A huge relief to be done with the shipment to Palmer. I have no clue when it will be delivered, as it is going on standby vs priority… but it is OUT of my house and I am officially done with it.  Can’t describe how happy I am with that task being done, once and for all. Its huge!!!

Mid afternoon – along Chilkoot

So today, awaken to sunshine… honest-to-goodness no clouds in the sky gorgeous, gorgeous sunny day. The blue sky is the bluest of blue in the north country when its cold.  Crystal clear blue. Cold, but breathtakingly beautiful after getting a foot of snow. Yes, I said we got a foot of snow. Our first – love every inch of it.  I was hoping to go snowshoeing, but if lucky will go tomorrow. Today, I had people picking up their purchases, clearing this out of my apartment. Selling a few more odds and ends – such as a bunch of acrylic tubes of paints I found and office supplies. Then delivered other purchased items, visited Mountain Market (a favorite hang out) for a mocha. Got into quite a conversation with a biologist friend we work out with. Picked up a delivery to Wings from Juneau’s U-Haul place I had ordered. And when I got back to my place, we couldn’t get the door to the van open – frozen shut to get the U-haul stuff out of the van. So decided to take a little road trip with the heat on full blast.

What we saw was just stunningly beautiful. My pictures do not do justice to what we experienced.  We decided to see if we could get out to Chilkoot Lake – the road is not maintained in the winter. Usually the only way in is by snow-shoe or skis.  But most of the road was semi-packed snow from others driving out there, so we lucked out. Oh my goodness…

A single swan is in this picture. Too early for swans, but it is at edge of the slushy ice just below dead center of image.

We haven’t had cold temperatures, so the lake is not frozen. Normally you can ski on this lake in dead of winter – miles out there. Not this year.

Chilkoot Lake

Heavily laden snow branches

Smoking mountains (see the wind blowing at peak?)

There were warning out for today to be quite windy,  but the only wind that has materialized is at the peaks of the local mountains. When it blows, it makes the mountains look like they are smoking.

Low level of water with a low tide and green moss is exposed looking from Chilkoot bridge

Looking back up Chilkoot River from bridge

We saw a few eagles today as well.  It was a great day to go play hooky!  And I’m still playing hooky this evening. No going paperless, no packing boxes… I’m reading a good book.  Its been a great day!