Moon over bare trees; picnic table in the nightwind; Kivgiq fans - please! Don't give up on me! I am plugging away!
Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 1:48PM 
By necessity, I must keep this blog exceedingly brief today. Therefore, I present to you the waxing new moon, as it appeared on my walk yesterday evening. I took this picture a bit after 7:00 PM, as lingering daylight slowly faded.
Yes, although we will not reach the equinox for another 11 days, the season of darkness is over. Until the equinox, our days may still technically be shorter than they are for those of you live in the mid and lower latitudes, but, because of our long, lingering periods of dawn and twilight, they already feel longer.
On Tuesday, in response to the picture of this table that I posted, Fanshaw left this comment:
I'm no stranger to frozen lakes but I am mystified by the power poles. Why? How?
I gave Fanshaw a brief, deceptive, answer, but promised to go back at night and take a picture to illustrate the purpose.
I almost changed my mind, because, once again, the wind was howling and so I did not expect there to be any activity on the lake.
Still, a promise is a promise, so I drove down and parked my car (the headlights that you see glaring off the ice to the left) got out, and struggled off toward the table. This picture proved to be a huge challenge to take, because the wind was so damn strong I could hardly make any forward progress against it. I would push my way forward two or three steps and then it would push me backwards and I would have to start again.
And it was cold in that wind. It was damn cold. I pulled my hood up to give my ears a little more protection but the wind blasted into that hood, caused it to billow up like a big, round sail, practically lifted me off the ice and sent me twice as far backwards as I had already progressed.
I didn't give up, though, and finally I made it to the table.
Now it ought to be clear why there are power poles here. Lots of people like to purhase pizzas from the Pizza Hut just beyond and then sit at this table and eat the pizza while they watch figure skaters slide, twirl and dance across the ice as hockey players smash each other in the face.
The journey back to the car was much swifter than the one from, because that wind treated me just like I was a sail and sent me shooting across the ice at blinding speed.
It was kind of scary, though, because you can see that the ice is not smooth but rippled and I feared I might fall down and damage my titanium shoulder.
I am most grateful to have this titanium shoulder, but I liked my real one a lot better.
Now - for you fans of Kivgiq who are about to give up on me - don't! I am slowly inching forward. Lots to try to figure out, and my time keeps going off in unexpected divergent directions.
Anyway, Kivgiq fans, just to assure you that I am sticking with it, I am posting this picture of some of you, yourselves, the Kivgiq fans, laughing as Vernon Elavgak of the Barrow Dancers becomes a pink-haired lady and does a funny dance during their amazing and beautiful Kalukaq performance.
Next week - I expect it to happen next week. Don't expect to see it all, though. I've got way more than I can ever show, even if I greatly overdo it blog style.
(Although I did this post in the morning, I set it to post in the afternoon in order to give yesterday's post, which went up late, a little more time at the top of the pile.)
View images as slides, please!
Reader Comments (6)
Bill--Just FYI, there were northern lights last night, and probably will be again tonight.
Well, Bill, I don't know what to say! I'm delighted to get a 'by name' mention and a somewhat personalized picture on your blog. On the other hand I feel badly for the hell you went through to get that image. Thank-you, (I love pictures with multiple light sources.)
I'm a constant reader of "Wasilla, Alaska, by 300" and never miss an issue. I have no idea why, but it's fascinating. Keep up the good work.
Very nobel follow up to the power poles on the frozen lake. Even though I did not inquire about their purpose originally, I felt obligated to let you know that the effort was appreciated..........and I believe that it resulted in a pretty decent portrait as well!
Wow Bill, as always excellent blog and especially excellent pictures.
picnic table, rain and telephone poles: perfect picture of loneliness.
Omegamon - darn - I hate to miss the northern lights!
Fanshaw - Thank you - I hope you keep coming every day. I did not exactly go through hell. It can be fun to battle the elements and it was a very brief battle and it all came out okay.
MGSoCal - it is always good when one's effort is appreciated.
Shoshana - Thank you, young writer. Sorry I missed you Friday. I was not able to come by.
Ruth - I guess it is a picture of loneliness. There was no rain, though. Too cold for rain. The ice was just shiny, that's all.