlies. We have been warned that you do not leave your house without a bear gun. My .38 Special would be useless against a bear and would probably only make the situation much worse. We've been told not to grill anything outdoors during the summer and we definitely don't leave our garbage cans outside the garage for any reason. We've heard tales of bears pounding on patio doors and windows as the frightened homeowners escape in their cars. Last summer, there were two bear attacks within 10 miles of our home and a grizzly has been been spotted about 2 miles from here. Environmentalist have been successful in severely restricting the hunting of these animals so in our area they have no fear of man. If you fall into the environmentalists' camp on this issue, I'd welcome you to spend a week with me this summer and you can experience for yourself what if feels like to no longer be at the top of the food chain. Alaska Extreme.
As I watched Gov. Palin entertain Kate Gosselin and her 8 children last night, I had an epiphany. Gov. Palin consistently embraced the beauty of her surroundings, reveling in the magnificent scenery. Ms. Gosselin saw very little of the beauty because she was too concerned about the rain, the bugs, the different food, etc. Rather than enjoy the experience, Ms. Gosselin made everyone around her miserable and ended the scheduled camping trip after only a few hours. Her attitude really hit home. I had lately found myself too focused on the difficulties I've found here rather than focusing on the very things that make Alaska so special. Joe and I have been given a wonderful opportunity to live in a place that many never get to experience. This past weekend, we made a list of the things we hope to see while we are here. Once the roads clear, I'll upgrade my .38 Special to a .44 Magnum; grab my camera bag; and head out. I'll be a Sarah Palin and NOT a Kate Gosselin! Perhaps I'll get my own television show and show you a glimpse of the Alaska Extreme I'm learning so much about!
Note: I just learned that our internet speed in Kenai, one of the most populated areas in the state, is too slow to support downloading photographs. They have the systems in place to boost the speed and coverage but aren't ready to unroll it. The upgrade could happen soon or I may be back in the lower-48 before this happens. I've not posted to my blog because I like to share pictures, but I have so much I'd like to share. If you'll bear with me, I'll give you a narrative of my adventures and update with pictures at a later date.
Just one more example of Alaska Extreme that I am embracing with a smile!
I came to Alaska fully expecting the experience to be less civilized than Colorado...more along the lines of Wyoming or Montana. I was anxious to experience to experience first-hand the vast open spaces and wilderness and naively thought that while Joe was working, I would be able to grab my camera and take off in search of the perfect photo op. I've enjoyed solo drives in some pretty desolate areas and never felt I was putting myself in danger when I would strike out for the day with nothing but my camera bag and handgun of choice, a .38 Special. In my imagination, Alaska was going to be the ultimate opportunity to feed my need for adventure.
After almost 5 months here, I'm glad to say that I wasn't too far off in my view. I've never seen such beauty in one place. On a sunny day, your senses are almost overloaded trying to take it all in. The wildlife is so abundant it is as if we live in the middle of a wildlife park. Five miles in any direction will put so far from civilization that you have no running water or electricity and roads are non existent. What I failed to consider is that in Alaska, you have to multiply each one of these qualities by at least 10 or what I call the "Alaska Extreme".
As I said, the mountains here are incredibly beautiful. Kenai is completely surrounded by mountain ranges. However, these same mountains cause havoc in predicting the weather. To travel the 60 miles (as a crow flies) from Kenai to Anchorage is a little over three hours by car. In the summer, you drive along a two lane road between two mountain ranges traveling along the path of the beautiful Kenai River. During this three hour drive, you will pass through three distinctly different weather zones. In the summer, it causes no great concern other than the possibility of rain and bumper to bumper traffic due to the tourists. The winter is quite different all together.
In the winter, due to the diminished sunlight each day, at least half the trip to Anchorage is in pitch darkness. Cars must be provisioned with an emergency kit of coats and blankets, hiking boots, food and water, roadside flares, as well as a first aid kit in the event you hit one of the hundreds of moose along this route. Studded tires are necessary even on 4WD vehicles due to the ice that accumulates on the road. Although you may check the weather before you leave, there is no guarantee that you won't encounter blizzard conditions on the other side of the mountains and with no cell phone coverage and limited radio service and you could be driving into very dangerous conditions completely unaware. The area is also known for avalanches and several times throughout the winter, the road is closed until it can be safely cleared. You have to be prepared to spend at least 24 hours in your car should this happen. Alaska Extreme.
The wildlife here is abundant. I have seen moose, caribou, eagles, and more fish than I could have ever imagined. Joe has encountered bears on fishing trips competing with him for salmon. What I failed to realize is that because the wildlife is so abundant, you do not dare drive over 45 mph for fear of hitting a moose or a caribou. Last week, Joe was getting the oil changed and visited with a woman at the mechanic shop. She was there getting her truck repaired after hitting a moose in the middle of the downtown area across the street from the Dairy Queen. Alaska Extreme.
During her campaign, Sarah Palin got a lot of flack about shooting wolves from helicopters. Last March, a woman was killed by a pack of wolves when she was out jogging. In the paper last week, there was an article about the Wildlife Department granting approval to exterminate two packs of wolves who are terrorizing a village southeast of Anchorage. Over the past year, the wolves have killed numerous dogs and have begun entering garages and circling residents homes waiting on an opportunity to attack. One pack numbers 20 and the smaller pack is about 7. Alaska Extreme.
In our area, we don't have wolves but we have grizzlies. We have been warned that you do not leave your house without a bear gun. My .38 Special would be useless against a bear and would probably only make the situation much worse. We've been told not to grill anything outdoors during the summer and we definitely don't leave our garbage cans outside the garage for any reason. We've heard tales of bears pounding on patio doors and windows as the frightened homeowners escape in their cars. Last summer, there were two bear attacks within 10 miles of our home and a grizzly has been been spotted about 2 miles from here. Environmentalist have been successful in severely restricting the hunting of these animals so in our area they have no fear of man. If you fall into the environmentalists' camp on this issue, I'd welcome you to spend a week with me this summer and you can experience for yourself what if feels like to no longer be at the top of the food chain. Alaska Extreme.
As I watched Gov. Palin entertain Kate Gosselin and her 8 children last night, I had an epiphany. Gov. Palin consistently embraced the beauty of her surroundings, reveling in the magnificent scenery. Ms. Gosselin saw very little of the beauty because she was too concerned about the rain, the bugs, the different food, etc. Rather than enjoy the experience, Ms. Gosselin made everyone around her miserable and ended the scheduled camping trip after only a few hours. Her attitude really hit home. I had lately found myself too focused on the difficulties I've found here rather than focusing on the very things that make Alaska so special. Joe and I have been given a wonderful opportunity to live in a place that many never get to experience. This past weekend, we made a list of the things we hope to see while we are here. Once the roads clear, I'll upgrade my .38 Special to a .44 Magnum; grab my camera bag; and head out. I'll be a Sarah Palin and NOT a Kate Gosselin! Perhaps I'll get my own television show and show you a glimpse of the Alaska Extreme I'm learning so much about!
Note: I just learned that our internet speed in Kenai, one of the most populated areas in the state, is too slow to support downloading photographs. They have the systems in place to boost the speed and coverage but aren't ready to unroll it. The upgrade could happen soon or I may be back in the lower-48 before this happens. I've not posted to my blog because I like to share pictures, but I have so much I'd like to share. If you'll bear with me, I'll give you a narrative of my adventures and update with pictures at a later date.
Just one more example of Alaska Extreme that I am embracing with a smile!
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