Winter Beauty in Anchorge

As winter peaks, and the days get longer, the traditional activites are in high gear. Most notable are the beautiful ice sculptures in our Town Square. This image by Rebecca Belcher was posted in the local paper, and captures the beauty of light refraction.

The beauty of Mt. Susitna, or the Sleeping Lady, remains throughout the year, and serves to remind me why I live in this beautiful state. (I only need a reminder when the temperature drops below zero).

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With all the positives of Alaska, I would be remiss to not mention the sadness we all feel about the earthquake in Haiti last week. By comparison, our 1964 earthquake was minor, and less than a dozen lives were lost. Our prayers are with the people of Haiti, and the rescue teams, as they continue to search and sort. Maybe someday we will figure it all out, as that is the last place I would have thought the earth would open. So I close this week's blog with sadness.

Fairbanks Winter

The second largest city in Alaska is Fairbanks, and some things we do in Anchorage, they outdo. I am referring to the beautiful ice sculptures the locals carve. With the temperatures below zero, it takes a special skill because the ice will crack if you put hot water on the ice. . . and think of wearing thick warm gloves while trying to be sensitive to the shaping. You can tell I don't get involved with all this, but as a spectator, I appreciate all the labor that goes into these. I'm posting just some of my favorites, and hope you will enjoy them, too.