Day 62, 3/3/2011

Brand new with the tags still on it.

Somebody’s having fun this weekend!

Day 63, 3/4/2011

The Downtown Association of Fairbanks hosts something called “First Friday” where local artists showcase their work at venues provided by participating community businesses on first Friday of every month.

Today I stopped by the Artisan’s Courtyard to view the exquisite charcoal drawings of Laura Sample. Laura is an archaeologist by trade but happens to have this amazing gift, you know, on the side.

Recognize these two knuckleheads? 

This is a drawing I commissioned Laura to do of our two dogs, Cicely and Penny, who appear throughout my blog.

Laura spent time in Africa, and co-founded The Kenyan Young Women’s Education Program while she was there. These drawings of African wildlife are being sold tonight to benefit her charity.

Day 64, 3/5/2011

We had the best day of downhill skiing today at Moose Mountain, a local ski area that’s popular because of their heated buses that replace ski lifts and warm south facing slopes that offer views of Fairbanks and the Alaska Range.

Matt, Josh and I were joined by longtime friends Rick and Karla Ayala, who have come up from Anchorage for the weekend with their daughter Mariella’s ski team.

Day 65, 3/6/2011

When it’s below zero our girls wear booties outside, or else they come in doing the hot foot dance. It can be cumbersome, sort of like having to bundle up a kid several times every day, but I know they appreciate it!

I'll be out of touch again for a while. I'm headed to southeast Alaska for a couple weeks for work, which can by no stretch of the imagination be considered the Interior, but never fear, I've got it covered. I have tasked my husband Matt with taking daily pictures for me while I'm away.

Day 66, 3/7/2011

All - I'm now back in Fairbanks and will begin to work on getting caught up from the last couple weeks.


Matt forgot to take his Interior picture today, but assures me he will be all over it tomorrow. In the mean time, here's a side trip to Gustavus, AK, headquarters for Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, where I've been working on a detail for the last two weeks.

Today I travelled to Gustavus from Fairbanks on three progressively smaller planes. This is a photo I took of Juneau's Mendenhall Glacier in the air taxi from Juneau to Gustavus.

The weather in this region certainly feels a lot more like the onset of springtime than the sub zero temps I left in Fairbanks this morning.

Arriving in Gustavus, the first thing I noticed was the big coastal trees, dripping with bright green mosses and large because of all the rain they get here. My quarters for the next couple weeks are very nice, with a lovely view of the cove and the aforementioned trees, and on a clear day like this, I can also see the Fairweather Mountain Range over near the Canadian border.

My first day there ended with a great sunset over the cove.

Day 67, 3/8/2011

As Matt was driving to work today, he saw something we haven’t seen since last fall. 

Running water in a creek!

Could it be? Is this a sign that winter will come to an end shortly? I’m not holding my breath.

Side Trip, Gustavus, AK...

I saw this quirky little lady on the side of the road and she was gracious enough to model for me. 

You reckon there are some offbeat folks that live here?

A remnant symbol of the town's relation to the sea.

Day 68, 3/9/2011

Eielson Air Force Base as seen from the Moose Creek Range on Fort Wainwright land.

Side Trip, Gustavus, AK...

Trumpeter Swans that have been wintering in the lagoon.

Since I walk to work most days here and it's very icy on the road, I wear these "Yak Traks" grips on the bottom of my shoes for extra traction.

Today I had to 'fess up to my coworkers here that I have a head cold. There was no way to hide it since I practically lost my voice. I didn't want to say anything, because in Alaska, those that come to the remote villages and towns from the city bearing germs are social pariahs, but everyone was surprisingly tolerant. 

Day 69, 3/10/2011

Matt proudly displays the chips and cracks in his pickup’s windshield.

Side Trip, Gustavus, AK...

A local guide business, closed up for the winter like most everything else is here.

I worked hard today and got a lot accomplished. I'm glad to be off and get some rest now, because I am sick. Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick.

Day 70, 3/11/2011

A plane on display at the Eielson Air Force Base Museum.

Side Trip, Gustavus, AK...

This is easily the most attractive gas station I've ever seen.

The local cafe, open year round. GREAT brick oven pizzas, and what a cute, funky little place! I loved it.

I'm very sorry I missed the aurora light show that happened in Fairbanks this week. They say it was something to behold.

