Each Day is Completely Different

29 November 2012
7:18 AM

Sunrise at	10:15 AM	in direction	147°	South-southeast
Sunset at	3:03 PM	in direction	213°	South-southwest

Duration of day: 4 hours, 48 minutes (5 minutes, 27 seconds shorter than yesterday)

The moon, 111/28 at 9:27 AM, circling around to the north east.  It
did set that day, but not for long.

I watched a film documenting the experiences of British artists who made trips to Cape Farewell, on the island of Kujalleq in Greenland.  The purpose was to present the impact of climate change via art.  A paradox was highlighted by one of the artists whose chief goal was to walk in the arctic wilderness.  She observed that the extreme cold, lack of readily available food, and predatory bears contributed to it not being an environment one would consider hospital to humans.  It could take your life in an instant; yet the crystalline beauty that they saw was extremely fragile in the face of climate change. 

I walk through the winter months and appreciated her willingness to get out into the day and experience cold.  It changes your view of life to interact with cold and accept it.  Today was another day out in the cold for me; I was making the most of it.  Earlier I had persuaded myself that since a very strong cold snap had set it, and I had walked Monday - Wednesday, I really did not need to walk today.  But sometime after 1:00 PM, I looked out at the sun light that was moving rapidly across the southern horizon and decided I could not miss being out while the sun was.  You develop a tolerance of the cold and walking briskly helps along with dressing appropriately.

Another artist, a photographer, commented that the light changed so rapidly that you could take a photo at the same time, in the same location each day, and it would be totally different view of the world.  I appreciated that as well as I speak about that often.  The winter time accentuates the rapidity of change most, when the contrast between day and night is so apparent.  I will take time to post photos frequently as we near solstice when the sun skims across the Alaska Range, just breaking above those peaks for 3 1/2 hours.

Just about 30 minutes after sunrise - 10:41 AM on November 28

One of the artists, a sculptress, was pessimistic when considering whether humans would make the requisite change in order to preserve ice and glaciers.  She articulated that as a species, humans could not conceive of change on the scale scientists predict and so would chiefly ignore it and continue in the pursuit of pleasures and comforts that warmed the planet - even if London were under water in 40 years.  By the recent election results within the Fairbanks North Star Borough, it seems regulation of emissions is not desirable to locals - even though we have had Air Quality Alerts every day this week.  To change, to plan, to think ahead seems to be out of the grasp of people when global scale changes are the issue - especially if it means any degree of deprivation or sacrifice now.

A New Perspective

28 November 2012
7:55 AM

Sunrise at	10:12 AM	in direction	146°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:06 PM	in direction	214°	Southwest

Duration of day: 4 hours, 53 minutes (5 minutes, 34 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Photo taken 10:13 AM 11/26

I was offered and accepted a position with another department in OIT (Office of Information Technology).  I am adjusting to my new location and changes in office culture and office physical layout.  When at Core Applications, my desk was in a common room where I could easily see my team members.  Our view was out the window to the flag circle and Rasmuson Library.  Our view south was from parking lots and an east entrance porch.  The photos I have shared from my work day are all from what is called Lower Campus.

I now reside in Upper Campus or West Ridge and the view from the bank of windows directly next to my cube is what you see above.  I am in a cube, which affords plenty of space and also reduces distractions while working.  To visit, I have to get up and go somewhere rather than holler at my team mates.  I am not yet sure if this is a good thing, but I think for an quasi-introvert like me, it probably fits fine.  In winter, the sun streams right in a eye level.  I have the blinds open so that sun rays stream in at midday.  I do not face it directly and have not been troubled by the sun's progress across the window space.

And you can't beat that view

The Countdown

25 November 2012
2:01 PM

Sunrise at	10:02 AM	in direction	144°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:13 PM	in direction	216°	Southwest

Duration of day: 5 hours, 11 minutes (5 minutes, 51 seconds shorter than yesterday)

I admit, the countdown has started.  "Countdown to what?" you say.  "Aren't you a little old to still be counting down to Christmas?"  Well, to answer all you stuffed shirts, no one is ever too old to open presents early in the morning with family all around, while it is still dark outside and everyone is sipping tea and cocoa.  But, that is not what I am marking off on the calendar.

