Monday, December 31, 2012

Walking on the beach...

in the snow...

Walking in the snow

Pookie, Pepper and Maggie love the snow
Lights on in the afternoon
Looking across the channel
Looking from the trail to the beach and water beyond
On the Treadwell Trail at Sandy Beach.  It was beautiful!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

View from a friend's inn

Downtown across the channel
Douglas Bridge
To the southeast
While checking on a friend's place who is out of town, I snapped these beautiful pictures of the channel, downtown and the Douglas Bridge on a clear day.  The next day it snowed like crazy :)

Friday, December 28, 2012

Christmas Dinner

Gyozas
Okonomiyaki plated
The seaweed salad was a hit
Cooking Okonomiyaki

A group of Juneau-ites got together for Christmas Dinner and a white elephant gift exchange.  Since I was in town, they invited me to join them.. The theme of the dinner was Japanese food.  We had lots of courses ,and ate from 5:30 to 11 pm!  It was a fun time and the food was wonderful.  Merry (belated) Christmas everyone!

The menu:

Appetizers
Gyoza  with shrimp and pork (dumplings)
Seaweed salad
California roll
Pickled ginger
Various rice crackers

Soup
Miso soup with clams

Main Course
Okonimiyaki (pancakes with vegetables and shrimp)
Yasaitame (stir fried vegetables)
Salmon Chan Chan Yaki (baked salmon with vegetables)
Beef Yakinuku (BBQ Rib Eye)
Chrysanthemum turnip (pickled turnip)
Rice

Dessert
Japanese pear pie
Green tea ice cream

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Winter solstice and remembrance

Winter Solstice occurs in Juneau on Friday, December 21, 2012 at 2:12 AM.  
 Rising and setting times for the Sun
   Length of daySolar noon
DateSunriseSunsetThis dayDifferenceTimeAltitudeDistance
(106 km)
Dec 20, 20128:44 AM3:07 PM6h 22m 30s− 10s11:56 AM8.4° 147.167
Dec 21, 20128:45 AM3:07 PM6h 22m 30s< 1s11:56 AM8.4° 147.157
Dec 22, 20128:45 AM3:08 PM6h 22m 38s+ 08s11:57 AM8.4° 147.147
Dec 23, 20128:46 AM3:09 PM6h 22m 57s+ 18s11:57 AM8.4° 147.138
Dec 24, 20128:46 AM3:09 PM6h 23m 25s+ 28s11:58 AM8.4° 147.129
Dec 25, 20128:46 AM3:10 PM6h 24m 03s+ 38s11:58 AM8.4° 147.122
Dec 26, 20128:46 AM3:11 PM6h 24m 50s+ 46s11:59 AM8.5° 147.116

On this darkest day of the year, let us remember all the people affected by the shooting in Connecticut one week ago, and also remember our Light in the midst of all the darkness.


State of Alaska Capitol Bell to Ring for Victims of Connecticut Tragedy

December 20, 2012, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell has ordered the bell at the Alaska Capitol building to ring 26 times at 9:30 a.m. Alaska Standard Time on Friday in memory of the students and faculty members killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy has issued a proclamation declaring this Friday as a “Day of Mourning” and called upon citizens to observe a moment of silence at 9:30 a.m. local time. The governor also requested places of worship and government buildings, which have the ability, to ring bells 26 times during the moment of silence. Governor Parnell is asking Alaskans to observe the moment of silence and for churches to ring their bells during that time.

“I urge Alaskans to pause and remember those who lost their lives in this incomprehensible act of violence,” Governor Parnell said. “Sandy and I offer our condolences to the victims’ families, friends and neighbors as our nation continues to grieve this senseless loss.”

Governor Parnell will send a letter to Governor Malloy offering condolences on behalf of Alaskans.

The bell at the state Capitol building in Juneau is a full-scale replica of the original Liberty Bell. It was given to Alaska by the Treasury Department in 1950. The bell is rung at the governor’s discretion. 


