Kodiak "Island" = "qikiqtaq"

Friends in Kodiak deer hunting. The island is a favorite place to visit.

I hear that Anchorage area got their snow. Lots of it. Here comes winter AK.

I saw a male and female pine grosbeak (sp?) this weekend, they were beautiful! In Chugiak I saw some very small little chickadee types, can't remember their names but they were blue and colorful.

"Wind or Gale" = "Anugi"

It has been very windy around the state. A breeze or gales of enough proportions to cause damage to buildings and fences happened recently in the Matanuska Valley and surrounding areas. Delta is getting its fair share of the wind now also. But it could be colder, temperature wise. The windchill adds so much to the temp though that many residents would just as soon have the cooler temps and no wind.

Jake visited albeit so brief. We are having alittle over 7 hours 30 min. of daylight now. The shortest day of year is approaching and then all Alaskans smile knowing that despite the colder temps coming, so is more daylight.

We might plug our vehicles in but at least we don't have to tie them down like planes!

Hatcher Pass near Palmer

Hatcher Pass near Palmer is a lovely mountain top retreat. Whether you ski, hike, walk your dog and want to stop off for a meal, it's the most wonderful place to stop. You get the feeling that you are somewhere, in another country. Dress warm and bring your hiking shoes this time of year. Hats and gloves help to make the trip a wonderful excursion. Grandsons enjoyed an icecream as they made the windy road north to the mountain top of the old mine near Palmer.