Twenty-six days until the really big winter for me - Winter solstice.  I am NOT kidding.  The most important day of early winter is solstice when the days begin to lengthen again.  If you read my early blogs during the year, you will remember that I was as totally obsessed about the return of light as I now am about its decrease.

But, solstice is coming.  Yes, my friends, the earth's northern hemisphere orbit away from the sun reaches its farthest point and the decline into darkness shifts beyond this magical point.  I say magical because it is.  The magic that we have arrived, formed, and endured and spent days on a planet so perfectly situated from the sun to not be too hot, nor too cold is magic.  That the planet is beautiful beyond all belief is magic.  That we, despite our most determined attempts, have not yet destroyed it or ourselves is magic.

Rebirth at winter solstice is what makes the traditional northern hemisphere's Christmas season magical.  We give thanks for the constants of our planets relationship to the sun and how that relationship allows us to live yet another year in the magical kingdom.

Thanksgiving in Fairbanks for our Family

23 November 2012
1:30 PM

Sunrise at	9:56 AM	in direction	143°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:19 PM	in direction	217°	Southwest

Duration of day: 5 hours, 22 minutes (6 minutes, 3 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Thanksgiving rolls around at the last edge of light, well sort of light days.  As a child, I always loved Christmas more.  Of course, I was raised in San Diego where the decrease in light between Thanksgiving and Christmas was not so noticeable.  San Diego had 10 hours, 18 minutes and 34 seconds of daylight yesterday.  We had 5 hours 22 minutes (what is wrong with this picture?)  On Christmas day, San Diego has 10 hours, 15 minutes while we had 3 hours, 44 minutes, and 47 seconds.

Got that?

Three minutes difference in San Diego between Thanksgiving and Christmas day; 1 hour and 38 minutes here.

So on Christmas we usually eat earlier than usual (so we can open presents before it gets too late, right?).  Then it gets dark really early and we feel like it is much, much later than it really is.  So we talk, and play games, but usually the day is over fairly early. 

We won't be doing Christmas that way this year.  Teresa, my daughter, and Jamie, my son-in-law will be going to Minnesota so they can meet Jamie's niece.  Lorien and I are not sure what we want to do - possibly meet in Anchorage so I can see Mom .. hey!  Anchorage has 5 hours, 29 minutes on Christmas day - 7 minutes longer than we had yesterday.  That could work!

Visitors to the Yard

19 November 2012
7:41 AM

Sunrise at	9:42 AM	in direction	140°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:30 PM	in direction	220°	Southwest

Duration of day: 5 hours, 47 minutes (6 minutes, 18 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Hunters love members of the grouse family.  Grouse and Ptarmigan are relatively easy to kill, plump, and tasty (I am told).  That they survive at all is remarkable because they have not evolved to a point where they can easily save themselves.  There are three types of Ptarmigan: Willow Ptarmigan, Rock Ptarmigan, and White-tailed Ptarmigan.  All three can be found in Alaska -- see Alaska ptarmigan facts and photographs.  In the interior there are Ruffed Grouse along the low lying water ways.

Possibly White-tailed Ptarmigan out of the mountains for or Ruffed Grouse
in birch and spruce stands instead of aspen

We only knew they were in the yard because our youngest doberman went berserk.  I let her out, not seeing anything at first.  Then I noticed a big, dark blob in the driveway.  It appeared to be inanimate and my mind thought bird? No, it is not moving.  A burl fell from the trees?  It doesn't work that way.  Someone walked into the yard and left something?  Well, we have had neighbors walk through lately, but that seemed unlikely on a Sunday morning.  Then I saw the other two moving and pecking.