Heaven's Perspectiv

of the Connecticut tragedy

twas’ 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven’s gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn’t know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
“where are we?” asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
“this is heaven.” declared a small boy. “we’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus’ face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
“Let My power and presence re-enter this land!”
“may this country be delivered from the hands of fools”
“I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my schools!”
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
“come now my children, let me show you around.”
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
“in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT.”

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Moose


This picture was in the Anchorage Daily News - cute!





Monday, December 17, 2012

From a window at work

It's going to be cold and clear this week.  Make that downright chilly!! 


Today Dec 17

IntermittentClouds
Hi 23° Lo 12°
Clouds and sun
precip: 10%
Details
 

Tue Dec 18

PartlySunny
Hi 18° Lo 11°
Partly sunny
precip: 19%
Details
 

Wed Dec 19

IntermittentClouds
Hi 20° Lo 10°
Clouds and sun
precip: 14%
Details
 

Thu Dec 20

PartlySunny
Hi 16° Lo 5°
Frigid
precip: 7%
Details
 

Fri Dec 21

PartlySunny
Hi 13° Lo 2°
Frigid
precip: 7%
Details

 

Sat Dec 22

PartlySunny
Hi 11° Lo 2°
Frigid
precip: 17%
Details
 

Sun Dec 23

Snow
Hi 11° Lo 10°
A chance for snow
precip: 35%
Details
 

Mon Dec 24

Snow
Hi 23° Lo 22°
Snow
precip: 75%
Details
 

Tue Dec 25

Snow
Hi 28° Lo 24°
Snow
precip: 75%
Details
 

Wed Dec 26

Snow
Hi 29° Lo 23°
Snow
precip: 75%
Details
 

Thu Dec 27

Snow
Hi 28° Lo 20°
Snow
precip: 99%
Details
 

Fri Dec 28

IntermittentClouds
Hi 26° Lo 16°
Clouds breaking for some sun
precip: 0%
Details
 

Sat Dec 29

MostlySunny
Hi 24° Lo 15°
Mostly sunny
precip: 0%
Details
 

Sun Dec 30

Sunny
Hi 23° Lo 15°
Sunny
precip: 1%
Details
 

Mon Dec 31

Snow
Hi 23° Lo 16°
Snow
precip: 75%
Details

Friday, December 14, 2012

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Fender berg

If you've ever lived where it snows a lot, you've seen that ice that accumulates under your car when you drive.  I asked if it had name and at least one person said it was a "fender berg".  Works for me!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Winter storm

Brought lots of snow Sunday morning.  Melting now with above freezing temps - yea!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Juneau Webcams

Check out this link for various webcams around Juneau if you ever want a real-time peek at the weather!

http://www.kinyradio.com/webcams.html

Monday, December 3, 2012

Heading towards solstice


It's that time of year when the days are shorter and the amount of daylight lost each day decreases until Winter Solstice on 12/21/12.  Last month we were losing over 5 minutes a day.  I'm very happy that it is slowing down :)

