Objects in Mirror Are Closer ... Well, You Know

 Okay, third time's a charm ... stupid corporate 'puters at work won't let me save this text. Typed it twice already, so here we go:

Winter is coming. No, that's not a blurb for yet another go-round of Game of Thrones.

Our leaves began falling promptly on August 1st this year, which is not an encouraging sign. We've had snow on the nearby mountains, down to about the 5,000 foot mark - twice in the last week. And it was only 41° here this morning.

This is our fourth consecutive colder-than-normal "summer" season, with LOTS of rain since around the 1st of May. I think we've had 23 days of 70°+ weather this year, in total. I don't have the season's total rainfall in front of me, but 2023 is in the top 5 or 6 wettest summers on record. 

We had 70 mph winds that lasted for nearly 24 hours, last week, and lost yet another tall tree. It's worth noting that we purchased this place, some 7 years ago, largely because of it was heavily-wooded (emphasis on was). But now we've lost roughly 40% of the trees which were here. 

Between the 7.2-magnitude 'quake in 2018, a complete septic system replacement, and lots of heavy rains/snows and wind, there's a lot more daylight - and correspondingly less privacy - than when we moved in. I have faith that God knows exactly what He's doing, and this is not a complaint. Rather, think of it as a chronicling of what's happened during our tenure. 

And then there's this: fireweed, a fairly-reliable indicator of each upcoming winter's snowfall, is signaling another year of heavy snow. Well, okay then. 

I have a large snowblower, and am in better health now than I have been for several years. Bring it.

Voting

 We tried our luck at an "early voting" location yesterday afternoon. After standing in line for about an hour, they locked the outside doors.

A poll worker read an announcement that everyone in line would be allowed the chance to vote. But in the hour we were there, the line had advanced about 50 feet. We were near the end of a queue stretching well over 300 feet in length.

We exchanged significant looks and walked out.

So this morning, we got to the regular precinct at 6:30-ish, and sat in the car for awhile. Local temp: 0° F. At 0645, we tried the outer door, discovering that it was open and some folks were already inside. 

We were numbers 10 and 11 in line, voted quickly, and were out the door at 0713. 

Given the lines now being reported at polls around the greater Los Anchorage area, it's clear that we did well.

Please vote, and may the logic be ever in your favor. 

Another Day in the Rain

So Younger Daughter, who sells jewelry on the side, is setting up in the Lions' Club park a couple miles from here. Hundreds of vendors, including multiple choices of food, and fireworks at midnight.

It's been drizzling steadily since the overnight hours, so my lovely wife and I offered to set up the canopy. Since it's windy as well as wet, we stretched tarps on three sides to keep the summer weather out. Ha! (And note to self: buy more bungee cords.)

Now that the canopy's up and the jewelry distribution around the tables is underway, it became clear that I was a 5th wheel, so I'm safely back home.

AccuHunch promises, with their very best scientific guess, that the rain will end sometime between 5 and 9 pm. But, this being Alaska, folks are used to wet and cool.

We're also quite used to AccuHunch having no flippin' idea what they're talking about. But I digress.

Meanwhile, I have a Cabela's flyer to peruse, and good books to read, including the latest from JL Curtis:

Click here to see the Amazon page

We're "Extra Dusty", We're Told

From www.ktuu.com:

Dry weather and an early break up has turned the Anchorage Bowl into a dust bowl this spring.

According to the city's Environmental Health Division the amount of particulates floating through Anchorage's air right now have hit one of the highest levels in the past five years.

The dust is from all the gravel spread on city streets for better traction during winter. Very small particles made up of things like dirt and dried leaves comprise, said Air Quality Specialist Anne Schlapia.

While the dust can be highly visible at certain times of day Schlapia says the city hasn't exceeded federal clean air standards.

One reason for that is the city is able to put a damper on dirt and dust by using a spray of magnesium chloride. Schlapia says road maintenance crews wet down the gravel until it can swept up.

Schlapia says our air won't completely clear until the grass and trees leaves green up and we've had a good rainfall. Until then expect plenty of particulate matter to be floating through Anchorage's air.

That would explain it. My black truck, washed last Saturday, is now a medium gray.

Friday Morning

Good morning, out there!

