Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year!!


Wishing Everyone Peace, Good Health, and Happiness for the New Year!!
This is a photo of a Stellar Jay who is one of my daily visitors.
I'm sure he is hopping for lots of peanuts this year!  :o)

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Chickadee!!!


It's easier to get out and take photos of birds with the warmer 40 degree
temperatures.  This is a picture of a Chestnut-Backed Chickadee.
These seem to be more common on the Kenai Peninsula.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

48 Degree Temperatures!!!



Forty degree Chinook Winds are making a lot of the snow melt away.
I was so excited to see these little Matchstick Lichens melt out of the snow
during this warm spell!!!
I love the lovely soft green colors...really good on the eyes after
so much white!!

Raven on a Mission


I love this raven photo, he looks so determined to get to his destination.
These birds never cease to spur on my curiosity about them.
They are very smart and can be very amusing to watch.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Ice Encrusted Hedges


Some of our hedges are encrusted with ice, due to the warmer temperatures....
so beautiful!!!!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Frost Flowers


I have seen photos of "Frost Flowers" taken by a grad student on his way
back from the North Pole on the frozen sea.  They are little protrusions of ice,
delicate, like snowflakes.  I took this photo this last November on Kenai Lake 
right after it had frozen over....

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Winter Vegetation....


I love all these spent lupine seed heads in the garden.  
They are a sign of whats ahead for us as our daylight hours begin to 
grow longer again.   We already gained 12 seconds the other day!!!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Winter Flowers in Alaska!!



Well, sort of!!!!  :o)
I found this spent Dogwood flower several weeks ago...
You wouldn't believe how I excited I was, lol!!!


Lakeshore Ice Crystals


Several months ago before Kenai Lake froze over the shoreline was
a magical place of ice crystals.  
The lake is now completely frozen over except for a very small opening
at the head of the river.....so beautiful!!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Too Early for Pussy Willows!



I spotted this little pussy willow about a month ago..
it's way to early for these to be out when it's 14 below zero in the mornings!
I'm hopeful Mother Nature is trying to tell me that this is
going to be a short winter, lol!!!!

Sunset....a time for reflection



What a week of sadness it has been...
peace to all Gods children.....

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Ornamental Frosted Apples



These little ornamental apples look so Christmasy with all the 
little hoarfrost crystals attached.  Enjoy!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Hoarfrost Returns With the Cold Weather


Our nice warm 30 degree temperatures have left us and as the
cold air sets back in, so does the hoarfrost. 
These little branches were forming only inches above the flowing waters of a creek.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Wild Mallard


The wild Mallards at the Public Library Park are loving the warmer weather.
It certainly feels better than the 9 below zero weather we were having.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Sunset at Skilak Lake


Off in the distance is Mount Redoubt.  This is an active stratovolcano
 located in the Chigmit Mountain subrange, the mountain is just west of
 Cook Inlet, in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.  Mt. Redoubt has erupted five 
times since 1900.  In Russian the name means, "a fortified place".
This sunset photo was taken at Skilak Lake.  This lake is 15 miles long and in some
places it is up to 4 miles wide.

Fresh Blanket of Snow



Fresh snow finally!!!  
We needed this....way too many pipes freezing!!!!
So happy to be rid of the below zero temperatures even if its just for 
a little while! 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Natures Scrimshaw


A tiny driftwood branch caught my eye a couple of weeks
ago when I was walking along a frozen lake shore.....
I love all the markings that all the bugs 
have left on this little piece of wood.
Natures natural engravers  :o)

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Hoarfrost...



Beautiful Hoarfrost out towards Portage before Friday's snowfall...

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Icy Days



It's been bitterly cold lately, but today we reached 34 degrees!
I'm ready for my swimsuit!!!
Hope it stick around for a long time, really tired of double digit below zero temperatures!

Friday, December 7, 2012

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Popular Tree Canopy


These trees have beautiful canopies with their bent branches and log trunks.  
Always remember to look up when your walking in a popular or aspen forest.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Cook Inlet at 9 Below Zero


Thick hoarfrost and an ice filled inlet make for a wonderful
photo combination.   Note:  this photo was taken in the middle of the day...
this is as high as it gets right now!!!!!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Cold Frosted Days..


Beautiful hoar frosted trees along the Kenai River on a very
cold day.  The river is steaming due to the water being warmer
than the air.....that's pretty amazing since our water is extremely cold!  
The rivers streamflow comes from the Harding Icefield and some of it's glaciers.


Sunday, December 2, 2012

Feathery Hoarfrost



Feathery Hoarfrost that is almost three inches long.  
So many feathery crystals, and so amazing!!!

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Round Mountain


This is a side view of Round Mountain.
Right now there is a lot of hoarfrost on all the brush and trees due to the 
very cold days and nights.
This mountain is home to Alaskan Dall Sheep.