Short Story

 I get a thrill each time I snap an ordinary items with an unusual sky.

Clouds add another dimension.  Making the item displayed a lot more interesting.  More alive.  More friendly. Joyful as I see it. A bright sunny day helps with the illusion.

A sky that is cloudless or totally overcast makes things look ghostly or lost.  Cold and distant.  Certainly bland in my perspective.   A tad scary.

Either way makes for fun as one takes time to snap a picture.

Hard Core Bicycle Riding

Hard core winter bicycle riding. 

Yep in Alaska there are folks who defy common sense and ride their bikes year round.  Summer and Winter.  I live with a man who falls into that crazy category of hard core.  He was one of the first to be a winter rider some 30 years ago.

He rides daily.  Sun, rain, snow, ice, sleet, clouds do not deter him from getting on his two wheel mode of transportation and fighting with elements.  To me he is brave and just this side of crazy.  I love to ride my bike in summer but you will not find me dress in winter gear to fighting snow, wind and sliding cars!  And having studded snow tires on a bicycle is a whole another topic to me!

As luck had it Anchorages first snow fall came on October 31st this year. We awoke to about 1 1/2 inches covering the ground...it was more later.  Halloween trick and treater's had to march through blowing winds and falling snow later that evening. 

As he was getting ready for his ride of the day I snapped a picture off the front porch as he prepares to head over to the Discovery Center for the Halloween Party given by the staff for all to enjoy.  I on the other hand drove my car there!

And yes those are my snow tires for car leaning against the tree on each side of the sidewalk.  I'm awaiting my appointment at Johnson's Tire for my seasonal change over.

Strawman in the Wizard of Oz

Anchorage at times is the center of wind storms.  We can be buffered from the North, the West and the South winds.  

Anchorage is in a bowl along the Chugach Mountain Range.  Many folks have built homes going up the mountain which we call the "hillside"  Winds gushing there can be 70 to 100mph.  With the speeds a bit less here in town.

The last two days has been major wind storms throughout the Anchorage Bowl.  This extends 40 miles South of Anchorage reaching Girdwood and 60 miles North to the outskirts of Wasilla.

Our little house is anchored in a bit of a valley here in town; one of the few actually... most of Anchorage is pretty flat.  The winds reached a good tree slapping 55-65mph last night.  It was a bumpy night with many strange bangs and clangs against the outside walls.  There were a few blasts that I thought this tiny house might go sailing through the air just like Dorothy's house in the Wizard of Oz.

With my fingers crossed all night for no power outage (which the temperature with wind chill -20) that would not be making for a toasty sleepy night.  We do own a generator although in the 4 years of owning it - it has never been powered up.  

I do believe a test and practice run of using the generator is in order...due to the severe wind storms this winter making my little old heart a tad nervous if I had to sleep again with such vivid dreams of a movie from decades ago.

All night my dreams seem to follow the characters in the Wizard of Oz.  The Tinman slamming into the side of our house, the Strawman tumbling over and over in the snow.  My fearless Patches the Cowardly Lion.  I the wicked witch of the East riding out the storm on my trusty broom.  And my guy the Wizard...telling all "Follow the yellow brick road!"

After this mornings quick check to see if any damage to our house and those on either side of me; I was happy to see just branches tossed throughout the yard and Mountain Ashe Berries littering the side yard.  My trees withstood the storm. Seems most of the litter that blew around; has been blown far south. I may find my trash can lids a few miles down the road tomorrow.

I wanted to tap my heels three times and say "There's no place like home".  There is no place like Home!

The snow did drift about one foot south over our sidewalk.  And added a layering effect on the other side.