~~
Wintery Wonderland ~~
While we were
having our two week deep freeze experience, I decided to
take a walk outside and take some pictures of how beautiful everything
looked. Pictures are wonderful, but they still do not capture
all the details sometimes or the breathtaking colors.
Winters can be very harsh here in Alaska, with the long dark days and
the cold, it can make some people miserable. I guess I am one
of those people that enjoys the challenges that our winters create.
It is a real challenge to go outside at -45'F to take
pictures... the camera freezes and so do my fingers if out longer then
a few minutes.
Photo by Dwight Phillips
It can be really hard to describe the colors that we see too during
different times of the day. For instance the picture above was when the
moon first came up, it also is the largest closest view of the moon for
Alaska in 2009. The colors really were in the frozen blues
and warm pinks.
Even in the dreary dark mornings it is beautiful outside from the trees
illuminated with the heavy frost and snow covering the branches.
causing them to stand out in the darkness. Some have a
yellowish tint as if the picture was taken with a special color lens,
like the one below, but it was just taken with my little
samsung
snapshot camera with no special
settings, (mainly... because... I can't figure out the special
settings)
Photo by K Fields
The views and
colors of a winter's day are so breathtaking, and all
those who chose to sit indoors miss seeing how beautiful wintery days
are. Sometimes we have to take the time to appreciate the
uniqueness of our wintery situations and just enjoy them.
Photo by Dwight Phillips
No matter where you
go this time of year there is beauty to be seen.
From the icy rivers that are lazily flowing with icy edges,
(summer rivers are very swift with lots of white caps) To the heavily
laden snow covered spruce trees that are a main tree in most of the
interior of Alaska.
After we have an ice fog from the extreme temps when it clears up every
thing is covered with a film of ice and frost. It literally covers
everything, and sparkles when lights hit it, so on a full moon wintery
night everything outside sparkles as if covered in glitter... looking
like a real wintery wonderland.
Photo by K Fields
The blues and
lavender colors of winter are so unique and beautiful.
When cabin fever blues start up the best cure is to walk around outside
for a few minutes, it lightens the spirit and you just can't stay
depressed when observing the calm frozen beauty that surrounds us.
Photo by K Fields
Winter extremes
like we have just experienced usually can be a good
thing, if around long enough it will kill off insects (that are
destroying our trees in the summer months) that have nested
in the piles of needles and leaves on the ground. It
always seems... by my observances... that after a hard winter
of
lasting deep cold, that the springs seem even more prolific then usual.
Or it could just be the relief of seeing growing green plants
and wildflowers that make it seem to be that way.
Photo by K Fields
But the extreme
temps of -50'F and -60'F are over and darn it all if I
didn't forget to throw hot water in the air. Gheesh! Oh...
Well... Winter isn't over yet I still will have a chance to remember to
do that.
Photo by Dwight Phillips
Even
this photo of a Frosty Antlered Moose by Dwight Phillips is
exactly how it is here.
The wildlife keeps on moving and the extreme cold does not
seem to bother them much. I am still amazed that a moose's
skinny legs some-how stay warm.
Later...
K
Fields
See Also: Baby!
It's Cold Outside?