Day 71, 3/12/2011

Matt went to watch the Ice Dogs, our local NAHL hockey team play the Wenatchee Wild. Tonight was one of the infrequent outdoor games, complete with ice risers to stand on, a heated beer tent, and hot tub, which a couple lucky fans got to sit and watch the game in. One of them happened to be a friend of Matt’s. Unfortunately it was not a good night for the home team, but a good time was still had by all.

A hockey fan warming up in the beer tent.

The finished sculpture that Allan and Jim began on day 39 (check out post from 2/8/11).

Side Trip, Gustavus, AK...

Today was wildlife on the beach day.

I saw:

Varied thrush

A collared (and earringed) moose

Mussels and barnacles

A pair of bald eagles

A hermit crab

and a throng of ravens

Day 72, 3/13/2011

Snowmachiners are welcomed to use the open expanse of the Chena Flood Control plain all winter, and it looks like they’ve been wearing it out.

Side Trip, Gustavus, AK...

I woke up this Sunday morning to a light dusting of snow on the trees, and it looks like sifted powdered sugar on everything outside.

To keep me from being bored or sneaking in to the office to work today, my temporary boss, Sheri, asked me to come by her house for a while this afternoon. I was delighted to do so, not only because she has a freezer full of halibut, but also because she has a sweetheart of a German Shorthaired Pointer named A.J., and I need a doggie fix by now.

We took A.J. for a walk on the beach, which is a short trail from her house.

The sky started to clear off and the mountains were shining brightly over the neighborhood.

We even got to see a sun dog, which remarkably enough, Sheri said she'd never seen before. (I discussed sun dogs in an earlier post after I'd seen a moon dog that morning.)

Day 73, 3/14/2011

Looks like a family on Eielson AFB just had a baby boy.

Side Trip, Gustavus, Alaska...

Here's one I like to call "Why I'm Really Here."

Today I saw a Great Blue Heron but wasn't quick enough on the draw with the camera before it flew off. You'll have to take my word for it. It was cool.

Day 74, 3/15/2011

Birch Hill Ski and Snowboard Area, as seen from the Yukon Training Area behind Eielson Air Force Base, about 30 miles away.

Side Trip, Gustavus, Alaska...

Low tide in the lagoon on a rainy afternoon. The swans flew over again and the sound of their huge wings pushing the air down was extraordinary.

Kayaks waiting out the winter.

A moss swathed tree.

Day 75, 3/16/2011

Up, up , up and away we go again!

Side Trip, Gustavus, Alaska...

This may have been the prettiest morning here yet. The dusting of snow we got the other day was nice, but these are big fluffy snowflakes that are caking on the tree branches. 

It looks like a shaken snow globe out the window, and I couldn't stop taking pictures on my walk to work this morning.

On the way back to the apartment after work, it was more like a sloppy wet mess. It's rain/snowing, and all of the pretty snow that was on the trees has melted away already.  Despite the damp gray weather, I tromped down the street in search of a trailhead that one of the interpretive rangers told me about today. She said it led to a pond, and that there was often wildlife for the viewing back there. She even went to the trouble to draw me a map (everyone here has bent over backwards with hospitality for me). After a couple wrong turns, I found the trail. I got to the pond and it was pretty quiet, with no signs of life besides myself. But I'm still glad I went. First, I can always use the exercise. Second, it was a very nice raised boardwalk traversing a one mile loop. I didn't even really mind that I had to post hole through the deep snow much of the way. What really struck me was back in the woods, the cattywampus branches hung low over the walkway, and the moss dripping off of them sort of made the place look primeval. It was cool in a Jurassic Parkish way.

To top off the day, I saw a flying insect that looked curiously like a mosquito. 

Day 76, 3/17/2011

Happy St. Patty’s Day!

Side Trip, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska...

Today was the day I've been waiting for. Today I got out on a boat and saw a good bit of the park while helping on an oceanography survey. Park Rangers Bruno and Latendresse had a mission to take a scientific instrument that reads and records various data from the water in 7 different locations, and this required we sail up both arms of the Bay and back.

It's no wonder how this place got its name.

I was fortunate enough to see all types of wildlife, including harbor porpoises, sea otters, dozens of bird species, sea lions

and incredibly, we had a close encounter with a couple different pods of orcas. I didn't realize how rare this was until I got an e-mail from the killer whale biologist there asking if I could send some of the pictures I took that may show any markings because it's so unusual for them to be seen so much this time of year. 

We saw them coming straight at us, so they killed the engine and just let them swim right by. These guys work on these waters every day, They have watched orcas chase sea lions right up on to the rocks, and they were still awed and appreciative. And that made me happy.