Paper met pencil: January 21st, 2017
Seriously Flaky
For the past five years or so, Alaska and snow have had some relationship issues. You might even go as far as to say the two have had a less than amicable "falling-out" (an appropriately ironic choice of words given the snow's complete and utter lack of enthusiasm for "falling out" of the sky).
To put it lightly, at least as lightly as the snowfall we haven't been getting, the winter situation has been pretty weak. We're talking weaker than a week with only six days. Weaker than a bicep drooping like a marshmallow off a s'more stick. Weak.
Heck the last several years, in order to hold the Iditarod (iconic 1,000+ mile sled dog race...if you don't know what I'm talking about go watch the film Balto), they actually had to ship in snow, and the Tour of Anchorage (50k Nordic ski race) was forced to shorten the course and eventually cancel the event altogether due to lack of snow.
All this to say, over the past half-decade, Alaska's snow situation has been abysmal at best. Not great for a state where most of the world likes to imagine you live in an igloo and dance with penguins (side note: I still think Dances with Penguins would be a great sequel, or parody, to the Kevin Costner film Dances with Wolves...why has someone not made this film, yet?).
Nevertheless, there is always a chance for redemption, and today, good old Alaska may have done just that.
Waist-Deep Redemption
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| Our deck after a mere 24 hours of snowfall |
Boy did it snow. Like a student having a light-bulb epiphany, Mother Nature suddenly remembered the recipe for snow, and in a whirlwind of giddiness, promptly baked a burgeoning batch. I'd say this is at least a baker's dozen. Wouldn't you?
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| U.S.O. Unidentified Snow-covered Object. Oh wait. That's our car. At least it's plugged in. |
Winter Wonderland
Snow can get a bad rap, but really it's the life force of Alaska (and I'm not just talking about the people that make a living removing snow). It's what helps us keep our sanity.
When the snow falls, spirits rise. People smile. The world lights up, figuratively and literally thanks to the reflective nature of the fluffy stuff. Even on a cloudy day, it's bright and beautiful. Not to mention the winter activities.
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| Having fun pretending not to have fun in the snow |
The Following Activities Brought To You By Snow
Snow opens up a ream of outdoor activities. For instance:
You can cross-country ski.
You can snowshoe.
You make a snow man, snow angel.
You can throw a snowball.
You can take a snow selfie (snowfie anyone?).
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| Snowfie: Frozen Style |
Or you can just frolic. And when it's all said and done, you can come in and sip some warm Ovaltine by the fire while you dry out your wool socks.
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| This picture made cozier by snow |
So yeah, we like snow here. It might as well be mana from heaven, and this past day has been phenomenal. To put it succinctly, this is the best snow we've had in ages. Snow be it.
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| Snow be it, indeed. |
