A New Chapter

Thanks for checking out my blog! I am still learning and trying to improve my skills all the time. I have started another site where I've been posting recent portraits, sporting events and some of my old favorites. Come on over to Studio 64° North Photography and take a look!

Day One, New Years Day, 2011

After getting up and feeding the dogs, I decided to take them for a walk once it got light enough out, around 10:00 AM. We went over to our favorite trail and the girls had a great time running, playing and sniffing. For the entire month of December, we were housebound because the temperatures didn’t get much above 20 below, so it was wonderful to breathe the fresh air again. Didn’t see any moose today, just some snowshoe hare tracks and a couple ravens. 

Day Two, 1/2/2011

Not much can tear Matt away from the NFL playoffs, but a day with weather above 20 degrees in January will do the trick.


We went cross-country skiing at one of our favorite trails in Fairbanks. With our down hill ski options limited and the weather being so harsh much of the winter, cross-country skiing is a very popular pastime in the Interior.


After grabbing a bite at home, we headed into North Pole proper to view the ice sculptures at the “Christmas in Ice” display. Today was the last day it was open, and a perfectly beautiful evening to go.

The holidays are officially over now, it’s back to work tomorrow and I am wiped out. But I can say with all certainty that we made the most of a rare balmy winter’s day.

Day Three, 1/3/2011

This evening I noticed the girls curled up in front of the Monitor stove. The heat feels good on their old bones. The oldest has lived through about a dozen North Pole winters and the younger is not far behind. The Monitor stoves are an efficient way to heat a small space. A good percentage of folks up here live in dry cabins, and the Monitor or Toyo stoves are the perfect heat source for them. They run on oil, but are very efficient and reliable.

Day Four, 1/4/2011

After work today I stopped by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Fairbanks office because I’d heard about a group of folks camping out there in order to be the first in line for a moose tag tomorrow morning. Occasionally ADF&G will open a hunt at an unexpected time in an unexpected area with a limited quantity of tags as part of their game management strategy. I guess these guys didn’t want to take any chances on missing out. For some families in Alaska, wild game is all that fills their freezers for the year. It’s better for you than store bought ground beef and tastes better, as well.

Day Five, 1/5/2011

This morning there was a dense fog advisory across the Interior. The photo shows the remnants of that fog at around 11:00 am. I’m here to tell you that it’s not too much fun trying to navigate through this pea soup in the pitch black of 6:30 am. You just have to really slow down and plan on taking an extra 15 minutes or so to get to work. Maybe 30 if there’s a fender bender like the one I saw along the way today.

Day Six, 1/6/2011

Thursday night is yoga night at our house. Matt rocks the warm up pose known as Warrior Two.

It snowed steadily all day today and the roads were a tad slick at the intersections again. Matt drove to Fort Greely and back today for work, and was stuck behind a tractor-trailer for a good portion of the trip home. The truck wasn’t going much over 40 mph, which is a safe speed for him, but can sometimes create problems for those behind him. The drifting, blowing snow that kicks up can blind a driver following a large, slow moving truck and make for some “white knuckle” driving. 

However, everyone is now home safe and sound, and some relaxing sun salutations and balance postures are sure to calm our nerves and let the blood flow back through our knuckles!