I watched and watched and watched.  Why is that bird just sitting there so still?  Then I thought about the dogs making an enormous ruckus.  They very much wanted to get at those birds for a tasty meal.  I considered strategies that birds had and one of them was to hunker down and attempt to fade into the background.  Could this Grouse/Ptarmigan be doing that?  It was not fading all that well.  The feathers were not fully molted to blend with the background, in fact until I looked at the photos, I couldn't see any sign of white at all.

I brought the dogs inside.  That took some doing because they definitely were a pack in the hunt.  But they finally all came in and stayed in.  I looked out a little after that and the statue had become alive!  That poor creature was attempting to save itself by not moving.  Grouse can fly and do so very well, agile enough to outmaneuver birds of prey.  And two of them did not care one bit that the dogs were carrying on enough to fly, when I went out to take photos, the sound of my camera shutter spooked them.  One by one, all three flew to the north.

Humans are the most dangerous and unrelenting predators on the earth.

Midday at SP Kennel

18 November 2012
2:54 PM

Sun	Sunrise at 9:39 AM in direction 139° Southeast Sunset at 3:33 PM in direction 221° Southwest Duration of day: 5 hours, 53 minutes (6 minutes, 22 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Nelson eating after a 15 mile run

On November 7th I posted that it was the last day the sun would be above the horizon for over 7 hours until February (A Brisk Walk with the Dog at -20F).  Today the hours of solar daylight slipped under 6 hours.  Celia Jackson, my friend Vera's Granddaughter must have been watching the angle of the sun during the day because she commented on her realization the sun would not be higher that that - meaning that its low position in the southern sky was to be the norm until after the New Year.  "It happened fast."

It is not her first time here over solstice and Christmas, but it is her first year watching the light decline from August to December.  The sun is really not decreasing all that much faster than at other times since July.  In fact, it is a bit slower than at equinox, but there is a point where suddenly, mid winter light is here and it is more dark than light, even with the remarkable and graceful twilights.

Izzy occupying herself while waiting to get unhooked
from the gangline

I took Celia out to meet Aliy today and she commented on how really wonderful and friendly Aliy is.  You wouldn't know she is a world class musher if you based that perception on conveying a sense of self-importance.  Aliy is as genuine a person as you could hope to meet any where, any time.  Allen was busy with other thingsl, so she did not have a chance to have a taste of his wit and easy smile.

As the visit was Celia's introduction to mushing and SPK, she went around with Aliy who provided insights into the dogs and mushing.  I visited briefly with the dogs, although not as long as last week.  Aliy commented that the sudden drop in temperatures caused some of the dogs to lose weight rapidly.  They do not have full winter fur yet and it was a shock to their metabolism.  The canine team members are being monitored for weight before their first warm up race, the Two Rivers Solstice, which is not all that far away.

The yearlings, with a few senior team members, were out on a run when we arrived.  Team members were friendly, although there is Lester and Waylon who just can't bring themselves to get too close.  Scout and Malibu made a point of coming up to see me when they returned from their run and had been released to go back to their houses.  I was very touched.  Puppet was no longer in the secure pen and seemed happy to be back at her cozy pad in the trees.

An interesting insight came out during our visit, not related to dogs, but very much a part of life in certain parts of Alaska.  Some time this summer Aliy mentioned that they had been in the Bering Sea.  I imagined Nome, the Bering Strait, or St. Lawrence Island, so I asked about the trip.  But she was talking about the Aleutian Chain - southern Bering Sea.  That brought to mind the excellent exhibits in Homer at the Alaska Island and Ocean Visitor Centre I'd visited with my dad in May.

They'd gone to give presentations, as they do for Princess Tours over the summer, to employees of Horizon Lines.  This company is one of two that has "smaller" cargo ships that can make way into the shallow harbor of Kodiak Island and Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Chain.  Their trip was to support their loyal and long time sponsor's interest in that region.  A take-away for Aliy was the reminder of how really hard-working these seafaring folk are.  They work 60 days on and 60 days off.  And when they work, it is a 24 hour commitment to the job.  They gave everything to the ship and its cargo.

