The language of winter

You know where has frozen over

It just occured to me how this looks oddly like an inferno when, actually, it was minus 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Anyhow, that's ice fog and steam from the University power plant with the sun at it's absolute zenith. Taken while I was sitting in the car but with the window bravely rolled down. Go me! Space heaters, electric blankets and hot chocolate will be gratefully accepted.

Sometimes winter is okay

I'm about to commence complaining about winter, so I thought I'd throw in this picture in order to give a false impression that I can be objective about winter in interior Alaska. But actually I was freezing my butt off on the Chena Flood control project levee when this was taken. I'll grudgingly admit it looked pretty. Well, just before my glasses frosted over and I couldn't see anymore.

Token photograph

... Since I haven't posted one in a while, and I've gone and made the rash claim that this is an illustrated blog.

If the shoe fits ...

A lot of us would like to throw our shoes at him. Really.

2. I spent my summer ...

... eating my way through the Tanana Valley Farmer's Market. Look at the asparagus!! A totally serendipitous find, because there was only one box of asparagus on only one day of the farmer's market and I walked in just in time to grab one of the last bunches. And, of course, I only purchased vegetables. I never, ever purchased fudge, jam, cake or date bars. Oh, look! My nose is growing. Must be all those healthy vegetables. Heh.

1. I spent my summer ...

... watching my flowers grow. And then watching it rain. And then watching the plants in my perennial bed party like college freshmen on a long weekend, go completely wild and collapse in an astonishing disorder of drunken colorful stems, flowers, leaves and crazy debris. Clearly next summer is going to involve imposing some discipline on this bad bunch of irresponsible plant life.