Like most Alaskans, I occasionally feel a trifle claustrophobic here in southcentral, knowing there's only one road in or out of town. We have to drive 7 hours to reach the state line and our nearest neighbor - the Yukon Territory. Unless you're willing to drive around the clock, it's a 3-day trip to Seattle, some 1400 miles away by road ... or 3 1/2 hours by air.

I do sometimes miss the ability to drive for an hour or two and be with family ... but that's part of living here. While life here is not primitive, one accepts a certain isolation. Anchorage hasn't been "frontier" for thirty years or so, but we are on the edge of the frontier. It's not always for the faint of heart.

None of this is a "woe is me" party - it's just part and parcel of living here, on a completely different piece of the planet from the Lower 48. There is a prevailing sentiment here that we're barely a part of the U.S., being so far away from everything "down there."

Our weather is still unseasonably warm, with uppers 20s at night, and highs near 50. The normal high this time of year is in the upper 30s.

This is also "Good Friday", the day on which most Christians remember that Jesus of Nazareth voluntarily let himself be executed by the Roman & Jewish authorities. This was the key part of God's plan of redemption for us: a perfect Man, the Son of God, had to take our sins upon himself* - as if he were a sinner - and suffer the punishment that we so richly deserve.

Why? So that God the Father of us all could look at us as righteous and forgiven. Jesus paid the price for us, so we could be with Him.

All we can do is receive the free gift of God with gratitude, humbling ourselves in obedience to Him who loves us.

That's about it for now - y'all be good, and if you can't be good, be careful!



* For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.(2 Corinthians 5:21)

Saturday in the Northland

We slept in this morning, not rising until 0630 rather than our usual 0500. Accordingly, the morning seems to have zipped right by.

We booked our next trip to Hawaii about a month ago, so this morning we looked at some excursions. Added a "luxury dinner cruise" and a return to Pearl Harbor, this time to include a guided tour of the Missouri. It was there in '10 when I went last time, but I hadn't done enough research & couldn't see it. Also, the Arizona Memorial was closed for dock repairs then, so this trip will get me to both of those.

This is a trip without daughter(s) along, so we're adding lots of pampering ... just because. Not something we always do, but we've discovered we like being pampered from time to time.

There's still plenty of walking to do, so I won't just be sitting near the beach with a Kindle. But there's plenty of that, too.

Our last trip anywhere was a four-day excursion last July, so I'm getting quite impatient for the upcoming one. It's not 'til November, but that was a choice, too.

* * * * *

It's still cloudy today, with a ceiling about 1,000 feet. 61 degrees & a slight breeze. Sure feels better than those 80 and 82 degree days a couple of weeks ago. The tourists are all wearing jackets already anyway, so they won't particularly mind. I'm sorry any recent arrivals can't see the mountains today, though.

I ordered a new holster belt this morning, as there's no more room to punch extra holes in my old one & it's getting loose. My waist has shrunk from a 42 to 36, so you see the "problem".  :) I'm not complaining, though.

* * * * *

I know there's much in the news to make folks sad, angry, or both. I've done a fair share of reporting news stories lately, rather than writing anything original. But I'm not complaining; it's kind of nice to lead an existence quiet enough that it provides little blog fodder.

I believe there are some things coming down the pike at the national level which will be even more upsetting, but there's little point in dwelling on that now. Plenty of writers address those stories, and they're welcome to have at it. I'll chime in when/if motivated to do so, of course, but for right now I'm feeling rather content. And that's a nice thing.

Y'all have great weekend, and thanks for stopping by.

Unusual Weather & Weekend Plans

It got up to 76 yesterday, with bright sun. I think that's the warmest day we've had in two years, and it was surprisingly hot - for us. Had to run the A/C in the cars, which is something else we rarely need to do up here.

But not to worry: the temps are supposed to drop back into the upper 50s by tomorrow, with showers moving in this weekend. Or so Accu-Hunch predicts.

We're going to the 3 Barons Renaissance Fair this weekend, just because.

Other than that, my plans don't include the future.

Busy Today (Updated)

Lots going on. We've had a freezing fog with some melting of the snow, and everything is slicker than grease on a doorknob. Kinda like walking/driving in axle grease. Fun stuff.