She and Celia shared perspectives of the tug boat crews as well.  Celia inspected boats as a part of her role when she worked in oil spill prevention and response for Washington State. Both mentioned the name Dunlap Towing as the name of tugboat tow companies.  A quick search online confirmed that Dunlap is the name of towing in both Seattle and Unalaska ports.  Celia commented on the professional attitude of the crews - paperwork was always ready, tugboats were spotless, etc.  Celia talked about the precise way in which the cargo ship and tug interacted, called threading the needle, as the tug and ship often meet in tight straits with little maneuvering space.

That Alaska has more coastline than the rest of entire US is a fact most US citizens don't think about, but the care of the ocean and its harvest play an integral role in the livelihood of many.

A Part of the Team

16 November 2012
7:02 PM

Sunrise at	9:32 AM	in direction	137°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:39 PM	in direction	223°	Southwest

Duration of day: 6 hours, 6 minutes (6 minutes, 27 seconds shorter than yesterday)



Cutter is a part of the team, even though he has his reservations about getting close in the Doberman mix when they are all focused on something - something like food.

Pay attention - treats are coming our way

But then, he knows I will toss him a bit and since he catches anything midair with ease, no worries.  He can preserve his dignity while still sitting as expected.

She doesn't ask much, but when she does ...

AND, although he does not want to share space with dobermans on comfy spots (those girls are CRAZY; they practically lie right on top of each other), he does take his leisure on the couch when the others have gone downstairs.

"Ahhh, I could get used to this house dog thing."

Living with Inversions

12 November 2012
8:05 PM

Sunrise at	9:18 AM	in direction	134°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:51 PM	in direction	226°	Southwest

Duration of day: 6 hours, 32 minutes (6 minutes, 35 seconds shorter than yesterday)


I check the National Weather Service 7-day Forecast for the Tanana Valley nearly every day.  Today I read through this and didn't think too much about it - except for the temperature difference being very wide today.  Then I thought about those who do not live in regions where inversions are the norm for winter weather.  Following is today's forecast:


Rest Of Today: Partly cloudy with a few flurries. Highs zero to 10 above. Light winds.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 20 to 25 below...except around zero on the hills. Light winds.


The city of Fairbanks and Community of North Pole are nestled near rivers, the lowest point in our area.  Since Fairbanks is ringed by hills in three directions, the cold air settles into the river valley while warmer air drifts up to the hills.  As the reading suggests, the temperature difference can be marked.  Another benefit of living higher is the smoke from wood stoves does not meet the inversion layer and hang under a noticeable ceiling as it does in the valleys and city.

Our house is not as high up the hill as those living behind Cold stream or the top of Skyline or Summit Drives, but we still experience as much as 10F degrees warmer temperatures than in town.

As the Days Decrease

11 November 2012
3:10 PM

Sunrise at	9:15 AM	in direction	133°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:54 PM	in direction	227°	Southwest

Duration of day: 6 hours, 39 minutes (6 minutes, 36 seconds shorter than yesterday)

South by Southwest from our deck - 3:01 AKST

When I started this blog in the New Year of 2012, many of the photos taken were similar to this.  But, even if I were to take a photo 36 days after solstice, at precisely the same time, it would only be similar. The sun does not rise and set symmetrically with respect to winter and summer solstice.  You may have noticed that in your latitude. So when we have 6 hours, 39 minutes, and 14 seconds of daylight in late January, the sun won't be at this exact point at 3:01 PM.

Yes, the photo was taken at 3:01 PM today.  There are just under 36 days until winter solstice.  The number of minutes lost per day will hold steady for most of November, finally dropping off to a loss of 5 minutes around the first of December.  From there, the number of minutes lost decreases steadily to solstice where it remains fairly consistent for about three days.

I may miss that drama due to possible travel in that time frame to Washington State for my husband's health.

