Warm weather has fought the cold away. My cheeks no longer sting when I step out my front door. I’m greeted by the soft warm touch of 22 degree weather. It’s the kind of warmth we all needed after freezing for so terribly long. Typically February doesn’t offer up such nice temperatures. But alas I welcome such air with open arms. The wind is always kind to me. I speak to the spirits of the breeze in a way two very dear friends would whisper secrets back and forth. Yet even so, when it’s battered with the ice-creating cold our conversations turn to arguments. The warmth has made up for the heartache. I enjoy anything above -10 degrees. So 22 above feels like summertime to my winter-dwelling soul.
Growing Into Wolves
Rascal and Riley are such beautiful souls. You’ve never met more precious dogs in your life. Riley is big and black. They say he’s half wolf, and he has the playful nip of one. He’s kind of become the big dumb one of the two. He grew into his body too fast to know how to use it; so more often times than not he ends up falling into the snow. Riley is beautiful. She’s the girl that’s calm, collected, and powerful. She would be the head sled dog. She’s strong and independent. And together they’ve become my light every single day. If I dare step a toe outside my front door I’m being trampled by their big paws with kissing bites and squeals of delight. I take rope out into the backyard and run around- letting them chase behind. And then they tackle me. I scratch their tummies or the sensitive skin behind their ears. You wouldn’t imagine how happy it makes me. My isolated being doesn’t communicate with the world too often. And the social contact these tiny wolves give me is enough to prevent the heartbreak that comes from being lonely.
A Land Sea
The snow is so hard. The cold has frozen it all solid- and not let it remain in it's traditional fluffy state. It makes for easy walking, slipperly walking at times, but easy and flat. The ground is shaped like a frozen ocean. The wind creates waves on the tundra the same way it does on the sea. When we travel by snowmachine it's a constant riding of up and down. When we venture by plane it looks as though the entire ground below us is white water, frozen in time. In all reality, it is white water frozen in time. But the fact it was captured in a way so identical to it's open ocean counterpart, just makes it seem even more awe-inspiring. How unique is the scene of snow, shaped in the form of a neverending land-sea?
Avoiding The Blizzard
The wind picked up. The clouds came further inward to cover our tundra landscape. We were ravaged by gusts of harsh arctic air. But now that everything is settled- neither warmth nor snow has made its presence known in our area. The cold is too bitter now. I'm tired of being locked in doors. The bright shining sun is decieving- for it warms the landscape none at all. I was so dearly hoping for a blizzard, but it only went east and south of us. I watch as every other part of Alaska warms itself and here I am- still stuck in the ice and Siberian cold. Even my wool blanket can't warm me. And these wood floors are getting too chilled for my barefeet. A layer of snow would bring with it warmer weather. But these harsh temperatures have fought off many storms- they're not ready to give up yet.
Backyard Neighbors
I love to spread snacks out for the wildlife in the backyard. Of course, Chipper is among the first faces to pop up. He's made a habit of regularly checking in. I think he snaps out of hibernation the second he hears corn kernals hit the hard snow. But it's not just him. The chickadees flutter down and fill their cheeks. The voles pop up for an evening snack (of which I like to think Skipper is a part of). Wol visits sometimes to munch on the voles. Showshoe hares come around from time to time. And then there's the few stray fox who come for the rabbits. I'm just awaiting a lynx or better yet a wolverine. How much of a surprise would their arrival be?
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