The weatherman guesses we'll get some more snow this weekend; about time for that, too. We're still a foot below normal, and without that moisture it will be a dangerous summer for wildfires. Of course, in my 10 years here, we've seen years where over a million acres was burning ... and not a single mention on the so-called national news.

Alaska still isn't important to the talking heads, unless they can work in a nasty dig as Sarah Palin.

Tell you what: we have $43 billion (that's with a B) in the State's savings account. Maybe we should buy ourselves, and go independent. Whaddya think?


Make talk-talk later.

It Must Have Been Monday Today

No energy, little ambition, and endless hours of tedium. Sure, after many decades in the workforce I'm aware that such days happen, but today was lackluster in both style and technical performance. And I didn't land a triple during the entire program.

Well, you know. Heh.

* * * * *

It's warm again today, although the sun is straining to be seen through a high haze. Last time I checked, it was 63 outside. That's pretty warm for mid-May in Anchorage. The guys at AccuHunch have consulted their weather stick and are guessing we'll have sun all week.

* * * * *

The local newspaper-cum-fish wrapper is leading off its website this afternoon with a reposting of McClatchy News' story of the lack of evidence in the Martin/Zimmerman case. I'm not sure if they think this is news to Anchorage residents, or just their latest attempt to appear relevant to ... well, somebody somewhere.

Only not so much.

* * * * *

Speaking of the Daily Fishwrap, they've had yet another epiphany, wherein they discovered that Sarah Palin is a "kingmaker" whose "political clout is underrated." Ya think?

Duh.

Same Old, Same Old

-15 again this morning.

Song for a Winter's Night

This, our annual cold snap, tends to make conversation a bit mundane.

"Cold enough for you?"  "Yeah, it's pretty chilly this morning."  "How cold was it at your place this morning? We had (fill in the blank)."

But that's okay. It binds us together, and there's a warmth in the shared experience, even if that experience is a cold one. Besides, there are summer plans to make ... nothing makes a cold winter's night go by as well as planning a trip to someplace warm. That, and something hot to drink.

Hey, we're Alaskans, but we're not crazy.

Snowy Night

Here's a picture I took around 5:20 a.m. today, using the digital camera's "nightime landscape" setting, which is basically a timed exposure. The slight blurring of the trees is due to the lingering winds from yesterday's chinook. Our temp climbed into the low 40s for a time, with rain & snow showers, and we had winds gusting to 81 mph.

The storm's total at my house was just over 8 inches of heavy, wet snow. Measurements around Anchorage ranged from 6" to 12". It's still snowing here in mid-town, with falling temps, but the snow advisory has expired. They're calling for more tomorrow night.

At 6:30 this morning, I was raking the snow off of our vehicles, and then running the snow blower in the driveway to enable my wife's car to get a running start toward the street. Our road is typically not plowed until the third day following a storm, and with storms coming every 48 hours this week, I may wind up having to drive her to/from work.

Clickable for big - the orange tint is the streetlights' glow reflecting from the low clouds.

The Weekend, With Photo

It's 22 degrees with a dense fog this morning. There's a fog advisory in effect, until later today when the high wind warning goes into effect. Oh, and snow will be developing in the late afternoon and evening.

This is turning into quite an interesting winter.

Front Moving In

A lot of the weather systems which hit all around Anchorage, but miss it, come from the southeast & Prince William Sound (the Gulf of Alaska). Since we're all snugged up against the western flanks of the Chugach Mountains, there's a rain shadow effect which causes the rain to go over us, and then fall again to the west.

Tonight there's a rainstorm sliding in from that direction which may actually stall once it gets over us, producing snow on the mountainsides & a cold rain in town.

At 7 pm, it was just visible to the southeast, moving in behind the sunlight clouds overhead. I tried to capture it; please forgive my lack of camera expertise.

Down

... the price of gas, locally, to $3.48 per gallon. Don't spend that penny-per-gallon savings all at once, kiddies.

... the temperature this morning, to 9 degrees. AccuOops Weather* is threatening us with 33 degrees and a rain/snow mix tomorrow, to make up for getting it right today.

Link o' the day here, notable for everything it says. Excerpt:

I alternate between despair and hope for this nation.  The lessons of history are merciless.  The best you can do now is fight for reform, prepare for collapse, and network with like minded individuals ...