A Day of Rest at SP Kennel

10 November 2012
5:31 PM

Sunrise at	9:11 AM	in direction	132°	Southeast
Sunset at	3:57 PM	in direction	227°	Southwest

Duration of day: 6 hours, 45 minutes (6 minutes, 38 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Black and White  - Cutter and JayJay enjoying the snow in our yard

The dogs at SP Kennel trained three days in a row and today was a day off.  A light snow fell for much of the day, clogging left hand lanes of four lane roads as drivers stuck along the lanes that were most heavily traveled.  The temperature has been warm all day, 20F or so.

Before leaving, I took a cloth and rubbed it over Cutter, just to be sure I had enough of his smell for those that might miss him.  It wasn't necessary.  Several smelled my clothing thoroughly - Tug, his litter mate, Chica with whom he mated for the tennis litter, Puppet who took solace in his presence, his son Mac, and spectacular lead dog, Quito, were the most eager to seek out his scents.

Having run regularly over the last three days, the dogs were very relaxed and ready to rest today.  I visited each one, only skipping Lester who was just too shy and the littlest pups who were in the big pen behind the Golf litter.  I figured I would be mauled from every direction if I made my way to that pen and satisfied myself by greeting the Golf Litter for the first time.  But I will say that Olivia's and Nacho's puppies are spectacularly beautiful.

Biscuit's and Quito's first litter are settling down, except for Pepe who is still a madman.  Yet even he was more approachable than other visits.  Happy was in good spirits and also calmer than she has been at other times.  She is now near the back of the yard and that seems to suit her.  Mac is thin, like his sire - Cutter - was around that age.  They told me he is getting extra feedings right now.  Sissy has chewed around her kennel door, to the point that she has a large round opening.  She seems to be the only one that is driven to chew to that degree.  I wondered how she would fare when it really got cold and the opening to her kennel was so big, but she was curled in front of the opening.  It seemed she liked being in a position to look out easily.  

Olivia, whose litter is the youngest crew at SPK, is still in the process of storing energy after whelping and has not as much hair or weight as she normally does.  Most certainly, being a mother has changed her demeanor as she was not the over-the-top exuberant young lady over in the corner.  In place of her come-see-me-NOW attitude was a quiet dignity and confidence that she would not be left out.  Puppet and I think Rose were in the house/yard pens used for the research study this summer.  Puppet was the most excited to find Cutter's smells and very sweet to me.  But then all the dogs were especially sweet and welcoming today.  Teresa, my daughter, and I are co-sponsoring a second dog, IV, so I took more time to be with her.  She is a smidgen of a thing, much smaller than her solid brother, Chemo.  She has impeccable manners.

I had a cup of coffee, not my usual brew but one I indulge when at SPK, while I sat and visited with Moira and Megan.  They are holding down the fort while Aliy and Allen are away and both are truly engaging and interesting women who feel very fortunate to be a part of the SPK team.  I did not see Ryne although she will be back to run dogs tomorrow.

I came home to the reverse sniff-a-thon as our four dogs sorted through the many interesting odors of the kennel.  Cutter was the most thorough, but not overly so.  He was more interested in being let out to run around the yard with the JayJay and waiting for dinner, a big event at our house, for sure!  It's been an absolutely wonderful day.

A Brisk Walk with the Dog at -20F

7 November 2012
10:02 PM

Sunrise at	9:01 AM	in direction	130°	Southeast
Sunset at	4:07 PM	in direction	230°	Southwest

Duration of day: 7 hours, 5 minutes (6 minutes, 41 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Today was the last day until February, 2013 that the sun remained above the horizon for more than 7 hours.  Which is why it is all the more important for me to walk daily while the sun is out.  To that end, I have taken Cutter to work with us so I have a companion (and motivation) when I walk at midday.  Then too, the oldest dog, Mira Bai, gets first choice on the couch with Gary during TV time; Aria and JayJay have agility classes once a week.  He needs his special time.  We put a portable cloth crate made of lightweight material in the back seat of the Ridgeline and put a blanket in the bottom of it so he had his spot and could conserve body warmth.  Some surprising results have come from this venture. 

