Splashes of Green in Winter!!!

Alaska never ceases to amaze me, even in the dead of winter

I can still find wonderful patches of green.

I spotted this wonderful mossy tree stump on a weekend hike a few days ago.

In a sea of white, green is a really welcome color :o)

Winter Sunset

This is a photo of a winter sunset looking out over Cook Inlet.  If you look closely 

you can see pieces of ice floating around.  

It was such a wonderful warm day this last Sunday out at Kincaid Park.   The 

temperature was around 34 degrees and no wind.  That's pretty warm for an Alaskan

November day!  I spent about 3 hours hiking along the Cook Inlet beach.  I sat on a log

and watched the sun go down, a nice finish to a beautiful day.

Baby Moose Jaw

I found this baby moose jaw on my hike this weekend. 

The jaw is no more than 12 inches in length.

The calf was most likely a spring bear kill.

Crowberries

Alaskan Crow Berries or Filler Berries.

I love these watery berries when I'm out on a hike!!
These dwarf evergreen shrubs berries contain mostly water so they
are almost odorless!  Crowberries are an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants.

Little White Arctic Hare

I spotted this cute little white Arctic Hare today on my afternoon walk.

The weather has been above freezing, so a lot of our snow has melted away.

I'm actually hopeful that the snow will stay away, but when I look at this

little white hare he brings me back to reality.

His beautiful white coat is a sure sign more snow is on the way!!  

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Snow Dusted Reindeer Moss

Reindeer Lichen, like many lichens is very slow growing (3-4mm per year)

The Inland Dena'ina used this lichen for food by crushing the dry plant and

then boiling it or soaking it in hot water until it became soft.  They used

to eat it with berries, fish eggs, or lard.  

If this moss is disturbed it can take decades to regrow.

Icy Puddles

Todays photo is of a beautiful icy puddle!!!

I loved jumping on these as a kid.

(and I still do!!)