How would you like to live in a world where,

Bribery is just the cost of getting things done.
Honesty is a quaint notion, something for the little people.
The Law is used as a club to beat those who aren't properly connected.
Hard work is for suckers.
Success is punished, so hide your success away from the eyes of others and the taxman.

* "We got the forecast right, but it was a mistake."

Monday Morning

There are slivers of blue peeking through the light & dark grays which streak from east to west across our sky this morning. The winds are blowing from the east/northeast, strongly enough to make my truck swerve just a bit on the northbound drive to work. We're encouraged by the bits of blue ...

We had sunshine: weak, sometimes very weak, but still there until late afternoon yesterday. Everyone was outside, enjoying the unaccustomed light. Children were most excited, as they ran and played in the nearby parking area. Magpies croaked and ratcheted at each other, and at a raven or two, which then decided to persecute smaller birds ... apparently just for the sport of it. By dinner-time, the rains had moved back in, but at least we saw the driveway dry out for a few hours.

The official weather-guess for today calls for more showers, but that takes little prescience these days, as it's rained nearly every day since mid-June. It wasn't raining on the way to work, either, so that's a good thing.

There are things I could write about this morning: Congressional power-grabs and more tax increases, Alaska's politics ... Governor, Lt. Governor, senior U.S. Senator, and our local State senator's seats are up for grabs, along with a couple of ballot initiatives, each of which has opponents gasping for air with which to further malign and misrepresent each other's positions.

It's all so dreary that I'd rather not. Instead, think on this: God is on His throne, and He remains in ultimate charge of our affairs. I'll trust Him, rather than looking at politics.

Fourth Time's a Charm

The weather-guessers at AccuHunch must have a pool running ... this is the fourth consecutive day for which the forecast is exactly the same: falling temps & possible snow. Each day, however, the current temp has been above the forecast high, and the temps have gone up. And we've gotten rain showers each day.

To be fair, there was 3/4" of icy snow yesterday morning, which fell overnight ... but the temps promptly went right back into the upper 30s, and all the fresh stuff melted.

Now the guess has a new twist - they're saying we'll get down to 10 degrees tonight. If so, there could be a lot of ice from the sprinkles, and the melting snow along the roads. Let's hope it gets really cold, so the ice won't be so slick.

Or we'll have sunshine & 40 degrees. With AccuHunch's recent, ahem, "accuracy", that's about as likely as the falling temps they've been announcing - but failing to deliver - since Monday.

And yes, I know they don't deliver the weather. It would be nice, though, if the day's forecast resembled the climate, at least a little.

Update: the temp has dropped to the mid-20s (26.65 degrees per the computerized HVAC controls at work), so it appears they finally got it right. They've been calling for it since Sunday night ... so this evening, they'll be patting themselves on the back for being right.

For predicting snow.

In December.

In freakin' Alaska.

Hump Day: Odds & Ends

It finally cooled down, courtesy of clear skies and highlighted by that nearly full moon that provides so much illumination, reflected on the snow. This morning, there's fresh snow on the ground, and again they say we'll get more today, with slowly falling temps. And this time, they're sure! We'll see.

I picked up a couple of new movies last night: Terminator Salvation & Night At The Museum 2. I expect the first one to be really good; my daughters have already seen it, and haven't stopped talking about it for months. The second is because we have a lot of long, cold winter nights ahead, and watching a movie in the evening helps us forget about the winds howling outside.

I was chatting with a friend last night, and he indicated that he just might come see us this winter. I suggested a guided snowmachine tour, and he thought that sounded fine. It sounds good to me, too. We'll have to dig up some insulated clothing for him, though.

The folks at the weather service continue forecasting snow, even though they missed yesterday's weather completely. An hour north of Anchorage, the weather got downright blizzard-like, and folks a little farther away received more than 30 inches of snow, along with high winds & black ice as the storm began. I keep waiting for a heavy snowfall like that here, but it's a lot less likely this close to the Inlet. There was a 3-foot snow back in 2001 (I think), but the most we've seen at one time - so far - is 27". That wasn't enough to close anything, or get a day off from work (dang it!), nor did it stop my SUV from cruising down the road.

Today, my day will consist of sending Christmas cards to vendors, and going through this year's spending report. Party on, me buckos.

