It's Finally Spring!

Anchorage woke up this weekend. It is officially spring here now and everywhere I went people were walking, jogging, biking, and generally frolicking in the sunshine. I enjoyed the warm weather even more watching everyone else enjoy it. I don't think southerners can really understand the frenzy that comes over northerners when they finally get a chance to get outside without snow gear. The worst part of being a blog junkie is reading about people’s warm weather while I am still swearing at the snow. Now that spring has finally crept this far north I’m just giddy. Now begins the season where my children sigh at me a lot for forcing them outside. Again.

Satisfied With Here and Now

I went for another beautiful wintry walk this evening, this time after dark. I am trying to learn to enjoy winter this year and the current scenery and relative warmth are helping with that quite a bit. Things kind of clicked in my head tonight while sweeping snow off the deck. This winter appreciation effort is part of learning to not only be happy, but to be satisfied with where I am.

Much of my life has been spent wishing I lived in a better place or a better time or a better lifestyle. Part of that is an overactive imagination, but only a part. If only I were... then my life would really be the way I want it to be. But my time and place to be is here. My energy is better spent making this the here and now I want instead of pining for what isn't.

Please someone remind me of this in a few months when it is bitter cold and dark, and I want to be anywhere in the world other than here. That is why hot baths were invented.

Winter Wonderland

I am not well know for loving winter. Our summers are spectacular, but I generally see winter as something to be endured. While our friends on the east coast have been getting all of the snow, Anchorage has had an unusual week of ice fog. Now I have something to celebrate.

There are trees all over Anchorage and now they are all coated with the most amazing looking hoar frost. The whole world looks like one big Ansel Adams photo. The bike path to the nearby lake reminds me of a faery land and some Narnia jokes were made. I know it will just be a matter of days before wind or snow changes it all so I am savoring every drive and walk of every day while it is here.

These photos were taken with my phone and they don't do the scenery justice, but I wanted to share some of this beauty with you. They were all taken in color by the way. I am grateful to have something to appreciate about winter since one of my goals is to find the good in what I have instead of wishing for something else. I reserve the right to change my mind by February, but right now I am loving winter in Anchorage.

Welcoming the Darkness

It's gotten really dark around here. I went to the grocery store on my wild and crazy Saturday night and when I came out, it had gotten all the way dark. The nights have been getting dimmer lately, but I haven't been out at night much lately so this took me by surprise, like it does every year.

I know this probably reads at strange to most of you, but here in Alaska we go the whole summer without ever seeing true pitch darkness. I am such a sun worshiper that the return of the dark usually makes me sad and I dread the winter. Maybe it's because we had such a truly amazing summer this year that I can't begrudge it's ending. This fall we have actually been experiencing a real autumn and I could get used to that. Instead of feeling like I can't let it go, this summer left me sated and the evening dark was strangely cozy and comforting.

This time of year is the best for stargazing up here because it's dark enough to actually see the stars, but not yet too cold to go out and stare up at them. I know that by February, I will be barking at the moon from craving a little natural light. My new(ish) office has no windows which makes it even worse. Right now in this moment I'm liking it. I'm comfortable with season's change and that's a good place to be.

Sorry for the extended weather report, but there is something about this that feels different for me this year. Maybe I'm getting better at accepting things as they are and not what I want them to be. Boy, this post it pretty rambly so I'll just cut it off.