A blizzard you say....

Starting last week, we have been having blizzards on and off. This first one was last Wednesday. It all started out as a normal day. We had received snow a few days back so I decided to ski to work. Around noon, the winds began to blow and it started snowing. Nothing unusual for Alaska in Jan but by 130 we could not see across the street! Work was cancelled and we were all sent home. I put my skis back on and headed out the door. I could barely see 2 feet in front of me the wind and snow were so bad. But on the up side, the wind was blowing towards my house so all I had to do was stand up and the wind blew me all the way home. I think I had to take about 4 steps the whole way!



My house doesn't look too bad. When I opened the door to the artic way (mud room) there was 3 feet of snow on the inside.... Luckely none made it into the house.

When I got home I turned on the news. They said the wind was gusting up to 60 mph and with wind chill it was -14, actually warmer than it had been all week. They word on the street was it finally warmed up enough to snow!





Looking out my kitchen window...














They guy next door. I don't think he is going to dig his truck out for a while!














This house is 2 or 3 down from me. The window is his main window. You can't even see the door.













The pile of snow in front of my house the next day. It was about 5 feet tall.

Over all the news said we got 17 inches in 1 day. They are pretty good about keeping the roads plowed and streets clear up here. It took 2 days to clear the side streets.

Then just when I thought it was all over, we got hit by an even worse storm this weekend. I'll have to keep you posted on what the final tally of snow is for this one!

Colors of the Tundra

Now that I have been here in Alaska for almost a year, I have seen the full colors of the tundra. I never knew it went though so many color changes. It starts being snow covered in Jan, Feb and most of March.


The end of March, the snow began to melt and the browns of the tundra came through. As the snow melts, the rivers run high and there is a lot of standing water everywhere.











The first flowers to come through were the red/pink kind. I don't know what type of flowers they were, but the whole tundra was covered in them.










The bushes green up and it begins to look like home again. You can see the red floweres on the hill in the back ground.

About mid-May the tundra cotton comes in. The whole tundra looks white making it look like it is cover in snow.











As the snow melts, the water pools in the tundra and the puddles become more prevalent.










Late Aug and Sept the berries come out in full force. These are the low bush blueberries.













The low bush cranberries follow after the blueberries.
















As the weather cools, the fall colors come in. The grasses turn from green to gold and rust.

The red flowers come back in late fall just before the snow comes again.

The fall colors in full glory. The fall colors were almost as amazing as the aspen trees in Colorado.

From here the snow came back. Everything is covered in white again and the seasons start once again.

New Years

For New Years Eve I was working and hopeing not to have to fly. I was hopeing to get to see the bonefire and fire works in Nome, but that did not happen. I ended up with 2 flights and our pilot timed out so we ended up staying in Anchorage for the night.


The ice sculptures in Anchorage. It was a strange night out there. At midnight there was no fire works, no whooping and hollering. Basically there weren't many people here at all.











The beer at night. We searched and searched but finally found a bar that was still open. We never did find any food that night though.












Kevin the pilot. He was the one that timed out!

Christmas

I got to go home for Christmas! Back to good old Colorado. I was able to see the whole family and spend time relaxing and running around.

Mom, me and Candie had the bake-athon again this year. We made about 6 dozen cookies. We also made a ginger bread house.


The side of the ginger bread house.














The front of the house













What we did with the house at the end!














Aaron, mom and me on Christmas day. We had Christmas at Aarons this year.













Every year Aaron and I take a Christmas "fighting picture" Mom got in the middle this year.











On Christmas Aaron had to work. He is working nights these days so Mom, Candie and I went snow shoeing to let him get some sleep.

















Everyone got new sweaters for the holiday, even the dogs...













Mom curled up in her new quilt from Aaron and Candie.












Aaron and Candie got mom and I new hats and scarves. I think this should have been the Chirstmas card picture.




I hope everyone had a great holiday season and here's to a wonderful new year!

Thanksgiving

I spent Thanksgiving in Nome, having the day off. All of the single people in town got together and had a pot luck dinner at Ileens's house. It made for a nice day.

Ileen with one of the 2 turkies

James got a hold of my camera and took picutes of all the great food. Everyone brought a favorite side dish. I made the yams and the pies.

The pie table.

What a great looking dinner, except for the fact that my food was touching....


















Me with my food!