Friday Afternoon ... Whatever

So it seems that our fair city ... actually, just Elmendorf AFB ... will be visited by TOTUS next Wednesday. It is exciting to watch Air Force One land and take off, both of which are clearly visible from downtown. Other than that, meh. It seems the plane will refuel here on its way to a 10-day Asian tour.

Hmm, another tour. I wonder when the "live" album will be released?

* * * * *

Some somebody-or-other at the U. of Iowa (a single bright spot in an otherwise bleak landscape) has issued an economic analysis that Alaska was a bad investment purchase for the U.S. It seems the state has absorbed more federal dollars than it has returned. While I'm no fan of a continued federal handout, Alaska's location and terrain are apparently beyond his feeble reckoning skills. They wanted people to move here, and - strangely enough - Americans here want many of the same amenities enjoyed elsewhere. Small population + non-existent infrastructure = federal expenditures. Go figure.

I don't recall asking his opinion, but it must go along with Missouri Senator McCaskill taking Alaska Native corporations to task for following existing federal contract bid requirements. She thinks they get an unfair advantage; they maintain the 'advantage' was written into federal law in the late '70s, under President Peanut.

They're right, of course, but most of them are large enough now that they might not need the competitive advantage any longer.

* * * * *

The weather is turning colder again; it's 37 with a misty drizzle. Since the weatherman predicts a 10-degree drop overnight, is white stuff in the forecast?

Um, not so much. This drizzle wasn't forecast, either, so who knows? It's a lead-pipe cinch that AccuHunch doesn't have a clue.

* * * * *

In my original post yesterday about the Fort Hood massacre, I ended by asking how long it would be before the Bradys and/or their ilk would call for banning firearms on military bases. I then took it off, because it just didn't feel right to inject a snarky political comment.

But the calls for tighter rules didn't take long, did they?

* * * * *

Y'all have a fantastic weekend: heal if you've been stressed, and relax just because. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Hump Day

Good morning. It's 37 degrees & raining this morning. I've been driving to work in the dark for about three weeks now, as the sunrise gets later & later in the morning. The late sunrise is always a bit jarring, after the summer when the sun is shining long before I leave. But that's Alaska, and we roll with it. Mostly, anyway.

Our weather pattern is holding, for now, just above the freezing/snowy point. Highs in the mid-40s, and lows in the mid-30s.

* * * * *

Gas dropped a nickel per gallon this week, to only $3.23 per gallon. We'll see where it is by this weekend, when I'll need to fill the truck again. Sometimes I want to use the communicator to say, "Scotty - beam me over to Kansas City so I can buy cheap gas, then bring me back!"

* * * * *

A-Liberal-Mind-Is-A-Terrible-Thing-To-Waste Dept.: I have no idea whether this story made the national news, and I'm guessing it did not: earlier this week, the administration in D.C. decided they would not provide further funding for the pensions of the 26 remaining Alaska Territorial Guard, who patrolled Alaska's coast and the Aleutian Islands during WWII. The President is reported to have said, in effect, that he didn't want to set a precedent of paying retirement for state employees.

Hey, Washington: maybe some things that happened before you were born ARE important. Alaska wasn't a state until 1959. The Guard was called "Territorial" for a reason, you morons: we were a federal territory during the war. They were federal employees, just like the regular Army.

We were going to take up a collection so D.C. can buy a clue, but decided they already have enough of our money.

* * * * *

I just heard, via local talk radio, that State Rep. Mike Kelly of Fairbanks is proposing a constitutional amendment to guarantee Alaskans the right to choose their own healthcare, including purchasing private insurance. The amendment is intended to tell the feds "hands off our health care system", such as a similar measure adopted in Arizona earlier this year.

Good on you, Representative Kelly - long may she wave!

* * * * *

Jenny over at A Call To Wings speaks today about the beauty which surrounds us, here.

Excerpt:

The everyday scenery minutes from town is literally tear-your-heart-out, agonizingly beautiful. Of course.... it'll all be under snow in a month or so. T'ain't nothing free. If it was easy to live here, it'd be as packed as Seattle.

Give her a visit - it's worth an extra couple of minutes.

* * * * *

Stock Market advice:

I called my stockbroker today and asked, “What are you buying?"
His answer: "Canned goods and ammunition."

Thanks for stopping by!