Yesterday the temperatures hovered around -12F or so at midday.  When I opened the car door, he shook off and we headed out.  As we walked along a path that leads out of the parking lot up to the family residence section of campus, we came across the remains of a fairly good sized bird.  I could only imagine how it came to meet its end there on the path, since I rarely find evidence of birds bird being caught unaware in winter. But the remains were there without contest.  Even though only scraps of feathers and skin remained, Cutter went right for it.  I shooed him away and thought we were done with it only to see him take advantage of the flex-lead and go right back.  Worried thoughts of parasites crept into my mind.  Guess I will check with our vet to see if that is likely.  When we returned, he showed some willingness to get back in the car, a real departure from his usual approach to these contraptions.

I found myself comparing walking with Cutter to walking with Niwot (the standard by which all dogs are measured), walking with Kabir, walking with Mira Bai when young and walking with my two active dobermans.  All of my dogs have been willing to venture ahead, behind and reach the limits of the lead until trained otherwise.  While Mira was closer to Cutter's attitude when I walked her, she still felt free to stray from me.  JayJay and Aria have a whole different thing going on.  Aria will pull to the end of the lead and expect me to come with her.  At some point she will circle back around me.  JayJay will travel to the end of the lead and then, good protector that she is, take that as her clue to circle.  Walking with JayJay requires that I let her circle around me constantly (to be sure no one can get me from any direction, you see).  She meets the Working Dog Criteria for dobermans on that score perfectly.

Cutter usually walks beside me or behind me.  He has yet to reach the end of the flexible lead on the few times he has gone ahead.  At times he forgets himself and starts to trot ahead of me and then it's as if a switch goes on in his head and I see him catch himself and hesitate, then wait for me.  I encourage him - Aliy is always talking to her dogs and giving them support for the work they do - to see if this signals that he can range more, but so far he has had none of it.

He does not like the loud car noises.  Twice I was switching the hand that held the lead and the bulk of my mittens caused me to drop the handle.  Each time he came to me when I opened my arms and called.  Obviously, I worked on the technique for switching with bulky mittens after that, but I was grateful that he came to no harm due to my clumsiness.

Today when I walked down to the car, it had held at 10 degrees colder than yesterday, @ -22F.  The temperature moved from mildly uncomfortable to one where I really needed to be dressed for the walk.  Although Cutter was one of the dogs most likely to get hot and uncomfortable when it was warm last spring (his dam hailing from regions north of here), this fall he has not been out training.  He does not seem to have any start at his winter coat.  When I left him in the car, even in a portable crate with blankets, he was shivering when I took him out of the car.  Was it cold or a little anxiety?

We walked and he seemed fine in motion, but any time we stopped, slight shivers were visible.  I mulled over the situation.  What is the chief difference between staying in our car and being on the end of a lead by his dog house?  He has shelter in the car, a crate and blanket.  Should he be able to handle this?  I know that Lindy Hop, my daughter's big thick haired husky, can withstand the cold at lower temperatures, but I don't know at what temperature they stop leaving their shorter haired dogs in the car.  He made it from morning to noon.  Would he be okay from noon to 5 PM?

The bottom line was that it seemed if I left him for the afternoon he could develop hypothermia.  My options were to drive him home to the garage pen and crate, walk 5 minutes each way from my office to the parking lot to start the car and run it until the car interior warmed sufficiently to ward off the cold for a while, sneak him into the office against all university regulations, or ...

Cutter pulling the wool over everyone's eyes

He did get into the office for a short time, while I put the wool sweater I keep handy on him.  When I came to start the car at work day's end, he was not shivering and his body felt toasty under the sweater.  Tomorrow I will put one of our thicker dog coats on him that has batting and check on him every two hours to see how he is doing.  I am not 100% sure leaving him in the car is really any better than leaving him at home in his pen in the garage, but I hope it is.  I already look forward to midday when I can walk with him.  I want his companionship until my son takes him south.