alaskan memories

since it's beginning to feel like winter down here in south texas, it brings back memories of a much colder place my family and i used to live in...eagle river, alaska.  my dad was stationed at elmendorf air force base, in anchorage, as his "over seas" assignment.  needless to say it was very extreme.

we lived in eagle river and my parents would drive 30 minutes into anchorage to work.  i started 6th grade there and went through my first semester as a high school sophomore before we moved down to texas.  (that drive, yes drive, is a whole post on it's own.  maybe later.)


my memories consist of:   

• always being cold, 
• the biggest snow flakes i've ever seen
• moose walking through our yard
• hearing the term "frost bite" for the first time
• endless sun-filled summer days & snowy dark winter days
• permanent fund checks
• mountains in the distance wherever you look
• it being so cold you could see ice crystals in the air
• amazing wildlife
• the term "below zero"
• needing pepper spray just to go on a walks
• the iditarod
• referring to the rest of the united states as "the lower 48"
• always being cold

here are some amazing alaskan images

front gate at elmendorf AFB

where i started high school

alaskan railroad

beautiful alaskan native

northern lights

mama moose and her baby

stoic musk ox

sled dogs

sea otters

puffin

baluga whales

bald eagles in homer, alaska

grizzley bear and his dinner

we need to go back there some day...in the summer of course.

needing a warm mug of coffee in my hands,
libby