Rising and setting times for the Sun - Juneau, Alaska

   Length of daySolar noon
DateSunriseSunsetThis dayDifferenceTimeAltitudeDistance
(106 km)
Dec 1, 20128:21 AM3:13 PM6h 51m 49s− 2m 52s11:47 AM9.8° 147.486
Dec 2, 20128:23 AM3:12 PM6h 49m 03s− 2m 46s11:47 AM9.7° 147.463
Dec 3, 20128:24 AM3:11 PM6h 46m 23s− 2m 39s11:48 AM9.5° 147.442
Dec 4, 20128:26 AM3:10 PM6h 43m 51s− 2m 32s11:48 AM9.4° 147.421
Dec 5, 20128:28 AM3:09 PM6h 41m 26s− 2m 24s11:49 AM9.3° 147.401
Dec 6, 20128:29 AM3:08 PM6h 39m 09s− 2m 17s11:49 AM9.2° 147.381
Dec 7, 20128:31 AM3:08 PM6h 37m 01s− 2m 08s11:49 AM9.1° 147.362
Dec 8, 20128:32 AM3:07 PM6h 35m 00s− 2m 00s11:50 AM9.0° 147.344
Dec 9, 20128:34 AM3:07 PM6h 33m 08s− 1m 52s11:50 AM8.9° 147.326
Dec 10, 20128:35 AM3:06 PM6h 31m 24s− 1m 43s11:51 AM8.8° 147.309
Dec 11, 20128:36 AM3:06 PM6h 29m 49s− 1m 34s11:51 AM8.7° 147.293
Dec 12, 20128:37 AM3:06 PM6h 28m 23s− 1m 26s11:52 AM8.6° 147.277
Dec 13, 20128:39 AM3:06 PM6h 27m 06s− 1m 16s11:52 AM8.6° 147.261
Dec 14, 20128:40 AM3:06 PM6h 25m 58s− 1m 07s11:53 AM8.5° 147.246
Dec 15, 20128:41 AM3:06 PM6h 25m 00s− 58s11:53 AM8.5° 147.231
Dec 16, 20128:42 AM3:06 PM6h 24m 11s− 49s11:54 AM8.4° 147.217
Dec 17, 20128:42 AM3:06 PM6h 23m 31s− 39s11:54 AM8.4° 147.204
Dec 18, 20128:43 AM3:06 PM6h 23m 01s− 29s11:55 AM8.4° 147.191
Dec 19, 20128:44 AM3:06 PM6h 22m 41s− 20s11:55 AM8.4° 147.179
Dec 20, 20128:44 AM3:07 PM6h 22m 30s− 10s11:56 AM8.4° 147.167
Dec 21, 20128:45 AM3:07 PM6h 22m 30s< 1s11:56 AM8.4° 147.157
Dec 22, 20128:45 AM3:08 PM6h 22m 38s+ 08s11:57 AM8.4° 147.147
Dec 23, 20128:46 AM3:09 PM6h 22m 57s+ 18s11:57 AM8.4° 147.138
Dec 24, 20128:46 AM3:09 PM6h 23m 25s+ 28s11:58 AM8.4° 147.129
Dec 25, 20128:46 AM3:10 PM6h 24m 03s+ 38s11:58 AM8.4° 147.122
Dec 26, 20128:46 AM3:11 PM6h 24m 50s+ 46s11:59 AM8.5° 147.116
Dec 27, 20128:46 AM3:12 PM6h 25m 46s+ 56s11:59 AM8.5° 147.110
Dec 28, 20128:46 AM3:13 PM6h 26m 53s+ 1m 06s12:00 Noon8.6° 147.106
Dec 29, 20128:46 AM3:14 PM6h 28m 09s+ 1m 15s12:00 Noon8.6° 147.102
Dec 30, 20128:46 AM3:15 PM6h 29m 33s+ 1m 24s12:01 PM8.7° 147.100
Dec 31, 20128:46 AM3:17 PM6h 31m 07s+ 1m 33s12:01 PM8.8° 147.098

All times are in local time for Juneau
December Solstice (Winter Solstice) is on Friday, December 21, 2012 at 2:12 AM in Juneau. In most locations north of Equator, the shortest day of the year is around this date

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Douglas Christmas Tree

The lighting ceremony was the Friday after Thanksgiving.  This is on a stage in Savikko Park by Sandy Beach.

Monday, November 26, 2012

The snow is here

These pictures are not black and white :)  Taken out my back window - snowed all day yesterday

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

View from my new office space

Looking at the mountains on Douglas Island - last year at this time we had a ton of snow

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Dusting of snow

I love the dark trees against the dusting on the mountains.  Not too much snow yet!!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

More snow on the mountains

Still clear down below though!  Last year we were buried in snow by now.