Meanwhile back in Alaska

The sun rose this morning. Lots of birds came to the feeders. The electricity in the house still works. So, I guess it's not the end of the world quite yet. And, I realized I have been ignoring the better parts of life in recent posts, so please bear with some disjointed thoughts from the north.

Why is it most songbirds look angry from head on? There's that bluebird.

First, I finally pinpointed the exact date when the sun goes behind the mountain in the fall. It came last Wednesday right at the peak when the sun slipped behind it for less than an hour. Two sunrises for a while, but they will get farther apart until the day when it doesn't show at all. Marking the date at October 29. The two sunrises come back for the spring around February 5.

Then there is the solitary man. Not much to write about him these days because I just don't travel

I have one of these hanging in a window at the cabin.

that road often enough and at the right times. But there is news. Driving by the  island between freeway lanes where I believed he lived, I saw massive bulldozer cuts into the woods and a huge pile of soil fill at the north end. More bulldozer scars at the south end and a collection of heavy yellow machinery. The world is taking out his home. Plans are for a highway widening to three lanes on each side and the new bigger, safer interchange of entry and exit ramps in both directions. Where he went is anybody's guess but for sure he isn't gong to be staying there any more. Another attack on the homeless.

Around here chickadees crowd the feeders and as many as nine Pine grosbeaks at a time join the frenzy. A nuthatch here and there and a junco join the fray now and again but so far no sign of redpolls. They usually show up later in the winter. I have gone through about half the first bag of feed of the season.

Only a thin, broken cover of crusty snow colors the yard but that's about normal for the season. More to come for sure, especially with a huge storm coming in on the Bering Sea coast this weekend, part of a huge cyclone system moving up the Pacific this week.

I started the first fire in the wood stove this week, replaced the kitchen sink and repaired the chain saw, not that it's needed anytime soon. There's a good supply of firewood in the yard.

Given the events of the past month, it's coming time for an extensive foray to the East Pole. I look at the idle snowmachines in the tent and hear Alaska calling again and it's time to heed that call. All that’s needed is about 20 inches of snow. Bring it.