What a day!

Snowing!!!

Finally...with a temperature of 22 degrees, it is currently lightly snowing in Seward. YEA! Feels like a heat wave.

Approaching Coldest Days On Record...

If you have been following the weather here in Alaska, you know that we are experiencing one of the longest cold snaps on record. We are talking multiple days of minus temperatures across the state.

The windchill factor has contributed to the bitter cold in Seward. In Anchorage it is just darn cold. We are still hoping for "snow anytime now." However, I am discouraged by the clear skies.

We have a home Nordic Ski Meet in Seward on Saturday. I am sooo loooking forward to standing outside at Mile 12 for this event. Just so we all understand - the temp at Mile 12 is about 4 degrees without the windchill. We can hold outdoor events as long as the temp does not drop to minus 10. We can only hope.

Here is another dilemma - diesel buses do not run to well in this cold, so some schools are prohibiting their athletic teams from travel in a northern direction, which makes our ski event the best option - how crazy is that!

Enjoy the pictures!

The bitter cold which is fueled by beautiful, clear blue skies has produced some spectacular sunrises and sunsets. This is at the end of Nash Road looking back towards Resurrection Bay (and Seward to the right, not in this picture)

Nash Road looking across the frozen meadow towards Resurrection Bay

Between Anchorage and Girdwood, Dall Sheep can often be found...on the way to Anchorage last Saturday we were blessed to find 9 Dall Sheep trying to satisfy their hunger. Generally I see one to three, never this many.

Check out those horns...

The boys taking a nap...

Manufactures are now making dog toys without stuffing (except the head) which is good for our boys who love to "pull the squeaker." So Mary took all the stuffed animals, pulled the stuffing (expect the heads) and sewed up the bodies - What we will do for our boys! Mom - I am thinking about making jacket next.

We did find some of these new fangled stuffed animals at the store in Seward but they were bigger than our boys and we got scared...hence the making them ourselves.

Bruno waiting patiently for the "new toys" to be finished.

Christmas present from Heidi and Bill...love them! If you have been following the weather - it is cold, cold, cold up north. We came home to the longest cold spell on record. Seward (with the wind chill) has been sitting about -25!


Heidi gave me three vanilla beans from Tahiti and said something about rum and making vanilla. After checking "the web" here is my vanilla in the making. (in a dark cupboard of course)



Here is the scoop on Vanilla making...

3 whole vanilla beans - sliced length wise but not all the way through

1 cup Rum (you can use Vodka or Brandy but Rum makes for sweeter vanilla)

Combine the two (best in a glass jar), place in a dark place and in 8 weeks you will have vanilla extract. The vanilla can be poured off into smaller bottles and given away as gifts.

Leaving a vanilla bean in the bottle allows you to continually replenish your supply. (Or putting one in each gift bottle) When the bottle is half empty, fill with rum and wait a couple of weeks for the vanilla extract to rebuild its flavor.

Check out this website for more information - best source I found!http://www.kitchenproject.com/vanilla/4FoldVanillaExtract.htm

Happy New Year

Bruno trying to get Nikan to play. Like Mary, Nikan understands the fine art of napping. Bruno is much more like me...let's go, let's go...

Christmas present - The Ice Cream Ball...we made a pint of choc chip for our New Year's Eve celebration.

Another Christmas present - Aero Garden...I have planted two types of cherry tomatoes, dill, basil, and chives. I can't wait for things to begin popping up.

Growing tomatoes in Alaska is difficult without a green house - I am excited at the prospect of tomatoes with the Aero Garden.

Those of you who bake know that good vanilla is a must (imitation will not do). I am excited about two gifts I received this Christmas - Mom and Dad brought us clear vanilla for Mexico (thinking of us while on their cruise) - we used this last night in making our ice cream! And Heidi brought me three vanilla beans from her honeymoon in Tahiti. The vanilla beans when mixed with rum (vodka or brandy) will produce vanilla you can use for cooking. I learned through my research that vodka is the traditional medium for the transformation, but using rum will make a sweeter vanilla. Additionally, when the bottle is approximately 1/2 empty you simply add more rum and in a couple of weeks your supply is regenerated. (I am thinking this is well worth the expense of a few vanilla beans (and a small bottle of rum) if you don't ever have to purchase vanilla again.)

We spent a great week in San Diego over Christmas visiting family and friends. Timing worked out that our arrival corresponded with our extended family holiday party. It was great to see everyone all in one place. We returned home to beautiful, clear weather - but minus temperatures. Burr...

I have included a couple of new links - our nieces' Paige (10yrs) and Amber (9yrs) have begun their own blogs. It is fun to experience life through their eyes. If you choose to visit - Enjoy.

We wish each of you the best as the new year begins. We had a quite a New Year's Eve at home playing xBox, Wii and watching a movie. Looking forward to a healthily and happy year!

Fun In The Sun (and cold)

Mary's B-day from the Sue's - the fun never stops!

I especially like the shirt

Ginger getting ready for the Community Band Concert
"A Patriotic Christmas"

Life has been busy, what with winter here and all. I have not had to shovel snow in a few days as we have had more rain than snow. My driveway at this moment is just a big slab of ice - anyone got skates. :-)

The full moon the last two days has been breath taking in the clear skies over Seward. Lights the place up. It is so cool in the darkness (like now) to be able to see the white mountains from the moon light.

I ran/walked in the Jingle Bell 5K for Arthritis last weekend. I knew the run was on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail (beautiful location) but it never occurred to me with winter (34 degrees) all around that we would be running on snow. Imagine my surprise when I hit the trail. :-) - 46:53 didn't seem like a bad time in the snow - which is a lot like running on the beach in San Diego.

Sunset in Seward 12-11-08 approx 3:40pm. This is the campground on the bay (Resurrection Bay). It was so cold yesterday afternoon that Bruno played outside for about 2 minutes and then jumped back in the car until I was finished taking pictures.

Sunset across to bay

This one is for my good friend Cayleff - As i drove up a Raven landed on the snow hill right in from of me. When that happens, I think Cayleff is with me. :-)