Porcupines, caterpillars and marmots, oh my. In the swanky resort town of Mountain Village, Colo., population 4,100 -- most of the residents not year-round -- Ma Nature has sent in some stealth commandos to reassert her presence. Our pincushion friends have been waddling around the 'hood, chowing down on landscaping. Caterpillars have made big nests in trees and stripped bare aspens. Marmots have tunneled under hot tubs and eaten shrubs.
Photo by Michael Armstrong
Big star
A lighted star shines from on top of the elevator shaft at the new wing of South Peninsula Hospital.
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And why not? Wally Hickel once said, "You can't just let nature run wild," but apparently when no one actually lives in a town, that's what happens.
Creeping Celsius! We humans sometimes forget we're guests on this planet, yet another species among billions, and if we get too rowdy, the other tenants might complain -- or just kick us out. Our overdeveloped forebrains delude us into thinking we can outsmart small animals, volcanoes and arctic high-pressure weather systems. We've been finding out these past weeks how well technology works in sub-zero cold. As if.
Deep, piercing cold, the kind of cold that inspires epic poetry and stories about building fire, yee-haw, that will give you new respect for living in the north. Here at Latitude 59 degrees and south of Soldotna, we can count our blessings that it has been staying in the minus single-digits. Send a sympathy card to our neighbors just up the road.
Like every winter, we get this short spell of wicked weather, just enough to keep too many people from settling in Alaska and just long enough to remind us why not everyone does live here. As we celebrate Alaska's birthday, the icing on the cake is ice -- sparkling cold and hard.
If you can live through this, you're halfway home to springtime, even if you have to go through a few more months to get there. Soon enough, like maybe today, it will warm up and we'll be cursing that dang sloppy wet snow.
As always, there's something cool to do to pass the time, like these Best Bets:
BEST WRITE STUFF BET: With the Homer News Kenai Peninsula Writers Contest and the Friends of the Homer Public Library Top Drawer-Top Shelf deadlines looming, now's the time to polish up those great poems and stories. Need some advice? Grasshopper, when you can snatch the simile out of the hand of the master, you're ready to write. Or, hey, just hang with Rich Chiappone, who doesn't mince words and is one heck of a funny guy. Listen to him speak on writing at 6 p.m. today at the Homer Public Library.
BEST GIRLS WITH 'TUDE BET: They've got the skills, they've got the discipline, but most of all, the Homer Mariner girls basketball team has the attitude. If Sarah Barracuda came up against these ladies, she'd be snappin' at air -- they're that fast. Support your local hoopsters with a dinner and auction fundraiser at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Homer Elks Lodge. Tickets are $20.
BEST SKINNY STICKS BET: Coming soon is the Ski for Women, Homer's annual big ski race to raise money for South Peninsula Haven House. If you've never skied before, or are a bit rusty, take some beginning and intermediate ski lessons for women from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Lookout Mountain Ski Trails off Ohlson Mountain Road. There's a $20 suggested donation, but no one will be turned away.
BEST WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN BET: Want to go someplace warm? Want to stroll among the tombs of the pharaohs on the toasty sands of Egypt? You can dream and maybe start planning for a big adventure when Daniel Boone talks about his trip to Egypt at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Homer Public Library, part of the armchair traveler series.
BEST BIG UP BET: A'right, Betsteroids, if you're looking for some more warm tropical sensations, gwaan down to dat Kharacters place for some i-ree good time reggae music with Uplift. The band kicks it into gear starting at 10 p.m. Friday.
