To avoid turning this into a log of moose sightings, I will first report on other news of life in Alaska these days... An exciting development is that we are suddenly gaining daylight super fast every day. It is no long pitch black outside when I leave for work and return home. The past two nights, I felt like I was playing hooky because it was unusually bright out, like mid-day bright, at 5pm. The sudden change took me by surprise. Spring is coming fast! I must admit, I will be sad to see winter go...I've really enjoyed the beautiful, snowy days and even the novelty of twilight afternoons. (Of course, there's still at least a month or two left of winter...and the messiest part is yet to come.)
Things have been going quite well at work too. I presented at an environmental health conference earlier this month (in Portland!) and may get to travel to Juneau in a few weeks to participate in a legislative training for women's health advocates. Also, there's a good chance I'll be going to both villages on St. Lawrence Island in early April to coordinate health fairs and help with community health surveys. And, we have started planning for the summer field season (somewhere in the Norton Sound region) and 2nd annual Field Institute (in Nome), which I am really excited about. It's an honor to be invited to these places and to be a part of the work going on in the communities.
And here in Anchorage, the city (okay, town) is buzzing with many exciting upcoming events:
- This weekend is the annual Fur Rendezvous, aka "Fur Rondy," which began in the 1930s as a festival coinciding with the time that miners and fur trappers came to town with their winter harvest. I hear it's an Alaskan tradition not to be missed, with events like the Running of the Reindeer, World Championship Sled Dog race ("the NASCAR of Dog Sled Racing"), snow and ice sculpture competitions, parades, carnival rides, etc.
- The Iditarod starts soon after that, the first Saturday in March! I'm looking forward to being there for the "ceremonial start" which takes place in Anchorage, before the real competition starts about 50 miles north of here. The race starts downtown, then they run through the city streets and trails, and pass by my house on the Chester Creek trail before heading out of town and running over 1,100 miles to Nome.
Still not convinced that Anchorage is where it's at?
- Last but not least, "on May 23, 2009, ... the City of Anchorage, Alaska plays host to the world's bearded and moustached elite." Well, well... Check out the World Beard and Moustache Championships website for some hilarious pictures of past winners. This is serious stuff, folks.
Alright, I think it's now safe to mention that I saw the mama moose again for the third time this week. This time, she was standing on top of a snow bank next to my mailbox, snacking on the tree above. Finally, a clear shot in the light of day! (And proof that moose eat trees.) Here's a short video for all you fans out there:
It's been suggested that I should name my neighbor...any ideas?
Posts
