snowscapes

We've had a little snow here in Juneau, maybe 6-8".  Then it warms up, rains, and turns to slop.  Then it freezes and the roads turn into a choppy, bumpy mess.  Then the roads get grated and we end up with an ice rink for a road.  Then it snows again and we start all over. 

My back yard:

My favorite Katsura tree.  Beautiful no matter how you look at it:

Some Viburnum with Kona and Sadie in the background:

A Japanese Maple:

The grandkids shoveling pathways: 

Why is it bird houses always are the perfect yard art?

Today it continues. More snow. About 8".

unbelievable at 60

Yesterday was a rare day, indeed, as Juneauites experienced something that doesn't come along very often. Heck, never! We were giddy with excitement. We were calling each other on the phone, talking about it. It started early in the morning, which, in itself, is a miracle. We enjoyed it all day long. We took off our sweatshirts and vests. We had the doors open. We were outside, in our short sleeves, enjoying the heat wave! Yes, a heat wave in Juneau, Alaska, in the middle of winter! Never mind that just a week ago, it was -8 degrees and then a week of snow. Yesterday was unbelievable. We don't generally experience this warm weather in the summer months! And to wake up and have it almost 60 degrees out, was just short of some kind of miracle. Global warming, I suppose :O

Juneau is a cold place. Even in the summer months, we don't experience very warm weather, or very many warm days. One of my secret desires, is to some day live in a place where I can wake up, get my cup of coffee, and go out on the porch and sit in my jammies and enjoy the morning. And be warm. You can't do that here. Well, you can, but it wouldn't be enjoyable in 40 degrees. So the fact that we had temps in the 50's and near 60 yesterday was one of those "once in a life time" events, I'm sure. They said it was Chinook Winds. I never knew we had Chinook Winds. Chinook salmon, yes, but not winds!

Chinooks warm Juneau
Chinook winds flowed in to Juneau over the weekend creating unseasonably high temperatures. Sunday's high reached 53 which surpassed the previous high for the date of 52 set in 1981. It reached 48 for a high Saturday, which was only one degree off from the all time high for the date of 49 established in 1965. The thermometer at the studios of KINY and KSUP downtown were crowding 60 degrees Sunday morning. Meteorologist Corey Van Pelt in the Juneau Forecast Office says the Chinooks are part of an overall large scale pattern shift where warm air is coming from the south and the cold air that hung around for about a month was shoved into the Lower 48.

So I'm sorry that our winds sent the cold air down south, but what's a girl to do. We loved it! We were so busy outside, working wherever there wasn't snow piled. My husband even washed the windows. Outside. In the middle of winter! Woo hoo!

It was pretty while it lasted

Well, it was pretty while it lasted! It's still pretty, with all the snow on the ground, but it's been raining for days now so it's melting at a rapid rate. We must have gotten 60" or more in a matter of a few days. So much we were running out of places to shovel it! You can only throw it so high, after all!
My husband and I have a system worked out where we share in the load of keeping everything cleaned off. He's more meticulous than I am about it and will do his darnedest to get the driveway completely cleaned off. "That's good enough" is my philosophy!


My husband mostly takes care of the front of the house and I take care of the back. We have a rather large driveway that he does with the snow blower. And then he does the public road along our property line so when the city plows come, they don't shove the snow right back into our driveway. This is probably the smartest move we can make as it really does save us a lot of work. Some times it seems just maintaining the front yard is a full-time job, but it's just one of those things that needs to be done. We don't want to run the risk that one of the kids, or other visitors, will fall and hurt themselves because we were too lazy to keep our property safe. Okay, so in addition to the driveway and porch, Mike also uses the snow blower to keep a path to our back yard. This would be our emergency exit should we ever have need. So he's a busy boy with his man toy.


Now, my part is the back yard. My "toy" is a snow shovel and boy do I know how to work it! We have a rather large deck that is multiple levels. All in all, it takes about an hour's time to do the deck. At one point, Mike measured the snow on this fire pit and bench (above) and it measured 43". We just left it to see how high it could get!

As if we didn't have enough snow to shovel.... we also have our dogs to think of. When you have so much snow drop in such a short period of time, they don't have an opportunity to get out there and forge their own trails. So I did it for them! Yes, we do have spoiled dogs!

You can see that the dogs are enjoying their race track as they romp and run, chasing each other.

All in all, I had three different paths for the dogs to choose from, all wrapping around and meeting up with another trail. It was fun and something I didn't mind doing. I know the dogs needed the space to run and get exercise, not to mention a path to somewhere that they could go to the bathroom :O

So as is the routine, it snows and snows and snows and everything is gorgeous. Then it warms up and melts so everything is a sloshy, sloppy, slippery mess. Then it'll freeze again and the roads and walkways will become, well, an icy, uneven mess. Then it'll start snowing again and the cycle continues. It's all part of living in Alaska. We really don't mind. Oh, we'll complain at times, but we know what has to be done and life goes on.

baby it's cold outside!

