Winter Wonderland

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in the Great White north. The snow was falling thick, all day long. I know some of my fellow Alaskans are very tired of the snow, the cold, and the long winter. I'm not one of them. I was thankful yesterday for the snow. I haven't done much in the way of winter activity all winter. I haven't snow shoed, I haven't XC skiid, I haven't gone sledding. All the activities I look forward to doing as the days turn colder in fall, I haven't participated in. But, with the snow falling, as I brushed off a good 4 inches of snow off my car last night, I felt elated and filled with the thrill that I've been given another chance to reclaim my winter.

Today, the sky is blue, the sun is blazing, and I can hear the water running from the snow melting off the roof near my window. A day brings so much change here in Alaska!

This weekend, the hubby and I are heading with friends to a cabin on Big Lake. We'll drive across not one, not two, but three frozen lakes to get to the cabin that in summer is only accessible by boat. We'll snowshoe, we'll sled, and we'll enjoy the white gift from the gods that we were given yesterday. I know it's not going to make it any easier for the iditarod mushers who take to the trail this weekend. I know it makes the roads hazardous for drivers and turns them into ditch divers. I know it makes some of my fellow Alaskans miserable and wishing the cold would end already! As for this Alaskan, every flake that falls brings a smile to my face, lifts my spirits and excites me for what activities the snow brings with it. The snow fall leaves me planning to go places that I can't go when the ice melts and I can't walk across it, has me heating milk for hot chocolate, has me sitting in front of a fireplace snuggled up with a good book about Alaska, and gives me the opportunity to spend time with family.

As the days get longer and warmer (despite the snow fall from yesterday), I know that spring break up is on its way and summer is hot on its tail. That's the time most here look forward to, but not me. When the sun is at it's highest and the sunny days are at their longest, I'll be dreaming of the cooler temperatures of fall, dreaming of long lazy days picking berries, and dreaming of the first snowfall when the mountains and trees are covered by their blanket of white again. For now, I'll enjoy what time I have left with my friend snow, enjoy the eagles that perch in Eagle River on the snow covered spruce trees, enjoy watching my dogs bound through the snow with glee, enjoy the sunsets that winter brings and summer takes away. I'll tuck myself into my warmest cold weather layers, put my snowshoes on my back, my camera it it's pack, and head out into my own winter wonderland to relish the time we have left together.