The month of two sunrises

Morning (southeast)

Afternoon (southwest)

Around here the month of February is the month of two sunrises.  The house is in the shadow on the north side of a 6,000-foot mountain.  That's high enough given Alaska's position relative to earth and sun to block the solar rays from ever shining on the house from late November until late January.

When it first appears again it rises and shines for a while over the lower mountains to the east of the tall one, then disappears until the next morning. But now, in early February, it rises twice, shining over the low mountains to the east, then disappearing behind Pioneer Peak and then rising again over the mountains to the west.  As a result, two sunrises.

Too bad it can't be more like the movie "Groundhog Day" where the protagonist wakes up over and over on the same day and gets to relive his life based on what he learned the previous times he lived that day. There are several days I wouldn’t mind a do-over, or at least a start-over.

It's not quite so fanciful here, but has some of the same effect. After a winter without sun and the accompanying mood swings, seeing bright sunlight in the morning creates a renewed optimism only to have it dashed in the dimness of mid day, but then have it renewed again in late afternoon. Morning chores seem to get done easier in the brightness of the first sunrise.  A good nap during the dimness of midday works well before taking the dog out to play under the second sun.  All in all not a bad cycle, but it doesn't last.  Soon enough the sun will make it over the top of the mountain and then we head into those days of 19 hours of potential sunlight every day. It's already pretty close to the peak.

So for now only a few more days to enjoy the double sunrise and take advantage of it. The sun will be above the peak soon and with only about 35 days until the equinox when garden planning begins and the sun will be another kind of issue.