Brrrrrrr. It's been cold here the last few days. Down to about 6 degrees at night. Here's some wintery pictures I thought you might enjoy.

This is what our Rhodies look like when it's so darn cold outside. They just close their leaves and hunker down until it warms up. If it was only that simple for the rest of us!

No angel should have to endure this bitterly cold weather, but, still, she sweetly smiles, thinking of warmer days ahead:

One of my favorite scenes in the winter is this old, rotten pallet, broken hoe, and rotting bird house. I hate to throw anything away.

A pathway less traveled in my back yard. I love how all the shrubbery takes on a mystical look with a little snow and ice crystals on the branches and leaves.

My favorite bird home on a stump. This little house has had more pictures taken over the years than anything. I wish birds would actually use it, but they don't.

I love including yard art in my gardens and most of what I have isn't fancy stuff bought at a high end nursery. It's throw aways or other treasures I've found at the thrift store. My son brought over a metal bowl this summer. It's nickel or aluminum with some patina to it. They were going to throw it out but figured I could put it to good use. So I set it on this stump to use as a bird bath and then added a rock in the middle for the birds to sit on. Perfect!

A star is born. I got interested in topiary this last summer as a unique and perfect addition to my gardens. It's funny how your likes and dislikes change. Just the previous year I wondered why anyone would want something like this in their garden. Now, here it is a year later, and I have one in my garden. But I love it and it adds just another element and dimension to the whole picture.

Even though our gardening season is over for another year, it still brings me such great pleasures. I love wondering through in the early mornings, or when it's still a little dusk, snapping pictures of the unique shapes. You never know what you mind find. Cheers! Nancy

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

A Winter Storm Advisory was issued Monday and we were expecting to wake up yesterday to about 20" of snow. In anticipation that roads and sidewalks may not be cleared and usable, schools and the city and federal governments were lenient in allowing workers and students time to get to their destination.

Fortunately, in our little micro climate, that didn't materialize, although we were ready for it.

All the snow shovels were in place (one at each door).

Extra snow melt had been purchased.

Snow blower gassed up and ready to roar.

This is how it looked yesterday morning before it really got light, and then later in the morning. Beautiful!

It was a very heavy, wet snow; the kind you can barely scoot a snow shovel through. Back breaking work. And because it was so heavy, that meant it was really really wet, and it quickly fell off the trees and melted....

But, we're expecting another dump today.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

crap....

Need I say more....?

This has been the last couple days.... So I don't want to hear about your 85 degree weather!

Snow.... snow..... every day..... more snow.....

Even the ducks are tired of it. This cute couple shows up every year for a slice of bread.

This year they showed up on April 13.

Last year they made their appearance on April 26.

Since I can't work outside yet, the only thing left to do was clean out the freezer from last year's rhubarb and bake bake bake. Two strawberry/rhubarb pies and rhubarb bars.


There is sign of growth outside with the rhubarb's tiny red knobby heads sticking through the ground. It's an ugly sight; spring. But soon things will look better once I can get outside and clean up from the long winter.

Have a great day! Nancy

the colors of winter....

We don't have a lot of color in Juneau. Mostly different shades of gray. You'd think when our weather was so gray all the time that people would paint their homes a bright, lively color! But we don't.... Gray and various shades of gray.... grayish blue, concrete gray, pale gray, slate blue (which is similar to gray in our gray weather). Okay so you get my point.

Today we're in the middle of our winter storm. We're supposed to get 16-28 inches of snow by tomorrow and then more tomorrow.... It's snowing but not accumulating too badly just yet. We did go for our daily ride this morning (per our dog, Sadie's, orders and expectations....) and I took some pictures along the way.

Like I said, Juneau is just a lot of gray.... whether it's a rainy/dreary gray or a snowy darkness. But I promise, starting tomorrow I'll try to get more color on to my pages! I hope you enjoy the ride!

Egan Highway; our highway into town. Up until the 70's, we had a two lane road that went from downtown Juneau to The Valley. If there was an accident, the road would be tied up for hours with traffic having no other way in or out of town. Egan Highway is a fairly new highway as it was built in the 70's when sand was dredged out of the Gastineau Channel (a body of water between the mainland and Douglas Island), forming this road. Most people traverse to and from town on this road now. We drive right along the Channel and have a gorgeous view of the water and even whales some times.

This is "the Channel." When it's cold, the salt water will freeze over and then as the tide comes and goes, it breaks it up into these ice flows. It's pretty awesome looking in real life. You feel as if you're up in the Arctic.

This is one of our boat harbors downtown. The harbor water freezes in the winter too. We have a lot of people who live on their boats year round. Blue tarps are a staple for Juneauites. It also adds a little color to Juneau's skies!

Okay, we're almost downtown now. We're just passing our high school area. The dry snow is squirreling along the highway. The winds can get pretty bad down town. We have what are called "Taku Winds." These winds come from Canada, across the ice fields, and are strong and cold. One thing you don't want to do is get caught in the middle of one of these gusts unless there's a car, a building, or some other object to grab a hold of. I've seen more than one person get blown across the road as if they were a rag doll. Taku Winds. Not fun.

