Let It Snow!

Right now, there is a pumpkin roasting in the oven in the kitchen. I love pumpkin; I actually have 2 more waiting to be roasted. And a butternut squash in line after those.

Winter has started to show its face here at Denali. We have about 1.5" of snow right now. Such a small amount of snow? Well, we're not into the heart of winter yet - and the interior portions of Alaska are generally affected by a rain shadow caused by the Alaska mountain range (home to Denali, The High One).

This means we have a beautiful layer of white finally covering the landscape.



Tonight, while the St. Louis Cardinals won Game 1 of the World Series (much to my delight), my mind was on wool yarn, pumpkins, cranberries and hot cocoa. Sometimes I get cold, but really, I love winter and so many things that I associate with winter.

I'm also eager to break in the snowshoe trails here in Denali's front country. Let it snow!

(And also let the CARDS crush Texas in the World Series!)

Old Friends

Upon returning to Denali this week, one of my first tasks was to visit my old friends at the Kennels. Everyone seemed in good spirits and ready to say, "Hello!"



Chinook wanted to go for walk again. But it was too close to dinner time. ;)



And look at Sylvie! She's all grown up and ready to pose. But one step closer and she was ready to give doggie kisses. She's one of the quietest dogs in the entire kennel, but her tail is always communicating her eagerness to visit.

Random Thursday

1) Well, I'm back at C-camp for the winter. Today I did a bit of running around, a few errands and lots of moving bags and boxes.

2) I'm not done with the moving of boxes. Some are still across the road in a friend's cabin.

3) I have to finish moving tomorrow or I'll really feel lazy about all of this.

4) What I really want to do tomorrow is take a walk over to the kennels and see the pups and Sylvie for a while.

5) I know you want to see more pictures of Sylvie. I've missed her while working out at Wonder Lake this summer! Pictures will be forth-coming.

6) Speaking of pictures, the WIFI at C-camp seems much faster now than it was last winter. This could be a problem as I attempt to get things done while catching up on shows on Hulu.

7) I really have a lot of things to do and projects to complete. It's going to be a mad knitting factory in this cabin in the coming months.

8) So much yarn, so little time.

9) And now I want to knit myself a Christmas sweater.

10) I'm going to bed before I come up with any more crazy schemes to lengthen my To Do list(s)...

[Not Quite] Back From The Land Of Crazy

Where have I been the last six (six?!) months?

Lots of places.

We played in the snow with the doggies until late spring.



Then Denali's west district rangers moved to the Toklat road camp.



Then I finally moved to Wonder Lake.



I worked out at Wonder Lake from June through September.



Then I moved back to C-camp in order to get ready for the winter.

(I don't have pictures of this yet, but I'll be in the same cabin as last winter, so look at those pictures. This year, there's more construction equipment and noise, so last year's pictures might be better.)

Then I flew to St. Louis for my brother's wedding.



Right now, I'm sitting in the Starbucks at Lambert Field (STL International Airport) waiting for my flight to Seattle, on my way back to Denali. This trip to St. Louis (STL) has been a whirlwind, with a busy schedule and lots of what can only be described as "stimulus". A bit taxing with sinus problems and allergies.

I'm ready to slow down and settle into the winter routine in C-camp at Denali National Park. Hopefully, I'll regain control of my schedule and endless list of projects that I want to do, and then I'll spend a bit of time playing with the kennels pups. :)

My Little Friend

Those of you who have seen my pictures on Facebook know of my little friend from this winter. Her name is Sylvie, and she's roughly six months old....


She came to Denali from a kennel in the town of Eagle (which I actually visited in 2007, interestingly enough), near the U.S.-Canada border. She was six weeks old at that time in early November. You see, Denali's kennel is a working kennel. However, the litter of pups born last season was all males. The kennels manager saw a need to bring in a new female and Sylvie got the job. :) Back when she was still small enough for me to lift with one hand, she posed for a Flat Stanley picture with me:


Since then, we have bonded. She is my little kennel friend. We have walked together several times.


She loves to do the Puppy Pounce in the snow, and usually comes up looking like this:


Every time I visit the kennels nowadays, she gets a hug:

It's Been A Few Weeks...

Things are good. The days are getting longer. The animals are becoming more active. I'm finding myself with lots of projects around the cabin - things I want to do for me.

#1) I have seeds to grow two kinds of green beans, two kinds of peppers, spinach and cucumbers. I want to have veggies this summer. The challenge? Keeping the moose out.

#2) I have started to work on two new pairs of pajama pants. Mom gave me the flannel and notions during the winter, and my cabin finally has great light again to work after I get done at the MSLC each day.

#3) I'm getting pairs of my fingerless gloves knit up in the hopes of selling them at a friend's shop in Glitter Gulch this summer. Extra pocket money never hurts.

#4) I've lost 3.4 pounds. I'm hoping I can keep up this trend; my goal on this front is a much greater loss. ;)

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Spring is well on its way for most of the United States. Here in Alaska, we still have at least another month of winter. But I did see a woodpecker yesterday while out on my walk after work. It was a refreshing sight!

March... How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

I have two boxes of Thin Mints, one box of Tagalongs and one box of Samoas sitting on the desk in front of me. Tomorrow I will be minus one box of Thin Mints, but my tummy will be very happy.

I love March.

On the 13th, we get REI dividends, and I will be doing some shopping. ;)

And next time I get to town for groceries? I will be coming home with at least one bag of Cadbury's Mini Eggs.



(Yes, I know I'm supposed to be dieting for the bridesmaid's dress in September. But these chocolate events only happen once a year. I must take advantage while I can.)