Loving Winter!

February is the bridge between Winter and Spring. It has hints of both, bordered by January and March. It is a short month and packs beauty and change in every second. One day will be sunny and warm, encouraging the tips of crocus to peep from the earth and the next will be flurries of snow and frosty windows. 

Here in Kenai, Saturday was lovely and chill. The sun created patterns on the snow, in the trees, and thru the icicles outside the kitchen window. Sunday was chilly and overcast. It created a whole different kind of lovely! Missing the tentative steps of early spring in Oregon, but enjoying my favorite season in Alaska. 

 Snowmen playing Blindman's Bluff....or just hiding?

 My horned snowman is playing monsters!

 Sunday, we noticed the icicles had frost!!! It did get to 30 F, though.

 These birds still startle me. WHY on earth are there doves in Kenai??? The white one was pretty, but sitll.....Doves??????

 The Kenai River is still and frozen, an empty stage waiting for the advent of fishing season.

 Frost flowers on tree bark-

 Crows and ravens are so different. Crows are raucous and loud and have no respect for anything. They are comedians and great fun to watch. I passed a house where a lady was tossing bits of bread out for them, we sat there and laughed at the silly black creatures fighting for morsels. Ravens are more dignified.

I'm glad I got out to walk this afternoon, it was cold and showed me so many beautiful creations.

Winter Claws

Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed the winter awning we had. Then, the claws appeared! 

 This is a fairly natural phenomena happens when winter combines with metal roofing. Jon, when I was telling him about these cool features, proceeded to explain exactly how they were formed. Or at least, it sounded plausible! There were distinct shades of Mr. Fairchild as he spoke...

The sunlight on the icicles reaching out to the house made them even more fun. 

 At the far end of the house, the icicles behaved themselves, for the most part. Hanging straight down, with very little curvature on their lengths. They were slipping out from under the awning.

At night, they were even more insistent about reaching out to touch the siding of the parsonage. 

They grew with the sun and hardened in the night. 

 After a while, some started to curve......

I had to remove some today. The ones hanging directly over the entry to the porch. When one of our friends stepped outside, I realised how close to her head they were. So, I broke them off and tossed them in the snow.  A couple of the more fantastic ones had became horns on the cyclops snow creature in the yard. 

I could sense someone crafting a frozen horror tale of  expanding winter fingers, creeping their way into houses and entering sleeping bodies with a cold, chill pointed death. Only to disappear in the morning sun. A tale of winter's last breath before the warmth of spring. If someone does write this, please let me know, I'd love to read it!!!

On my nose and eyelashes....

Snow is truly one of my favorite things. Thankfully, I have had the opportunity to enjoy it many many times in the last couple of months. This picture was taken around 230 or earlier in the morning on Wed. Valentine's Day, there was very little new snow and it was sloppy out with rain. Early on the morning of the 15th, it started to snow. A lot. A lot of snow. It was sort of wet, so I managed to roll some balls and 'fix' the snow guardians who had pretty much melted away. 

Don't they look splendid?! I did put their pill bottle noses back, too. 

 The school next door were not able to use their gym, so they came outside and made snow creations. Sadly, the heads on this snowperson and another one were removed during the night. Rough neighborhood for snowpeople. (the flags and some of the other pieces were brought back in at the end of the school day.) The warm sunshine was nice to work in and I was able to clear off the car and most of the sidewalk.

One of the many fun snow moving contraptions used on the Kenai streets. Snow removal is a hot topic this winter! It has been a wonderful winter!!! The forecast didn't appear to call for too much more, BUT...............

 Before dinner, it started snowing AGAIN! Big, giant fluffy huge flakes. I was giddy with delight!

 I went out several times before 1030 to move snow off the sidewalk and drive. The warm day created a sheen of water on the pavement/cement, which was covered by the new snow and made things treacherous. You can see the newly remade snow guardians are now blanketed with white comforters. The following are random snow photos from my cell phone or the camera.

 It only snowed a few hours, but it was rather thorough! On Friday morning, I decided I needed to clear off mom's car. It started snowing again, but this time it wasn't quite as intense. I was able to get out and do some needed errands. I forgot the camera, though. Very glad I had the cell phone with me.

 The last photo is exactly why parking lots in Alaska are so large. It isn't because we are in the biggest state and tend to show off, but because a place to put snow is rather important! If you click on the photo and look at the light poles, you can see how much snow is piled there.

We have had some more snow fall, but it is a dusting on the icy way. I hope we don't get any wind, THAT makes a mess. The next few days show sunshine and cold days. It is gonna be gorgeous out there! 

Seasons of Mom

I've been coming up to Alaska for several summers now. Each one seems to last longer than the time I thought. Nevertheless, I take a lot of photos. Some of the pictures might even have mom in them. I wanted to share the ones with mom so you can see how much she has changed since the summer of 2014. 

 Mom and I got to go on a glacier cruise in Seward my first summer home. When I got ready to leave, JaLeen took photos of the three Egberts. I didn't add the one where she cut off our heads. Even it if is my favorite one!

 In 2015, I got to Alaska on Memorial Day. We spent Father's Day with Janet's family.

 I was in Alaska til October that year.
 My sojourn in 2016 started in mid July. Mom was going thru chemotherapy and it was not helping as much as hindering. Cancer is something I've never worried much about. I mean, Mum has overcome the big C for 30 some years. Chemo, THAT scares me to death.

 This was the last photo I took just before I flew out of Kenai. It was in mom's kitchen in Nikiski on October 15, 2016..

 I arrived back in Alaska on November 3. Mom was sent to Anchorage on November 6.  I took this photo in mid November. Mum was pretty sick.

 We were able to leave the hospital on November 26, after Thanksgiving. The plane ride was hard on all of us.We landed in Kenai and moved into the parsonage at the United Methodist Church. We are still at the parsonage on Feb 12, 2017.

 Christmas brought us Jacit. It was so good she was able to come and visit on mom's favorite holiday.

 We were able to get mom a hair trim in early January. I am entirely grateful to Tamera for helping make mom lovely.

These are all different photos taken in January. She is now sleeping in a bed and uses oxygen at night. I don't know how long that will last, but taking it one day at a time.

 Knitting chemo hats has always been one of her favorite things to do. I had to remind her I had put several patterns for this hat in her yarn boxes. She often has trouble remembering how to make them.She has made quite a few since the end of November. At least 10 or 12, she says she needs yarn she has at the house cuz she is running out. (the boxes here at the parsonage still look fairly full, but I don't know yarn very well)

 At the end of January, mom got to see her dog, Obi. He is staying at Janet's and she took him for a grooming. I asked if she would bring the pup by for a short visit. Mom was very glad.

This last one was taken tonight. Feb 12, 2017. She didn't have on her glasses and my smile looks forced.  I was reminding mum to smile. Smiletalking, it is photography thing!

Mom is wanting to go home and plant and sew and get projects done. She misses watching the birds, her pets, and she absolutely misses her multi channeled bigger screen TV.
  Where there is life, there is hope.