22 September 2009

No Snow Yet, but Autumn Will Be Brief

Good morning!

There's no snow in town; we can't see there's fresh snow on the mountains, above 2,000 feet. The clouds stayed longer than AccuHunch guessed, but it's only 46 this morning. However, that's the high for the day.

The forecast is for a scattered rain/snow mix, and falling temps with 34 overnight. They're determined to give us snow, regardless of some silly words like autumn on the calendar.

The skies are clearing, and the sun is peeking over the mountains ... for now. I suspect that will change, too, but it's nice while it lasts.

Winter will come when it's ready, but it is a bit soon for any significant snow, just the same (he said hopefully).


* * * * *

In the suburb of Eagle River, city officials were planning a new trail. A year ago, a teenager was mauled by a bear. So the officials mounted eight game cameras to monitor activity, and boy, did they get it. It looks like a Hollywood casting call for ursine extras.

* * * * *



Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan is going to be facing some tough decisions soon. He had asked the largest employees' union to accept a 37.5 hour workweek. The union members voted against it by a margin of 4 to 1. Can you say "short-sighted"? Now, he gets to decide which employees will be laid off to help meet a $12 million budget shortfall.

Personally, I'd have opted for working 2.5 hours less, and keeping my job. 93.75% of my salary would be better than none of it, but then I'm not a union member; it's their decision. Now we await the inevitable cries of "they done me wrong" when the layoffs begin.

* * * * *

We're at the peak of fall colors, I'm guessing, and a lot of leaves fell overnight. All too soon, the branches will be bare, and then we wait for snow to come and brighten up the landscape. Meanwhile, here's a picture of autumn, north of Anchorage, submitted by a reader to the Anchorage Daily News.

Time is short this morning, so that's all for now. Thanks for stopping by!

6 comments:

Teresa said...

LOL - Hollywood casting call for ursine extras - that cracked me up.

I think I'd let the bears have the trail. Probably the better option unless they want to go killing them. heh.

As for unions I've never known them to have the best interests of the workers at heart. Not quite sure what they would expect from non-cooperation but... geeze!

gregor said...

holy cow, how big is that bear?
they are the only animals that I have an actual fear of. black bears have been spotted locally, every time I'm outside at night and hear a twig snap in the back woods, the hair on the back of my neck stands up.
nice aurora picture, by the way. did you take that? i'm so jealous that you can see them up in your neck of the woods.

upinak said...

I don't know Paul. I think autumn has been around a while. I have seen yellow in the trees in July.

But yeah I admit, I wish there was another month of summer.

Rev. Paul said...

Teresa - glad you liked it. And yielding to the bears is generally preferable to a confrontation. There are those times when it's unavoidable, but that's often a 'stupid human' episode.

Gregor - I'm glad I put something up to bring a smile; I know you haven't been feeling well. I'm not sure how big that bear is; there's not enough definition in that night vision photo to say for sure.

Black bears tend to be smaller, here - 200 lbs or so. They're also usually timid, unless they've been around lots of people; the ones that wander into town & raid garbage cans are problematic. In the woods, you can run them off by making enough noise.

And no, I borrowed the aurora shot; not mine, darn it.

Uppy - I was referring to the time counting from today until the first snow cover. But you're right about yellowish leaves in mid-summer.

joated said...

Is it true that there are elementaryh schools on each end of theat meadow the bears visit?

As for the union's vote: Nice display of the me! me! me! Obviously, each and every one of them believe it will be the other guy who gets lais off.

You've been posting some great photos lately. Love 'em.

Rev. Paul said...

Joated - yes, the schools are very close by.

I have never been able to understand a union mind-set. It's all about "me, today; tomorrow doesn't exist." Strange beyond reckoning.

And thank you.