Okay, we're here, downtown Juneau, the southern part of it anyway. This is the tourist part of Juneau. It looks pretty desolate this time of year without hoards of tourists milling about. This is our sleepy little town in the winter. Snow is blowing. It looks deserted!

This is uptown Juneau, the main business district and shop area. Juneau is an interesting town. It's built at the base of two mountains--Mount Roberts and Mount Juneau with the Gastineau Channel on the other side. During the mining days, downtown space was expanded by building on pilings driven into the Channel. But, still, downtown Juneau is only a few blocks in size, just a small area.

Here we are, home again. Hope you enjoyed a little bit of our blizzard conditions today!

a winter's day

Our home.




One of my loyal friends.

Juneau is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful places in the world, but never more than when the sun is out. Sadly, we don't see the sun often enough.... Lack of sunshine and long nights can cause severe cabin fever in the winter time as we long for more day light hours and more sunshine. Lack of sunshine depreciates our vitamin D and we get so pale looking. Mostly, when the sun shines through the windows and rays stop long enough on a table top, lamp shade, or a portion of the floor.... the first thing you notice is the dust and dirt and dog hair that has been hidden for so very long in the darkness! Talk about ruining a good thing!


Too much snow.

But today was one of those beautiful sunny days that filled us with hope and renewed our spirit. It was a good day! Never mind it was minus 10 degrees when we woke up this morning. That would be -10 like in below zero. Minus 10.... Now we're in for more harsh weather.


Out the road.


The national weather service says we have a winter storm coming our way. Tonight will bring minus temps again and "gusts" to 65 mph.... That would bring the wind chill factor to -35. Brrrr. Tomorrow we're supposed to get more snow; a total accumulation of 14-24 inches. Tomorrow will be a heavy day of shoveling.
A winter storm a brewin.


A beautiful sunset.

These are some pictures of Juneau; not necessarily this year. Just pictures that fairly represent the good, the bad, and the ugly of Juneau. Enjoy!




Our airport area. Much of our commute to and from remote villages are done by float planes.


A rainy day in Juneau.

yep....

it's still winter....



We're expecting another foot of snow by tonight.... We got well over a foot of the white stuff yesterday.... It's beginning to look a lot like last year.... Here's some snow pictures for those of you who have to dream about snow :)

(By the way, this mountain with sledders is no mountain. It's a heap of snow! We still had some this Fall.... this is the beginning of a new glacier!)

winter....

...HEAVY SNOW WARNING HAS EXPIRED
......WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AST SUNDAY...


TODAY...CLOUDY. SNOW IN THE MORNING...THEN A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. LOCALLY VERY WINDY. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO 1 INCH. TEMPERATURES FALLING INTO THE LOWER 20S IN THE AFTERNOON. NORTH WIND TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH...STRONGEST IN EXPOSED AREAS AND NEAR DOWNTOWN JUNEAU..

TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS IN THE EVENING FAR SOUTH PART. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. LOCALLY VERY WINDY. LOWS 3 TO 9. NORTH WIND TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH IN EXPOSED AREAS...BECOMING NORTHEAST LATE. WIND CHILL TO 20 BELOW.


It's been a funny winter for us. Not too cold. Not too much snow. But it's been consistent with snow, wind, rain, and cold temps. We received about 10" of snow yesterday and everything is pretty today. Tonight it's supposed to get down to 3-9 degrees with "gusts" to 55 mph. This would make the wind chill factor -20, or 20 below 0. Brrrrrrr!

But Alaskans, we're tough! We just put on an extra layer of clothes and grab the wool socks, bundle up, and head out the door as planned. Inclement weather doesn't stop us from doing much of anything. We still run our errands, go for our rides. The outdoor enthusiasts are thrilled more than ever. We even know how to drive in more than an inch of snow!


I love sitting, looking out my window at the snow and I even don't mind shoveling it. These pictures were taken early this morning when it was still still a little dark out. It's so calm right now. No matter which window you look out of, it greets with you serenity and calmness. Hardly a bird is fluttering about. They're all home, tucked safely in their cozy nests, waiting for the snow to fall off the tree boughs. Chippy, well, I don't see Chippy when there's this much snow on the trees. But not to worry. He won't go hungry. He's been busy squirreling away peanuts all summer long. In fact, my husband found a bucket half-full of peanuts in our shed! I told him just to leave them there until spring.


Moving out of Juneau is constantly on our minds but then I think about our weather versus your weather, and it doesn't seem so bad here. Yes, last year we had over 200" of snow and it was a horrible horrible winter for our bodies, minds, and souls. We can also get minus temperatures but not too often. We get an occasional minor earthquake and have even had thunderstorms half a dozen times in my 30 plus years living here. But we don't have hurricanes or tonadoes or ice storms. We don't have the flooding or mud slides like you do down south. Our weather here is pretty consistent: a lot of rain and winter conditions we can live with. We don't have natural disasters. So for now, I guess we'll stay.