Here's a shot of sunset (8:30 pm) tonight right across the street from my house. That's the Alaska Range rising up out of a honey-gold and ice-chunked Cook Inlet. Those are lovely oil tanks in the foreground.
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| From Blogger Pictures |
This time of year is what they call "breakup" up here--I'm thinking 'cause it's so messy! Really it's just because all that ice and snow is breaking up. Today it got up to 42 in the afternoon, it's melty and puddley and muddy, but then it'll all freeze back up at night, so we've got one toe in winter and one toe in spring.
A solid brown scum coats all the cars, making us feels the tug of the car wash, only to be deterred by enormous lines snaking out from their cavernous entrances. I just want to be wearing muck boots every day (can I wear those to work? do you think that's "professional dress"?). I know they can get away with this in some of the smaller, more practical towns, but Anchorage thinks it's some big fashion stop and I know I'd be on the outs immediately (especially with 120 fashion savvy 8th graders). Maybe next year I'll have the guts to do it anyway.
Anyway--I want you all to come visit. This is truly a remarkable place, and it's not always going to be this pristine and lovely (population growth, climate change, and the rapid and careless destruction of the natural resources are happening, I promise).
As summer approaches I am dreaming of salmon and misty forests and berry-laden bushes. Of the sheer, snow-capped mountains pushing their way right up out of the water where orcas and sea otters glide. I want to kayak and hike and explore my way right back to peaceful, contemplative wintertime. I hope you join me!
