All Around and Christmas

Skies are stunning this time of year. You only need look up to be amazed by color splashed across the horizon. I think I took these around 930 in the morning the day before Christmas. 

 Rose brought mum and I flowers for Christmas! I found these in the basement after I came in from errands, I knew they were from Rose cuz 'she' was tucked inside the arrangement!

 Christmas Day brought snow to Athena. Alaska didn't get any.

I didn't get many photos from Christmas. I should have taken a picture of this really delicious cinnamon swirl thing Janet made.By the time I thought about it, it was gone! 

Aunt Darlene and Uncle Randy sent a box full of fun surprises, mum thoroughly enjoyed herself. There was even a delightful story tucked inside made with photos by their granddaughter. (most of my pictures were blurry, I took quite a few.....) 

 One of the houses on Holt-Lamplight has an incredible light display. I enjoy it every time I pass and one night decided to stop and take a couple of photos.

 Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Winter Solstice

One of the places I visited during the longest day of the year was Arness Dock. I went back on the afternoon of the Winter Solstice. It wasn't too cold up on the hill, as I descended I took a selfie to commemorate the new season, new ideas, new thoughts, and new beginnings. (I love winter!) I walked down to the beach cuz there was a bit of snow on the road and I didn't want to risk getting stuck. 

On the beach it was COLD!!!!! The cool ice clumps from November were gone (I didn't photograph the inlet) and the rocks were all frosty. Pretty, but very frosty. I looked for a heart rock and found a heart of ice Super pretty and lacy, but not conducive to hold in one's pocket for very long. (cue singing of Foreigner song 'Cold as Ice'.) 

On the way back to mum's I stopped to watch the fiery sun drop into the snowy trees. 

It was rather magical to witness this end of the shortest day of lighted hours. I didn't celebrate with a bonfire, it was really chilly! I did have a woodsy scented candle It kept blowing out, though. I think I had to relight it 3 times! 

May  your winter season be full of amazing adventures, blessings galore, and surround you with cheer.  

Snow and Birds!

The snow from earlier this month is mostly gone, thankfully we got a bit more. Not nearly enough, but some. The temps as we walk into the Winter Solstice here in North Kenai are about the same as Athena's. It is 22 with a real feel of 11. Needless to say, it is cold out there!!! Yesterday (Wednesday), I went out to get the paper (which was on the ground!!) and played with the birds. 

 I was only able to get one chickadee to land in my hand. I got pretty chilled waiting for the birds to decide I was ok. They also had another full feeder behind me and some seeds on the ground, so they did have other options!

I was fascinated by the woodpeckers above me. The smaller kind, I think they are Downy, were flitting all over the place! 

 They were moving almost as fast as the chickadees. Photos of trees and branches are pretty common when trying to photograph birds.

 This is a cool shot, the birds were fluffing the snow off the branches!

 Am not entirely sure what they were doing with the frozen branch after the snow was brushed off, but they seemed pretty busy!

I wanted to spend more time outside, but I weenied out. It took ages for my fingers to thaw once I got back to my basement abode!

New Snow!

The forecast predicted snow, but the two sites I follow were a bit different in their predictions. One said we'd get about 3 inches. The other said about inch and then it would turn to sleet off and on. They were both right! We got more than an inch, we did get ice pellets and freezing rain on top of fluffy stuff, and the precipitation has been off and on all day. 

I finally figured I'd better sweep and then shovel things off after 8 am. 

 It was not really productive as the snow was falling as fast as I moved it off the sidewalk! 

 In the afternoon we got some lovely fluffy greeting card flakes. Mum asked if I could capture them with my camera. Since I'd not gone outside to shovel paths in the snow and I didn't have on my boots, the photos I got were not as pretty as they might be.

 Mum went to the shop and made me realise I needed to get out of my books and into the snow!

So, after 330, I went out. It was starting to get dark. When you are reading, you forget things like weather and chores and darkness! Poor Obi was wading and appreciated the paths I finally made. 

 As I was moving the snow, I realised it was heavy. I wondered what kind of snow balls it would make and eventually created Fritz. He has a nose made of curled metal (a part of a plant hanger thing that came down when mum fell on it a while back), birch leaf eyes and mouth, and a bird seed 'scarf'. He is also about 5 feet tall or so. I recycled part of the first snowman for this one's middle section (it was falling over anyway!) and fished the arms out from where they were buried by the fresh snow.

 I hope Fritz lasts thru the night, we're supposed to get more rain and snow. I'd like to photograph him in daylight!