Alaska Winter Wonderland

January 19th 2006

Well, hello all trail buddies who stop in to look around. January up here has produced some mighty cold temperatures. In the Matanuska valley temperatures have dropped to - minus 24 below zero and lower the more north you go. Only reaching a high of - 5 degrees. Moose hunting has been over for quite some time; antlers have fallen off Bullwinkle. Moose have come down out of the mountains because of deeper snow. They stick to areas of good browsing. And for some odd reason they like to bed down around our homes. Must be the warmth coming from the cabin. The smell of a good fire. Not that they could care about the fire. But sure is nice to come home and find one of the local woods residents hanging around the cabin . It just makes it comforting to know moose out there find this this ole cabin a safe refuge . Hell of a lawn ornament wouldn't you say?

January 29th 2006

Frigid temperatures have frosted the landscape everywhere you look. It has made for some fantastic cold adventures out early morning still trying to catch first light . What area cracks lay in the creeks and rivers find themselves to the surface, casting an icefog that paints the landscapes.
Yet I still, despite the cold, feel the urge to get up and get out in all of this wintery splendor.

Brrrrrrrrrr! Well trailbuddies, hope you're all having fun in your wintery adventures. See you down the trail.

Buford T. Porcupine

January 14th 2006

As I sit alone in the darkness in my favorite rocker by the fireplace, several logs tossed in has stirred up the warm coals from not so long ago. As the fire warms and the logs heat up, light soon appears filling the room of this ole cabin. I watch the shadows dance about the room from the fire. Staring out about the room, my mind quickly ponders thoughts of a new year and wonder where the last one went. It is still dark here outside at 8:25 am. And the temperature is at 1.9 degrees. For the past several nights the moon has been out. Emitting a such a bright glow, it looks like daylight. No clouds and very cold.

Emotions still embrace me from last night from reviewing the slides I had recieved. Quickly opening them as if it were Christmas for me. I am overjoyed at the many varieties of subjects that are there for my viewing pleasure. Each and every one of them get scrutinized for flaws up close. All of the elements must be there for this editors approval. I am quickly drawn back to all those moments in time I caught on film of the many wildlife subjects I persue. I am over-whelmed that all the parts have come together. Still it is a accumulation of time and endless efforts in pursuing my outdoor passion. In the end the results speak for them selves.

Light now creeps into the room, coming from outside. Through the trees, the mountain's whiteness illuminates. Moon slowly sinking down towards the mountain tops. It is now 8.8 degrees and at 9:33 am I guess I better get on with this day. You're burning daylight! Off to another day of adventure with more subjects to be had. Though it will be a cold one. I've always reminded myself of a motto that has stuck in my head, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just inadequate dressing!" For each and everyone of us who possess the true passion for the great outdoors, this is a code to live by. Up out of the rocker and with this day.

Hey see down the trail somewhere.

Buford T. Porcupine